Neither snow nor rain

[IntenseMagic]

Today is Neither Rain Nor Snow day because it was on that day in 1914 that New York City opened its new main post office, which has those words inscribed on it.

I can remember the days when I spent lots of time going to the post office, but not so much any more. I go occasionally to buy stamps for the one bill that I still have to put in the actual mail. I would say that I am there maybe 3 or 4 times a year. I did go a little more when my son was deployed overseas.

Do you use the post office often?
Do you still send mail through the postal service?
Does your mail come no matter the weather? Ours usually does, unless the snow is super deep.

 

[michelepixels]

I do not use the post office often. I would love to, for letter-writing, but when I've tried to write letters to friends I don't get letters back. Our local mail service is quite reliable though. I know as a former employee of USPS, briefly for nine months 2020-2021, they really do deliver even in snow. It was one of the things I hated about the job. Most of my worst experiences driving a postal vehicle involved snow/ice.

 

[HavaDrPepper]

I will stop to buy stamps about once a year, usually when I am downtown for another reason. I have one bill that I still send by mail 4 times a year and occasionally payment for other services.

As for rain or snow, it still gets delivered in rain around here. But if the snow is too bad and you live on a rural route (vehicle delivery), if the area around the mailbox by the road is not cleared away, the local post office will not deliver it (policy put in place by this latest postmaster). I had an issue several years ago where I didn't get mail for several days and I knew I had things to be delivered since I get the informed delivery emails. When I called to ask why, they looked up my address and said that the snow was not cleared from around my mailbox. By that time it was ice around the post but my wonderful neighbor worked on getting it cleared for me so my mail could be delivered. When the plow comes through, a road is perpendicular from my mailbox and sometimes they just push the snow from that street straight ahead... thus blocking my mailbox and part of my driveway. I also let the township know they are not to do that anymore. But we haven't had any really bad snows the last couple of years that could stop the mail delivery.

Heck, even the solar eclipse in 2024 didn't stop the mail delivery in town. Many of the walking routes are still out in the late afternoon delivering mail and they had to deliver during the eclipse. My mail lady was happy that it was on a Monday. That is her regular day off!

 

[Iowan]

Yes, it’s a rare occasion for us to mail anything these days too. I had some cards all ready to send to my granddaughter in college, but her mailbox was several blocks from her dorm, so she never picked them up. What started as a fun idea quickly turned into more of a chore.

Just this week, I had to mail a tax payment and couldn’t find a single stamp, until I came across two sheets I’d bought back in 2017 for the total eclipse. I had planned to tuck them into the grandkids’ Christmas stockings but figured they’d probably never use them. They’re actually the coolest stamps; they change design when exposed to heat!

Our mail usually comes through (lots of rain here) but the time is inconsistent since it is a training route. The mail can be delivered at 9:00 in the morning or 7:00 at night!

 

[IntenseMagic]

I do not use the post office often. I would love to, for letter-writing, but when I've tried to write letters to friends I don't get letters back. Our local mail service is quite reliable though. I know as a former employee of USPS, briefly for nine months 2020-2021, they really do deliver even in snow. It was one of the things I hated about the job. Most of my worst experiences driving a postal vehicle involved snow/ice.

That is why I don't think I could ever work driving a postal vehicle. I do not like driving in snow/ice at all, especially on these mountains!

 

[IntenseMagic]

I will stop to buy stamps about once a year, usually when I am downtown for another reason. I have one bill that I still send by mail 4 times a year and occasionally payment for other services.

As for rain or snow, it still gets delivered in rain around here. But if the snow is too bad and you live on a rural route (vehicle delivery), if the area around the mailbox by the road is not cleared away, the local post office will not deliver it (policy put in place by this latest postmaster). I had an issue several years ago where I didn't get mail for several days and I knew I had things to be delivered since I get the informed delivery emails. When I called to ask why, they looked up my address and said that the snow was not cleared from around my mailbox. By that time it was ice around the post but my wonderful neighbor worked on getting it cleared for me so my mail could be delivered. When the plow comes through, a road is perpendicular from my mailbox and sometimes they just push the snow from that street straight ahead... thus blocking my mailbox and part of my driveway. I also let the township know they are not to do that anymore. But we haven't had any really bad snows the last couple of years that could stop the mail delivery.

