What's your mailbox look like? Fun Group Topic! :)

[Phoebe]

Hmmm... despite being in Britian, I have something similar to adamyb just outside my front door. I live in a very rural area so (touch wood) I haven't found any problem with stealing. I'm glad I don't have a post box built in to the door because I've seen lots of other people having their post bent in half to be squashed through, though I suppose it is quite nice for hte post to be left on the front door mat especially if you are going awya for a while.

Phoebe

[adamyb]

Hmmm... despite being in Britian, I have something similar to adamyb just outside my front door. I live in a very rural area so (touch wood) I haven't found any problem with stealing. I'm glad I don't have a post box built in to the door because I've seen lots of other people having their post bent in half to be squashed through, though I suppose it is quite nice for hte post to be left on the front door mat especially if you are going awya for a while.

Phoebe

I live in a rural area too (when I say rural, I mean my house and a lot of fields for about two miles in all directions) and nor have I had problems with stealing's (i don't think) and I think it'd be unlikely to steal my post as the post box is set back off the road and we have a massive hedge out front, and yeah I agree with the letter boxes in door thing peoples mail gets bent etc. and personally I don't like them, I think they look ugly and ruin your door

Ohh and Ryan J. thanks I'll be telling my dad you called him "talented"

[magicdude20]

I'll take a pic of mine when I get a chance, I live in a Apt, so I have a big multi slot mail box, which is perfect for bending envelopes, however if I use a photo mailer (which is why I use them) or if a regular envelope has "Do not bend" written on it, my mail lady will bring it to my door for me. I prefer not to use the regular envelopes because 1 day a week I have a different mail man who will only bring the photo envelope to my door and has/will bend regular envelopes.

[jdp3577]

RYAN J, my mailbox looks exactly like yours

[johnnylightning]

Interesting topic , As you can see from my picture my mailbox is very similar to yours except it is white & doesnt say u.s. mail on the door obviously since i live in canada,but mine is also metal and has the red flag on the side you can't see in the picture only mine has the option to put a lock on it but then mail can only be put into that tiny slit you see on the door which would be useless for most autographs & anything larger than a letter size envelope...

[RYAN J.]

Thanks again so much guys! Love seeing all the cool mailboxes!! Still jealous that most of you Overseas folks get to have yours right by your door!

RYAN J.

[ladybritney]

Hey Ryan .YOU took my mail box LOL thats just like mine . Never really thought about much until my Henery winkler photo came back tore a little so I asked hubby since it is kinda fixing up the place can we use some of the HOME REPAIR money to get a bigger mail box he said YES got the biggest one lowes sells . think we paid like $30 but not sure as we had other stuff we put on the bill too . needs a bigger FLAG I think . But man oh man . The photos fit in it sooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice now with ROOM to spare . Sorry no camera as far as PHOTO bit it just like yours . Hey any ideas on how to spruce up the box . It is a GOD AWFUL BLACK

[Ryco11757]

Hey Ryan .YOU took my mail box LOL thats just like mine . Never really thought about much until my Henery winkler photo came back tore a little so I asked hubby since it is kinda fixing up the place can we use some of the HOME REPAIR money to get a bigger mail box he said YES got the biggest one lowes sells . think we paid like $30 but not sure as we had other stuff we put on the bill too . needs a bigger FLAG I think . But man oh man . The photos fit in it sooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice now with ROOM to spare . Sorry no camera as far as PHOTO bit it just like yours . Hey any ideas on how to spruce up the box . It is a GOD AWFUL BLACK

Im meeting the fonz this weekend at a book signing!

[khackdrums]

There are several types of mailboxes in the US. Some are big, others small, some are skinny, others are fat, some are black, and others are white. In a lot of ways they resemble people. There are detached mailboxes, attached mailboxes, mail slots, some that require keys, some that don't, and then there are PO boxes, which are the most secure. No matter what the case may be, one thing is always certain, all mailboxes are US property and therefore protected by US laws. With that said, any tampering with mailboxes or the mail contained within said mailboxes is a federal crime and is punishable under US law. Therefore, mail theft rarely happens. For the most part, human beings are law abiding citizens and the thought of tampering with someone else’s mailbox never crosses our minds. Unless you’re a little punk kid up to no good, or live in the hood, it doesn’t happen. Luckily I live in a nice neighborhood and don’t have to worry about this happening to me. The US Postal Service doesn't allow anything to be placed in, on, or even around the mailbox that isn't authorized by the USPS. Pretty much if you spit in the direction of someone’s mailbox, it's a federal crime. In conclusion, what I'm saying is tampering with someone’s mailbox is a risky, unintelligent move...

By the way, mine is white, large, and in-charge. It enjoys a hefty meal of letters everyday for lunch. Unlike others, I don't hover over my mailbox.

Khackdrums

[Johnny's Fan]

LOL! I totally agree with you Johnny's Fan!! Our mailboxes aren't very steal-proof at all. They do make some that the mail falls down into a chute type thing and you have to have a key to open it up and get it. I'm always keeping my eye on the mailbox through out the day and as soon as it comes I run out and get it.

The red flag on ours in the US, is only put up when we have mail that needs to go out, that way if we don't happen to get any that day the mail person still knows to stop and pick it up.

If we lived in town we would probably have a mailbox attached to our house by the door, be we live on a small back road and there's only like 6 houses within a mile of each other.

RYAN J.

Yes, it just seems like a strange concept to me. Maybe 60 years ago, but in 2010 I just thought America and other countries, would have maybe thought it better to have mail that is delivered straight to the door. Like newspapers. We don't get them chucked at us over here, but the ones that are local and free are delivered right through the door.

That's what the red flag is for? So, is that for mail you would normally take to the Post Office or parcels that need picking up? The only things that get taken back from our houses are from catalouges and such places that are delivered by specific parcel companies anyway (not Royal Mail), otherwise anything that needs sending is taken to the PO.

I can appreciate in small places mailboxes are probably fairly safe. I just can't imagine that in more urban neighbourhoods.

@ khackdrums - I think that's the same over here but it doesn't stop people. Law or no law, people still do things. There are some small apartments at the end of my road, on a very busy road, lots of people around. They have silver lockable post boxes outside for each apartment and they are always prised open. Not unlocked. Prised.

If I ever moved to America (which I would like to do oneday), if I had a mailbox it would be for decoration only. Otherwise I'd be spendng my mornings hiding behind a bush waiting for the post to arrive.


And regarding letter boxes and bent post. Well you can get them in a whole variety of sizes (and you can have them anywhere on the door - right at the top and even at the very bottom, poor postman!). Ours is a regular sized one in the middle. Can't fit an A4 envelope through but that's OK. We've had 3 postmen since I starting collecting properly and they have always knocked with my autographs. So I think it really depends on your postman and also the people who handle it on its journey. You can get things bent by inconsiderate people long before it reaches you.