Well to be correct, it is my very lazy mail carrier. She is required to walk the post route like every other carrier, so say the other postal workers.
Today is Tuesday which is my trash pickup day. On these days she is at her lazy peak. Since she is too lazy to get out of her mail truck she will push my trash can for up to 5 feet to be able to reach the mailbox. Often nearly tipping it over and she has already broken one of my wheels causing me to have it replaced.
I would place the can in another location if possible to save it from my lazy mail carrier but I can’t because of space issues.I have tried to talk to her but her phone seems to be surgically attached to her ear and she doesn’t here my cries for her to stop.
I hate to piss her off just before Christmas because she might take it out on my packages. Thanks for listening to me vent.
Update: The local post master got wind of this photo and came to my house and personally apologized for the driver. I told him that I wasn’t mad at the driver and in no way wanted to get her in trouble.
He did say that the route was a walking only route. They are required to park at the end of the street and walk it down and back. She should never drive it on any occasion and has been taken off my route. He said the placement of the trash can was just fine and the only way that she should skip it is if it was leaning against the door of the mailbox.
He told me that driving on the sidewalk like in the photo is prohibited and talking on the phone while driving is even more dangerous. She had already be written up for talking on the phone in the past and that was going to lead to a position change that he wouldn’t comment on any farther.
For those asking. There are a lot of cars parked out on this street. I can’t put the trash can on the left side of the driveway and the recycle bin is just right of the can and a row of cars just after. The trash truck won’t pick it up if I put it any where else.
The post office says ALL carriers must walk the post route. Not drive it because of the heavy use.
The trash can is never closer than 6 feet away. If she walked it like they are required to it wouldn’t be an issue.
I would report her and make her pay for my broken garbage can.
That’s a great picture.
Haha hilarious! When the time is right (after the holidays, as you said) you should put a board down with a nail sticking up. I bet she’d be pissed to have to change a tire in the middle of her shift!
DUHH….Move the can to the yard or place enough postage to mail it to the dump..???
Put down spike strips all around your trash! When she rolls over it, she’ll have at least one flat… then she gets to explain to her boss just what the hell she was doing ramming people’s trash cans.
um, it looks like you could move your trashcan about 2 feet to the right which would give her enough room to deliver your mail.
Remove mailbox post, place mailbox on ground.
Geez. It’s sad that we’ve gotten to the point that we’re to lazy to walk a few feet.
I suppose that could be the start for some practical joke on her. You could camp out in the trash and surprise her with a Jack-in-the-box game but it might be dirty and dangerous (she might run over you). Or I don’t know, find a way to fix the trash can to the ground so that she can’t move it? Leave a note on the box that says “Cute kittens on board”?
Well, I can’t come up with a good idea but somebody might.
It’s simple. Show this picture to the post office, and get her reprimanded. If she continues to do this, you go higher up.
I understand not wanting to make her angry for fear of your packages, but I also think that anyone this lazy is going to be too lazy to do a lot of damage to your gifts.
Plus, that’s what shipping insurance is for, no? 🙂
To those who advise to move the trashcan:
She’s freaking ruining his yard! Look at the front wheel! and she’s driving over the sidewalk.
fill the can with some rocks, the bigger the better
You could call the police to report the vandalization of your trash can and give them that photo, and insist on pressing charges.
You could call the office of the postal inspector, and report that you saw someone damaging postal service property by running over stuff with the vehicle, and give them that photo.
You could place the garbage can where you usually do, and fill it with cement. (Ice works real well too, if it’s winter.) Then she’d have to explain the big dent in her vehicle from where she hit it.
You could place several cement pylons around the mailbox, anchored deeply into the ground, to force her to get out of her vehicle.
You could place a print of your photo in the mailbox with your outgoing mail, and write a note to her on the back explaining that if you ever catch her doing anything like that again you will have her arrested. Or sue her. Or both.
Better yet, replace your trash can one week with a new trash can filled with cement. When she rams it she’ll kill her truck and have to explain to her supervisors why she was running into your trash can.
Step 1: Buy a second garbage can.
Step 2: Fill 2nd garbage can with concrete.
Step 3: Harden.
Step 4: Switch garbage can #1 with garbage can #2.
Fill the trash can with cement.
I can’t believe the pansies advocating moving the trash can. No wonder the country is in such a state.
You should go to the Postmaster with this photo. Driving over your sidewalk and yard is ridiculous, and pushing and damaging your trash can is downright criminal.
Or, if you prefer to settle matters yourself, fill the trashcan with water from your garden hose. That’ll make it nice and heavy. Turn it sideways, and when she pushes it, it’ll either stop her or she’ll push it hard enough to make it fall over, spilling 50 gallons of water everywhere. That’ll get her attention.
Me, my mailfolk walk to the front door where the mailbox is. And at work, we have an awesome guy that walks up the stairs to our office to deliver the mail (and tell us how much fun he had skydiving or going to Burning Man).
You’re an idiot. I suppose because you can’t place your trashcan somewhere other than right in front of your mailbox that the mail person is lazy? What crap– she probably thinks you’re an idiot for putting your trash can in front of your mailbox… and guess what… she’s right! I thought it was pretty common knowledge that you shouldn’t block the mailbox with a car, trash can, etc.
Responce from ADMIN : The trash can is never closer than 6 feet away from the mailbox.
Have a local beekeeper put an active bee hive on top of the can.
Wait until after the Christmas season, but definitely contact the manager. Get a couple pictures. The cell phone is probably more dangerous.
Put a few cinderblocks on the upside of the can.
For the record I like jordanlund’s idea better though.
How do you get rid of a trash can filled with cement? Its too heavy to transport it with anything.
Simple solution….move your mailbox back about two feet. Or…purchase a rubber chock block(the kind that are used to keep tractor trailer rigs from rolling) and place it in front of the trash can. Or…have the water sprinkler “accidentally” come on just as she pulls up.
