Re US Style post boxes

[Guest guest]

We have huge 8ft gates, which we lock when we go out (rural lane at back of

large housing estate, known for being burgalry hot-spot, so our predecessors

fitted them)

Consequently there was a smallish sized Brabantia locking mailbox outside the

gate - which is too small to run a small business/edit Foden Society (old

lorries) newsletter/and all the associated junk mail one gets when one owns a

house/has insurance/a car/a baby etc. So my FIL made a huge box, with a

letterbox (also big) and we have our house name on it too.

I believe the Brabantia one may be lurking in the garage, when I get out there

(need to shift some stuff out of the conservatory to make room for some other

stuff I'm shifting about), shall I look for it? Might be a bit rusty, but if

the key is there too it might be of use to you. Will take a normal person's

post.

Miranda

www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk

[Guest guest]

It hit me as I brought Calvin home from nursery today that no one has

posted this particular suggestion:

If you're away on holiday, ask a trusted neighbour to take the post in

for you (either into their house or to stick it through the slot on

your door - if they're not afraid of the dog).

I don't know if they do it here, but in the US, they'll hold your post

at the P.O. while you're away and you can go collect it when you get

back.

Otherwise, I haven't heard of many problems in the US with post being

stolen out of boxes. I know that it does happen, especially with

things that are obviously cheques or whatever, but it's not a

widespread problem.

Phyllis (American, always had a street 'mailbox', and can't see what

the fuss is about)

[Guest guest]

We have a rural post box too. I don't think anyone has ever taken anything

from ours. It seems that people are very respectful of one another's post,

and given that it's a federal offense for an unauthorised person to either

take something out or put something into a rural mailbox, tampering just

isn't done. If you have doorstep delivery here, it means just that - the

postie does not put the post through your door, just into a basket or

mailbox on your porch. I wouldn't be comfortable with a US postbox in the

UK - the uniqueness would just be too tempting for would-be mail thieves.

I don't like going out to get my post, but it's just one of those things.

Ditto newspapers. One advantage of the US system is that the postman

picks up post from your mailbox - it has a little flag on the side that you

use to signal you have post for pick-up. I now have no excuse for leaving

things unposted for weeks on end (although it still happens).

A disadvantage of the system is that, since only US mail carriers can

deliver something to your mailbox, anything that's hand delivers gets put

on your doorstep, or hidden between your screen door and front door..

Since we rarely use our front door, I can miss stuff for days (usually

newsletters, with important dates).

Joyce

-----Original Message-----

From: plaatsch@... [sMTP:plaatsch@...]

Otherwise, I haven't heard of many problems in the US with post being

stolen out of boxes. I know that it does happen, especially with

things that are obviously cheques or whatever, but it's not a

widespread problem.

Phyllis (American, always had a street 'mailbox', and can't see what

the fuss is about)

[Guest guest]

I wonder if a mass mailing from coffee members with get well soon or

some message especially for the postal service :-))))) prominently on

the envelope on it would spark some guilt?

--

jennifer@...

Vaudin