A B757 CAPT DESCRIBES A RAMP WORKER GIVING AN EMER STOP SIGNAL TO PREVENT A COLLISION WITH AN IMPROPERLY PARKED JETWAY AS THE ACFT APCHED A GATE WITH AUTO PARKING LIGHTS.

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WE WERE PARKING AT GATE. EVERYTHING ON THE DOCKING SYSTEM BOARD INDICATED WE WERE PERFECT. ABOUT 21 FT FROM PARKING; THE COPLT GAVE THE 'PREPARE FOR ARRIVAL' PA. THEN I SAW A FLEET SERVICE GUY RUNNING TOWARD US PANICKING. HE WAS GIVING US AN EMER STOP SIGNAL. WE STOPPED 16 FT SHORT. WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE JET BRIDGE (I'M UNABLE TO SEE IT IN THAT POSITION) WAS OUT OF PLACE AND OUR LEFT ENG WAS CLOSE TO HITTING IT. ADDITIONALLY THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD DIS-ARMED THE DOORS 16 FT SHORT OF PARKING. WE SAT THERE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE FOR THE JET BRIDGE TO BE RE-POSITIONED WITH UNARMED SLIDES. THIS WAS THE FLT ATTENDANTS' FAULT AND I REALLY WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THAT AT THE TIME. FORTUNATELY; THERE WAS NO PROB DUE TO A QUICK THINKING RAMP GUY. BUT IT ONCE AGAIN PROVES HOW THE FLT DEPARTMENT LIES TO US ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. I THOUGHT THAT THE GUIDANCE BOARD WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO WORK IF SOMETHING IS IN CONFLICT? THIS WAS NOT THE CASE HERE AND I COULD NOT SEE THE JET BRIDGE. WE LATER TALKED TO THE RAMPER TO THANK HIM AND GET THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED. HE THEN TOLD US THAT THIS HAD ALSO HAPPENED YESTERDAY AS WELL AS BEFORE. HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE REPORTED IT AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY MANAGEMENT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR A GUIDEMAN NEEDS TO BE PLACED THERE.