OT-UPS Weirdness

[SMS]

On Friday I received a package from Amazon. It was a big box with a
Reese trailer hitch. Inside the box was also another UPS package for
another recipient that did not come from Amazon. Somewhere along the
line someone shoved that package into the box from Amazon (which was
rather torn up so apparently they shoved it through a tear in the box,
perhaps believing that it had fallen out).

Being a Good Samaritan I called UPS, patiently waited on hold, and
explained the situation. They said they would send someone out today to
pick up the errant package which was destined for a city about 100 miles
away.

I left the errant package outside for them to get. Of course they didn't
come get the package. Well actually they did come and drop off another
package at my house but they didn't pick up the errant package. Oh, and
the package that they did leave was for another address, six houses down
from me which, being a Good Samaritan I brought over to the proper address.

This is the second time I ordered the same trailer hitch, the first time
it was "Out for Delivery" and then when I checked the UPS tracking info
it was "Returning to Sender." They said that the box had two UPS labels
on it so they could not deliver it to me and it had to be returned to
Amazon.

[The Daring Dufas]

My experience with Amazon has been a good one but the U.S. postal
service has been atrocious. Mail delivered to the house often contains
mail for some other address. I use a private mailing service to handle
all my mail and packages because of the chance of mail and packages
being stolen or tampered with at my home address. I've used a private
mailing service for all my mail and packages for some 30 years and I
would recommend to anyone for safety and privacy of your mail,
especially if you are getting checks, credit cards and financial
information via the mail. ^_^

TDD

[Bob F]

The mail is way more reliable than UPS or other deliverers in my experiance.
At least the mailman rings the bell for package deliveries. UPS NEVER does.

[The Daring Dufas]

I suppose it depends on the area you live in and the particular carrier
who handles your mail. Some of the letter carriers who handle our
neighborhood are excellent and ring for packages and special delivery.
I'm really not critical of The Post Office, it's security of my mail
when I'm not at home and critters wandering the neighborhood could
tamper with important financial, tax and medical letters. A mail thief
will grab it all and run tossing that which is worthless to him/her/it
into the trash and you never know it came. Oh yea, it's against the law
to tamper with The U.S. Mail, it's also against the law to take a gun
into a school building too but when have criminals ever bothered to obey
the law. o_O

TDD

[Jim Elbrecht]

"Bob F" <bobn...@gmail.com> wrote:

-snip-

>>
>The mail is way more reliable than UPS or other deliverers in my experiance.
>At least the mailman rings the bell for package deliveries. UPS NEVER does.
>
>

I think it all boils down to the individual. My UPS guy is the
best. USPS is number 2-- and the Fedex guy can go pound salt.

As far as getting it to me, UPS and Fedex are quicker [if the fedex
guy doesn't forget to deliver it].

Jim

[The Daring Dufas]

The guy who handles my mail and packages has several dogs, two are ankle
biters and one is big, brown and noisy. The big dog is all bark but a
lot of UPS/FedEX guys will drive around the block until big brown
is out of sight then they run up, toss the package on the porch then run
back to the van. ^_^

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

You mean criminals ignore the "gun free zone" signs?
Will the wonders never cease. I thought schools
were totally safe, now?

Yes, unsecured mail is a real concern. Even lockable
mail boxes might not be enough in some areas.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"The Daring Dufas" <the-dari...@stinky-finger.net> wrote in message news:kpp7gi$7jl$1...@dont-email.me...

[sms]

I have the opposite experience. USPS generally doesn't do the famous UPS
drop and run. I have a mail slot so the mail would be difficult to
steal. If USPS can't deliver a package they bring it back to the post
office but UPS just leaves it, having calculated that paying for a few
stolen packages is cheaper than doing a re-delivery. Going to UPS to
pick up a package is a royal PITA since it's about ten miles away but
the local post office is about two miles away and has better hours than UPS.

Recently, at a rental property I own, that has a cluster box for six
units, there was a break-in of the mail boxes and the USPS was very
helpful. They held the mail at the post office until the cluster box
could be repaired and reinforced and they came out and replaced the
master lock for the cluster box.

[sms]

On 6/18/2013 2:03 AM, The Daring Dufas wrote:

> I suppose it depends on the area you live in and the particular carrier
> who handles your mail. Some of the letter carriers who handle our
> neighborhood are excellent and ring for packages and special delivery.
> I'm really not critical of The Post Office, it's security of my mail
> when I'm not at home and critters wandering the neighborhood could
> tamper with important financial, tax and medical letters. A mail thief
> will grab it all and run tossing that which is worthless to him/her/it
> into the trash and you never know it came.

Mail theft is actually quite a big problem. At a rental I own, both sets
of cluster boxes were broken into and at least one person had a credit
card account opened with the identity information that the thief got
(they caught the person who opened the account but he wasn't the same
person who stole the mail).

You really want to have either a mail slot into the garage or house, or
a secure locking mailbox. The latter can cost over $100 but it's
probably worth it.

[The Daring Dufas]

That's why I've been using a private mailbox service for 30 years. My
mail and packages don't come to where I reside. It's been handy for me
since I've moved around several times in the past few decades. I had one
private mailbox service address for 23 years. Heck, when I went to work
overseas, I didn't have to worry about missing any mail. ^_^

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

I don't think it's a federal crime to steal UPS/FedEx deliveries like it
is to steal U.S. Mail. Depending on where you live it could be a crime
for you to shoot the mail/package thief in the ass. o_O

TDD

[Frank]

Lot of stuff you buy from Amazon does not come directly from Amazon but
from a preferred supplier. It is possible both boxes were from them.
One with an Amazon label and another without. I recently had to return a
defective item and it was tougher than dealing with Amazon as contact
took much longer. So I went to the manufacturer to get it replaced.

