Is this going postal?

 It's been a hectic few days. I wrote elsewhere about DD and her SO and them having a "domestic" that esculated and didn't turn out in a good way (a lot because of the police and court and then the reporter writing a story about it)

 In the middle of this, DD went to the p.o. to get her mail. Becaue he lives one street too near town she can't get home delivery. She could if she lived on the next street over or wanted to put a mailbox on THAT street. But, they have had a p.o. box they have to pay for.

 She hadn't paid the rent on it that was due the end of June. The next day when she went in, the woman at the counter gave her a hard time about this, wasn't going to give her the mail. Because she hadn't renewed her rental fee. She was going to THAT day.

   DD wasn't in the mood for this (maybe it's the planets but seems like a lot of this has been going on with everyone I know). She said she had been busy had to go to court for something the day before, and was paying it now. The woman put her hand up right in her face, almost touching her and said LOOK LADY, I DON'T NEED TO HEAR YOUR LIFE STORY, YOU DIDN'T PAY WHEN IT WAS DUE. (I'm trying to hit the high points of this). Well, DD didn't think this was a good attitude for a post office employee to have and told her so. That started an arguement and the postmaster (man) came out and got into it, and it ended with them screaming at her. And her (DD)saying she was going to cancel her po box (she had just paid another year on) and have her mail come somewhere else.

     I've heard others say how "unfriendly" the people at that po are, before this. DD didn't like going in there, even though she didn't usually have to deal with the counter people to just get the mail.

    The next day she went in with her sister (who had just opened a business in the town, and a po box, but lives in another town) and asked to close  her po box. They said she could have an $11 refund (I think she had paid like $25 the day before) She had a form to fill out and one question wasn't clear so she asked what it meant and the woman (and then the head guy came out) started screaming at her again. She ended up never filling out the form, or getting the $11 and her sister saying she was closing her po box she had just openned for her business.

   As they left the postmaster man yelled after them WHERE ARE YOU GOINNG TO GET YOUR MAIL NOW? the sister said "I'll have it come to my house I don't LIVE in this town" and he said he wouldn't be too sure of getting it...

    They were trying to figure out if he could NOT forward mail for them, when they put in a change of address. DD (who isn't sure her box is closed, she didn't finish the form and get the refund) was trying to think of what would be best. There is a substation postoffice (not within walking distance like the main one) in the side of a little store. Of course there's the holiday weekend now.

   They both wrote letters of complaint and sent them to the main post office place (from the USPS website) but no one expects anyone to really CARE.

  They were really upset about this, though. Her sister had gone in the 2nd day, just for support, and hadn't really believed how bad it was (for DD the day before) But the woman and man (post master) started screaming at them, insults, etc. And, the idea being, if you don't like it, you just won't get yoru mail. They shouldn't be rude and personally insulting to customers! And, the postmaster was just as bad or worse, so they couldn't complain to HIM. He would probably back up the woman at the counter, and make any customer who complained wrong.

   The first day,DD was all upset because the woman had put her hand up right in her face, which was almost like "assault" (in a way, though she didn't touch her) and was rude to her, which started it. Both days they ended up with the woman and postmaster "screaming". The second day her sister was there as a witness.

   Can they do this? Are there any kind of standards of rules post office people have to go by?

   Or, is it really like that, if you don't like how they are, too bad, you just won't get your mail.

   There's that term  "go postal" maybe this is what it means?

Something is off with this story. She most certainly can get her mail. This is Federal, not some local yocal who can set the rules. But I must say ,,think your daughter left out a few things that must of transpired.

Gameball, I was thinking the same thing, until Star said the sister went in with her the second time. Were there any other witnesses, other customers, especially anyone that your DD might know?

 

No, they cannot withhold her mail just because they're mad but then she would have to prove they did.......wouldn't be easy. If your daughter has transportation she should look up the main post office for the region, go in person, and complain. Even your local postmaster has a boss other than Uncle Sam.