My personal favorite would have to be hiding in the bushes with a slingshot and some peanut M&Ms. Those suckers hurt.
i, too, nominate filling the trash can with cement. and take another picture if you do. 🙂
Ok, all this cement talk is ridiculous. I don’t know of any trash can that can take that much weight. The thing would buckle. And if it did hold, I am sure those plastic wheels will make it a breeze to move a bin full of cement.
And if he can move the bin himself, I don’t see how a postal truck won’t be able to move the freakin can.
Plus being that the truck is probably stored outside, I doute it is routinely checked for damages. If shes this lazy to not get out of her truck, she won’t bother writing a report about the said dmg.
The best bet would be to put a board of nails leaning against the bin, (watch it cause it won’t be very safe) if she tips the bin, the board will fall, and you can claim that during renos you put the board out there not thinking it would dmg anything. I don’t believe you will be able to leave a spike track on the ground and claim you knew nothing about it.
Geez, you guys. The mail carrier is being a jerk, so take vindictive actions that are likely to get the OP arrested for the federal crime of interfering with a mail carrier? Get a brain.
Just report the bitch.
I like the cement idea, either that or something harmless that would make an exploding noise when it was hit with the mail truck.
I like the “put a copy of the picture in the mailbox for her to discover” idea, along with a very civil note explaining the damage she’s done to your trash can.
Whether she walks the route or drives it, I would imagine, is of no consequence to you as long as she isn’t damaging your property, so drop that cause. Just let he know that you’d greatly appreciate it if she would refrain from pushing your trash can with her bumper and leave it at that. If she continues, escalate to her management.
I like the idea of waiting until after the holidays to report her, if you have to. Lazy people can become pretty fired up when you piss them off. Also, some lazy people are only lazy with certain things. I mean, hell, look at the dedication she puts in to keeping that phone to her ear while driving.
good luck!
In todays climate much of the “tricks” will get you arrested on a Federal offense.
It looks like she is using a phone in that pic. In most states it is illegal to drive and talk on a cell.
Report her cracker ass to hers bosses and hope she don’t go postal.
Cement won’t do anything but ruin a trash can and make it easier for her to push. Mail truck at low pushing speed vs cement block = easier to push.
There is no sidewalk. It’s called a curb. Big difference. One is for walking, the other is for containing and helping to drain water.
Moving your trash can (receptacle, whatever) is the correct solution. Yes, the mail whore is probably lazy. But what moron parks anything in front of their mailbox and then gets upset when mail doesn’t arrive?
I know my mail carriers pass by houses if there’s a car parked in the way. What should they do? Have the car towed so they can deliver your junk mail? Wake up, smarten up.
Now, with that. If you just don’t like her, plant some sort of road spike strip. She’ll get a flat that she won’t have to change, there will be all sorts of commotion in front of your house and you’ll look like a dick when they see your spike strip.
In the end, you’re the fool for putting your garbage, car, or anything else in the way of your mailbox.
dig a hole
Scott has it right I think. A couple of carpet gripper rods (or just some boards with nails in!) left against the side of the bin in such a position that they will fall and give the lazy cow a couple of flats should make her re-think her mail delivery strategy.
And as he says you can then play innocent! And, of course once Christmas is out of the way (if that’s what’s bothering you) then report her to her boss. That photo is pretty damning (and a movie would be even more so)
Nah, don’t complain. You’re a good sport to tolerate so much of it… so now, use this opportunity to pull a prank on her after Christmas
Hi
I’m a mailman in northern California. There are both conscientious and lazy mail persons (about 200,000 carriers I think). Not enough people complain to management, and many carriers get away with this kind of BS. You will be doing her a favor by showing the photo to the Supervisor, as this is an unsafe practice. Please remember many mail carriers really want to do a good job – after all it’s not rocket science. Please don’t do anything like the concrete idea, as you don’t want to be hurt her or damage postal property.
peace
David
Around here, we are required to keep the area in front of the mailbox
clear. It is not the carriers job to get out – it is our job to keep the
area clean in front. Maybe it’s different where you live?
Wow, look at her big, manly forearms.
Eww.
Just report the gal. Also, don’t worry about the time of year. Last I knew, tampering with another’s mail, for any reason, is a federal offense. Not only would she lose her job, she would be arrested.
Spikes and nails to puncture wheels are stupid and dangerous – not only could you get into trouble with the postal service for intentional damage to their van, but you could also get into big strife if a pedestrian – especially a child – accidentally trod on a nail or spike and injured themselves.
Concrete in a second bin prepered in secret in your backyard was an amusing idea. It will also be amusing for the neighbours to see your efforts trying to wheel a bin, containing enough rocks or concrete to stop a van and possibly with broken wheels, from your backyard to out front.
If not possible to simply move your bin more to the right, into that shadowy area you can see in the picture, then how about these ideas:
* can you uproot your mailbox and replant it over to the left, on the other side of your driveway? Then it will be well away from your favourite rubbish-bin position.
* you could try planting a low hedge or small picket fence along the mailbox side of your driveway, maybe shifting the mailbox back a little so that the barrier allows pedestrian traffic but prevents direct driving access to the box. Any destruction of the barrier by the van would give you a claim on the post office for property damage, and you could encourage action from post office management by saying you will be happy to avoid legal action if they tell their driver to stop being lazy and reckless, as well as buy you a couple of small bushes to repair the hole in the hedge.
* another possibility could be to saw some length off your mailbox’s post, or replace it with a ready-made lower model. Have it set at, say, a foot or so off the ground, making it inconveniently low for the lazy driver to lean down from the van’s high seat.
But before trying any of these, I’d agree with other posts here – shift your bin as far right as possible, and/or make a complaint to the post office about reckless driving, behavious contrary to post office walking policy, and property damage to your bin – with the above photo and a photocopy of the receipt for your replacement bin (if you still have it).
