posted on November 26, 2000 06:07:37 PM
I posted this once, need I post it again?
"Curbline Delivery
Curbline delivery provides service to customer boxes located at the edge of streets and roads that can be safely and conveniently served by carriers from their vehicles. If unusual conditions, such as excessive street parking, make it impractical or difficult to serve boxes at the curb, customers may install boxes at the edge of the sidewalk closest to their homes. These boxes can then be served from the sidewalk by the carrier. The local post office makes this determination after all other delivery options, including central point delivery, have been explored."
Notice "excessive street parking", that the carrier can put the mail actually in the box? This was taken direct from their web site, it isn't like something I made up. I have to wonder how the rules suddenly changed when this lady got her job. For years we have parked in front of the house with no problem. This lot happens to be narrower in front than most on the street. I suppose I must walk from now on to accomodate her highness, as I am not allowed to own a vehicle, right? Or, perhaps I should park it on top of my house?
Yes, it may be bordering on a congressional big deal. There are extenuating circumstances here which will have to be taken into consideration. She has a choice where to park. I don't.
posted on November 26, 2000 06:14:50 PM
On top of all that, I can understand some people giving up and getting a post office box. But, isn't that like rewarding a rather bad child? They have been paid to deliver the mail ONCE with the stamp. Now, turn around and pay them again for a PO box, so I have to drive to get my mail, and save them the effort? I would just as soon send myself a bulky empty box everyday for her to deliver...or, they can hold them all till hades freezes over waiting on me to pick them up, and tie up their working space!
posted on November 26, 2000 06:26:37 PM
FedX and UPS does have the right to deliver mail just like you can also deliver mail. The only catch is you must deliver to all the houses in the 50 states and do it everyday. This is why UPS and FedX are taken your hard earned money to send your packages to people and everyday at 4pm they back tractor tailer after tractor trailer in all the bulk centers around the country. You pay 6.00 buck and UPS and fedx pays 3.20 to the Postal Service to deliver it. They don't deliver to most of the contry just the large cities and larger towns. They use the Postal service just like you and me.
If you don't like the service you getting use the other Post Office in town Ha! Ha! Ha!
I get 20.00 bucks an hr !
posted on November 26, 2000 06:54:27 PM
escandyo -- I'm so sorry. I got completely off-topic.
Yes, my mailman is the Best! But the new part-time guy that does his deliveries on his day off, leaves much to be desired.
My mailbox is out at the street too but it's easy to get to and I always keep it shoveled out and clear. My good mailman actually forces his way through a bad snow storm to get our mail to us, sometimes even before I get it shoveled out. He even backs up to my garage if he has boxes for me. I am so spoiled I don't think the sub or any other mailman will ever be able to take his place.
But, if I had that mailwoman you have, first I would do everything I could make my mailbox easily accessible to see if she would start doing her job and if she still didn't, I think I'd be butting heads with her.
posted on November 26, 2000 07:23:39 PM
It tickles me that some of the folks complaining the most about poor service from the USPS are the same folks that have no problem with a seller who chooses to ship once a week because "it's too hard" to ship every day. Bad service is far less palatable when you're on the receiving end.
BTW, I'm wondering if the local post office has made an official determination against sidewalk service. Have all other delivery options, including central point delivery, been explored?
posted on November 26, 2000 08:08:13 PMescandyo, Give some thought to what you wish to accomplish. First and foremost, I bet you want to get all of your mail in a timely manner and in good condition. Like it or not, the post office has a monopoly on 1st class mail.
My guess is sometimes your mail comes with a digit left off or two digits transposed. You get it anyway, because the carrier recognizes the name and address. Realize however, that mail can just as easily be returned "No such number" and your carrier has the power to do it. Checks that you might be waiting for can "accidentally" be tossed in the outgoing mail pile. They'll get back in the mail stream to be delivered but it may be a day or two and meanwhile you're waiting. Packages can be tossed not so gently and heavier ones can be put on top of yours. Sure, they may be insured, but who's going to stand in line and go through the claims hassle, you or your carrier?
Please post again and let us know how this turns out, my money is on the USPS backing up the carrier and telling you to move your vehicle or your mailbox. Meanwhile, you've still made your carrier mad and she can and probably will get even several times a week and you won't even know it.
