Revenge of the mailbox

[Howling]

Does that present any problem as far as opening or closing the door. I can sort of envision the mail carrier trying to pull the door and the whole box swings towards them.

I used to work quite a bit in Ayer area and I do believe I may have seen your mailbox as it is unique. Is it on the road with the initials S.... P.... Rd?

Not my mailbox, picture from internet. Have seen many like it driving around.

 

[sea2summit]

View attachment 470071

I've seen this done with steel and have outstanding results. Hard part is beefing up the post/bracket to hold it soild when it gets hit. No one should suffer any more than sore hands and a broken/bent bat.

 

[aczlan]

I've seen this done with steel and have outstanding results. Hard part is beefing up the post/bracket to hold it soild when it gets hit. No one should suffer any more than sore hands and a broken/bent bat.

The other problem is making sure it won't break free and go through a windshield if someone runs into it. That will get you a lawsuit and possibly criminal charges.

Aaron Z

 

[Oldpath05]

I know we change a little as we get older, but when I remember back to my teenage driving year's, I don't recall having that need/desire to destroy things/mailboxes that was someone else property, or my own stuff that was in good shape and still working, but that could of instilled in me when I was ten years old by Mother, one time I got caught doing something that I thought was fun and harmless and I got the board of education on the seat of understanding, Wow did I get it.

 

[k0ua]

I think if the "board of education" was applied a bit more often we would have many less of these incidents.

 

[teejk]

I know we change a little as we get older, but when I remember back to my teenage driving year's, I don't recall having that need/desire to destroy things/mailboxes that was someone else property, or my own stuff that was in good shape and still working, but that could of instilled in me when I was ten years old by Mother, one time I got caught doing something that I thought was fun and harmless and I got the board of education on the seat of understanding, Wow did I get it.

Kid's have been bashing mailboxes since the car was invented. The only fix is to catch and report them (I think destroying post boxes is still a felony). Not saying they should be prosecuted because a felony is serious business when it comes to buying guns and a whole host of other ramifications but it wouldn't hurt to remind people about what can happen. Especially in the days of affordable trail cameras.

 

[hosspuller]

I saw a very nice mail box on a rural road while horse riding, a few years ago. Had a peaked roof and looked just like a little house. Very cute. As we got up to it, I noticed the "Peaked roof" was 6 inch x 1/2 steel angle with matching sides... Mounted on a RR tie. I wondered how deep the tie was buried.

 

[k0ua]

I saw a very nice mail box on a rural road while horse riding, a few years ago. Had a peaked roof and looked just like a little house. Very cute. As we got up to it, I noticed the "Peaked roof" was 6 inch x 1/2 steel angle with matching sides... Mounted on a RR tie. I wondered how deep the tie was buried.

Ya, gotta wonder if some bat wielder found out the hard way..

 

[davesl708]

I think if the "board of education" was applied a bit more often we would have many less of these incidents.

Yes it was. If I did that I would have got worse at home. Never thought about doing things like that.

 

[oldpilgrim]

the 'kids will be kids' attitudes of some parents really tick me off and is, in part, a reason our society sucks like it does.

 

[DrRod]

Consider manure. If you don't live where its available go to the garden center and buy a bag of steer manure fertilizer. Spread it around you mail box leaving a not-so-obvious path for your use. About 10 or 20 feet is fine. Once they smell it they should turn away. If they don't, they will get it on their shoes. Then their car floor. Then their mothers kitchen floor. They will move on.

By the way, this also works great with neighbors who let their dogs poop on your yard. About the second time the dog comes home needing a bath, the owner tends to tighten control of the canine.

 

[zzvyb6]

Try to keep in mind that a mailbox is also used by someone working for the postal service. If you inconvenience, hurt, abuse, smear or anny your mail delivery AND PICKUP provider, then you risk getting a note telling you to pick up your damned mail at the post office.

The goal of all solutions to a mailbox basher is to identify them, serve them notice, charge them with a crime and improve your mail delivery services. This helps not only YOU, but also neighbors on your route.

When you get the plate, call 911 to report a suspicious vehicle with license plate xxx-yyyy and a description. Listen in on the Broadcastify.com radio traffic in your state and county when the "Vehicle is registered to a Abbcdefg W. Qutying address is 3412 Blah road in the Township." dispatch is issued.

The rest is up to you.

 

[DrRod]

True enough. My manure-based intervention was based on the assumption that in a rural setting the mail carrier inserts the mail into the box without ever leaving the car/jeep. If the carrier is walking up to the mail box then fouling the area is not a good idea.

 

[Creamer]

the 'kids will be kids' attitudes of some parents really tick me off and is, in part, a reason our society sucks like it does.

A lawyer tried to use that in court against me one time when I was asking for a restraining order on a teenage boy who, for intents and purposes, did not have any parents and i found him outside my daughter's window at 1:30 AM one school night after I had already warned him once. The judge did not buy it. But the idea that his dad would hire him a lawyer to defend him in that situation says a lot.

 

[Creamer]

True enough. My manure-based intervention was based on the assumption that in a rural setting the mail carrier inserts the mail into the box without ever leaving the car/jeep. If the carrier is walking up to the mail box then fouling the area is not a good idea.

Help me out here - in a rural setting and you are thinking the kids are getting out of their car????

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Try to keep in mind that a mailbox is also used by someone working for the postal service. If you inconvenience, hurt, abuse, smear or anny your mail delivery AND PICKUP provider, then you risk getting a note telling you to pick up your damned mail at the post office.

The goal of all solutions to a mailbox basher is to identify them, serve them notice, charge them with a crime and improve your mail delivery services. This helps not only YOU, but also neighbors on your route.

When you get the plate, call 911 to report a suspicious vehicle with license plate xxx-yyyy and a description. Listen in on the Broadcastify.com radio traffic in your state and county when the "Vehicle is registered to a Abbcdefg W. Qutying address is 3412 Blah road in the Township." dispatch is issued.

The rest is up to you.

Good observation. Keep in mind that your mailbox is probably in the public right-of-way, and that anything you do that causes a hazard or an obstruction could make you liable.

 

[jmc]

OP here. You guys are great.

Cameras seem to be best, this time. I should have one down there anyway for the other weird stuff. Hadn't considered a dashcam.

Thanks, all.

John

 

[DrRod]

Help me out here - in a rural setting and you are thinking the kids are getting out of their car????

A fair point. I just assumed that they would have to walk up to it to swing a baseball bat. But I guess they could do it from the car/truck.

As an aside, we had an old heavy metal rural mailbox for years and one winter the snow plow knocked the latch off of it. My son took an old folk and bent the tines down a little and put a screw through them to hold them to the door. Then he made a sort of loop and curl out of the handle so it made a hook to pull the door open. It was really neat -- a piece of genuine folk art. Apparently someone else agreed and stole the mailbox. I suspect it was sold at a flea market as a piece of genuine folk art.

 

[Creamer]

A fair point. I just assumed that they would have to walk up to it to swing a baseball bat. But I guess they could do it from the car/truck.

I guess that is the only way I have heard it being done. They even had an episode of CSI where it was done from the car. Somebody had filled it with concrete and it shattered his shoulder and caused them to wreck the car.

 

[Oldpath05]

If I was a betting man, I think in any time period, state, and country, camera beats a bat and lawyer all day long.........