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES FTW!
Place the trash can with edge closest to the road farther back from the road than the post. Your automated trash truck should still be able to reach it.
My a..hole trash men used to pick up my trash cans from next to the driveway and then line them up neatly across the driveway. I took a picture and sent it in to the trash collection company. It accomplished nothing. I sent it to city hall, my complaint with others meant that the contractor lost the business when the contract ended.
Just hammer a post into the ground next to your bin.
I might have the same mailwoman. However, mine won’t even deliver the mail when the trash cans are out. She just drives around our cul-de-sac and goes back up the street. I have tried complaining to the supervisor to no avail. My previous mailman was awesome. He was both friendly and conscientious. He wouldn’t even accept a gift certificate for a pie at Christmas time. Sigh.
Put yourself in her shoes. She has to deliver thousands of letters a day to hundreds of houses. if 10% of people block access to the box, she will have to get out of the truck 50 times per day and will never get done. Why not leave the can on the grass?
Most carriers will skip your box if it is blocked.
Admin’s reply: The Can in on the front edge of the sidewalk as required by city. The Can is always at least 6ft from mailbox and never blocks it.
I called the post office today and all carriers are required to walk the route because of heavy street parking. She is driving on the sidewalk.
I can’t put the can in the drive because it is a pass through to the house behind us.
Rather than cement.. fill it with water. It will be heavy enough for her to get the message.
I got it:
Cut the mailbox post near the bottom and put in a hinge. Setup a system of levers, pulleys, a sturdy metal plate and springs so that when she drives near the box, the mailbox falls backwards towards your house.
When she pulls within a few feet of the box, it leans way back. If you backs up or pulls forward, the box comes back to the upright position.
only in america, baby
Pul-leeze, she’s a worker, you want your mail
delivered, you want your garbage hauled. Let’s
don’t go to war over this. Talk to her. How to
get this resolved is in her court. She can tell you what she wants. You’ll get your mail delivered. Give her at least $10 for Christmas.
Ask you garbagemen what they need. P.S. Give them a Christmas present too. $10 ought to do it.
Listen to people. War is fought by deaf men becoming dead men.
Send the photo to your local newspaper. They love that sort of thing here in the UK.
Look, regs state that the mailbox must be near three feet from the curb. This isn’t a state-to-state thing, as US mail is entirely federal. Just do yourself a favor and give the pic to your mail carrier’s supervisor. Honestly, that’ll screw him/her/it over the most, as a negative letter in his/her/its file will knock it down a peg when it comes time for the next round of promotions. Believe me, the last thing your mail carrier wants to do is get stuck with driving/walking the same route over and over again until retirement.
Also, any action you take that may damage the vehicle will end up being held against you, either as improper disposal of waste ( in the case of a spike strip) or an intentional act (as per the can full of cement or rocks). Although I still love the idea of putting a half-ton can of cement in the bitch’s way.
All I have to say is:
http://www.uspsoig.gov/hotline.htm
Park a car or big truck to the right of the mail box to prevent her from pulling up far enough.
The cement idea is the dumbest idea if you want it to cause damage – shes clearly NUDGING the bin, not RAMMING it.
Just report the bitch. Or post the pic to public forums in the area like the local council newspaper (if you have that over there)…etc.
Or both…
Oddly enough, I just discovered my mailman doing the very same thing a few weeks ago. He knocked over the trash bin and the lid broke off.
I left a brightly colored note in the box for him the next time around and haven’t had a problem since.
Too many comments to read, so if someone has already said this, then sorry.
To all that think he should move his bin, its HIS garden and bin, so is it not up to him where he places his bin.
So if it was me, I would tell her to get her card the f*ck off my property and do her f*cking job properly.
Also, might different in there, but in the UK its illegal to drive and use a mobile phone at the same time! That would go straight to the police.
Juan
To “satmo” whos says “Put yourself in her shoes. She has to deliver thousands of letters a day to hundreds of houses.”
I say, well its her job, thats what she gets paid for!
Juan
The worst part is – and everyone is missing it – is that she is driving whilst TALKING ON A PHONE!!!!!
Put some big-ass magnets in your trashcan.
If she rams it, it’ll just stick to the front of her car.
ADMIN REPLY: My Favorite Idea So Far.
Wow. This is really simple.
You have the photographic proof that she is not doing her job as required, and potentially damaging your property to boot. File a complaint with your post office with the photo attached.
The worries about tampering with Christmas packages should be a non starter. Not only would she lose her job if such actions were detected, but she would also likely face felony charges for tampering with your mail.
To you rocket scientists who advocate anything else: grow up. The idea of filling the can with concrete (thus making it useless and impossible to move) is simply moronic. If you’ve said to put down nails or spikes, well, thanks for spending my taxes so wisely. Jerks.
For the other well meaning responses (move the trashcan, plant a hedge, etc.): Why spend time and effort trying to correct the symptom when it is faster and easier to correct the entire problem?
My parents are both mail carriers, and talking on a cell phone while on the job is against regulations (i.e. a report will result in reprimand). Furthermore, city carriers are required to walk the route, and this photo obviously goes against that regulation. Perhaps a respectful but pointed note detailing these offenses should arrive at the post office. You can be the bigger person in this situation.
Nobody has suggested the mountain – Mohammad solution. Move the mailbox.
Here’s what you do. Take an old lamp form a yard sale. Make sure that it is made out of glass and set it on top of the trash can with the shade on it so there is no mistaking what it is. Be sure you get video of her if she drives up and pushes the can and breaks the lamp all over the street.
Reporting her is probably the right thing to do, but not very funny. Cement, spike strips, and leaping out of the trash bin are potentially hazardous.
I really like the jack-in-the-box idea though. You could get another trash can and turn it into a giant , pressure switch activated jack-in-the-box. Of course, I just love scaring people.
