[virtuah]

Maybe you don't get it. The note is now mail [rofl]. 2 option either you pay for it or ask the lawn guy to pay for it.

Actually there is a third option. Tell the mailman to **** off.

[BaselBimbooooo]

The UK must suck. I couldn't imagine not haven't a mailbox and having to carry knives to ward off miscreant youths.
D:

I'm fairly sure you're joking but just in case....we do have mailboxes, just not stupid ones that sit at the end of your drive lol.

[BaselBimbooooo]

..........

The irony of a country that allows you to bear arms to defend yourself, yet leaves your post 50 feet from your house in an unlocked box amuses the **** out of me.

And before anyone gets too sanctimonious, this isn't a pop at America; all countries have ridiculous contradictions.

[TheReallyBest]

The irony of a country that allows you to bear arms to defend yourself, yet leaves your post 50 feet from your house in an unlocked box amuses the **** out of me.

And before anyone gets too sanctimonious, this isn't a pop at America; all countries have ridiculous contradictions.

Well, it's two-fold...

1. The law is intended to keep folks from tampering with the delivery of mail... unfortunately by taking a VERY liberal interpretation of the law (and throwing reason and common sense out the window), you get this...

Sadly, it's how EVERYTHING is going in the US... the govt HAS and like WILL CONTINUE to twist the laws however and whenever they see fit. Often, their left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing and they just try to fog over everything; or just ignore it altogether!!!

Examples: Domain seizures of foreign entities, Operation Fast & Furious, the 400% increase in warrantless wiretaps since Obama took office (And about 4000% increase in warrantless wiretap REQUESTS!)... and the list goes ON AND ON!

2. As for the gun thing... Here in the city, we have individually locked postboxes in a cabinet for our building. In less urban areas, you'll more often find the free-standing unlocked boxes like pictured in this thread; and you're also more likely to be shot for tampering with them! [yes]

[sportbos]

Most people I would assume don't care about yer mailbox anyways. I bet 90% of people's mailboxes just contain bills and junkmail anyways.
Well, mine does :X

[herawaq]

Most people I would assume don't care about yer mailbox anyways. I bet 90% of people's mailboxes just contain bills and junkmail anyways.
Well, mine does :X

What about ID theft? Also, someone could nick your debit or credit cards, or any cheques that have been sent to you, amongst other stuff. Having your post left in an area easily accessible to anyone who happens to walk by is crazy imho.

[sportbos]

What about ID theft? Also, someone could nick your debit or credit cards, or any cheques that have been sent to you, amongst other stuff. Having your post left in an area easily accessible to anyone who happens to walk by is crazy imho.

As far as debit cards, most banks will replace the money that was taken plus if they would have the pin which comes at a different time from the card itself. Sure, they could use it as credit, but the bank would likely reimburse the charges.

Think of it this way though, how many times have you ordered something online to come home to find it outside? I really don't believe that many people think about stealing mail. I am sure there is people that do, but quite a bit less likely than you would think.

Also depends where you live too. Rural areas are more likely to use mail boxes than the houses in the city.

[herawaq]

ID theft is a big problem nowadays. Personally anything with my name and address on gets shredded before it goes in the bin. If someone nicks your post they have all that, plus they could get your bank details which could cause major issues for you.

[Grennios]

ID theft is a big problem nowadays. Personally anything with my name and address on gets shredded before it goes in the bin. If someone nicks your post they have all that, plus they could get your bank details which could cause major issues for you.

How old are you? I don't know anyone besides maybe my grandparents that still get their banking info through the mail. Its all about online banking.

[Leczyslaw]

Something that should be pointed out (if I understand it correctly) is the use of the flag - in the olden days if the homeowner had mail to be picked up by the postman, they would lift the flag and if the mailman dropped off mail a flag would also be raised?
In the UK and most (?) other countries, there isn't a pickup service and all mail is posted in mail boxes.

[BaselBimbooooo]

How old are you? I don't know anyone besides maybe my grandparents that still get their banking info through the mail. Its all about online banking.

That's a rather silly thing to say. I still get paper statements through the post as they are great for ID if I go for some new line of credit. I do all of my banking online though.

Plus, your bank sends you letters from time to time. Are you old enough to have a current account?

[Grennios]

That's a rather silly thing to say. I still get paper statements through the post as they are great for ID if I go for some new line of credit. I do all of my banking online though.

Plus, your bank sends you letters from time to time. Are you old enough to have a current account?

Yes, I have a current account. My bank has me in a "Green Account" which means I don't get anything in paper from them, it's all email. If I need a credit card or debit card they can do it on the spot at their branches. As for the mail, I've had a mailbox my entire life and the only thing that has ever happened to it was some fools went around the neighborhood pulling brick mailboxes down with their car. They ended up serving around 9 months in jail. Rereading my post though it comes off very prickish, my apologies Bungle.