[ edited by london4 on Nov 26, 2000 08:14 PM ]
posted on November 26, 2000 09:11:22 PM
escandyo--my suggestion for the PO box is for security. I really don't see how anyone would want their personal mail sitting in a box on the edge of thier property that anyone could take things from if they so wished.
posted on November 26, 2000 09:29:56 PM
What London Said is so TRUE! I have been a victim of postal employee sabatoge! Remember Romeo? You don't want to go there!
posted on November 26, 2000 11:50:36 PM
Somehow, the Postal workers here in Hawaii are on a different set of rules, as all of them go out as nice and very helpful.
Guess it's the Aloha Spirit.
:\\\"Crystalline Sliver cannot be the target of spells or abilities.
posted on November 27, 2000 07:18:53 AM
I'm guessing the aloha spirit imbues the customers on the route and the carriers are reacting in kind.
Right off from the phrase 'butt heads' I sense a confrontational attitude. I don't know many people who would be able to resist fighting back for very long. That will only keep the harangue going. Would it be possible to approach the problem or problems from a position of resolution, instead of battling? Postal employees are human first, just as we all are, trying to do a job and get by. We all have our own set of difficulties. Some of us try harder than others to set these aside and stay focused. I suggest writing out your list of complaints, making an appointment with the postmaster and having a calm, rational discussion. Discussion involves listening as well as speaking. You have everything to gain from trying and nothing by not.
posted on November 27, 2000 08:35:00 AM
escandyo ~ are there only 3 people living on your block? You said that you, and 2 other neighbors were told that it was within her rights to not deliver it. What about the rest of the people on the street? Are they blocking their boxes? Is she delivering to them? It would seem to me, that the entire block should be having this problem and not only 3 people, if parking was a major problem.
Maybe those who are having problems should take a step back and examine the entire area. If it's just a few people, than that's where the problem lies... with those people. If the problem is with EVERYONE on the block, than it can be solved by a central point delivery system.
posted on November 27, 2000 08:45:07 AMCarriers are not allowed to leave their vehicles to deliver mail to to boxes located on the street.
For suitable definitions of not allowed. My carrier, and I suspect most, use common sense and a reaonable amount of pride in doing a good job. They do in fact get out of their vehicles from time to time to work around some obstruction. Their supervisors know that. They are not disciplined.
It doesn't matter what the regulation says, a carrier who flat refuses to get out of the vehicle is being confrontationally lazy, and is making enemies.
Again, it wouldn't be so bad if it were not for a government mandated monopoly on delivering first class mail by the USPS. You can go to jail for mailing ordinary mail by Federal Express in the USA (although that's probably never happened). The point is, if the USPS isn't working out for you, you don't have any choice to choose a service with different rules if not better carriers.
posted on November 27, 2000 02:32:54 PMYou can go to jail for mailing ordinary mail by Federal Express in the USA (although that's probably never happened).
sg52,
Sorry, but I don't understand. I know that many business firms mail almost everything by FEDEX. In my opinion most of it is ordinary or bordering on junk mail. The only thing that distinguishes it from other mail is the high price for delivery.
The front of this lot is 53 feet. She drives a large vehicle and there is simply not room for the 3 of us. I drive a Monte Carlo (read large) while hubby drives a truck (read large.) There is a driveway in between my lot and my neighbors which she could park in front of for the moments she would be out of her truck. This is not our driveway, we don't use it. That particular neighbor is a 75 year old man, he parks close to his sidewalk due to his age and difficulty getting around. The lady across the street is elderly with children and grandchildren who drive. Yes, all of those I have spoken with (including the neighbor who is moving his box) is having trouble with her. She has stated she will never deliver their mail if the vehicles aren't moved. Not all lot sizes in this neighborhood are equal...and generally those with small lots don't have driveways. So, where else are we to park. Again, the circumstances demand consideration.
posted on November 27, 2000 03:02:52 PM
The route can not efficiently delivered if a mounted route person has to get out of the vehicle every time a mailbox is blocked. All the customers on the route suffer from late delivery if a few refuse to make their mailbox accessible and the driver gets out of the vehicle many times to deliver.
You can make any excuse you want as to why your mailbox is inaccessible, but the solution is to assure that your mailbox is accessible during delivery times.
