I don't see in your scenario above where -you- preformed the {required by the Government and equipment manufacturers} pre-shift safety inspection of your forklift, which would have had you run the lift function, prior to operation, that should have been the 'clue' about the batteries state of charge.
I might offer that correct operator training would have included a spot that said that when operating any powered industrial truck, full attention MUST be paid to the operation, and there is never an acceptable spot to be 'relaxed' while still having the truck where it can be operated. it may be your operator training that was 'defective' and the "known problem", rather than the parameters of the forklift's control's design.