How important is it that you get your mail

[Chaoster]

I am just wondering how many people have to get their mail everyday no matter what. With the storm coming up the coast, everything is shut down. I had no newspaper or garbage collection today. But letter carriers are expected to show up for work. I am lucky that today happens to be my day off. I spoke to a co-worker and they are expected to go out and deliver mail. I was just outside to move my car. Two blocks away I saw wires spark and pop. I don't think it's safe to be out. I am so frustrated to be a letter carrier. two years ago they did the same when we had snow storms. There was no mail but we had to show up for work and could not go home. The people who did not show up for work still have not had their pay situation resolved. If there are some people in management on this board please explain to me why is it so important to travel in dangerous conditions to show up for work. Management is quick to push and punish the workers but when it comes to safety no one wants to make a common sense decision. On a windy day 10 years ago I was hit with a very large tree branch and was knocked out. I had a concussion. So I do not take severe weather conditions lightly. Why can't we just be safe and delay the mail one day? Sorry just feed up and had to vent.

 

[it's kelly]

I am just wondering how many people have to get their mail everyday no matter what. With the storm coming up the coast, everything is shut down. I had no newspaper or garbage collection today. But letter carriers are expected to show up for work. I am lucky that today happens to be my day off. I spoke to a co-worker and they are expected to go out and deliver mail. I was just outside to move my car. Two blocks away I saw wires spark and pop. I don't think it's safe to be out. I am so frustrated to be a letter carrier. two years ago they did the same when we had snow storms. There was no mail but we had to show up for work and could not go home. The people who did not show up for work still have not had their pay situation resolved. If there are some people in management on this board please explain to me why is it so important to travel in dangerous conditions to show up for work. Management is quick to push and punish the workers but when it comes to safety no one wants to make a common sense decision. On a windy day 10 years ago I was hit with a very large tree branch and was knocked out. I had a concussion. So I do not take severe weather conditions lightly. Why can't we just be safe and delay the mail one day? Sorry just feed up and had to vent.

My husband is a garbage man and had to show up for work this morning to collect trash just as he would of with no storm. I don't like the fact that he's out there working in this but there isn't much I could do.

They did mention here that mail service may stop early. If I get my mail, I do but if I don't get it today I'm sure it will be here tomorrow. I woudln't want anyone to risk their life to get my mail here.

I'd like to see our Mayor get out there and do what he expects others to do in this weather. Stay safe!

 

[baldy6060]

I'm a rural mail carrier. I'm not on the east coast but during any inclement weather we are expected to at least attempt it. It's not fun on those days but it's my job and many people do rely on me so I do what I can. The carriers can make judgement calls and bring back what they can't deliver.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

To be honest I depend on mail less and less. I try to avoid using our postal service at all. We have a terrible mail carrier who loses/ misdelivers important mail frequently. There seems to no repercussions for his shoddy work so I just avoid using USPS.

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[LuLuO]

Honestly, not important at all both in general and in the case of severe weather. The contents of our mail is 95% junk and goes straight from the mail box to the recycle bin. The most important things we get are Wild Animal Baby magazine, Ranger Rick magazine and my Family Fun magazine and we could do without those for a few extra days. I hate to think of someone putting themselves at risk so that I can get my regular bunch of unimportant mail.

 

[mommy2twingles]

I stopped getting our prescriptions via the mail even though it costs lest as I could not count on our road not being closed when we have heavy rains. Some people don't have a choice though and can only purchase via mail order with their insurance plans.

I do agree that it is not safe for mail carriers to be out but this is one reason some people may depend on mail being delivered.

 

[Pigeon]

Mail is pretty important to me.

I work for an educational institution, and we are always expected to be at work, even if classes are cancelled. We're open no matter how high the snow, and we've been in an entirely dark building all day long after the power has gone out from hurricanes. This storm is no exception. Mail delivery seems to be to be a higher priority than that.

 

[CourtneyL]

Our mail gets delivered to the boxes in our complex and we only check it every few days. Most of the mail is either junk, magazines, or a random bill that isn't set up with paperless statements/auto billing.

If we get mail delivery during the storm I have no intention of checking it until the storm passes. It just seems really silly to put people in harms way to make sure I get my junk mail for the day. There probably still are a bunch of people that depend on the mail though, especially for medical supply delivery or financial documents.

 

[JeffreyY]

I was very surprised to see our mail carrier across the street(5 hrs earlier then usual), I assumed there would be no mail today.

 

[mrsklamc]

We certainly don't need it every day. In fact I've wondered since the post office is so broke why they don't eliminate say, Saturday and Wednesday delivery. Or just Saturday, or something.

I also wish they'd do what another postal service does- I think it was in Holland or Norway, maybe, they scan all your mail and you go online and look at it and tell them what you actually want delivered.

 

[wiigirl]

Very important to me. Some things I just like doing by mail such as getting and paying bills.

 

[mward73]

I care less about my mail being delivered than my trash being picked up. That being said - if it doesn't get picked up this week and the gentlemen that pick it up are safe, it's not the end of my world (I'll just have a stinky garage since I dragged it in there to keep it from blowing away lol). Worst part for me is, I forgot to put it out last week, so we have twice as much this week. Oh well.

As for our mail, some days we forget to even get it, so I'd rather they stay home and safe as well. We live in a small town and know most public service employees, so it'll give us something to do and talk about when they open back up again.

 

[usnuzuloose]

There may be a few days go by and don't check it. I am not obsessed with it. I feel that if it weather like the east is getting you should stay inside. The mail will be there tomorrow or the next day. The only time to go is hospital and emergency services.

 

[gillenkl]

DH is a letter carrier. He was expected at work today and made deliveries until 10am when the postmaster sent them home for safety reasons. Our state is in a state of emergency now.

 

[girli565]

To be honest I depend on mail less and less. I try to avoid using our postal service at all. We have a terrible mail carrier who loses/ misdelivers important mail frequently. There seems to no repercussions for his shoddy work so I just avoid using USPS.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I have the same issues with my mail. We have such an issue with our letter carrier that I just print postage and mail out on my own with my digital scale. I try to get almost everything done paperless now through email so I don't have to rely on snail mail.

We frequently have storm watches/warnings (tropical storms, hurricanes, etc...) and mail is usually always delivered unless it's a hurricane warning and no one is out.

 

[furb & dez]

Not important at all, other than two magazines my SO gets, there is nothing we receive via post that isn't junk.

Can't wait to see the Post Office gutted and sent back to the 20th century where it belongs.

 

[lpizzuro123]

My DH works for the post office. He is a window clerk in New Brunswick, NJ and he had to go into work today. His supervisor called him this morning around 7:00am (he starts at 9:00) and wanted to make sure he was going to make it in today. She said it is very important for him to get in. Well, he did go in (we live about 7 miles from where he works) and when he got in they told him they decided to close the post office at 11:30 and he is actually getting paid for the whole day.

Mail is important but not putting someone in harms way during a storm. My DH said he actually had a few customers for the few hours they were open. Now, we usually do not get our mail delivered until 4:00 everyday and I am sure we will not get it delivered today - and that does not bother me at all.

Hope everyone that had to go to work today is safe.

Linda

 

[undertheradar]

Mail carriers are highly over paid for the work they do. If the USPS wants to survive, they need to slash executive compensation and rethink the wages being paid.

 

[punkin]

I just got my mail in the middle of the storm...nothing but junk, particularly political junk..threw it right out...poor mailman!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Not important at all. I was surprised we received the newspapers this morning and didn't even put out the garbage.

I don't what anyone outside risking their safety for a letter or newspaper??