Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
For those of you who have a lot of time on your hands, do an internet search for "pathways of desire".
Sometimes urban planners, architects, and landscape professionals build a hardscape where they want people to walk. Afterwards, people sometimes walk "shortest distance" rather than where the designers originally planned.
The smart ones, then employ "firmscape" (i.e. brick walkways, decomposed granite, etc.) where those pathways of desire spring up. Fascinating study for those of you who enjoy what some may see as a "quirky" subject.
For those of you who have a lot of time on your hands, do an internet search for "pathways of desire".
Sometimes urban planners, architects, and landscape professionals build a hardscape where they want people to walk. Afterwards, people sometimes walk "shortest distance" rather than where the designers originally planned.
The smart ones, then employ "firmscape" (i.e. brick walkways, decomposed granite, etc.) where those pathways of desire spring up. Fascinating study for those of you who enjoy what some may see as a "quirky" subject.
Sounds interesting. All I ask of any landscaper is that they put a bench or rock wall alongside so I can sit down and admire their handiwork while I take a rest from my own walking -- along broken sidewalks.
Oh, please!!! Deliver me! I've never had such a thought and I don't know anyone else that has. Even I, dumb as I am supposed to be, know the difference between a rock garden and a sidewalk even if they are side by side.
Who are you? From where did you come? And why are you being rude toward me?
Shortest route, but not necessarily the easiest. Throughout the many snows we've had this year, the mailman always cuts right across the yard, trudging through 8, 10 inches of snow, instead of walking up and down the nicely shoveled walks.
I often wondered how they got paid -- per route or per hour? The route must get done an awful lot quicker when there's no snow.
I had to laugh at this! Yours must be related to mine
For many years I had a similar problem. We have sidewalks at the street, and I have a walk that comes from the sidewalk to the front door, where the mailbox is. I also have a row of hedges alongside my driveway. No one on the street has a street mailbox.
So the mailman comes from the neighbors, cuts across my yard diagonally, delivers the mail then walks straight across the rest of the yard to the next neighbor. It started to bother me when he wore a path. I asked them not to with no success. Then I had an old drywell collapse underground, leaving a hole right in his path. I again asked them to use the sidewalk, no go. I had to put wood on the hole till I could fix it. Finally some random carrier told me to send a letter requesting them not to walk on my yard to be put in their route book. She explained that they are told to take the shortest route otherwise, as others have said here.
This worked for years, though once in awhile I'd get a new carrier who didn't read the rule book. All was well for the most part.
But wait, there's more. Winter. We'll get snow overnight, get up early to clear it and go to work. Once home I'll find no mail, but the next day I'll get a note on my box saying that mail was held due to snow on the walk - and we're talking an inch or so. Doesn't happen every time so I let it slide. Guy must've been running behind, right? But it seemed silly he wouldn't walk through a tiny amount of snow in his big boots.
But then, a few years ago after a big blizzard, I caught him red handed. His footprints were clearly visible in the new snow. He walked across the driveway, scaled a huge snow bank onto a yard that's raised about 8" above the driveway, and trudged through over 2' of snow to deliver my mail. Not one footstep on the walk which I had cleaned that morning (which had accumulated a dusting of new snow)
THEN I called the postmaster. I'll let a lot slide, but don't tell me you can't walk through an inch and then cross my lawn after a blizzard.
And I know, yes there are other things to stress over. But I know I'm not the only one: my yard is not heavily landscaped, I have existing concrete sidewalk slabs in place, I pay for and provide labor for my yard. I shouldn't have to make a special sidewalk or have a footpath worn in to the yard because the USPS doesn't respect the property of others. My front door isn't even used except by strangers and the USPS. If my house/yard had a different setup it would be one thing, but everything happens at the back door here. I Wish we had street mailboxes here but I don't think that's an option.
I feel for you OP! But ask if they'll put the request in their route book. Shouldn't be a big deal, if you can't move your mailbox. I don't get a ton of mail anymore so it doesn't bother me as much as it used to.
Call the postmaster for your zip code. I have done that in the past, as a resident manager. Some of the postmen would get lazy about putting the flap back up that covered the top half of the mailboxes. It would be hard to close because it would get really full, so rather than fight with it, they'd just leave it wide open. Of course, tenants would complain, but I didn't have a key to the top half. Only the post office has them.
So, I'd call the postmaster and complain and it would stop for a while :-) If you don't have the direct number to your post office, you can call 1-800-ask-usps, and just ask them for the phone number to your post office/postmaster's office.
I just found the contact page for usps.com. You can also email them:
Awesome link, thanks! I had googled "mailman walks on grass" in hopes of finding out what to do about one of the delivery guys at our home. We have at least 3 different ones here, and I work rotating hours, so there may be more that I haven't seen, but I'm sure it's the same guy that crosses the yard because it's winter here, there is plenty of snow, but only one set of tracks crossing our yard. At first we didn't know who it was for sure, then we watched our security camera dvr one evening because a neighbor had heard something odd, and we came across the mailman, cutting across our neighbors yard, our yard, skipping our mailbox and crossing the other neighbors yard to deliver their mail. I just emailed my report - walking on yards is in one of the pull-down sections of the report form, so it must be a common issue.