All USPS workers are like this. UPS, FedEx, and DHL all get-out of their vehicles and make the long trek to the DOOR. Only USPS gets it easy, they have the mailbox right on the side of the road, and even then they won’t take their lazy asses out of the vehicle to place the mail in it if something is obstructing their vehicle’s path.
IF you look close enough, I think there’s what it looks like is a police vehicle in the parking lot across the street. Bust em! haha!
Here’s a handy link to the hundreds of comments about this on reddit:
http://reddit.com/info/6125r/comments/
hey,
next time fill the trash with concrete or water like those barriers on the highway. spike it in to the ground. she should walk or get a segway.
I think it would be better to report her to her boss..show them this picture so you’ll have a solid proof of their employee’s action.
Don’t forget that anything you do to boobytrap the garbage can will later have to be dealt with by the garbage men. They generally don’t appreciate cans full of cement or boards with nails sticking out of them.
Put nails under your trash can.
You gotta make sure you don’t get charged with setting a man trap. I got in shit for that when I taped thumb tacts to the back of my mailbox to keep people from pulling it off my house. I suggest just turning on a sprinkler or getting it on video.
Buy 5 cinder blocks from Home Depot (only $1 each)
place them around the mailbox, leaving enough space for a person to walk through, but obviously blocking a car.
I would install a metal pole firmly rooted into the ground with a cement base just behind where the garbage bin would go. When she runs into the bin the pole will stop her and cause her possible vehicle issues, yet without excuse on her part!
Why not just have a calm, reasonable conversation first with your mail carrier to see if you can work this out? I can see from the picture that you are being mistreated (to put it lightly). However, my experience in similar situations is to take the high road if possible. No need to get nasty. Maybe even leave a kind notice in your mailbox explaining the situation to your mail carrier….
Whatever happened to “not rain, snow, or dark of night shall keep us from our appointed rounds”? I have a great carrier–our mailboxes(ten of ’em) got knocked over from a car wreck–the boxes sat flat on the ground for a week–mail went through just fine! I think you should leave a copy of the picture at your box for her, and mail one to the supervisor. She’s two rings short of a three-ring circus.
“Put yourself in her shoes”? It’s her fucking job to deliver the mail…. and she shouldn’t be driving on the sidewalk anyway. If she doesn’t like getting out of the vehicle to deliver the mail then she should get another job.
What was that old motto? Be it rain, sleet, or snow the mail must go through? I guess trash cans don’t apply there.
In case people forgot the mail person has a job which is pretty simple; put mail in the mailbox. It is not especially taxing mentally or physically. She should get her lazy butt out of the truck and walk the 3 feet. They make those trucks so they are right hand drive so she doesn’t even have to get out into any potentialy dangerous traffic. If she can’t handle that she should find a new job.
Why do people accept crappy service these days? Where is the pride in your workmanship? Last I knew, when you were hired to do a job you collected money for doing it properly and not pissing off your customers. Would you keep going to a mechanic that routinely forgot to finish the work on your car? Or damaged it in the process? This whole suck it up mentality going around is deplorable.
I would report her immediately.
Postal employees are under an unbelievable amount of pressure to meet unrealistic goals. That’s where the phrase and concept of “going postal” originates. Personally, I would take some of the more extreme steps stated earlier, but in doing so, please realize that you are dealing with a person trying to make a living under the most austere and ridiculous circumstances!
I don’t suppose complaining to your local postmaster had any effect?
To anyone suggesting he move the mailbox – you’re wussies. You should report her to the supervisor. It’s her JOB, for God’s sake! The cell phone can’t be legal either – if you’re working at, say, the post office counter, can you just spend the entire day on your cell phone? I also do not think driving around with the door open is approved practice. I *suspect* that she’s breaking at least three office regulations here (no talking on cell phone while at work, no destruction of property, and no driving with the door open).
Forget the cement idea (if anything, you won’t be able to get the cement can AWAY from there once the punishment is done – the joke’s on you, heh). Just report the bitch.
Two words:
Big rocks.
Very effective for signaling a no-go area.
Stand in the front door where you took the picture from with your willy hanging out. She’ll pay attention to your address everytime thereafter.
Well! As I know ! The right way is mailtruck is delivery to every mail boxes should not get out the truck for safety . Any thing should not block mail box for mail carrier delivery mail. ( some state don’t use mail truck to delivery mail ). Any body understand that why the mail box require to how high , how far from drive way . Just think if 400 house then about 100 house with mail box blocked then how long does it take for mail carrier to finish the job . Think about that then make easy and help mail carrier to finish their job and delivery your mail with a good time .
Base on this stituation then I can tell she was wrong . She need to get out the truck one or two times then tell resident not support to block the mail box . For me , for safety , she should not did that and the resisdent should talk to her then if your erea too hard for trashman or mailtruck then talk to mail carrier , it won’t harm to talk or get hurt to get out the truck in your stituation . Just be like a good maner . Doing some stuff like concrete or nail is really wrong , that is for BAD people , don’t listening to or doing like that . It not hard to fix it . Talk to her and see how she know her mistake . I beleive after you talk to her then you will find the answer . I beleive that she will say sorry to you if not then the is not medicine for her to take . Happy Thankgiving !
just stand next to your mailbox when she drives up and if she tries to hand the mail to you just refuse and make her put it in the box. then make her back up and drive around you. if she starts messing with your mail, its a felony, so it seems like a win-win situation to me.
Just to put it out there…..