Heck, even the solar eclipse in 2024 didn't stop the mail delivery in town. Many of the walking routes are still out in the late afternoon delivering mail and they had to deliver during the eclipse. My mail lady was happy that it was on a Monday. That is her regular day off!

That's usually when ours doesn't get delivered as well. We have a lot of rural routes. Our subdivision stays fairly clear, but there have been a few times they've not made it...and also a few times that I've watched them slide backwards down our hill.
I had nver given any thought to delivery during an eclips!

 

[IntenseMagic]

Yes, it’s a rare occasion for us to mail anything these days too. I had some cards all ready to send to my granddaughter in college, but her mailbox was several blocks from her dorm, so she never picked them up. What started as a fun idea quickly turned into more of a chore.

Just this week, I had to mail a tax payment and couldn’t find a single stamp, until I came across two sheets I’d bought back in 2017 for the total eclipse. I had planned to tuck them into the grandkids’ Christmas stockings but figured they’d probably never use them. They’re actually the coolest stamps; they change design when exposed to heat!

Our mail usually comes through (lots of rain here) but the time is inconsistent since it is a training route. The mail can be delivered at 9:00 in the morning or 7:00 at night!
View attachment 638294

I love those stamps...so cool!! I had no idea that there were training routes. The inconsistent times would drive my son nuts lol. He checks the mail religiously (I never do) at a certain time. I'm not sure what he's looking for but it's always just junk lol.

 

[scrapchyck]

I use the USPS all the time for work. I don't have to go to the post office, though, at least not very often. We buy stamps through our supply warehouse, so they get delivered. We mail a lot of birthday cards and sometimes mail in documents to a vendor for the client. It works pretty well most of the time. I have noticed that for companies that issue checks, like we do, the mail can take FOREVER. Well, it might not always be the mail side, but just getting it initiated in-house, then sent to be processed for mailing, then received at the post office, then days to get to clients. Please just let me set up direct ACH for you! If I need to ship something, I go to my friends' PostNet shop. Never a line!

 

[Brendazzle]

Do you use the post office often? Not often. Mostly when I have packages to send. My film heads to the lab in a bunch of Ziplocs (sorted by type) inside a flat-rate box.

Do you still send mail through the postal service? Yes, although my mailbox doesn't have a flag anymore. Our mailbox has wooden slats that are rotting off in the Florida humidity/rain but the HOA makes replacing anything such a headache that I'm not going to fight with them about it. I feel bad for our postal person though because she is the sweetest. Seriously, Erica has silly headbands for every occasion and always waves at my kiddo.

Does your mail come no matter the weather? Hurricanes can mess up mail delivery but otherwise, rain just delays things a little.

 

[littlekiwi]

Do you use the post office often?
Nope, I can't remember the last time I did. I actually think the last time may have been when my bank was still part of the post office & it's been years since they split.

Do you still send mail through the postal service?
Not really, no real need these days. The only time I might send something now is if I sold something online & had to post or courier it (my preferred courier is in with the post office)

Does your mail come no matter the weather?
Pretty much....we only have service now three days a week due to declining amounts of post

 

[umyesh]

Do you use the post office often?
No not often; only for certain returns.

Do you still send mail through the postal service?
Yes I send my nieces and nephews birthday cards.

Does your mail come no matter the weather?
Yep.

 

[StefanieS]

Do you use the post office often? Not at all. It has largely been replaced by courier services through a few retail stores that have country wide branches.
Do you still send mail through the postal service? Never, no guarantee that it would ever make it.
Does your mail come no matter the weather? Ours usually does, unless the snow is super deep. Maybe once a week we get something besides brochures.

I find it interesting that in Dublin and York the postal service works so very well and that parcels can be left outside. That would not work here, and the goodies would be stolen.

 

[cfile]

Do you use the post office often? On occasion... Sometimes I prefer to mail it directly at the PO then putting it in my curb box with the flag up. Also mailing packages from time to time.
Do you still send mail through the postal service? Yes. Cards especially.
Does your mail come no matter the weather? Most of the time, except the time is sporadic. Sometimes early, sometimes late depending on if it is substitute postman.