[herawaq]

Yes, I have a current account. My bank has me in a "Green Account" which means I don't get anything in paper from them, it's all email. If I need a credit card or debit card they can do it on the spot at their branches. As for the mail, I've had a mailbox my entire life and the only thing that has ever happened to it was some fools went around the neighborhood pulling brick mailboxes down with their car. They ended up serving around 9 months in jail.

So every time you need a new card you need to go into a branch? Sounds like a lot of hassle. I almost never go into the bank. If I want cash I use an ATM, and I do my banking online. Still get stuff through the post though. Email isn't secure.

Rereading my post though it comes off very prickish, my apologies Bungle. No problem.

[BaselBimbooooo]

Yes, I have a current account. My bank has me in a "Green Account" which means I don't get anything in paper from them, it's all email. If I need a credit card or debit card they can do it on the spot at their branches. As for the mail, I've had a mailbox my entire life and the only thing that has ever happened to it was some fools went around the neighborhood pulling brick mailboxes down with their car. They ended up serving around 9 months in jail. Rereading my post though it comes off very prickish, my apologies Bungle.

They can actually give you a new debit card on the spot? That's impressive! It's usually a 10 day wait in the UK. Why this is, is a mystery.

[Grennios]

So every time you need a new card you need to go into a branch? Sounds like a lot of hassle. I almost never go into the bank. If I want cash I use an ATM, and I do my banking online. Still get stuff through the post though. Email isn't secure.

Well I don't need a card that often, maybe once a year if the magnetic strip wears out if not longer. I also never really felt like waiting and risking the mail; I've lived in a very big college town for the past few years and never trusted the drunk fools to leave s**t alone.

They can actually give you a new debit card on the spot? That's impressive! It's usually a 10 day wait in the UK. Why this is, is a mystery.

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised when I first did it. I think quite a few banks in the US still mail them out.

[herawaq]

Well I don't need a card that often, maybe once a year if the magnetic strip wears out if not longer. I also never really felt like waiting and risking the mail; I've lived in a very big college town for the past few years and never trusted the drunk fools to leave s**t alone.

I was more referring to when your card expires and you need a new one. Over here a new one gets sent out automatically before the old one expires. No waiting required

Also, magnetic stripe? Don't you guys have chip and pin yet?

[Alex Photographer]

I really don't get this.

You're going crazy about how unprotected mailboxes are by allowing anyone to steal from them.

Then you go crazy about the laws protecting mail in mailboxes.

[gortusbig]

Did you know that? That box, that is your property, can only be used by the private company the USPS. If someone wants to leave you a note, or invitation or handbill or anything, and they put it in your mailbox, that you own, the postal service can confiscate that item from inside your property and charge you applicable postage to get it back. While I can understand (though still be against) such a rule when the Postal Service was part of the government, absolutely no private company should have complete control over something that you own.

There few things that can make me as angry as receiving a nasty letter from the douche bag mailman that talks on his cell phone at blisteringly loud levels while delivering mail, saying that a note from my lawn guy is being held hostage for $0.90 cents because he had the audacity to leave it in that box that I own for me to find. I cannot wait until the USPS doesn't even exist. There is a reason they are so maligned and hated... and rules like the one above play a major part.

Sadly, it's up to specific USPS locations to and/or postal employees to choose which rules to enforce or not. I do a fairly large volume of business with my local USPS branch, and they've been nothing but helpful, courteous and upstanding in almost every way.

However, a few counties over a friend of mine runs my other separate business and we do almost the same amount of volume. He got a letter from his postman about a few packages that were under weight (probably 7 out of 200 or more, equaling to a few dollars of un-paid postage ), and was literally verbally abused by the postmaster when he went to pick them up.

I'll give you a little hint though. Throw your postman a $20 bill a few times a year and they'll do anything for you.

[herawaq]

Sadly, it's up to specific USPS locations to and/or postal employees to choose which rules to enforce or not. I do a fairly large volume of business with my local USPS branch, and they've been nothing but helpful, courteous and upstanding in almost every way.

However, a few counties over a friend of mine runs my other separate business and we do almost the same amount of volume. He got a letter from his postman about a few packages that were under weight (probably 7 out of 200 or more, equaling to a few dollars of un-paid postage ), and was literally verbally abused by the postmaster when he went to pick them up.

I'll give you a little hint though. Throw your postman a $20 bill a few times a year and they'll do anything for you.

UNDER weight?

[gortusbig]

UNDER weight?

I should have clarified. The pre-paid labels had lower weight than the actual packages were, putting it in a cheaper bracket.