I always thought "going postal" was using a gun and shooting up your workplace, like quite a few postal employees have done through the years. 

 

 

Starchild I think that the PO people may have had a thing against her that laid the foundation for the arguing. In a small town such as you describe, the PO folks most likely heard about her trouble with the domestic dispute and the police. Then she went to deal with the PO in the middle of this, so she was probably not about to be patient and act her best.

Also, if her payment was that late, they would have been sending her payment due notices.Did she respond to those? Handled diplomatically, this should not have escalated. Still, it is a federal offense to withhold mail, and perhaps she should have quietly left and returned with the police.

Well...they can't withhold her mail simply because they are mad at her...that doesn't even make sense.  But...they do have the right to hold it because she hadn't paid her box fee.  Once she pays the box fee, they should simply hand her the mail and be done with it.  I have to wonder if your DD wasn't gettting a little snippy or rude when she was explaining to the postal worker why she hadn't paid the fee on time...the postal worker probably should have just listened and gotten your DD out of there, but I can see how they get really tired of the excuses and the whole blame game thing and just wanted her to take her mail and leave.  None of what went on was the postal worker's fault and it really isn't her job to listen to a big tirade about it. 

 

Unfortunately, if the only place she can get her mail is at the post office, she is probably stuck.  If they don't do home delivery to her house, what other option does she have?  It doesn't seem logical to have it sent to a friend's house or something.

onebizzybee:

I always thought "going postal" was using a gun and shooting up your workplace, like quite a few postal employees have done through the years. 

 

 

 

Yes, that's what 'going postal' means. It doesn't have anything to do with customer service at the counter.

 

It looks like this was just another example of an out-of-control customer meeting up with an employee who isn't skilled at handling people like that. Such drama. Sounds like the customer here needs to work on her anger and where to direct it, and the employees need to learn when a discussion is going nowhere and needs to just be stopped.

 

Oh I would have thought those same things. Like she wasn't telling the whole story, or the postal people had seen it in the paper about the domestic, etc (but that came out in y esterday's paper, I don't know if they'd have time to read it)

 I'd heard before (and others had agreed if the topic came up) how rude and impatient the workers were at that post office.  One person said they had their mail come to the branch post office (which is in a corner of a gerneral store) even though it's further away and isn't open as much. Because the man who runs it is "friendly".

  So, I think this may be on going, like the woman and postmaster have been there a long time and it's THEIR territory, and what can you do?

 Usually they would just go in and get mail from the box and not have to talk to the workers. But, I think that's a good point there was something already going on, because if DD had to do something like mail a package, she'd sometimes go to the one near me and say "I hate the people at my post office they are so rude and unfriendly".

 Her sister went in with her the second time (to close the box) because she didn't want to go in alone and wanted a witness. The sister ended up closing her box, she had just opened for her business. I keep hearing more about this (and I know, I am just hearing it) and read the letter her sister wrote to the post office website. At one point the man (who was yelling at them ) said something like "there's the door, you can get your asses out of here".

  Of course the first day DD wasn't in the best of moods, but she tried to explain she was paying it late because she had to go to court and the woman put her hand almost on her face (like STOP sign) and said she didn't want to hear her life story or something. DD said she told her "get your hand out of my face".

   I think regardless of who started it, or kept it going, shouldn't workers in a federal facility be more professional and not get into petty, name calling arguements with customers?

   I think they meant where will you get your mail, meaning they are the only place near her and she can't have home delivery. But, she is worried about not getting her mail (at all) because she is getting court papers and important stuff.

 She is going to have it forwarded to her sister's house (she has a mailbox on the street, and lives a few streets away) and can just stop there and get it as easy as the post office box. But, of course the workers in that post office have to put the forwarding label on it, and they could (if they wanted) take their time doing this, and who could prove it.

 The other sister who just openned the busines in town is going to have the business mail forwarded to her home 40 miles away, where she has a RFD box out in front of her house.

