Collecting mail from firms on delivery

[PhilthyPhil]

I have been covering a rural this week and a couple of firms keep asking me to take mail for them saying "our normal postman takes it" etc but I don't think it is right that I should take it. Am I just being awkward here or are they taking the piss? Imo if they want a collection they should pay for one and we are not helping the business if we give away services for free which should be paid for? What are other peoples' views on this?

[RMMP]

Personally i would leave well alone.Not down to you ,if the other postman takes it then so be.It is a very dangerous path to take.

[TeeferTiger]

I'd say no...

As you say, they should be paying for a collection and what if the mail never arrives at the destination? Would they come to you first asking what you've done with it?

I've only ever accepted mail to post for someone because they were elderly and housebound. She didn't trust the carers to post it She used to try and give me money for it too, I always declined (obviously).

[bogstandard]

you are correct it isnt right.
in an emergency you may be required to explain what mail you had on board, and mail that you've collected from a firm isn't proper to you or your van.

[gj1023]

This thread is part of why I was happy to be retired recently. To me it sums how far down this job and RM has gone, with no hope of return.
A few years back this question would not have cropped up , it was a given.

Being a rural postman is different from a town , in the way the job is done.
Doing favours for customers, firms or public makes no difference, it was all part of being a rural postman.
It was not something you thought twice about, it was something you did.
You were a public servant , giving a public service.

The customer knew you and trusted you, you were respected a casual friend, not just the postman.
Any problems , any favours needed, they would talk to you, not just ring up and complain.

But now it is rush, rush. rules rules, money money, no time to be a person giving a Public service.

Sad , so sad

[not me]

This thread is part of why I was happy to be retired recently. To me it sums how far down this job and RM has gone, with no hope of return.
A few years back this question would not have cropped up , it was a given.

Being a rural postman is different from a town , in the way the job is done.
Doing favours for customers, firms or public makes no difference, it was all part of being a rural postman.
It was not something you thought twice about, it was something you did.
You were a public servant , giving a public service.

The customer knew you and trusted you, you were respected a casual friend, not just the postman.
Any problems , any favours needed, they would talk to you, not just ring up and complain.

But now it is rush, rush. rules rules, money money, no time to be a person giving a Public service.

Sad , so sad

the problem is RM cant be run as a public service
Im not defending the way RM is run
however if a postie is going to be doing 'favours' on a duty then these 'favours' arent going to be keyed into the duty times
for those of us who have been reamed on georoute then we know how tight things get
its about self preservation
unfortunatly the customers suffer but thats down to RM management and the way RM is regulated

[POSTMAN]

Easy,go to one of theses firms and ask for a freebie,yes you'll get a discount but a freebie?

[smelly_cat_lady]

And what would you do if something went missing? Yes, it would be your fault. Sad but true, the days of doing favours are over, I'd cover your a*se if I was you

[PhilthyPhil]

This thread is part of why I was happy to be retired recently. To me it sums how far down this job and RM has gone, with no hope of return.
A few years back this question would not have cropped up , it was a given.

Being a rural postman is different from a town , in the way the job is done.
Doing favours for customers, firms or public makes no difference, it was all part of being a rural postman.
It was not something you thought twice about, it was something you did.
You were a public servant , giving a public service.

The customer knew you and trusted you, you were respected a casual friend, not just the postman.
Any problems , any favours needed, they would talk to you, not just ring up and complain.

But now it is rush, rush. rules rules, money money, no time to be a person giving a Public service.

Sad , so sad

It would be great if RM could be run as a public service. But is isn't. It is a business. This is why I don't think we should be doing for collections for free or unofficial redirections or any of those things. One of these firms even used to pay for a collection but they cancelled it since the delivery postman collects it anyway!!

[Lounge Lizard]

Not a favour in a rural area I understand that "In the country a postman, provided he is not thereby overloaded, will accept letters, parcels and other postal packets handed to him on his round" and this is the case whether it's from a disabled pensioner or from a firm.

[glenfiddich]

rural postie or town postie a handful of letters aint gonna hurt you so long as they're where you leave the post. i sometimes even get the previous evenings post where colections have failed besides we have a collection from callers office late afternoon so everything i get goes with that lot except saturdays where if i cross paths with a collections driver i'll pass them to him so they connect failing that i pop them in a pillar box which i'd do if management ever threaten to remove a box to show its well used.was once asked to take over a thousand letters politely told them i couldnt but explained to try ringing the mail centre to see if they could have a one off collection never heard owt back