Today before work I needed to pick up something from a storage unit and I did not have all day to do that.
This storage unit has only one elevator and no stairs.
A mail carrier was using her mail cart to hold the elevator (she placed it in between the doors) while she had a conversation with the person at the front desk. I asked “May I please use the elevator?” and she said no. The front desk person didn’t hear this as she came back to the elevator to get something from her bags, then went back to the little room where the desk was.
So I pushed it back into the entrance area, and used the elevator.
When I came back down, she told me I am an “impatient witch” (yes…she actually called me a witch) and that I would be arrested next time I did that because the mail could have been stolen. I just ignored her and walked away.
Now we were both rude. She had no business holding the elevator like that, and I suppose I should have asked her again or gone inside and informed the dude at the desk that somebody’s things had been left in the elevator. So I accept my responsibility for my rudeness (which she certainly didn’t). I also think what she said regarding me being the cause for her mail possibly being stolen is a moot point…she left it blocking the elevator then went into a separate room about 20 feet away…if she cared that much she would have brought it with her…it’s not like elevators are magical mail protectors.
So…my question behind that long story is…would the police actually care if she really had called to report me moving it out from between the elevator doors? I don’t see how that’s tampering with mail, as I didn’t touch anything in it. Plus, this is NYC…I think the police are too busy to care about petty disputes like that.
I tried Googling it and all I found was something on Yahoo! Answers that it’s supposedly illegal to touch a mailbox. As with this, I’m guessing it’s really only illegal to open a mailbox and mess with its contents, if I just rest my arm on it I don’t think it’s a problem.
Anyway, I certainly won’t do that again…if I ever run into her again I will either a) ignore her, or b) speak to management if she does something similar. I just want to know if I was in the wrong in terms of the law, I know my manners were poor.
Interesting. This part jumped out at me though…“ensures the mail is safe and secure.” Unless they will defend the actions of the mail carrier no matter what…wasn’t she the one who violated that, not me? As she was the one who walked away from the cart…apparently she was trusting me, a random person to watch it for her. I suppose she could have twisted that to say I was violating the safety of the mail by walking away from it, but I’m not the one who’s responsible for its safe delivery.
I checked with my husband, who is a mail carrier. He says:
“If the mail carrier left the mail where it was outside her control? And you moved it? And a third party stole it? She has a hell of a lot more to worry about than you do.”
I doubt it either…I think MsWhatsit’s husband’s point that as the mail carrier essentially ditched the mail…even if what I did was technically illegal, I think the irresponsibility of her actions negate whatever I did.
Thanks for the input! I hope I never run into this lady again!
I’m having a hard time seeing from the account in the OP where the safety of the postal worker was threatened in any way.
I think MsWhatsit’s response is more on the mark. The mail carrier left her mail unattended. I think she would be in a heap of trouble if this matter came to the attention of her supervisors. And if the postal service by some chance did decide to go after CatherineZeta, the NY dailies would have an absolute field day with it.
As a technical matter, she may have been in some kind of violation. But the mail carrier would be nuts to actually report it.
Some people are just so nutty though that they genuinely believe other people are committing crimes against them, or whatever, they can’t see that what they have done is worse.
I think the fact that she called me a “witch” indicates that she was of the nutty variety.
I don’t think it matters if she lies. As far as I am aware, a mail carrier’s testimony does not carry any particular weight. Well, except as to mail carrying expertise, obviously.
Assuming the only witnesses are you and her it’d be a he said, she said kind of deal.
If anything, mail workers have a rep for going “postal” so your statement might actually carry more weight. Ok, seriously, take a look-see at postal exams and you can see what characteristics the postal service looks for in hiring…not logic skills.
Maybe the unattended cart accidently rolled into the doors of the elevator, you know, being unattended and all…and who’s fault was that?
You didn’t technically do anything illegal. The post office does not have “cart” blanche to block an elevator. Next time she does it take a picture of it with your phone and then video tape her response. My verbal response would be: “the post office does not control the elevator, the stairs, or the weird little sandwich in the office refrigerator that nobody seems to take credit for. I don’t know if you’re having a bad day-I don’t know what your problem is-and I really don’t care because you’re rude”.
My guess is, if this is like all the storage facilities with which I’m familiar, the elevator area is the one place where there is assuredly a security camera.
I think that I’d point out to the carrier that when the mail is unattended, ANYONE can steal it, not just the person who happens to move it. And moving it doesn’t make it any more likely to be stolen.
My usual response to people like this is to say “Go ahead and call the cops. I’ll call my lawyer.” This generally shuts them up pretty quickly about calling the cops, though they may blather on about how rude I am.
The postal carrier was definitely in the wrong by leaving her cart unattended, and she was rude to hold the elevator. She probably knew it, and was pissed off at YOU for not going along with her rudeness. I also don’t see how she was physically endangered in any way.
A long time ago I delivered mail one summer, when in college. I left my cart on the street in order to zip up and down the street faster. I was told by boss not to do that - the postal inspectors saw it. Never did it again. So I agree that the carrier was in the wrong. I also never heard anything about it being illegal for anyone to touch my cart, though it never came up.