 

 

I think what started it was the women putting her hand up to and almost on DD's face and being so rude about it. She could have just said "that's okay, you don't have to explain why you are paying late..." In a perfect world? This is a copy of the letter the sister wrote to the post office website yesterday

  I am going to cross out personal info. And, I really don't think whoever reads this (in COMMENTS will care that they will never go into that post office again It's the customer's inconvienience. It's not like you can choose another post office to get mail through. Though of course, you can choose another post office or work around the delivery. At that time DD was going to set up a box in the next town. Where the workers are friendly, helpful and nice. The way they are at MY small town post office.

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I'd like to leave a comment about the xxxxxxxxxx post office in downtown xxxxxxxx by the xxxxxxxx Bank.

My sister and I have been treated very rudely in the past at this post office by a female employee and the post master. I'm sure they have their own side of the events but they are completely lacking customer service skills and any kind of professionalism that one would expect in a government customer service facility.

I closed down my business post office box today and will have all my business mail sent to my  home. My sister will opt to open a box 5 miles from her home, as they do not deliver to people in town.

 

I have a lot of anxiety and don't want to file a claim or anything, I just think someone should know.

 

It was really upsetting for the both of us and we will never enter that facility again.

  

Thank you,

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

PS YOU SHOULD ADD COMPLAINT ON THE SELECT A TOPIC

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Once when we lived in MA I sent one  of my kids to the post office to get me a book of stamps. I forget how old he was, but old enough to do this. I sent a $20 bill. He brought back change from a $5 (or maybe $10. I can't remember when you'd buy stamps and get change back from a 5 (LOL) I called and they said that's what he had given them. And he must have gone and spent the rest and lied and told me the employee had only given him that much back. A woman in line with him had gotten involved in it, and asked the clerk (after my son said he had given her a $20 bill and should get more back) and she looked in the money drawer and held up a $5 and said this is what he gave me. A $5 from the drawer with all the other 5s and she had a choice of what ever she wanted to pick up for a bill to show.

 I asked the p.o. if they had any kind of accounting, like banks and supermarkets do at the end of each day, and he said they do this overall every 3 months. I think that was it. The postal system goes over the records of what went out and in. He took my name and number and said they would let me know if they had anything extra at that post office.

 Of course I never heard anything.

 I really don't think DS went and spent the money and then said the woman at he p.o. had shortchanged him. I think she put the $20 in her pocket and gave him the change from a $5 thinking he was a kid and who would believe him.

  Am I the only one (or my family) who's ever had bad experiences with a post office? And, overall I haven't. I try and be polite and friendly (and watch the money) and get along.

  And, for years I have written a check or used a debit card at my post office. I have an RFD box, and can put a check out and say what I want and it gets left there. If I can't get to the post office.

 

 

 

My goodness! Just let it go. It's such a small, meaningless moment in the great scheme of things, and not worth all the stress you're giving yourselves about it. It's over. Move on. And try to teach your DD to do the same. Really... is all of this what's really, really important in your lives?

starchild:

she is worried about not getting her mail (at all) because she is getting court papers and important stuff.

 

starchild:

the workers in that post office have to put the forwarding label on it, and they could (if they wanted) take their time doing this, and who could prove it.

 

Hi Starchild - at this point, I would suggest your DD contact the court and any other important parties of her change of address directly.

Sounds like a combination of things...a postal worker with an attitude, we've had plenty of those over the years.  A customer having a bad, compounding things. 

 

She should have had the whole month previous to pay the box rent, they usually notify the rent is due on the first of the month and give 2 notices.

We used to have a Postmaster who was about as friendly as a Grizzly bear with a sore paw and  tooth ache.

Some years ago I used to order prescriptions from a pharmacy in Bismarck because they were cheaper than here..One time we did not get ANY mail into our box for two weeks (we have home delivery). I had ordered prescription meds and they should have arrived long ago. Called the drugstore and they said they had mailed the same day I had called in the AM and I should have had the package the next day.

