Postman vent

[Buckeye Princess]

Our postman is driving me crazy. He refuses to knock on our door. In our neighborhood we have mail slots in the homes as opposed to mailboxes. EVERY time we are to be delivered something that needs signed for, he won't knock or attempt to see if we are home, he just leaves the little note saying he tried and that is that. I'm a SAHM so I hear when the mail goes through the slot and I would definitely notice a knock or a doorbell ring. He also comes up the steps drops the mail and goes so he must have the "sorry we missed you" form already filled out. I've noticed he does this regardless of weather, time, etc. I'm not sure if he is just in a rush to finish his route or if he has a form of social phobia but I'm tired of being right here when he comes then having to drive to the post office to get my mail. ARRGGGHH! It is also not uncommon for us to not receive magazines, coupons that I'm expecting, etc. ?Luckily we move in about 6 months.

 

[DrCavin]

Camp out one day & ask him...

 

[Art 1]

The postal service is a far cry from what it used to be.

 

[Myothername]

Sounds to me like he is lazy and doesn't want to be delayed in any way. Also, he probably leaves the package in his truck so then he would have to go back to the truck, get that darn package out, walk it all the way back to your house. Poor thing.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I would file a complaint at your post office! He is NOT doing his job.

 

[WDSearcher]

Why not just wait on the front porch at mail time and ask? My guess is that he's met with so many "not at home" folks, that he just assumes no one on the route is at home during the day. But if you could arrange your day to wait for him (just one time ... not suggesting that you have the time to do this every day!), you could meet him, ask about it, and let him know that you're nearly always home when the mail arrives and would love to get your packages and such right away and save him having to lug them back to the PO. Plus, you get to meet your postman, which may get you your other stuff on time a lot easier.

Of course you could, as someone suggested, call the PO and tell them that you're ... well ... "PO'd" ... but I'd try the personal "meet the postman" thing first.

 

[wdwiala]

I would file a complaint at your post office! He is NOT doing his job.

Yes, make the call. If you aren't getting your mail, chances are others aren't either. Sometimes the superiors will send out test mail of some sort to see if it is delivered or not. He could be stealing your magazines, coupons, etc...or just dumping them somewhere.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

I've actually tried talking to him a few times. One time I waited the day he was supposed to make a second attempt on a certified letter. He just mumbled that he forgot it and walked away. This past spring I took DD out front to play while we waited for him and tried to just say hello and be nice....didn't work either. I called the PO recently and explained the situation. I just hope he doesn't hold it against us in some way. Thanks for letting me vent everyone. I know its not the biggest deal but it was just driving me crazy today since I'm big and pregnant and uncomfortable. haha

 

[chamonix]

I agree with everyones suggestions, but would add: if you dont live in an apartment or townhouse where you don't have a choice, buy a mailbox. I had to buy a bigger mailbox after we moved into our house and got a gorgeous one from Sundance or maybe it was Frontgate, can't recall. The mailman actually thanked me, lol, since he had such a hard time cramming all the magazines and catalogs, etc into the tiny old one.

I know that won't help with the certified letters, etc since it seems the main problem is that he isn't even attempting to see if you are home when he delivers. Definitely notify the post office, because, what else is he not doing?

Edited to add: it's still the kind of mailbox that attaches to the house, not the kind that goes on a post down at the street.

 

[*JoGo*]

We have the same problem. We have a mailbox at the street, and our mailman drives a mail truck. He's lazy. I can wait at home all day for a package, nothing. Go out to the box and there will be a slip saying he tried to deliver it but we weren't home. One day he did it when there was snow on the ground - guess he didn't want to get out of his warm truck.... problem was we had proof he didn't even attempt delivering it as there were no footprints in the snow! I took photos and took them with me when I went to the PO a couple days later to collect my package. I was extremely mad, especially b/c I spent my day off waiting for the package, and then had to wait 2-3 more days to get up on a Saturday morning as the other days I wasn't home from work until after the PO was closed.

Anyway, it got better a couple times. And now he precariously balances our boxes on the lid of our small mailbox.... at the street... where anyone can go past and either grab it or knock it off and run it over.

Our UPS man, we ADORE.

 

[Jennasis]

My MIL has problems with her mailman. Her magazines are always late and rumpled (we think he takes them home to read). My regular mail person is great, but the fill-in one when she is out or sick is just awful.

 

[diznygirl]

We had a mail slot once - and our mail man would just drop our mail on the ground in front of the door. We finally filed a complaint. Then we would get the mail halfway though the slot. We finally put up a mail box. And then moved! Sounds like that is the only thing that will solve your problem.

 

[Inigo]

Most likely he didn't bring the package with him at all, leaving it at the post office. I can't say that I blame him, especially if he has a route where he has to walk a lot. Carrying packages adds a lot to the load he carries, with no guarantee that the recipient will be home. It's more efficient for him to leave you the slip.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I hear you on being frustrated with your postman. Ours isn't the greatest at all. I've let most of it go, but I had to call in and complain when I found his cigarette butt in our mailbox a few weeks ago.

 

[tesser21]

He isn't doing his job properly and you should call to complain.

 

[dzorn]

Most likely he didn't bring the package with him at all, leaving it at the post office. I can't say that I blame him, especially if he has a route where he has to walk a lot. Carrying packages adds a lot to the load he carries, with no guarantee that the recipient will be home. It's more efficient for him to leave you the slip.

They are not paid to be efficient they are paid to deliver packages. OP call and complain.

Denise in MI

 

[tlbwriter]

We once had a decorative basket on our porch... the mailman would put the mail in there instead of in our box. But if we didn't have a mailbox and asked them to use the basket instead, you *know* they would have said it's not an approved mail receptacle and they're not allowed to put mail in it!

 

[Inigo]

They are not paid to be efficient they are paid to deliver packages. OP call and complain.

Denise in MI

Actually, they are paid to be efficient. Every year they get a count down on their route and how long it should take them to do the route is figured. You can complain, but it probably won't change anything.