OT Misdelivered mail

[KenK]

Are other eople getting other people's mail in their mailboxes too. I've been getting one or two a week for a year or so now.

You too? Or my mail deliverers? Or normal?

[invalid unparseable]

It happens now and then to us. It could be a new mailman. I think real mail gets lost in the junk mail. Unfortunately the junk mail keeps the postal service in business.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Occasionally, meaning two or three times a year. My neighbor's box and mine are right next to each other, and the most common is I get his and he gets mine. Once in a while, I get the mail for a neighbor a few doors down. Once in a blue moon, it's someone on another street.

It's your mail carrier.

Cindy Hamilton

[Cindy Hamilton]

I get so little real mail that it's a festive occasion. Strike up the band: someone sent us real mail!

Cindy Hamilton

[invalid unparseable]

When I started consulting over 25 years ago I used a computer but most communication was phone, fax and mail. I figured I spent about $30 on mail each month. Today I spend less than $1 a month. It was a retired mailman friend that told me that junk mail now supports the post office.

[Anonymous]

Same here except it's about once a month. Part of problem is the neighborhood streets all end in ...wood, Oakwood, Pinewood, etc, and house numbers repeat also.

Then there is mail that has correct street address, but for an unknown name. Recently marked one up as Unknown, Return to Sender. It came right back the next day. Learned you need to black out the bar code.

[trader_4]

Got a new carrier here about a year ago. Prior to that, never received someone else's mail. Since then, I have received other people's mail a couple of times.

Reminds me of the time I was going to Italy and had bought train tickets at the last minute. They were coming Fed Express on the day when I was leaving on a night flight. Waited, watched, then around 5PM Fed Ex showed it delivered, nothing here. I only had about an hour left. I even drove around the neighborhood, looking to see if an envelope was on some other doorstep. Nothing. When I got back I checked the mailbox again and voila, there it was. Fed Ex doesn't put things in the mailbbox, and it was not there before, so the logical conclusion was that they had left it at the wrong house and someone brought it over and put it in the mailbox. I got very lucky.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes it is. The other day she left a package at the door. I was able to catch her before she pulled away. My numbers end 810 this was to 818.

When I go to the main boxes across the street I occasionally have a wrong piece and just put it in the outgoing box.

If you sign up for USPS informed delivery you know what you should be getting. I get an email every morning with a photo of any first class envelopes.

As much as we bitch about the mail, overall it is pretty good. They will take a letter across the country for 50 cents. I won't go across the street for a half buck.

[gfretwell]

Amazon used to be a big source of revenue but they are doing their own "last mile" now. USPS may be in serious trouble if the only thing they ever bring is junk mail. Young people may want the option to opt out.

[gfretwell]

I agree I use the mail a lot. Priority mail is a helluva bargain. They will come get it, you get free boxes, insurance and tracking, 2-3 day delivery for about the same or usually less than the average Joe pays at UPS or FedX for 8 day ground. I understand UPS and FedX has better rates for big commercial customers but so what? Given a choice, shipping with Priority mail is still cheaper than UPS/FedX at most online places that give you a choice.

[rbowman]

My dentist sends postcards for appointment reminders. I got one yesterday reminding me about my January 7th cleaning. It must have taken an intergalactic detour.

We have contract carriers out in this neck of the woods. Some are good, some are not. I came damn close to paying my neighbor's electric bill one month before I noticed the addressee.

[rbowman]

One year when I went on vacation I told the carrier to feel free to shit can the junk mail and that I figured he knew junk when he saw it. 'no can do.'

[rbowman]

For something related to the federal government the USPS is remarkably capable.

[rbowman]

My favorite was Matt Dardas who sold cast lead bullets and shipped in USPS flat rate boxes. Shipping was about 10 bucks. I think the USPS weight limit was 60 pounds and with careful shopping you could come close to that with a selection of 9mm, .357, and .45 ACP bullets.

The USPS most have loved it. Other than the filament tape there wasn't any hint the innocent little box was essentially solid lead.

I think he retired and tried to sell the business. I don't know if anyone bought it. I've seen that with several local businesses. The guy wants to retire, the kids want no part of the business that kept a roof over their heads, and if he is lucky he can sell it.

[micky]

Some of the time. I just got an order, 12 items, that they broke into 5 deliveries, and I think two came USPS.

USPS may be in serious trouble if the only thing they

[invalid unparseable]

I get bullets from SNS Casting. It is amusing to watch our lady USPS carrier deliver a little 40 lb box of bullets.

[Wade Garrett]

Postal Problem Solving:

There used to be a wall slot labeled "Misboxed Mail" next to the row of PO boxes in my post office.

One day I noticed it had been blocked off and taped shut. So I asked the clerk why is was removed and what I was now supposed to do with the misboxed mail I received. He said the slot was no longer needed as there wouldn't be any more.

Problem solved!

[gfretwell]

I knew a postal carrier who got fired for misdelivering junk mail. He said if he had a pack of "occupant" shit that everyone was getting he just opened the pack and stuffed one in every box. If it actually had a name he sorted it normally. They fired him for it.

[gfretwell]

We see at least 3 Amazon trucks a day plus the other carriers they use. It seems if it is "fulfilled by Amazon" they deliver it but if it is coming directly from another company it can be anything. We must have a distribution center close by because I have received things virtually the same day (ordered late at night and showed up the next afternoon)

[rbowman]

Yeah, they are so innocent looking. My mail is in a cluster box with a couple of big lockers for the larger parcels. The carrier leave the key if you've got something in the big box. I was lazy one day and drove up to the locker, rolled down the window, and tried to wrestle about 50 lbs. into the car. It's an interesting position, not quite like doing hammer curls.