To start off, here’s a map I drew of our situation-
What I am wondering is if anybody can figure out why my neighbors mailbox is where it is. And no I can’t ask him, since we aren’t really on speaking terms due to other things.
Hopefully the map is pretty self explanatory. His mailbox is at the end of our driveway instead of at the end of his, which is on a different road. But there is somebody else’s mailbox at the end of his driveway, so his could easily be there, too.
My wife and I can’t figure this out. If it were us, we’d want our mailbox at the end of our driveway (which it is). Currently, the neighbor has to either to take a long walk to get his mail, or park at the end of our driveway and block it which has happened.
The other issue is that the mailboxes are about 2 feet off the road, so I have to clear the snow all winter so the mail truck can get to them. I also had to completely rebuild the base holding them both up a few years ago. I’m getting tired of making it easy for him to get his mail… But like I said, I can’t exactly ask for his help.
My WAG. Oak Ave is more of a main drag (at least through the sub division) so they put all the mail boxes on that street). 2 Elm Street was built later and the builders put a mail box in front of that house. The fact that it’s near “his driveway” may just have been someone not paying attention to which driveway they put it next to when they put it up (“Hey john, go run out to 2 Elm and put this mail box in if they finally finished with the sod”). If it was a construction site at the time, it may have been hard to tell which driveway was which. All it would take is a construction/landscaper parked in the other driveway or even just too close to it.
So, if your house and his house are about the same age, and 2 Elm and house further back that way are a bit newer, that would be my guess.
Is your mail delivered by someone on a motor route or a walking mailman? I’m guessing motor route, and the route just doesn’t run in front of your houses. In such cases, the boxes have to be on the mail route, which results in some people not getting mail in front of their house.
Both boxes are standing on a base, and they’re on the same base? (Sorry, I can’t bring up the photo. See rant in nearby IHMO thread.) So the boxes are side-by-side or nearly so?
It’s common to have a cluster of mailboxes together, serving several houses. It’s less obvious why one homeowner should be responsible for all of them. Maybe you could move your box a few feet away from his, like maybe to the other side of your driveway. Ask the carrier about that. Then you could maintain your own base and shovel out your own box, and not pay any attention to the neighbor’s. If it gets buried in snow, or the base rots out, not your problem.
How much trouble does he cause, stopping in front of your house to get his mail? If he’s just there for half a minute, why sweat it? Does he actually, like, park there while he reads his entire National Enquirer from cover to cover?
I’ve always thought the street address depended on which street the front door of the house faced, irrespective of the driveway or mailbox. This example could help prove or dismiss my theory!
The address is what the town says it is, which has surprised some people in my town who tore down a house on a corner lot, built the new one with the door facing the other street, and tried to get their mail delivered to (old house number) (new street name). A lot of times, that combo “should” be located on a completely different block. Even picking a more appropriate house number isn’t right, as that doesn’t match property records for the area.
You can petition to get the address changed for the parcel of land, but don’t just try to make it happen without official help.
every postal customer has to make sure that the carrier has access to your mailbox. if you only cleared the snow half the time and the other person didn’t, then you both would get the mail only half the time.
moving the box to an unauthorized spot is not a solution. you will get notice that you won’t get mail until it is moved back.
Assuming he’s willing to move his car, should you drive up whilst he’s blocking the drive, why would you care? How is this affecting you? His car occasionally blocking the drive for a few moments?
And you’d have to clear snow for the postie whether it was 1 mailbox or 2, that is not his doing, surely.
Your relations are sufficiently frayed as to keep you from speaking to him? Then just let it go.
It’s the only thing that makes any sense, without knowing why you’re so invested in such a trivial thing. Life is too short, move on!
When I bought a house that had no mailbox, having been vacant for a time, the PO instructed me to contact my carrier, who then came out and told me where to put up my box.
If you want your neighbor’s moved to his driveway, ask the Post Office if that can be done. (They will probably say No and/or say the neighbor has to ask them. But maybe there is a form they can put in his mailbox for him so you don’t have to talk with him.)
I was just imagining the neighbour coming on complaining that his mailbox is round the corner in front of someone else’s house, and how inconvenient it all is, especially since he fell out with said neighbour.
I see three solutions: a. Let it go - there are more important things to worry about (the economy, Egypt) b. mend your fences with the neighbour. In my experience it is worth a grovel or two to stay on good terms with them. I know that it’s not always possible but worth a try. c. Move.
Before pabstist goes this route, he should consider the possibility the Post Office will decide to move both mailboxes over with the one on Elm street. One fewer stop for the delivery person.
pabstist, how would you feel about the situation if you were the one who had to walk/drive around the corner to get your mail?