No problems with UPS. Certainly better than USPS.

[Bob F]

A locking box solved the worry for me.

[willshak]

None of the three delivery companies (FedEx, UPS, USPS) in my area ring
the bell when leaving packages at my door that don't need a signature. I
do have a driveway alert system that tells me when anyone drives or
walks up my driveway. Usually when I get to the door, the truck is
leaving the driveway and I give a wave to the driver.
Sometimes, USPS hangs a plastic bag with the item off my roadside
mailbox. Fortunately, I live in a small 7 house cul-de-sac off a dead
end street. The greater part of the traffic are residents and guests,
deliveries, trick or treaters, and of course, Jehovah's Witnesses. :-)


--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

[The Daring Dufas]

On 6/19/2013 8:04 AM, willshak wrote:
> The Daring Dufas wrote:

********Trim Da Phat, Dis Thred Were Getin Two Long********

>> I suppose it depends on the area you live in and the particular
>> carrier who handles your mail. Some of the letter carriers who handle
>> our neighborhood are excellent and ring for packages and special
>> delivery.
>> I'm really not critical of The Post Office, it's security of my mail
>> when I'm not at home and critters wandering the neighborhood could
>> tamper with important financial, tax and medical letters. A mail thief
>> will grab it all and run tossing that which is worthless to him/her/it
>> into the trash and you never know it came. Oh yea, it's against the
>> law to tamper with The U.S. Mail, it's also against the law to take a
>> gun into a school building too but when have criminals ever bothered
>> to obey the law. o_O
>>
>> TDD
>>
>
> None of the three delivery companies (FedEx, UPS, USPS) in my area ring
> the bell when leaving packages at my door that don't need a signature. I
> do have a driveway alert system that tells me when anyone drives or
> walks up my driveway. Usually when I get to the door, the truck is
> leaving the driveway and I give a wave to the driver.
> Sometimes, USPS hangs a plastic bag with the item off my roadside
> mailbox. Fortunately, I live in a small 7 house cul-de-sac off a dead
> end street. The greater part of the traffic are residents and guests,
> deliveries, trick or treaters, and of course, Jehovah's Witnesses. :-)
>
>

It's not unusual for me to hear a vehicle blasting down our street at
high speed. Our street is a moderately traveled access to the
neighborhood but sometimes I really worry about my 6 little buddies next
door who often run around in the street. We neighbors look out for each
other but there are critters coming through the neighborhood and we have
even had critters come through our gate to traverse our fenced
in back yard to get to another street. So I have to worry about the
security of my mail and property too. ^_^

TDD

[DerbyDad03]

The USPS has worked very well for me over the past 4 years as I've
mailed various packages to my daughters at their colleges. One is
about 70 miles away and the packages typically get there the next day
or maybe the day after. The other college is about 400 miles away and
those typically get there in 2 days.

I've never had any issues. I print the shipping labels at home via the
USPS site (not stamps.com, the USPS site is free and shipping is
discounted slightly) I either drop them off at the PO or schedule a
pick up by my regular carrier. When I drop them off, if they won't fit
in the self-serve hopper, I don't have to wait in line. I just stand
off to the side and when one of the counter staff looks up, I show
them the Click and Ship label. They wave me over, take the package or
point to a place on the counter where I can put. I'm usually in and
out in less than a minute and I don't hold up anyone waiting in line.

For deliveries (Amazon, eBay, other internet vendors) the packages
come via various means - USPS, FedEx and UPS. I got a package last
night and the driver rang my bell and left the package on the porch. I
don't recall who shipped it, but the guy was driving a Budget rental
truck. It was a mixer attachment that came as part of a Macy's rebate,
so maybe they use their own delivery firm. I'll have to check the
package when I get home.

I recently ordered a 32" flat screen TV that was being delivered by
UPS. I called ahead and asked if I needed to sign for it and was told
that I did. I was also told that I could try leaving a signed note,
but it was up to the driver to decide if he thought the location was
safe enough to leave it. I live in a very quiet neighborhood, but
leaving a flat screen TV in full view is iffy regardless of where you
live. I really wanted the TV left because it was a graduation present
that I needed the following day. (I put that in the note so the driver
would be aware of my urgency) The note I left gave the driver 2
options: The unlocked shed in the backyard or the large (empty)
garbage can that I left in front of the garage door. The update text I
got that afternoon was that the TV had been delivered to the shed. The
driver didn't have to go around to the back of my house but he did and
I was appreciative. I called UPS Customer Service and voiced my
appreciation. I hope that the compliment made it back to the driver.

[Robert Green]

"The Daring Dufas" <the-dari...@stinky-finger.net> wrote in message

news:kpq5t1$fu9

<stuff snipped>

> I don't think it's a federal crime to steal UPS/FedEx deliveries like it
> is to steal U.S. Mail.

Wrong:

Title 18, United States Code, Section 659 - Theft From Interstate Shipment
Makes it a federal offense to steal or obtain by fraud anything from a
conveyance, depot or terminal, any shipment being transported in interstate
or foreign commerce. The statute also prohibits the "fencing" of such stolen
property.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/vc_majorthefts/arttheft/legislation

--

Bobby G.

[The Daring Dufas]

Cool, I never looked it up, I stand corrected. ^_^

TDD