In the US as far as I know, it is illegal to record (pics, music, video) of other people without telling them. Methinks a sign would suffice as you see in many large store parking lots. But unless you told lazy that u were gonna take her picture, u could get urself into some serious trouble………
As a rural mail carrier, we do not get paid for getting out of the vehicles IF the route is meant as a driving route. However, the owner of the trashcan stated a few times that this is a walking route (and this is a city carrier, since she’s wearing a uniform, so this rule doesn’t apply to her because she gets paid by the hour). When I deliver mail on garbage day (and on the route I deliver that’s 3 times a week), the day of the pick-up I don’t care. They have to get rid of the garbage, and have to put the can somewhere. I dislike it when I have to get out (and not because I’m lazy – but because I am not supposed to get out), but what else am I going to do? So I put the vehicle in park and get out. Big deal – extra 15 seconds. Granted, it adds up. Oh, well. But on the next day – that’s when I skip the boxes. Since she’s getting paid by the hour, she shouldn’t mind. Time and a half isn’t bad. What you definitely should do though, is mention the talking on the phone. That’s a big no-no in USPS, doesn’t matter which state. If she has a strict supervisor, she’ll at least get written up, if not suspended. Also keep in mind that if anything is done to the vehicle, it’s a federal crime. And there are also regulations as to how high off the ground the box can and cannot be, so if it’s too low, she doesn’t have to deliver, either.
Idea.
1. Print this picture on the back of an envelope.
2. Address the front to her supervisor.
3. Include nice note about what a great job she is doing.
4. Place picture side up in mailbox.
just show this picture to the postmaster, problem solved.
Moving a trashcan that large, full of concrete,might sound a lot easier than doing it would be. It appears to be up hill to the street,anyway. I would make prints of the picture, and include one in the “tip” envelope she’s probably expecting, posting the other on the same day, inscribing “Incriminating Photograph” on the front in red. Of course the second would be addressed to the local postmaster, and include an invoice for the repair. I charge a hundred dollars an hour. I’m a diesel mechanic, but the same tools are required, and my time is no more valuable to me than yours is to you.
I do have a postal carrier in my family so I showed them this photo and here is his reply:
“If it is a driving route and the garbage can is blocking the carrier from accessing the mailbox, then it is acceptable for her to push the can like that at the owner’s expense. However, your greater concern is that she’s on her cell phone. MAIL TRUCK DRIVERS SHOULD NEVER, EVER BE TALKING ON THEIR CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING. It diverts their attention from what’s going on around them and they may easily hit other cars, pets, or children. This is a known policy arcoss the country for every single postal employee in every branch. I would definitely complain if our mail carrier did the same with her phone.”
There you go. Oh, and it’s “mailwoman”.
Since there is no sidewalk,(Admin: She is driving on the sidewalk in the pic.) this is not a walking route. The carrier has the right to simply take your mail back to the post office until the box is clear. The carrier is under a schedule that is actually impossible to meet and short cuts have to be taken just to get back in time. An extra 10 seconds on 500 boxes would equal to an hour and 20 seconds. She doesn’t have that much time. She may be on the phone getting instructions from the post office for pick-ups,(Admin: Ever Day Of The Week She Is On The Phone) etc.
On my route I have to drive 50-70mph on 35 mph roads to make the required time.
In case anyone is wondering, she gets 3 minutes per mile and 20 seconds per box. The 20 seconds includes selling stamps, getting signatures, taking large boxes to the house, picking up packages, presorting mail, etc.
I miscalculated. That’s 3 minutes per mile. 20 mph.
please,
you could check with someone who knows, but there are lots of rules already for box height, box size, box distance from the pavement etc etc, and same for the trash bin distance from street, weight, overflow, contents, etc.
so find out the rules first, for your own sake.
try first to to solve the problem at the lowest level. ask her what she wants, what you can do to help her, treat her as one of your family. do this at least three times before escalating.
As already said, some magnets in the bin would be amusing. If she rams the bin again, and it sticks, and see doesn’t notice, then get photosnappy!
Although, looking at the van, its got a rubber bumper, so the magnets would have to be secured up higher.
Find a younger kid and pay them to sit in the bin, and when its bumped or whatever, get them to scream their lungs out. I dunno if thats sue-able in USA(coz everything else seems it)But in NZ it ain’t 😀
Why not snap the post that it sits on, then place it back on gently, so if any one touches it, it’ll topple over(but don’t got to court over it…)and give them a fright lol.
So much could be done, but you americans are to much wanting to go to court over it.
My dad works at the post office and he’s always talking about selfish-ass people like this. It’s really hard to get fired from the post office but her co-workers would probably thank you if you did (since it’s likely that she does similar things to them, too).
I don’t see why some people think the trash can is in the way. She obviously doesn’t have enough room to just pull up to the mail box so she’s trying to push it that extra foot.
BUT, she is supposed to walk! Just get your chatty ass out of the mail truck and walk. I like the idea of putting a copy of the picture in the mailbox then asking her to walk like she is supposed to. If you get a picture like this again – you will report her.
I can’t believe people are actually defending this woman. Obviously it’s not accepted practise to drive on people’s sidewalks and ram their personal property with your vehicle. Why should the owner have to set about moving his mailbox around or putting his trashcan in an improper location because this woman doesn’t want to do her job properly?
@RJT: Maybe if you find your job too difficult you should look for a different field of employment.
Wow, how can anybody say the solution to this problem is moving the trash can?! The woman is driving on the sidewalk. If she got a walking route– oh well. Walk the route or get another job.
Obviously meant to be walked anyway as you cannot reach the mailbox from the road and sidewalks are NOT for driving. Hmmm
Use UPS for your packages.
wow, this is a great shot. truth really is better than fiction this time around!
Ha, ha. You’ll never be sure of getting mail again. If I were you, I’d cancel home delivery and get a PO box. Nice going…
nice shot man!
lol well there goes you’re mail. Hope you don’t receive you’re checks by mail. People are vindictive man, sad to say.
Move your mailbox. Attach it to your house.
People like her give other good employee’s (mail carriers) a bad name.
Lazy is an under statement. She is breaking quite a lot of regulations on this one. I bet the union is just cringing over this. She should be fired. FOLLOW THE RULES.
