On Feb 12, 1:19*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:
"...the postal service may stop delivering mail if your box
doesn't have a red flag. The flag directs the person-person (used to
be mailman) to pick up outgoing mail. "

I'm not arguing as much as I'm questioning the logic here.

Why would the person-person stop *delivering* mail just because he
didn't know if the customer had any mail to be picked-up? On days when
there is nothing to be picked up (s)he's still obligated to deliver
what's in the bag.

If the box doesn't have a flag, the box doesn't conform to government
regulations. If the box is non-conforming, the postal service may decline to
service it.

In reality, it's just one more reason the postal service may get on your
case. ("It's too high off the ground, it doesn't have a flag, it is not
lockable, it's painted the wrong color, and made of unapproved material, and
we don't like the dog much either!")

"If the box doesn't have a flag, the box doesn't conform to
government regulations."

Having never read the regs, I certainly won't doubt what you're
saying.

Of course, I live in an area where *nobody* has flags. Our mail boxes
are at the houses and there is basically no conformance of any kind.

My neighbor's is a mail slot next to the garage door, mail drops into
a box. Mine is a black metal box hanging on the wall next to my front
door. The neighbor on the other side has a wooden box on her porch
that says "Male" on it. (really!)

The entire neighborhood is a mixture of just about every type of
receptacle you can think of, *except* for boxes on posts with flags.

If I have something for Dave (the carrier) to pick up, I stand it
"vertically" in the mail box so he knows it's there.

I also shovel a path across my front yard so he can get through the
snow from my neighbor's house and I tip him nicely when he wipes off
my seat at the local AAA baseball stadium. Nice guy. Been my mailman
for 25 years, seen my family go through good times and bad, and always
has time for conversation or a quick joke.