What happened to Rain, Snow, Sleet or Hail?

[sgrizzle]

The post office used to be the most dependent constant in the world. Now they seem laden with excuses. Quiktrip employees, newspaper carriers, many others work 365 days a year. The mail carriers now only work around 300. Fedex refused to deliver to me on Thursday and I got no mail on friday. When I do get mail, it's delivered sometime between noon and 6pm. I regularly ship packages using the post office's "pick up service" but they only pick up about every other time. I've also been told by a local supervisor that if they have a lot of mail, they'll just hold on to part of it and deliver it later.

Imagine the ensuing riot if the Tulsa World carriers decided to just "hold off" on delivering the thanksgiving "black friday" ads until friday morning? Or if QT decided they'd "served enough coffee today?"

I had my paper before the road had plows and I had QT breakfast before the sun came up. Are we expecting too much of the our 365-day servicers or are we expecting too little out of the post office these days?

[Steve]

I usually have my Tulsa World in my driveway around 5:30 AM; today because of the 8-10" of snow and ice on my street, the paper didn't get here until around 9:00 AM.  I can't complain about that.  I was just glad to get a paper at all.

I had no trash pickup today Friday (my usual days are Tues. and Fri.) and I didn't see any mail trucks or mailmen on my street today, midtown around 26th & Yale.  No loss to me, as this time of the month all I get is junk mail and ads.  Give 'em a break.  You will get your mail tomorrow.

[Cubs]

I got my mail at the usual time.

[papaspot]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

I usually have my Tulsa World in my driveway around 5:30 AM; today because of the 8-10" of snow and ice on my street, the paper didn't get here until around 9:00 AM.  I can't complain about that.  I was just glad to get a paper at all.

I had no trash pickup today Friday (my usual days are Tues. and Fri.) and I didn't see any mail trucks or mailmen on my street today, midtown around 26th & Yale.  No loss to me, as this time of the month all I get is junk mail and ads.  Give 'em a break.  You will get your mail tomorrow.

If the junk mail doesn't come, the trash pickup isn't as urgent. []

[tim huntzinger]

Thursday AM, 41st & Lewis

[Trams]

My paper and my mail were timely delivered.  I'm also not so keen on diss'ing our "servicers" ... I'd want a li'l slack in the midst of a cold, snowy storm.

ION, the Tulsa World today indicated that delivery of tomorrow's Sunday World might be "slightly delayed because of extended deadlines to provide coverage of the Oklahoma versus Nebraska football game for the Big 12 Championship."  

You might have something to complain about on that one.

[Markk]

Get over it.   There was about 10 inches of snow on the ground over a sheet of ice.

[sgrizzle]

Maybe ya'll missed my point. 50 years ago, you counted on the mailman being there no matter what the conditions are. Now we don't expect him to always be there but we do expect the same service out of others. What changed?

Keep in mind also that letter carriers are employees and unionized. Your QT workers are employees and the paper carriers are contractors who can have their contracts terminated if they fail to deliver.

[guido911]

sgriz, I understand your point. You are hitting on the very familiar argument regarding the work ethics of two different generations. If you have not seen it already, catch the movie "Cinderella Man." An excellent film in my opinion that really highlights the survival instincts and work ethics of those who endured the great depression. I honestly cannot see how this generation could ever survive something like that.

[rwarn17588]

Well, we won't ever know whether the current generation can survive such hardships because we now have a set of social safety nets that didn't exist during the Great Depression.

And that's a good thing.

The ones who survived the Depression (and more than a few didn't) were determined to not let their children and grandchildren suffer as they did.

And don't underestimate the current generation (or any human being, for that matter) for the ability to adapt to hard times. I grew up in an area that had more than 20 percent unemployment and farm foreclosure -- not that I'd wish it on anyone.

[AMP]

Not too long ago:

The Mail ran TWO TIMES A DAY.

The Newspaper and TWO TIMES A DAY.

Milk & Dairy Products were deliverd to your home.

Juice was deliverd along with snacks Charles Chips and others.

For no additional fee other than the advertised price of a gallon of gasoline, three or more attendants rushed out to check your fluids, air pressure, add fuel, wash and clean your windows and mirrors.  And when you paid them, the said THANK YOU!  

Today you may or may not get the mail once a day. Most times it is torn up and appears it ran through a paper shreader.  More difficult to mail out than to receive. We send out around 1,000 pieces a month, many times the mail we send is returned with some vague stamp such as not at this address stamped on by the post office, how do they know ther person is not there?  No wonder the economy is suffering, heck the mail can't even get through.

Gasoline is 14 times higher than when I began driving, yet there are no drive attendents.  You are treated like a criminal having to pay in advance, and at most locations you seldom hear the words THANK YOU.

I am so thankfull I was born when I was, as I got to experience the World prior to Greed, Coruption and Insanity taking over like a social cancer.

[AMP]

Someone asked for a positive suggestion from me on how to address some issues I have responded to.  

Here is one simple idea that is used in other areas.  

Put snow plows on the fronts of all Trash Trucks.  As they run their scheduled routes, they can do double duty by providing snow removal where every they travel.  

[AMP]

For a small marginal fee of $220 the truck was converted to a snow plow. There were no major problems in installation. A separate hydraulic unit was connected with the battery, after the frame was fixed to the fishplates. By the use of single tire chains and power steering, the truck was very movable with a full blade. For those considering such an operation, one recommendation is in order ... install special lights either on hood or cab. This provides lighting when the blade is in a lifted position.

http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/1972/ip7205102.jpg

[rwarn17588]

AMP wrote:

Put snow plows on the fronts of all Trash Trucks. As they run their scheduled routes, they can do double duty by providing snow removal where every (sic) they travel.

<end clip>

That's not a very good idea. Only one side of a street would get plowed. To use a snowplow effectively on a standard-width street, you'd have to make several passes.

And what would happen if trash pickup isn't on a snow day? Let the snow sit?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

For a small marginal fee of $220 the truck was converted to a snow plow. There were no major problems in installation. A separate hydraulic unit was connected with the battery, after the frame was fixed to the fishplates. By the use of single tire chains and power steering, the truck was very movable with a full blade. For those considering such an operation, one recommendation is in order ... install special lights either on hood or cab. This provides lighting when the blade is in a lifted position.

http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/1972/ip7205102.jpg

For $220 I'll put one on my truck.