How important is it that you get your mail

[cheap traveler]

My business' mail was delivered 4 hours early today - I think they pushed business mail to the front of the line, because by 10am they called all the carriers back in to go home. This is the first time, in my 9 years of working with the post office (my business repairs their trucks) that I have ever seen them close up early. During Irene, there was no power, but the mail that came in to the office still went out.

The biggest issue for the carriers here, is that those trucks act like kites - the wind catches the side of them and blows them all around! I was nearly blown into a construction zone this morning when I delivered one of the trucks to them.

I check my mail every day, but there is NOTHING in that box, ever, that is worth putting someone in danger. I can understand if there is a medication issue, but I know from my Father's meds, they are scheduled to arrive before he runs out, so an extra day would still be ok.

 

[NYCDiane]

I have a PO Box and pick up my mail once a week. There is nothing there that is so urgent that it can't wait. I flip through it at the post office, toss the junk in the recycle bin and take the rest home.

I've never understood people who are so worried about getting their mail every single day.

 

[ellone]

I run a business through the mail, so it's important for me to get my mail. I do understand if they can't deliver due to weather though. I was in there this morning to pick up my held mail and was surprised that they weren't getting off early.

I do have a great mail carrier & post office - I know my mail carrier & a few of the people that work the front desk at the post office.

 

[luvmy3]

Our mail was delivered about 3 hours early today. I got a couple catalogs and a bunch of political flyers. Defintely stuff that could have waited a few days, or thrown out instead of being delivered

 

[bpesch]

Having been through many hurricanes, including Katrina, I can pretty easily take it all in stride. When we have storms coming in, it's not unusual for services to close down and then not open back up for a period of time. Not a thing in the world you can do about it, so just go with the flow.

 

[bigmama67]

Sorry to hear that your husband had to go to work. I do like to get my mail (and in fact, today I got a paycheck) but it's not so vital that people have to risk being hurt, of course! It's not like I'm going to head to the bank in this weather to deposit it. Most of what we get is not life-or-death. Be safe.

 

[goofyintoronto]

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.

I agree. This is me too. I check it every few days. I wont miss it at all if a week goes by and i dont check the mail. I try not to use the mail at all, most things are electronic for me. Anything that comes thru the mail is bad news anyway (bills!) so I dont really care.

 

[LilyWDW]

There is no mail important enough for anyone that they have to be out delivering in dangerous weather. Period.

 

[Colleen27]

Not important to me at all, but we have two relatives and a neighbor who are on mail-order-only prescription drug plans and I'd imagine there are times when it is pretty darned important to them. Still, I don't think a delay of 1-2 days for dangerous weather would cause any problem... I don't know about the neighbor but I know both relatives order 90 days' supply at a time and have about a week's overlap between when a refill arrives and the last shipment runs out.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, even if I don't receive great things every day, I do feel mail is fairly important. And if the services a company provides don't match with what your family is comfy with, maybe a career change should be looked into. DH travels for work; if we ever come to the decision that the travel doesn't work for him, that the flexibility required of all of us is just too hard, then he'll start working towards something else.

Mail used to be thought of as important. It's kind of too bad it isn't thought of in that way any longer.

An inscription on the James Farley Post Office in New York City reads:

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.[

And...

In 2001, the USPS created a television commercial....[which]....featured no voice over, only the following text interspersed on title cards. A portion of this variation also appeared without citation in the USPS 2001 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations (1.A-1):

We are mothers and fathers. And sons and daughters. Who every day go about our lives with duty, honor and pride. And neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change, nor a nation challenged, will stay us from the swift completion of our appointed rounds. Ever.[4]

Someone in the organization thinks that mail is important. I wonder if that was mentioned in the job interview, that mail is important.


Not saying I'd be happy going out into a hurricane to deliver mail, but IF that were part of my job that I wasn't willing to do, I'd consider a career change.

 

[RitaE]

They could cut our mail down to once a week and we'd be just fine.


We do have a few mail order prescriptions but our pharmacy always sends those out with about 20 days of lead time so it isn't ever a MUST HAVE THIS NOW! kind of thing.

 

[cornflake]

I like the mail - yes, it's often junk or bills; it's sometimes important, there are sometimes things that don't operate online, it's sometimes packages and magazines.

However, while I understand they're people and most of the mail isn't stuff that can't wait a day (at least here, the regular carriers don't do the next-day stuff), I kind of think it's wrong when they take off because of weather.