Nice photo…you’ve only got her for about three or four violations there…..
Turn the photo, along with your complaint into your local post office, or station manager..and put the photo in your mailbox for her to pick up, when you know the next day she will be on your route! This woman should be reprimanded, or transferred somewhere else. And since she will be extremely POed at YOU for reporting her…so what? If she tries to sabotage your mail, or your packages, you probably can catch that on your camera too….
The key thing you have going for you is that your route is an all walking route. Your trash can is in an OK location. Only if it was right in front of your mailbox so the door could not be opened would it be a problem..
Good luck to you, and I hope you win, and she has to get out of the truck, and walk her butt up and down the street like she is supposed to…..and GET OFF THE PHONE!
Retired from the PO with over 32 years carrying an all walking route…..But, you know what, in this day and age, this is the “new breed” of letter carriers that are out there delivering YOUR mail…Based on this picture alone, you have EVERY right to be upset
This mail box is obstructed by the trash can and an official notice to her by management should be made. Doesn’t this lady have anything better to do than to take pictures of the mail man? This looks like a set-up to me. The mail man should have never had a cell phone stuck to their ear.
Looks to me like if the carrier is driving on the sidewalk, the trashcan is sitting on the sidewalk too. I would think both would be a no no.
My previous post was only in regard to the trash can placement. She should not drive on the sidewalk. Furthermore, if the route is designated walking then she should walk. However, trash cans are filthy and potentially hazardous with germs or other undesired matter on them that I and others do not want to handle or move them with our hands as we are doing our routes. Please be keep them away from your mailbox. If necessary, move your mailbox . Talk to your mailman if there is a problem. Most of them are nice if you approach them in a nice way. No one likes confrontation, including you!
If the any one (carrier, neighbor, whoever) hits your personal property (i.e trashcan) with a vehicle, CALL THE POLICE. Don’t wait, just call the police. Then she can explain all the above mentioned things to her boss. Ind damage to the grabage can. Then file a claim (or have your insurance company)against the USPS for damamges. This will go in her permanent record, as any motor vehcile accident usually starts with a 7 day suspension. She can/will be disciplined for unsafe work practices (cell phone while driving). Want her to stop.. hit her in the pocketbook.
Gee, at least you get your mail delivered before dark..
I am a letter carrier, and I am amused by several things here. There are too many negative comments here for my liking. Delivering the mail is a tough job…the average person has absolutely no idea. Also, why would postal management want us to walk this street when there is a perfectly good curbside box there ? As for the trash can, it cannot obstruct ingress or egress to that box whether you walk or drive it. That would be a safety hazzard. Her only beef with me would be the phone call. I use my speakerphone. So please… be nice to your letter carrier. Peppy
Look..She is wrong with the phone and not walking If IT IS A PARK AND LOOP ROUTE. I will let you in on a USPS secret..MGMT. will give a wink and nod to moving empty cans blocking the box. Carriers are on a tight time schedule. They cannot have carriers getting out 50 times a day. Thier should be 10′ clearance on either side of the box. I have been carrying for 22 yrs. All our mounted rts move the cans with the truck. Garbage day is 2x a week here. MGMT here in the past has called the trash hauler to try and get them to toss the empties on the lawn to no avail. Mgmt DOES NOT want to deal with all the phone calls if we brought the mail back.
I’ll try what the so-called “USPS boss” says to do and call the police the next time the garbage man throws my can to the ground.hahahaha
I am so sorry for being so mean earlier.
I should not have said that you have a problem.
It is so wrong for the carrier to do this.
No doubt about that.
I would like to add that posting her photo on the internet is a cruel thing to do tho. You should have been proactive. Now the whole world knows about her and that is a passive aggressive kind of thing to do.
She will get into a lot of trouble. If that is what you wanted…good for you.
You did it!
Bravo!
Print the picture on a postcard. Mail the postcard to the postmaster. One copy each day, sent from your mailbox. Make sure you lift the flag! Think about how nervous she will be to put that in the mailstream! Make sure you put your return address on it!
i haven’t read one comment yet to get it right
there is different types of delivery if this is park&loop she needs to park her truck and walk it if it is curbside move the trash can its that simple
It’s kind of like throwing stones at people and that is so much fun!
I LOVE THIS PICTURE
DID THE MAIL MAN RETIRE AFTER THIS ??
After reading some of these posts, I can’t believe that some of you are on the side of the lazy ass posty. First of all she is driving on the sidewalk, I think that is illegal in most country’s. She is blabbing on the phone on company time (probably to a friend) creating a hazardous situation as her attention is not where it should be and she is probably being paid 30 bucks an hour to do all that brain intensive work. I know i am going to be trashed about this. Go for it.
For so many postal employees to not know the regulations is truely shamefull. There is NO ONE that has the right to withhold mail from delivery except the District Manager. This normally only happens in areas where dogs are a problem. Gt out of the truck and do what you are getting paid for–DELIVER THE MAIL–the cell phone would have gotten her at a mininum a 30 day suspension. The door open could have gotten her fired for blatant disregard of safety rules.
Watch out, she might go postal on you now.
Seriously, only a psycho mailwoman would drive on the curb, while talking on the phone, while pushing your garbage can out of the way with her vehicle to deliver your mail without leaving her seat.
I wouldn’t be surprised if one of your next packages was a bomb.
She is obviously WAY past the point of caring.
at least she wasnt eating a honeybun with her free hand. hey at least she has her seatbelt on
Retired Postmaster you are wrong. She has every right to not deliver a blocked box. Like usual a postmaster knows nothing about the rules. Being on the cell phone is not illegal because she is not driving, she is stopped. Driving with the door open is permitted, as long as she is going between stops and not exceeding 15MPH. Check your rule books and then thank the post office for employing an idiot who rants about his job that he knows nothing about. Please research before you post.
