USPS package pickup and public mailbox locked

[annr]

In the interest of social distancing, yesterday I arranged a pick up for a 2# priority mail envelope today.

I received a confirmation.

I followed the instructions and was under the impression the envelope would be collected with today’s mail delivery.

It was not. Is this typical for this service? Just my mail carrier? (he also did not pick up the 2 letters left for him; he did deliver the mail.)

 

[Norcaldude]

Half a million people work for the post office and they pick up and deliver mail for just about the entire country. There is no 'typical'. Some bad employees, some good ones and most pretty average.

My usual mail carrier is great and I have had him pick up packages many times without any problem.

Contact your local postmaster and tell them about it.

 

[hhmoore]

I wouldn't presume to speak of how things are done in Boston - my experience consists of rural and suburban upstate NY, with roadside mailboxes; and we leave mail for pickup as a routine, raising the flag to alert the mail person. If the flag is not raised, the contents of the mailbox will typically be left...along with any new mail .

 

[Boxer .45]

In the interest of social distancing, yesterday I arranged a pick up for a 2# priority mail envelope today.

I received a confirmation.

I followed the instructions and was under the impression the envelope would be collected with today’s mail delivery.

It was not. Is this typical for this service? Just my mail carrier? (he also did not pick up the 2 letters left for him; he did deliver the mail.)

Did you raise the flag?

 

[JPD1998]

I wouldn't presume to speak of how things are done in Boston - my experience consists of rural and suburban upstate NY, with roadside mailboxes; and we leave mail for pickup as a routine, raising the flag to alert the mail person. If the flag is not raised, the contents of the mailbox will typically be left...along with any new mail .

That's what I do, I put outgoing mail / packages in the mail box and raise the flag. They've never failed to take outgoing mail.
It could be different in big cities, at my office in NYC, when we order a pickup a random carrier comes in and asks for it.

 

[annr]

Did you raise the flag?

Good question. Our mailbox is a wide, rectangular shape, maybe 4–5” deep.

We insert the mail standing on its end so it holds the lid up and is clearly visible. This envelope was approx. 8.5 x 11”.

We were home, he also could have rung the bell…It appears he deliberately left it and the other letters which he is supposed to collect—and has done in the past.

Going to drop at PO this AM. Bummer because I am taking care of a cancer patient and don’t need the time away or the potential exposure.

 

[Wannabe Rambo Guy]

He sounds like a damn burnout. 200 bucks cash and I'll make him take your mail seriously from now on... Wait..who's in beantown?

 

[Norcaldude]

Going to drop at PO this AM. Bummer because I am taking care of a cancer patient and don’t need the time away or the potential exposure.

You can call them or use their online contact system instead. I've contacted them via their website a time or two and had good results that way.

 

[annr]

He sounds like a damn burnout. 200 bucks cash and I'll make him take your mail seriously from now on... Wait..who's in beantown?

LOL you read my mind. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it sounds like this service does happen…for others.

Mission accomplished! Can’t believe I sold one of my books in these economic times, but very grateful for the income.

 

[annr]

You can call them or use their online contact system instead. I've contacted them via their website a time or two and had good results that way.

Thanks. This was a business transaction, and I opted to do it myself.

Also, if I complain, my delivery service could get worse? Did you have any negative consequences for “complaining?”

 

[Wannabe Rambo Guy]

LOL you read my mind. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it sounds like this service does happen…for others.

Mission accomplished! Can’t believe I sold one of my books in these economic times, but very grateful for the income.

Wait.. what book did you sell? Is it up on Amazon?

 

[annr]

Wait.. what book did you sell? Is it up on Amazon?

Serious question?

The second part belongs under the Amazon thread. I refuse to sell through Amazon (for many reasons), but now Amazon lists the book (without my consent), and the “seller” is Abe’s (used) books who has none in stock.

Amazon must have gotten the bibliographic record from Bowker and listed my book based on that. (Same with google books, Barnes and nobles, etc. For those who don’t realize: there are many errors in automated listing of books.)

