Hrm... Royal Mail usual trustworthy selves

[denny]

A quick note to say 'thanks' to tylluan_dawel and grahamb for my first Xmas card, and to note that my postman appears to be a thieving bastard who goes through my mail. I've had several things arrive opened (including said card, and most other things thicker than a sheet or two of paper), and I've had DVDs go missing too.

Generally speaking, I wouldn't advise anyone to post me anything (a) that isn't a piece of non-valuable paper, and (b) that you don't want a stranger reading.

Comments

[dryad-wombat.livejournal.com]

You dear, glad you liked it. I mailed the envelope unstuck though, so it was like that when I sent it - I may be a bit naive and trusting of post-people, come to think of it!

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Ah, fairy nuff. It was the fact that it had been stuck at some point and then been unstuck that made it look suspicious, combined with the other stuff that's been going on.

Trusting the UK postal service is a big no-no. In Milton Keynes a couple of years ago, they caught one of the postmen throwing 3/4 of his postbag in the canal each morning. Apparently he'd been doing it for years.

[dryad-wombat.livejournal.com]

Crikey! That's outrageous. Definitely makes me inclined to be more cautious.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

He actually went to prison for quite an impressive length of time for that. It's interfering with Her Majesty's mail y'see, they take it quite seriously apparently.

[fellcat.livejournal.com]

Interfering with the post is a very serious offence. We were observed through one-way glass when I worked for the RM as a sorter, although that didn't stop some of my colleagues from throwing parcels across the room, one of which had a biohazard label on it.

However the foot deliverers can't be observed so easily, and so the post ending up in the river is actually quite common; I remember a foot deliverer in Birkenhead going to jail for throwing most of his round in the Mersey.

[dryad-wombat.livejournal.com]

His eyes glittered like the sins of angels; his smile was the downfall of saints


I know I've definitely read that somewhere - delicious description! Do remind me where?

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Terry Pratchett, 'Witches Abroad'. It's a description of Nanny Ogg's cat Greebo when he's changed into human form.

The next sentence is 'Female ones, anyway.', but it didn't fit :)

[dryad-wombat.livejournal.com]

I remember it now indeed! And those poor confused mice/footmen. Losing either way.

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

And wouldn't neccessarily apply in your case.

You're aware, I believe, that documents vanishing in the mail is the main reason I'm still f'ing married? :/

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

That had occurred to me, yes. I don't think I know many saints anyway :)

And no, I wasn't. You're a little touchy on the subject on occasion - particularly when it's 'current' - so I tend not to ask for too many details. And when it's not current, Mr Goldish-Memory here has forgotten all about it :) Given how many levels of incompetence one national mail service can exhibit, I dread to think how many points of failure the route from the US to here could have.

[fellcat.livejournal.com]

As mentioned in another comment, I used to work for the RM and, just from what I saw in the sorting office, I would not trust the standard post with anything more important than a greetings card or an informal letter to a friend. If what you are sending is even remotely important, send it Registered Signed For, or use a courier.

[fellcat.livejournal.com]

You can get Signed For between countries BTW. I'm about to send something off to the US using Signed For myself.