I think they are supposed to stop....but they don't always do it! At least here.

Thanks Connie. That is what I was told a year or so ago, by my old mailman. But I thought maybe with the job cuts everywhere, they quit stopping if you didn't have mail.

I've never had them not pick up - I put the stuff in the mailbox and raise the flag. We are a semi-rural area, and at the end of the dead-end road, though. The carrier HAS to come right here to turn around. Maybe that makes a difference.

I get mail nearly every day. I live in a suburban area, and I put my outgoing mail(mostly bills) in a slot on my box. I notice the postman does not pick it up if I don't get a delivery that day. Apparently the guy doesn't look unless he has something to deliver. Definitely wrong but I'm so laid back. I'm not a complainer. When it happens (rarely) I'll drive my mail to the local post office or leave it for the next day. Of course, I know I'm taking a chance on identity theft if I leave my outgoing mail sitting out in plain sight.

Are you in the rural and do you have a flag you put up?
Did they have any way of knowing you had mail in your box to go out?

I'm sure they are not obligated to check all boxes for outgoing mail if they don't have any delivery to the box for that day.

Yes, I keep a magnetic hot pink little figure inside the box. When I have mail to go out, I stick it on the outside of the box.

We are in a rural area. I asked about that at our local post office and was told if they don't have anything to drop, they don't have to stop--even with the flag up. I take my outgoing mail to the post office now--we have had lots of mail thefts since we moved here. Sheila

I've never heard of not picking it up if the flag is up.

Since you don't have a real mailbox flag, they probably didn't realize that giving them "the figure" meant the same as a mailbox flag. Many people decorate their mailboxes so they could have simply thought it was a sticker on it. You might want to get a conventional mailbox with a flag on it. As much as I dislike the post office, in fairness, I wouldn't expect them to stop and check unless there was a flag up to say there's outgoing mail. Wouldn't be easy to know what each person's personal "signal" would be. One might flip a lawnchair on its side, another might have a light on, etc. Really can't reasonably expect them to know that and of course there's substitutes all the time too so how would they know? Mail carriers have enough trouble getting the mail out, and to the right places! LOL

I take it this is a walking carrier? The mailbox is on the house rather than at the street? Could be they don't even look if they don't have mail for you. They wouldn't normally walk up to the house if there isn't any mail. Here, the boxes are at the street and they'll stop if the flag is up. And actually, unless the flag is up, they won't TAKE outgoing mail either. Unless they look at each piece they wouldn't know if it's incoming or outgoing, or for that matter if it was misdelivered!

We were told by our post office, if you aren't having mail delivered, they don't have to pick up out going mail. We live in the country.

Sue

My mailbox is on the street. Mine and my neighbors (connected townhomes/duplex) are both built into a brick column. So, no flag on it.

I haven't put outgoing mail in my mailbox for years. Not safe unless you have a locking box -- and we don't. We also try to collect our mail pretty soon after a delivery. (Ours is a 'rural' type mailbox at the foot of our driveway; delivery by truck.)

"And actually, unless the flag is up, they won't TAKE outgoing mail either. Unless they look at each piece they wouldn't know if it's incoming or outgoing, or for that matter if it was misdelivered!"

Many folks don't even realize that putting mail into someone else's mailbox is against the law. All mail delivered into a mailbox is supposed to have the appropriate amount of postage on it, and be sent through the US Postal Service.

I'm a little curious about something.

First off--I was raised in the suburbs where the mail carrier walks his route, carring a large heavy mail bag, brings the mail to your door/porch, and puts it in the mail box attached to your house, or through the slot in your front door. Now, I have a house in a more rural area where we have the box at the street, and the carrier drives his route, just reaching out the window to deposit the mail.

To me, it's rude to ask the mail carrier to pick up mail. He's got enough to do and carry, just delivering the mail. I would never--out of consideration of him/her--every put mail out for them to pick up, unless it was an absolute emergency and I was unable to get out and go a couple of blocks to a post box. Also, while I do have a locking mailbox in the country, the top part, where you would put outgoing mail doesn't lock (how would the mailman access it if I locked it with my key???), and it's very accessible to anyone walking or driving up and down the street.

Now, granted, my feeling that it's wrong to expect the postman to pick up mail stems a lot from my background in the suburbs. I have noticed that corner postboxes are a little fewer and further between in the country, making it a little more difficult--you can't just walk a block or 2 to the corner mailbox. Although you can find some if you look for them (the closest mailbox I've found is about .8 mile away, at the supermarket, so it's not that inconvenient to take the mail there).

I'd be curious to hear your comments, and feelings on the subject of whether you think it's right to even ask the postman to pick up outgoing mail. Anyone a mail carrier and have an opinion? or have you discussed this with your mail man?

Well, my opinion is if you pay for postage, that also should include picking up the mail if it is in the mailbox and the flag is up. If you live in the country like I do, there is no close box to mail your letters from, some do not drive or are elderly so they depend on the pick up service. I have lived in the country most of my life and that is the way it is, they pick up the mail and that is part of their service. How it is in town, I do not know. They even put a note in at Christmas time on how to sort your cards to be mailed when you put them in the box, like out of town or local.

Sue

Our mailman drives a jeep and drives up to every mailbox. He gets out and walks mom's (and all the other elderly ladies/couples here) up to the box on her house. They did have to apply for this handicap service. Mom can walk okay. It's just to dangerous for her in the winter. Everyone else walks out to their mailbox.

I certainly don't consider it rude or wrong to put outgoing mail in one's box in the rural and put the flag up. That is the intended purpose of the flag and why new boxes are marked as being approved by the Postmaster General It is their job to pick up mail in the rural, since there are no blue pick-up boxes in the rural. Many folks would have to drive 5, 10 or more miles to town here in IN and in some areas it would be a lot longer than that. Some folks don't get off the farm and into town for weeks at a time.

In town, where one doesn't have a box with a flag, or the carrier is on foot is another different story. That is the purpose of the boxes being on corners usually with-in walking distance.

"Many folks don't even realize that putting mail into someone else's mailbox is against the law. All mail delivered into a mailbox is supposed to have the appropriate amount of postage on it, and be sent through the US Postal Service."
That's true though I don't understand the relationship to the quote. You are also not allowed to put misdirected mail in the approrirate mailbox if for instance you get your next-door neighbor's mail. Technically, you cannot even put stuff on the mailbox. A few years back some Boy Scouts put promo flyers on or in mailboxes and the Post Office sued the Boy Scouts for it. You probably don't realize that you don't even own your own mailbox technically. It's owned by the postal orifice.

To me, it's rude to ask the mail carrier to pick up mail.

That must be a very regional or suburbia thing. I live 5 miles from town in a rural area, but have always put my outgoing mail into my mailbox even when I lived in a much larger city. Our mailcarriers even leave us a bright orange envelope to order stamps/envelopes/ect. that we can place in our mailbox to be picked up... they bring it back the next day with your order.