New Rant Thread

chazt

shave
I live in New York.

On April the 14th I sent a package from NY to Scotland. The package was received on the 18th of April.

Also on April the 14th, an order I placed with a vendor in California was shipped via USPS. Tracking info wasn’t available until this morning, the 22nd of April. It’s finally due to arrive by 9pm on the 23rd.

Does this make any sense?
 

Vacumatic

Testy
I live in New York.

On April the 14th I sent a package from NY to Scotland. The package was received on the 18th of April.

Also on April the 14th, an order I placed with a vendor in California was shipped via USPS. Tracking info wasn’t available until this morning, the 22nd of April. It’s finally due to arrive by 9pm on the 23rd.

Does this make any sense?

None at all

Every now and again Royal Mail slips up and delivers letters and parcels on time, a little like the Moon, it has its own Time Zone

A classic is that Royal Mail cannot meet its delivery requirements on mail deliveries, these are statutory and subject to penalties for non compliance, despite the reduced number of items through the mail.

So, what do they do? A regular business would try and improve but Royal Mail petitions the government to let them off delivery targets because they are difficult and they might be taken over in the near future (possibly by an organisation that can do a better job).
 
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chazt

shave
None at all

Every now and again Royal Mail slips up and delivers letters and parcels on time, a little like the Moon, it has its own Time Zone

A classic is that Royal Mail cannot meet its delivery requirements on mail deliveries, these are statutory and subject to penalties for non compliance, despite the reduced number of items through the mail.

So, what do they do? A regular business would try and improve but Royal Mail petitions the government to let them off delivery targets because they are difficult and they might be taken over in the near future (possibly by an organisation that can do a better job).
Royal Mail seems to have studied and taken copious notes on the USPS. When I was a child I remember that the usps prided itself on delivering first class letters within one zip code in one day. Anywhere else, anywhere!, two to three days, tops! First class packages were only two to three days for delivery.

I could be wrong, but I remember there was limited competition (UPS, United Parcel Service, aka “Big Brown”) back then. Nonetheless they provided a quality service, despite the lack of competition. Now they simply use market competition as a means of raising prices. Fewer letters sent because email has gouged into their volume? Raise the price of stamps! Create a new service that will match previous standards for delivery times, but quadruple the price! You want a less expensive option? Sure, but we’ll take our sweet ass time. And don’t be surprised if it gets there wet and mangled!

They suck eggs.

We’re the Post Office, and We Don’t Care! I’d like to see that on a stamp!
 

Rufusdog

Forum GOD!
Canada Post isn’t any better. We’ve had to cull our Christmas card mailing list aggressively because of the egregious postage rates. Rather than mailing birthday and Christmas presents to our family in England and Scotland we purchase through Amazon.coUK or make on-line purchases through John Lewis, M&S, Fortnum & Mason, etc.; much more reliable than the post office.
 

MPF9

Forum GOD!
Modern Motoring
My son got puncture in Run Flat tyre, on line search showed nil immediate availability. Got garage to order one took 2 days, so lost work.
Glad I have Vehicle with a spare, although it is a space saver.
 

Vacumatic

Testy
Spilt a full bottle of ink last night, picked up a bottle of Quink by its cap, cap came off, tried to catch the falling bottle which ended up on the carpet. Huge mess, tried cleaning it up with everything I can find including ammonia.

Put fountain pens away for good. Now just a Waterman rollerball and a 1950s Sheaffer propelling pencil.

Bad day, its been my hobby since I was a small boy.
 

p.b

Forum GOD!
Spilt a full bottle of ink last night, picked up a bottle of Quink by its cap, cap came off, tried to catch the falling bottle which ended up on the carpet. Huge mess, tried cleaning it up with everything I can find including ammonia.

Put fountain pens away for good. Now just a Waterman rollerball and a 1950s Sheaffer propelling pencil.

Bad day, its been my hobby since I was a small boy.
But based on history, that event isn’t due to happen again for another few decades so you should be ok, surely?
 

Vacumatic

Testy
But based on history, that event isn’t due to happen again for another few decades so you should be ok, surely?
Being a stubborn git I have taken my bat home.

I have a good collection but they were not getting any real use.

Really mad at myself for being so stupid, I was cleaning the carpet and my desk until 1am, the desk is ok but the carpet is wrecked.

When Parker say that it is Washable Blue they lie like a rug.
 

Vacumatic

Testy
But based on history, that event isn’t due to happen again for another few decades so you should be ok, surely?

Reminds me of a friend who is an accountant with an insurance company. He bought a horse for his daughter, at £25,000 I expressed some surprise but he justified it on the basis that it should live for 20 years and so £1000 was okay, he insured it but not that well considering he was in the business.

It was put in livery stables, first day in the field another horse took exception to this newcomer and kicked it on a precise spot on its chest, the horse died quickly but his policy didn't pay for death.

It would be my luck to drop another bottle of ink next week, without a shadow of doubt I would get a kick in the sphericals from Mrs Vac.
 

slapo

It's... alive!
...When Parker say that it is Washable Blue they lie like a rug.
Perhaps it just requires a specific cleaning agent.

Reminds me of a friend who is an accountant with an insurance company. He bought a horse for his daughter, at £25,000 I expressed some surprise but he justified it on the basis that it should live for 20 years and so £1000 was okay, he insured it but not that well considering he was in the business.

It was put in livery stables, first day in the field another horse took exception to this newcomer and kicked it on a precise spot on its chest, the horse died quickly but his policy didn't pay for death.

It would be my luck to drop another bottle of ink next week, without a shadow of doubt I would get a kick in the sphericals from Mrs Vac.
Perhaps the lesson is to armour a horse or not let it too close to new horses initially and to use a utilitarian rug or a floor protector of some sort under a work area where spills are a possibility.
 

Northam Saint

Forum GOD!
Royal Mail taking the pee again. Just had notification that they couldn’t deliver, two people home, two dogs and a ring doorbell. Doorbell shows walking up then walking away !!!! Why ? Only they know why. Bloody useless and of course new rules apply where they don’t even leave a card !
 

Lord Fatboy

Forgo Mud !
Royal Mail taking the pee again. Just had notification that they couldn’t deliver, two people home, two dogs and a ring doorbell. Doorbell shows walking up then walking away !!!! Why ? Only they know why. Bloody useless and of course new rules apply where they don’t even leave a card !
I had to take in a package for my neighbour yesterday, in spite of them clearly being in, me telling the posty that, and watching the same neighbour leave their flat 5 minutes later.
 
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