I am a mail carrier in the California Bay Area. Your picture of the lazy mailcarrier was posted on our time clock so we could all enjoy it. You probably won’t have to worry about the carrier again. She was probably suspended or fired.
Merry Chrismas….she won’t have one.
The woman in the photo is me. Yes the phone IS surgically attached to my ear as I volunteered for a medical experiment with a telco company. I plowed into your trashcan because, well, my mother was attacked and killed by a crazed green trashcan when I was a kid and I have been psychologically scarred by the incident as you can probably understand.
The phone has since been removed, unfortunately with most of the skin on that side of my head, by my boss who snatched it from me in a fit of anger when someone complained about their trashcan being rammed.
I have been put on another route now but on Tuesdays (trash day) I am accompanied by my therapist and a friend of mine who is a psychotherapist. I am making progress, but I am finding most of the trashcans on the new route are filled with cement and really the cost of repairing damage to company vehicles is making it difficult for me to make ends meet.
Does anyone have advice for me? (helpful advice please, not abuse… I get plenty of that on the new route
thank you
Alison
This is why Australian Posties (mail men) ride motorcycles to deliver the mail.
forget the cellphone, forget the trashcan, its a curbside delivery, forget the rest of the drag.
What a capture
Damn!!!!!!Here I am, doing park and loops daily and I come across negative stuff like this!!!!!First, how can you perform your duties with a phone in your ear!!!!Second, that carrier is a reflection of the management of the station that she work out of.Reading management side of the story, they forgot to meantion that if their stupitvisors were doing street observation it would’nt got to this point!!!!JUST LIKE THE GENERATION OF TODAY, YOU ALL ARE MADE OF PLASTIC PARTS!!TEST TUBE BABIES!!!!!!!
The people here who say to move your bins or your mailbox are forgetting at least one key thing: that it is UNLAWFUL for her to even have the vehicle on that road. Therefore, you do NOT need to make it more accessible for her, since she shouldn’t even be doing that in the first place. Second of all, the poster clearly stated that the bin is never within 6 feet of the mailbox. That’s PLENTY of room to deliver the mail – the correct way.
WHoa whoa whoa … People, please close your parenthesis!
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
There, that should make up for everything.
Anyway — this is the funniest thing I’ve seen all day!!
I think you did the right thing. If it is a walk only route then she should have walked. and talking on the cell phone while driving should have been immediate termination no questions asked.
After 12 rounds of bantering, the winner is the customer. It does appear the the LLV(mail truck) is on a sidewalk therefor not considered a mounted delivery.
However, I concur that Retired Postmaster is an idiot. If it were a mounted delivery she should have not delivered the mail.
Alas, I spoke too soon and didn’t get all the facts. I hadn’t absorbed the fact that she was unlawfully making it a driving route.
I’m a mail carrier in Fla. My sub always did this kind of crap.She even ran into another car while on the cell-phone.She had so many complaints that she got promoted to superviser. She is now my boss.No wonder everybody hates the postal service.Wish I was still in the Army!!!At least total screw-ups got their butts in a sling!!!If it’s any consolation ,my mail carrier(lady) is the absolute best.I gave her a nice holiday $$$$$.
omg! my mailman ony ocmes 2 a week
My name is David and I am a loser . I also love the cock .
I work for the usps and we are NOT allowed to get out of our vehicles to deliver the mail if the box is blocked. TALK TO MY BOSS. THAT IS THE WAY IT IS. If we are caught getting out of our vehicles we are written up for it. There are so many bosses with nothing to do that some of them go out and spy on the carriers. The more you mess up the more you are likely to get promoted.
Reply:
Klink: Obviously you did not read the complete story. The Mail delivery in this neighborhood is a park and walk route. Every other mail person that delivers walks the route like they are required to. I spoke with the postmaster and was told they should never for any reason drive the route. The placement of the trash can and recycle bucket were farther away from the mailbox than required and if the mail person was walking the route like they should have they would have caused no interference in any way.
why cant you not block the mail box you know the mail will come every day . why not leave the can where she pushes it and she wont have to move it. (out of the mail ladies way) or put it behind the mail box and piss off the trash man. he only comes buy once a week!!
Klink: Are you too lazy to read the complete post. It is a walking route. No driving permitted.
Get a life everybody.
Hell yes! We need to crack down on these lazy postmen and women!! that’s SO cool how you took pictures of that lazy bitch and sent it to the postmaster!! hope that bitch got fired! My mailman is a ucker…always delivering mail at different times and often not paying attention and ucking up giving me my neighbor’s mail or my neighbor getting my mail. Jeez! How hard is it to deliver mail?…get any and every holiday off and sundays…laziest motheruckers!
I’ve been a letter carrier for a long time. Clearly this carrier is in the wrong. However, I’ve never heard of a carrier being required to walk a street that has been designed for curbside delivery. Routes that have boxes mounted on the house are walking routes and those that have boxes mounted on posts at the curb are driving routes. It’s a safety violation to deliver curbside boxes on foot.
Hey asshole! your stupid comment would make sense if it were only you that blocked the box but when you have people like you and landscapers,pool cleaners,contractors,cable guys,yard waste,recycle bins…etc. this has to be dealt with every day throughout the route, you should be grateful she even delivered your mail because she is supposed to bypass any blocked box. put your trash on the other side of your drive way, easy fix!! you were in the wrong sir!!
Klink: Stop crying. Read the complete article. This is a walking route only. (Park and loop) Can was nowhere close to being in the way and there is a road parallel to the other side of the drive so that is a no do. All the other mail carriers walk the route. Just this lady tried to drive it.
