6 ms·

In the USA, the postal service picks up outgoing mail from your mailbox. I wish they would do that in the UK.

nevon 1y ago
That's very interesting. How do they know what's outgoing? Do they have to check the address of each letter, or is there like a separate compartment for outgoing mail?
- tyleo 1y ago
  Most mailboxes have a little plastic flag on a hinge you flip up to mark that you have outgoing mail. The process is is generally: 1. Remove all mail from the mailbox 2. Place outgoing mail in the mailbox 3. Raise the outgoing mail flag 4. Carrier will empty the box and file outgoing mail during the next delivery before putting new mail in the box Edit: here is a good example of a mailbox with that red flag https://www.amazon.com/Step2-541200-MailMaster-Mailbox-Black/dp/B00004W42K https://www.amazon.com/Step2-541200-MailMaster-Mailbox-Black...
  - qwertfisch 1y ago
    Wow, I always had the impression the red flag is set by the mail carrier to indicate for the house owner (particularly in rural areas) that new mail is inside the box. (Hence it would save the owner a trip for checking.) But this way around it makes a lot more sense.
    - lesuorac 1y ago
      Tbh, as long as you make the mail obviously not placed by them they'll take it. (as in don't need to use a flag). Like they always shove (or drop) it into the mailbox so when there's letters that are obstructing the box from closing properly they know they didn't place them there so it's outgoing and they grab it.
    - al_borland 1y ago
      Some mailboxes have an indicator that mail has arrived, but they aren't the norm. The indicator is raised by the action of opening the door, so the mail carrier doesn't have to do anything. It is on the person getting the mail to reset the indicator. This indicator is separate from the flag that signals the carrier that there is mail to pick up.
deleted 1y ago
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gadders 1y ago
You can get them to pick up parcels now, at least.
tdeck 1y ago
This is only true in rural areas and most suburbs. In the city, you often have to take it to a blue post box. Although some carriers will pick up outgoing mail in an apartment building if you leave it where they can see it and indicate it clearly.

That's very interesting. How do they know what's outgoing? Do they have to check the address of each letter, or is there like a separate compartment for outgoing mail?

tyleo 1y ago
Most mailboxes have a little plastic flag on a hinge you flip up to mark that you have outgoing mail. The process is is generally: 1. Remove all mail from the mailbox 2. Place outgoing mail in the mailbox 3. Raise the outgoing mail flag 4. Carrier will empty the box and file outgoing mail during the next delivery before putting new mail in the box Edit: here is a good example of a mailbox with that red flag https://www.amazon.com/Step2-541200-MailMaster-Mailbox-Black/dp/B00004W42K https://www.amazon.com/Step2-541200-MailMaster-Mailbox-Black...
- qwertfisch 1y ago
  Wow, I always had the impression the red flag is set by the mail carrier to indicate for the house owner (particularly in rural areas) that new mail is inside the box. (Hence it would save the owner a trip for checking.) But this way around it makes a lot more sense.
  - lesuorac 1y ago
    Tbh, as long as you make the mail obviously not placed by them they'll take it. (as in don't need to use a flag). Like they always shove (or drop) it into the mailbox so when there's letters that are obstructing the box from closing properly they know they didn't place them there so it's outgoing and they grab it.
  - al_borland 1y ago
    Some mailboxes have an indicator that mail has arrived, but they aren't the norm. The indicator is raised by the action of opening the door, so the mail carrier doesn't have to do anything. It is on the person getting the mail to reset the indicator. This indicator is separate from the flag that signals the carrier that there is mail to pick up.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

gadders 1y ago

You can get them to pick up parcels now, at least.

tdeck 1y ago

This is only true in rural areas and most suburbs. In the city, you often have to take it to a blue post box. Although some carriers will pick up outgoing mail in an apartment building if you leave it where they can see it and indicate it clearly.