Incompetent Mail Carriers?
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
February 14, 2016 2:10am CST
I am not certain whether it is the mail carrier or one of the other parcel services in the US. I know I could look on the package itself to tell me who delivered it, but honestly I am not bothered enough (yet) to do anything about it.
There are four of us here. Any given week, one of us is bound to get a package delivered to us. For the past couple of deliveries we've found the smaller packages put right under our feet. Let me clarify, I have to open the main door and screen door before I am able to see the packages they placed on the porch.
I nearly stepped on a package the first time I opened the door to go check the mail. You have to step down to get on the porch, it is only one step.
I've since alerted the other members of the family so that they do not attempt to step down without first checking to see that a package is not there.
Who would think that a package of mail would be better suited right under your feet? I have no idea.
13 people like this
14 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
14 Feb 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum It is still unacceptable since there is no security in this method and the parcels can easily be stolen.
2 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
@Asylum I would like to agree with you but a lot of packages are left on porches. I get the impression that UK delivery services do not just leave packages? Someone must be there to receive it?
Here a package can be left (often in a pre-designated area if you are getting it from Fed Ex or UPS) on the porch. I am not sure about standard delivery, but upgraded delivery often comes with insurance up to $1000 or so in case of damaged, stolen, or lost packages.
I may have misunderstood what you meant though.
2 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
It would not surprise me if they did not even come on the porch. They could stand at the bottom of the steps and sort of use a frisbee action. Most of the items left like this are in padded envelopes.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Feb 16
Maybe they want to make sure you don't miss it. It seems they have been successful.
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Feb 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum .....I just don't have any problem with them here. I have been buying alot online lately and shipping it to my home address. No problems.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
15 Feb 16
That is one way of looking at it. 
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
15 Feb 16
@celticeagle I am glad to hear that you aren't have any problems. I can't say that I Am, but having the items be right at your feet can be a bit disconcerting.
My grandmother does a lot of her shopping online so we usually end up getting atleast one package a week, and if it's a small one, it's going to be right under our feet.
Did you ever have change to order that celtic coloring book? I've seen others like it as well.
1 person likes this
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
15 Feb 16
Actually that's the norm now. They rarely knock, just toss and run. I've heard of people finding their packages in some pretty odd places.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
15 Feb 16
I have hardly ever heard a postman knock or ring the doorbell. I have heard the UPS or Fed Ex do it though. I guess everyone is so impatient and in a hurry now. Sad truly.
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
14 Feb 16
Oh dear speaking of the mail...it is horrible here.
One can be assured of not receiving a package..and it being delivered to someone else.
Numerous phone calls do no good.
I think the post office is outdated at the very least.
I hope that no one in your family and you trip over one of those pkgs.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
We will sometimes get letters that are meant for our neighbors or are meant for the street across from ours. The street across from ours has a very similar name and sometimes we end up receiving mail from one of the addresses there. We've never had problems with packages never being delivered, just that sometimes they aren't placed in the smartest place.
I hope we won't end up tripping over one one day!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
As a former employee of the United States Postal Service I can assure you that "incompetent" doesn't even begin to describe the Postal Service.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
I know someone who used to work for our postal service. She was not very happy with her job, and all the wear and tear it did on her personal vehicle as well as her body. She worked a rural route where they used their own cars to deliver the mail.1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91044)
• United States
14 Feb 16
I've found the same problem with my mail carrier. He puts the package right in front of the door so half the time I can't open the door. Otherwise I have to step around the package before I can manage to pick it up. No brains!
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
This makes me wonder if it is some sort of new training procedure. It's definitely very ridiculous. Some members of this household do not look where they are stepping so are more apt to step right on a package! 
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
I live in a house, packages are delivered differently for apartments so I am not sure how they do here in the US. Here if it is a big package it is left on the porch. If it is a small package NOT delivered by the USPS than it is left on the porch. This day (to which I refer) there was a lot of mail in the box as well so it still could have been from the postal service. We've had a postman put the packages on the porch but the mail in the box before.
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
15 Feb 16
Since I work for the one here (not US) we are told to leave at front door. Let me tell you how stupid people are. I would lean it against the door, or beside the door. The number of people who phone and complain saying they never found it.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
Everything has to be signed for? Here it is electronics that need signed for and even that doesn't necessarily ring true. I've received electronics through the mail and had no need to sign for them.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
Here they do not have to knock on the door to alert us of mail. They can leave it on the porch if they so choose. I think, but am not certain, that you can have them leave the package with a neighbor if you wish to.
We've not had people stealing packages in our area (that I know of) but I have heard of it happening, especially around the holidays.
@JESSY3236 (22247)
• United States
15 Feb 16
My mother had a birthday on Jan. 29th. My uncle and I mailed her birthday cards from my house.She didn't get the cards. About two weeks later we got the cards back. My uncle then sent the cards back with a tracker from a friend in the postal business. The cards "supposedly" made it to her apartment, but she didn't didn't get it yet.
@JudyEv (381905)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 16
Although perhaps it seems a small thing at the moment, it would be terrible to step on a package and break whatever is inside.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
Most of these are small packages as well. So more prone to be USB ports, cables, etc. I would be very sore if it happened for sure.,
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
Not sure how things are delivered over there. Here they ring the doorbell and leave unless it is something that needs to be signed for.
@Ladypeace (2028)
• Singapore
14 Feb 16
I would leave a note for the postman if the problem is disturbing enough.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
14 Feb 16
If myself or a family member ever ends up with a package that is damaged? It would not be a note they'd receive. I'd be calling the postal office in charge of delivering our mail.
1 person likes this