And to he!! with putting in special walkways for these inconsiderate folks. Yes, they are out in all types of crap weather..............they are getting paid to do it, unless I missed something and the USPS is now using forced labor, this a job these people chose. Our sidewalk and driveway are shoveled - there is no reason for this clod to be traipsing through a foot of snow to save time. BTW, in mid December I was out shoveling my driveway after work, around 5:30 pm, so it was already dark, the windchill was almost -60, and here came the mail person, covered head to toe, only the eyes peeking out. We greeted each other and she told me she was from Nebraska, don't know if she was filling in up here or if she is permanent, but she used the sidewalk and the driveway - bless her heart.
And a mailbox at the end of the drive is not an option - we live in an urban area, all the homes in our area have the mailbox on the house. Some people are just lazy jerks - and they do need to be reported if you don't want them on your grass, in your flowerbeds, rock gardens or anywhere else you don't want other people walking. Just because they are employees of the USPS doesn't give them carte blanche to do whatever the heck they please.
Awesome link, thanks! I had googled "mailman walks on grass" in hopes of finding out what to do about one of the delivery guys at our home. We have at least 3 different ones here, and I work rotating hours, so there may be more that I haven't seen, but I'm sure it's the same guy that crosses the yard because it's winter here, there is plenty of snow, but only one set of tracks crossing our yard. At first we didn't know who it was for sure, then we watched our security camera dvr one evening because a neighbor had heard something odd, and we came across the mailman, cutting across our neighbors yard, our yard, skipping our mailbox and crossing the other neighbors yard to deliver their mail. I just emailed my report - walking on yards is in one of the pull-down sections of the report form, so it must be a common issue.
And to he!! with putting in special walkways for these inconsiderate folks. Yes, they are out in all types of crap weather..............they are getting paid to do it, unless I missed something and the USPS is now using forced labor, this a job these people chose. Our sidewalk and driveway are shoveled - there is no reason for this clod to be traipsing through a foot of snow to save time. BTW, in mid December I was out shoveling my driveway after work, around 5:30 pm, so it was already dark, the windchill was almost -60, and here came the mail person, covered head to toe, only the eyes peeking out. We greeted each other and she told me she was from Nebraska, don't know if she was filling in up here or if she is permanent, but she used the sidewalk and the driveway - bless her heart.
And a mailbox at the end of the drive is not an option - we live in an urban area, all the homes in our area have the mailbox on the house. Some people are just lazy jerks - and they do need to be reported if you don't want them on your grass, in your flowerbeds, rock gardens or anywhere else you don't want other people walking. Just because they are employees of the USPS doesn't give them carte blanche to do whatever the heck they please.
Eventually, the USPS will fix this problem, when they make everyone start using cluster boxes like apartments in 5-10 years.
Part of the problem is that they do not like walking routes. They all want the routes where they can sit in the truck all day, tossing mail into one box along the street after another. It takes seniority to get those routes. We get some real duds here where they have to get out and bring the mail inside. Then, bless us, we sometimes get a great carrier who knows that walking is good for you.
I just had to come in and see where you are at -60 degrees and here I am complaining about 2 degrees.
Not really <G>. I expect to be boycotted by the mailman once the email I sent works it's way to the right person.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherifftruman
Eventually, the USPS will fix this problem, when they make everyone start using cluster boxes like apartments in 5-10 years.
I wouldn't be surprised by that, it may be a way for them to cut costs. I try and pay all our bills online now, so I'm not really contributing to them much. I also never, never, never leave mail out for pick-up at our house, I drop it in the mailbox at the post office. To many people have had their mail stolen in the last couple years in this area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazel W
Part of the problem is that they do not like walking routes. They all want the routes where they can sit in the truck all day, tossing mail into one box along the street after another. It takes seniority to get those routes. We get some real duds here where they have to get out and bring the mail inside. Then, bless us, we sometimes get a great carrier who knows that walking is good for you.
Ya know what just kills me? That they don't like walking routes - then why are they working for the USPS? Around here, I think the only carriers that get to actually sit in their vehicles for the full delivery route are the carriers that work the rural routes. There may be some routes in town (newer developments) where they drive the full route tho.
I just don't get it, especially here, where there are so many choices for employment. I mean really, if you don't like to walk outside, don't take a job with the USPS.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Awesome link, thanks! I had googled "mailman walks on grass" in hopes of finding out what to do about one of the delivery guys at our home. We have at least 3 different ones here, and I work rotating hours, so there may be more that I haven't seen, but I'm sure it's the same guy that crosses the yard because it's winter here, there is plenty of snow, but only one set of tracks crossing our yard. At first we didn't know who it was for sure, then we watched our security camera dvr one evening because a neighbor had heard something odd, and we came across the mailman, cutting across our neighbors yard, our yard, skipping our mailbox and crossing the other neighbors yard to deliver their mail. I just emailed my report - walking on yards is in one of the pull-down sections of the report form, so it must be a common issue.