I agree; this carrier is in the wrong. But I would like to expand on this topic if I may. Having been a rural carrier for years and having to battle trash cans obstructing access to and from the mailbox, I now opt to not deliver to an obstructed box. I do not have any walking on my route so I deliver from my vehicle only. My biggest peeve is not so much with trash cans in the way (as the trash collectors place them wherever they want, so it’s not necessarly the customer’s fault)but the customers who park close enough to the box to obstruct access. The habitual offenders who seem to always have something blocking access to the mailbox get no sympathy from me, be it toys, cars, trailers, etc. My getting out of my vehicle to put mail in an obstructed box is an unauthorized dismount and is not allowed by the USPS and I will not waver for these ding dongs who know better. What’s worse; many times, especially in sub-divisions, they are also blocking access to the neighbors mailbox as well. How inconsiderate is that?? What it comes down to is that if you’re nice to your carrier, they will make the effort to be nice right back. If you constantly make it difficult for your carrier to do their job, chances are, they will not go out of their way to deliver your mail.
This was a good laugh thanks, and nobody should ever catch anyone armed with pepper spray off guard on purpose! Surprising how many people bothered to comment and didn’t bother to read others posts. I rarely post comments after reading all the other comments. But not a single person mentioned the possibility of being pepper sprayed if you jumped out at her or something along those lines. My brother had his mail truck stolen once. It was his fault for leaving the keys in the truck at the last house on his daily route. He said he did all day everyday for all other deliveries that required him to get out. It’s his job to make sure he doesn’t leave the truck without the keys always! But they caught the guy right away and my brother didn’t really get into trouble because no damage was incurred to the truck or mail it was carting, which wasn’t much. He was written up and then also told he should have never tried to chase after the guy on foot.
I doubt this slacker suffered any punishment.
I have never seen my mail lady when she was not talking into her blue tooth. Twice now, in as many weeks, with letters in my box for pick up, she has left them there. Gabbing away so intently that she doesn’t even notice them.
If you moved it over 2 more feet she would be able to deliver without hitting the trash can. I know you said that you leave plenty of room but obviously you don’t or she wouldn’t hit the trash can. I have never seen a park and loop with curbside mailboxes the boxes are on the house. How convenient you happened to have a camera handy…Or was this whole thing a perfect little set-up? The phone is a definite no-no but she is stopped at the box. It is only a problem if she is driving and talking. I think you have a personal beef with your carrier. I also think you must have way too much time on your hands. Pictures can be deceiving. Drivers are not supposed to get out of their vehicle for safety reasons and even if they did to safely exit your vehicle you need to park, turn off vehicle, remove seatbelt set parking brake. Do that 75 times for all the blocked boxes out of the 875 she has to deliver. It gets old quick. The job is a heck of a lot harder than it looks. BTW who was the idiot who thinks postal workers make $30 an hour? I wish, not even close…
Klink: It is a park and loop route. All the other carriers get out and walk it. There is loads of cars parked up and down the street so placing trash out is hard to do. That carrier almost always drove with the phone on her ear. I don’t have a problem with the carrier i just thought it was funny. I had my phone in my hand at my desk when it happened. That how I got the pic.
The people who keep saying that’s she’s stopped at the box so it’s okay for her to be talking on her cell phone are crazy. Do you really think her phone just rang at that exact second and that she’s going to hang up before moving to the next box? She’s clearly in the wrong and will hopefully learn how wrong she is.
I work from home. Every Monday and Thursday, I suddenly hear a huge boom around 11AM. I look outside and the mail carrier has hit my empty trash can so hard it’s literally halfway across my driveway. It has dents from his hits. We just got this new guy around 2 months ago. On trash days, when they pick up our trash around 10 AM, I usually can’t get out of meetings long enough to run out there and move it before he comes along and hits it. I want to complain but not sure if the mailman will retaliate somehow by losing some mail or something. Not sure what to do. The people before him have usually walked but now he has been driving. Today, I am even more annoyed since I heard his usual trash can hit and then heard the engine turn off for a good while. I figured he might have got out and walked or something. I heard it turn on and he went along his way. When I chcked my mail, there was a box, hard thick box of a monthly order I have. He usually places these boxes in front of my door and not the mailbox. Today, he decided to STUFF my mail and box inside. I had to wiggle and wiggle, almost take out my mailbox from the ground to take it out. It literally took me 5 minutes to pull the box out and find my stuffed/folded up/jammed mail behind it.
Put a fence up. if they go over the fence shoot them as criminal terrorist trespass. There is no law when the postal service district manager tells the mail carriers to cut across to save time. the property does not belong to the post office. When laws are not followed there are no laws . Now you have a civil war when you stick to your rights as a homer owner. Defend your property at all cost. First give them a warning then a final warning. When the mail carriers and the district manager don’t follow the city local ordnance laws of criminal trespass and they are exempt by the city. There is no law. Do what you have to do. It will not be a good thing for the post office. they don’t maintain your lawn they abuse your property by defacing it. Put a stop to it do everything legal first. If that don’t work now everyone in the local police department will attack your law abiding rights. It might take a few body counts to resolve this criminal offence performed by the post office station district manager. Defend your property at all cost. You own it. The post office has no rights. Tell the Station District manager to put a mail box at the curb which that is the city property. Let them pay for it. This is the only alternative.
Thats not a walking route, its clearly a driving route! HAHA wow. you dont know how many times we run into that crap in our 10+ hour days.
Klink: It is a walking route. The current mail carrier walks it and the one before walked it. She is driving on the sidewalk with her phone on her ear. You are ignorant.
I have a problem there is a little patch of grass on the outside of my fence where my mail box is, I’d say it’s about close to almost 6-7 inches of space, when the mail carrier brings my mail she always runs at least down 2 yards of this patch of grass after she puts my mail in the box before she gets up on the road almost down to my fence, when my husband was alive in our car we used to run on the edge of the road to keep from running in the mud., and it was quit easy for us to reach the box … What can I do or say to change this situation so she will stop making a muddy mess of the outside of my fence without going into some money.
She runs her car about 30 feet towards my gate before she gets out onto the road.. I tried to send you pictures of it but I’m not sure how…