We live in the 200 block on 3rd st, in the enxt block, on 3rd Aveneue, around the corner and up the street two buildings is an apartment building with a bank of 12 mail boxes. The number there is 310  3rd ave. . Two days later a lady who lives there called me and said one mailbox was over flowing with mail, the door open and mail sticking out. It was a box for an empty apartment so she checked and it was OUR mail. Our prescription meds had been in the heat in that box for over 2 weeks and were ruined.

Of course I complained and said the carrier (who was replaced)should have noticed that nobody was taking mail out of that box and should not have kept stuffing mail into it for two weeks until he was unable to close the box.  He  should have double checked the addresses on the mail.

Two years later I ordered a pair of orthopedic shoes from Canada. They were made from casts of my feet and expensive. I mailed the check as Registered mail, return rceipt requestd. After 5 weeks  the company in Winnipeg had not received my check (600 mi  away as the crow flies). I called the PO, did not know I was talking to the Post master because them two other men worked there.He said he did not know how long a letter would take. The man said he did not know.  I then jokingly said that maybe the next time I would put the letter to Canada into a bottle and put  it into the creek, it may arrive faster.

Well, the good man (it was the paostmaster)did not take it as a joke but got all huffy and told me that I got nasty and he would call the authorities n me.  Well that got my dander up and I told him to go ahead and make my day and hung up on him. Two minutes later I called the main post office in Bismarck and asked for the complaints department.

When I told the lady what our postmaster had said she could not believe it but also told me that they had had numerous complaints about him but this took the cake. A few weeks later he ":retired", although he was not old enough and did not have enough years with the PO to retire officially. The man bought  a motel but that also did not last long. This motel caters mostly to railroaders from Montana and I don't think those guys took  hs BS too well.    8 mo later he resold the motel and left here for good.

Guess some post offices  do get staffed with people like that. The Postmaster we have had since is a nce young man from a nearby very small town and is the opposite of the old sourpuss. And the two women who also work the counter are just as nice and friendly as the new postmaster and well liked by everybody. Both my regular carrier and the alternate are extra nice folks, if a package is too large for the box they bring it right into the house.

Not everybody in town has home delivery, some parts of town used to be rural routes before being incorperated and if a mailbox was there it wwas grandfathered in and they continue to deliver. We "inherited" the delivery when we bought the house, saves me from having to to rent a POBXgo to the PO to pick up  the mail.

Yes, we get special envelopes to put a check in when we want to buy stamps and they re delivred to you.

Since the old sourpuss left everything has been running smoothly at this PO.

 

You are right Martha M

 We do keep saying that. LIke it's not all THAT important.

Just the idea they have to bother with changing their mail, and why are people like that in jobs where they are supposed to help and assist "customers" and are doing the oppsite.

 

   I usually get to the point where I think "karma will handle it".

Thanks gr_elo, I don't feel so alone now (LOL) Even though it is true, it isn't THAT big a deal (though it is if, like you, you are waiting for something important) And all they have to say (the postal workers) they made a mistake, or deny it, or forgot or something.

 There's a movie "Funny Farm" with Chevy Chase, where they move to this country area (RedButt) and all these charactors live there. One is the mailman who is apparently nuts, and drive by really fast, tries to hit anyone in the way, and throws the mail out on the way by.

 I'm sure the kind, friendly, helpful postal workers are the majority.

I remember one time someone we knew got arrested for driving with a suspended license. It had to do with someone borrowing his car, and getting a ticket (because the officer couldn't read the writing on the inspection sticker, so wrote a ticket saying he didn't have one) The friend threw it out and forgot about it. But, it was the car's owner's responsibility at some point.

 So, his license was suspended and he was sent a letter stating this. He never got it and didn't know. He went to court and said that, and they said he had to PROVE HE DIDN'T GET THE LETTER.

   Which, of course, he couldn't do. It's impossible. They didn't send them registered, to sign for at that time. I don't know if they do now.