The Postal Service in not entirely inflexible, but they are bound by regulations that serve a system that works for all of us.
The US Postal Service is by far the least expensive and most reliable in the World.
[ edited by reamond on Nov 27, 2000 03:04 PM ]
posted on November 27, 2000 04:04:49 PM
SG52,
I'd be interested in a citation if you have one. I would like to see how Congress defines urgent and the penalties involved. If there really is such a law it would seem that FEDEX would be required to cite the law on their envelopes and boxes.
I do know that it is illegal to place a FEDEX delivery, or any other type of delivery into a postal mail box.
posted on November 27, 2000 04:17:18 PM
Reamon, people like you are the problem. You either are not reading through this, or are just a bit dense. There is NO OTHER PLACE to park the cars, there is NO OTHER PLACE to put the mailbox. Why must I be forced to sell my vehicles if I want to receive my mail at home? I cannot park my vehicles in front of someone elses house, nor can I put my box in their yard! Should I stand outside and wait dutifully to take it from her hand, or just hop in and drive away so she can put the damn mail in the box? SHE is the problem, the problem didn't start before she took the job. The mailbox has been in the same spot 30 years, and people have always parked in the street. If you don't understand what 53 feet looks like, take a tape measure outside, park 2 large vehicles in that area, then try to jam a mail truck in it! She has all of the length of the Monte Carlo plus 4 more feet to walk to put the mail in the box. Not like I need her to go on a caving expedition.
A quotation not to be missed:
The suspension is available only if the value or usefulness of the letter would be lost or greatly diminished if it is not delivered within these time limits. For any art of a shipment of letters to qualify under this section, each of the letters must be extremely urgent.
..and it goes on to define extremely urgent.
Note that the "suspension" referred to is a suspension of the law saying that only the USPS can carry mail.
posted on November 27, 2000 04:51:33 PM
Has this been going on for years or have you recently had a change in carriers? If the mailbox has been in the same place for 20 years, how has the carrier handled it in the past?
I still think no matter how you feel, you should try and work with your carrier. There are four people I try never to upset for obvious reasons: my auto mechanic, my trash collector, my hairdresser and never, ever, my mail carrier.
Mail carriers are magicians, they can make checks disappear (for a week anyway) and you'll never even know it.
posted on November 27, 2000 05:30:53 PM
SG52,
I read the link and saw that the rules are written to protect the USPS from competition. It defines material that does not fall within the definition of "mail" such as bank notes, court filings, or invoices that accompany the merchandise being sold. If an item does not fall with the exceptions for the definition of mail, the cost for private carriage of mail must be at least $3.00 or twice the applicable U.S. postage for first class mail (including priority mail).
That means that all of the material I see going by FEDEX meets the definition for "urgent" because the FEDEX rates are much higher than the $3.00 or twice the applicable U.S. postage for first class or priority mail.
It appears that anyone can run a mail delivery service as long as they charge exhorbitant prices, or they specialize in delivering the items that the post office has declared as being outside of the definition of "mail".
posted on November 27, 2000 05:41:37 PMDWest go to that document and find the quotation I posted. You will find that for "standard mail", it overrides all those other things.
Indeed, financial documents do not count as "standard mail".
However, it is up to sender to follow the law referred to in that quotation, and never ever send "standard mail" which is not urgent by any other paid carrier except the USPS, regardless of cost.
posted on November 27, 2000 06:15:17 PM
escandyo ~ why don't you take a few pictures of the area to highlight the problems and then you and a few other of the effected people go down to the PO and talk to the PM to see what can be done to correct the problem.. .. such as a community mailbox.
Getting angry/defensive/etc towards this mail carrier will not solve the problem. You need to come up with solutions and present them in an organized calm manner, so you will be listened to.
The problem that you and others need to present, in a unified voice, to the PM is the parking problem on this street (present pictures) and the difficulties that the parking problems are causing. (ie: they keep the mail carrier from doing her job efficiently). Then present the PM with some possible solutions.. such as a centralized mail box... putting your block on a "walk" delivery.. or anything else that is reasonable. Do not suggest unreasonable or unlawful solutions, such as the mail truck park/stop illegally in order to deliver the mail... Park/stop in any way that would put the mail carrier or the vehicle in potential harm, etc. Such solutions would be discarded as soon as they're presented.
