Deliver us from community mailboxes!
Mar. 3rd, 2023 07:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blogcutterSometimes I wonder how much money was really saved by scrapping door-to-door mail delivery in favour of community mailboxes. Maybe one day I'll submit an Access to Information request.
We go around the corner to get our mail. There's supposed to be a 3-module community mailbox there. But Module 1 sort of lost its moorings and got knocked off its pedestal. We figure it was probably hit by a snow plough or other heavy vehicle. At first, it was just leaning at an angle, then it got knocked right over, then somebody stood it upright but it was still not anchored to anything, then it fell on its face... and finally the whole module was carted away. All this started in late January, and the unit was removed some time around February 7.
Module 1 has a mail slot, compartments for individual households, and parcel compartments at the bottom. Modules 2 and 3 have no mail slot but they do have the slots for specific households, as well as parcel compartments at the bottom.
Fortunately the compartment where we pick up our mail is in Module 2. I pity those families who normally pick up their mail from Module 1. However, I did mail a couple of things in the Module 1 mail slot before the problems started. I was able to confirm that they did eventually get delivered, albeit about a week later than they would normally have arrived.
Today there was a new wrinkle. I got a parcel, so there was a key in our mail compartment. I managed to retrieve the parcel but was unable afterwards to deposit the key in the slot in Module 1 as you're supposed to, because Module 1 isn't there!
I suspect it would be OK just to drop it in another mailbox but I'm not 100% sure. The key does have a number on it and the stern rebuke "Do not duplicate" so presumably the posties know which group of mailboxes it goes with.
But since it's Friday and there won't be any more mail delivery until Monday, I decided to bring the key home and stick it in a CONSPICUOUS envelope addressed to the mail carrier, with a note explaining the situation. Some time before Monday morning, I plan to put that conspicuous note in our mail compartment. We'll see what happens.
In the event that it just sits there unacknowledged, I guess I'll try plan B and just deposit the key at the next set of community boxes along the street.
Or I suppose I could camp out by the box and flag down the mail deliverer on arrival.
Or maybe I could get together with the neighbours and organize a mass protest.
Or I could contact my MP.
Stay tuned.
We go around the corner to get our mail. There's supposed to be a 3-module community mailbox there. But Module 1 sort of lost its moorings and got knocked off its pedestal. We figure it was probably hit by a snow plough or other heavy vehicle. At first, it was just leaning at an angle, then it got knocked right over, then somebody stood it upright but it was still not anchored to anything, then it fell on its face... and finally the whole module was carted away. All this started in late January, and the unit was removed some time around February 7.
Module 1 has a mail slot, compartments for individual households, and parcel compartments at the bottom. Modules 2 and 3 have no mail slot but they do have the slots for specific households, as well as parcel compartments at the bottom.
Fortunately the compartment where we pick up our mail is in Module 2. I pity those families who normally pick up their mail from Module 1. However, I did mail a couple of things in the Module 1 mail slot before the problems started. I was able to confirm that they did eventually get delivered, albeit about a week later than they would normally have arrived.
Today there was a new wrinkle. I got a parcel, so there was a key in our mail compartment. I managed to retrieve the parcel but was unable afterwards to deposit the key in the slot in Module 1 as you're supposed to, because Module 1 isn't there!
I suspect it would be OK just to drop it in another mailbox but I'm not 100% sure. The key does have a number on it and the stern rebuke "Do not duplicate" so presumably the posties know which group of mailboxes it goes with.
But since it's Friday and there won't be any more mail delivery until Monday, I decided to bring the key home and stick it in a CONSPICUOUS envelope addressed to the mail carrier, with a note explaining the situation. Some time before Monday morning, I plan to put that conspicuous note in our mail compartment. We'll see what happens.
In the event that it just sits there unacknowledged, I guess I'll try plan B and just deposit the key at the next set of community boxes along the street.
Or I suppose I could camp out by the box and flag down the mail deliverer on arrival.
Or maybe I could get together with the neighbours and organize a mass protest.
Or I could contact my MP.
Stay tuned.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-03-04 10:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2023-03-05 12:21 am (UTC)As far as the parcel delivery, it was actually coming from the U.K., but was delayed because Royal Mail had suspended international deliveries due to a ransomware attack.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-03-05 10:20 am (UTC)Apparently that ransomware business STILL hasn't been sorted!
(no subject)
Date: 2023-03-04 03:41 pm (UTC)