Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Junk mail


There is a junk mail delivery person who works in our area, and rides around on a motorbike that sounds exactly like the Australia Post delivery man's bike.

I'm sure I don't have to explain how annoying it is to hear the postman, run down to the letterbox only to find it filled with crap.

Why did we even bother putting the "no junk mail" sign on the letterbox to start with? There are people on our street who have made their own LARGER signs and attached them to their letterboxes. We are talking A4 sheets of paper, covered in plastic sleeves, using large-print, simple words.

They probably still get the junk mail.

I am very tempted to just put a big bin next to our letterbox, and put a sign on it that says, "junk mail receptacle". However, if they don't quite understand the concept of "no junk mail", the idea of a separate "letterbox" for their crap would just confuse them far too much.

6 comments:

The Shrink said...

I could have its uses.

Is any of it soft, strong and thoroughly absorbent?

tazzie said...

I had heard, once upon a time, that it was illegal for anybody BUT a postal worker to put ANYTHING in your mail box. *runs out to check with her mail person*

The Girl said...

Shrink, unfortunately it isn't even interesting - it is usually either political or local "informative" free newspapers.
Too hard and unpliable to even line the floor around the litterbox. :)

Tazzie, they should bring that law back - it would be good for the environment and potentially do more than a lot of this "carbon offsetting" I keep hearing about.

smp said...

I've wandered past on an entirely unrelated search but...

There's a code of conduct that governs the delivery of junk mail (they prefer to call it unaddressed advertising material) and the "walkers" are supposed to obey "No junk mail" signs. If I remember correctly, they work under a "two strikes" policy that sees repeat offenders fired.

Something like 90% of the industry operates under this code (it doesn't cover Australia Post - although Aussie Post voluntary follow the code - or independents) and the chances are your walker is a subbie for either PMP or Salmat.

If you keep getting junk mail despite the no junk mail stickers, contact the Distribution Standards Board (1800 676 136) and your complaint will be taken seriously.

I've liaised with the DSB, PMP and Salmat in a professional capacity a number of times in the past and I know that they do take this seriously. They're not in the business of delivering product to people who don't want it. It's bad for their business, too.

The Girl said...

Thank-you, SMP!
That is probably the most useful bit of information on this whole blog. :)

smp said...

No probs. Happy to help. Personally I love getting junk mail, but that's just me (sales and consumer electronic catalogue junky that I am).

Another little known fact is that, if you live in Victoria, it is actually an offence against the Environment Protection Act to deliver to no junk mail letterboxes. It's considered a form of littering and attracts a fine of I think up to about $1,000.