 

[fruitysuet]

I rarely use the Post Office, only if I need to send something with a signed for delivery, eg sending out official documents. In the UK we've been able to buy stamps from shops and supermarkets for years and there are a lot of different options for collecting and returning online orders that don't involve the Post Office either. The UK Gov website also allows for a lot of online completion of forms now which would, in years gone by, only been able to have been done at the Post Office, such as driving licences, vehicle registrations and passports.

 

[Karen]

Do you use the post office often? I don't go very often anymore, maybe once or twice a year?

Do you still send mail through the postal service? Sometimes, usually for birthday cards or thank you note.

Does your mail come no matter the weather? I think so? I don't pay too much attention because we seem to only receive something useful on occasion and then the rest is junk mail.

 

[HavaDrPepper]

That's usually when ours doesn't get delivered as well. We have a lot of rural routes. Our subdivision stays fairly clear, but there have been a few times they've not made it...and also a few times that I've watched them slide backwards down our hill.
I had nver given any thought to delivery during an eclips!

I'm in a subdivision as well but not in city limits which is a good thing! So we have the mailboxes at the road. The township is very good about getting out and plowing our roads and generally do a good job. In fact, our streets are cleared better than the main streets in the city. They have a couple of plows and one does our area before going onto the country roads. If it is an overnight snow, they will go through around 5 a.m.

Years ago when Mom was still alive and my parents went to Florida in the winter, I was living here and taking care of the house. I worked at a CPA firm so worked long hours. One time it started snowing during the day while I was at work. The neighbor next door was clearing his driveway when the plow came down the perpendicular street and pushed the snow right into my driveway. The neighbor stopped them and asked why they did that. They said "they are in Florida so no problem". He then informed them that I lived there and was not in Florida! So they have at least never blocked the whole driveway since but did have the issue with the mailbox.

 

[dawnmarch]

Do you use the post office often?
I really hardly ever go to the post office -- maybe once every couple of years. I order stamps online from the postal service (they deliver them with your mail). We also have a UPS store that is only a couple miles from our house and I use that when I need to mail a package. I'm mostly at the UPS store because they are a free dropoff point for Amazon returns.
Do you still send mail through the postal service? Not much but I send cards and the occasional check.
Does your mail come no matter the weather? We don't really have "weather" much, other than heat. So, our mail is very rarely disrupted. Interestingly, until very recently there was no AC in the mail carriers' trucks here in AZ even though it gets as hot as 120 degrees Farenheit in the summer. In literally the last 5 years, they have been working on rolling out a new truck design with AC.

 

[IntenseMagic]

Do you use the post office often? Not often. Mostly when I have packages to send. My film heads to the lab in a bunch of Ziplocs (sorted by type) inside a flat-rate box.

Do you still send mail through the postal service? Yes, although my mailbox doesn't have a flag anymore. Our mailbox has wooden slats that are rotting off in the Florida humidity/rain but the HOA makes replacing anything such a headache that I'm not going to fight with them about it. I feel bad for our postal person though because she is the sweetest. Seriously, Erica has silly headbands for every occasion and always waves at my kiddo.

Does your mail come no matter the weather? Hurricanes can mess up mail delivery but otherwise, rain just delays things a little.

I really disllike HOAs, fortunately ours is not really strict with anything at all.

 

[IntenseMagic]

Do you use the post office often?
Nope, I can't remember the last time I did. I actually think the last time may have been when my bank was still part of the post office & it's been years since they split.

Do you still send mail through the postal service?
Not really, no real need these days. The only time I might send something now is if I sold something online & had to post or courier it (my preferred courier is in with the post office)

Does your mail come no matter the weather?
Pretty much....we only have service now three days a week due to declining amounts of post

That's wild that you only have service three days a week. Ours went to 7 days a week a couple of years ago.

 

[IntenseMagic]

Do you use the post office often? Not at all. It has largely been replaced by courier services through a few retail stores that have country wide branches.
Do you still send mail through the postal service? Never, no guarantee that it would ever make it.
Does your mail come no matter the weather? Ours usually does, unless the snow is super deep. Maybe once a week we get something besides brochures.

I find it interesting that in Dublin and York the postal service works so very well and that parcels can be left outside. That would not work here, and the goodies would be stolen.

Stealing happens fairly often around us. Our subdivision has always been relatively safe and we've never had a problem *knocks wood*