Margins are so thin for books, in general, I do POD and cut out all middlemen.

 

[Wannabe Rambo Guy]

Def serious question. If my attention span isn't going nuts then I'm a huge reader at night. Just finished Shogun vol 2 up last night. What is this book.. I'm actually stumped for new reading material.. last 5 books have been Shogun vol 1 and 2, hagakure, 5 rings, and art of war... So do I just find you out here next week when my next pay stub is in? I already budgeted this week's pay.

 

[Norcaldude]

Also, if I complain, my delivery service could get worse? Did you have any negative consequences for “complaining?”

I didn't so much complain as point out that the tracking said the package had been delivered but it had not been delivered.

No negative consequences for it on my end. My regular carrier put in a lot of effort to find where the package had gone (it had been 'delivered' by a substitute, not my regular guy) and somebody from the post office called me to help out and it was resolved.

 

[annr]

I didn't so much complain as point out that the tracking said the package had been delivered but it had not been delivered.

No negative consequences for it on my end. My regular carrier put in a lot of effort to find where the package had gone (it had been 'delivered' by a substitute, not my regular guy) and somebody from the post office called me to help out and it was resolved.

This same carrier pulled that here. “Mail delivered” according to tracking. Nada. (I was expecting medications.)

I went outside, tracked the guy down about 1 block away, and he said he didn’t know how the tracking system works. (He scans everything on his truck and delivers it when he gets to it.) He was a jerk about it.

So…I’m wondering if THIS is some form of retaliation or if the service itself is faulty. (There a lot of complaints about unpaid “insurance” on priority mail on this forum, and this seems equally lame.)

 

[annr]

Def serious question. If my attention span isn't going nuts then I'm a huge reader at night. Just finished Shogun vol 2 up last night. What is this book.. I'm actually stumped for new reading material.. last 5 books have been Shogun vol 1 and 2, hagakure, 5 rings, and art of war... So do I just find you out here next week when my next pay stub is in? I already budgeted this week's pay.

Sounds like you have some good things here: huge reader, paycheck and budget! I know what you mean about the concentration. I have more time "on my hands" than usual, but that has not translated into more productivity--maybe a different kind of productivity.

Are you into oboe reedmaking? Otherwise, the book would be not too interesting or useful, even though it does have a lesson on sharpening with bench stones (India, carborundum, diamond) and sections on knives (straightedge, chisel, V, double-hollow ground), using honing rods and steels...in both left-handed and right-handed versions! This is the kind of book that college libraries, professors, and serious players purchase.

I'll try to think of some interesting titles. Are you into fiction non-fiction or both?

 

[Wannabe Rambo Guy]

Non fiction usually.. but id try and make an oboe. I mean I have an old Japanese flute, small Korg electric piano, had guitars.. I'm into music, brother. As I've gotten older my musical tastes and ears have broadened I guess you could say?

 

[annr]

Non fiction usually.. but id try and make an oboe. I mean I have an old Japanese flute, small Korg electric piano, had guitars.. I'm into music, brother. As I've gotten older my musical tastes and ears have broadened I guess you could say?

Yes, music is a great activity whether you listen, perform, or manufacture parts/instruments. I've been doing a lot of home recording lately for fun and digitizing old radio broadcasts--something I would not have had time to do before.

 

[Wannabe Rambo Guy]

I just read your post on my profile and that's cool, brother. I followed you to find you out here.. you and Becker and Benchmade so far lol! You are from out there.. I'm from the cape.. but played in the metro leagues for hockey growing up and was the defensmens coach at UMass Boston in Dorchester before I moved down here. I miss rock bottom in downtown boston.. the hangover burger there.. all the burgers there are so damn delicious lol

 

[annr]

Only been to the cape 1–2x. You sound a wee bit homesick?

On the hockey. Not for me: no broken fingers, missing teeth or rearranged facial parts allowed. LOL

I used to perform for the students in the Dorchester schools —about all I know of Dorchester—otherwise stick around Hyde Park, esp now!