Not that I want people at risk but that's rare and, frankly... the motto. It's the motto! It's carved right into the building!

A few times the mail here hasn't come due to weather and every time I think of the motto.

 

[mrsklamc]

Well, even if I don't receive great things every day, I do feel mail is fairly important. And if the services a company provides don't match with what your family is comfy with, maybe a career change should be looked into. DH travels for work; if we ever come to the decision that the travel doesn't work for him, that the flexibility required of all of us is just too hard, then he'll start working towards something else.

Mail used to be thought of as important. It's kind of too bad it isn't thought of in that way any longer.




And...





Someone in the organization thinks that mail is important. I wonder if that was mentioned in the job interview, that mail is important.


Not saying I'd be happy going out into a hurricane to deliver mail, but IF that were part of my job that I wasn't willing to do, I'd consider a career change.

Not every one is able to change careers in this economy.

Why do you think it's too bad that mail isn't thought of as important anymore? I think it's just the way society works, we evolve and our communication evolves. We don't use a telegraph anymore either.

 

[PlutoGirl1117]

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.

Oh I like that!! That would be nice and save all that junk mail being delivered!
PLUS on days like this, they could scan things and get ONLY that stuff out, if needed right away, like medicine!

As for our mail, some days we forget to even get it, so I'd rather they stay home and safe as well.

I can't even tell you how many times in the past couple of months I haven't gone to my mailbox! We have all been running around so much lately, and then I'll look at the hubs or my kid and be like "Has anyone gotten the mail recently??" LOL!

Saw our poor mailman deliver ours earlier..........yeah, it's still sitting in the mailbox! "Sandy" is not making me want it!

 

[MrsDoubtfire]

It's not important for me to get mail at all - today during a storm (I'm in MA), or any other day for that matter. I pay the majority of my bills online, use email to keep in touch with people, and can view "catalogs" on the internet. I haven't purchased stamps in years and have no clue how much a stamp is nowadays - I have a few "Forever" stamps somewhere here. I do receive mail, but only check my mail whenever the mailbox is full - once a week or so. The majority of the mail is junk and goes right into the recycle bin.

So in answer to your question - it would not mattered in the least if there was no mail delivery today. Stay safe

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I never care about the mail. When my husband is out of town, I've forgotten to go to the mailbox to get it.

So I say when the weather is bad, mail carriers should be able to stay home and not worry about having to go into work.

 

[PaulaSue]

I much rather everyone be home safe than risking their life. I just hope people give the same consideration to us workers who make sure happy face packages show up at your door but will be late this week with many of our buildings closed down with the state of emergency.

 

[MrsPete]

I think that mail was tremendously important in the past, but now -- as someone else said -- our methods of communication have evolved, and mail is much less important. We have news, note from friends, the ability to pay bills, shopping, and other information available 24/7, and that has decreased the importance of traditional mail.

A couple people have mentioned prescription meds. I don't use the mail for medicines, but I've thought several times that it'd be wise to see if I could save money this way. However, IF I ever started buying medicines through the mail, I would be very careful not to wait 'til the last minute to re-order.

All in all, I'd be FINE with mail service being decreased to twice a week. Even businesses, I think, could adjust to a decreased service schedule.

 

[tianna26]

Isnt the motto through rain sleet or snow. Smh im in ca & daughter of postal worker i would not want my family member in east coast weather right now mail is not that important

 

[Nancyg56]

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.

My brother used to peddle the mail and I at his retirement party I watched over half of those folks hobble to the podium. I have no idea what the upper tier is paid but I can say that the rank and file are not paid enough in my opinion.

Well, even if I don't receive great things every day, I do feel mail is fairly important. And if the services a company provides don't match with what your family is comfy with, maybe a career change should be looked into. DH travels for work; if we ever come to the decision that the travel doesn't work for him, that the flexibility required of all of us is just too hard, then he'll start working towards something else.

Mail used to be thought of as important. It's kind of too bad it isn't thought of in that way any longer.






Not saying I'd be happy going out into a hurricane to deliver mail, but IF that were part of my job that I wasn't willing to do, I'd consider a career change.

Seriously? You really think that your Kohls flyer or your Bed bath and Beyond coupon is worth asking someone to walk or drive through a Hurricane? Or a blizzard? Or an ice storm? I have heard ridiculous priorities before but this is crazy.

My State has been under a State of Emergency today and the Governor shut the state down. And you would want your mail delivered because mail is important. Tell that to the carriers families.