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US U.S. Postal Service puts a damper on family’s Halloween party
- Posted on October 13, 2011 at 4:46pm by
Meredith Jessup
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One Connecticut family planning for an upcoming Halloween block party got a surprising trick for their treat from the U.S. Postal Service this week. After the Sickle family dropped invites in their neighbors’ mailboxes, the mailman delivered the proverbial flaming bag of dog poo — a bill from the USPS for postage.
Little did the Sickles know that it’s against postal code regulations to leave notes in residential mailboxes unless they have paid postage. Eighty invites at 44 cents a pop means the Sickles were out $35.20 for Halloween party invites they hand-delivered themselves.
Consumerist can understand the need for such regulations, but wonders if this penalty was really necessary:
The regulation is probably meant to curtail marketers from spamming people’s mailboxes, but come on, it‘s a freakin’ Halloween block party thrown by the neighborhood. With the USPS hanging on for its life, is this really the best use of their time?
“It’s very un-neighborly,” one neighbor complained to WFSB. “We do it all the time for sending thank you notes, kid’s birthday parties, anything,” said another.
That must’ve been before Uncle Sam’s mail carrier was about to be put out of business.
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piper60
Posted on October 14, 2011 at 12:59pmThis is yet another example of our government at work.
Report Post »Mightymae
Posted on October 14, 2011 at 12:32amSo this is why school kids have to make alternative valentine boxes.
Report Post »Objective_Reasonableness
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:44pmIs putting something in a mailbox against the law?
The answer is a resounding YES.
The primary reasons are for safety, to keep unauthorized and or potentially dangerous items *ie acid bombs, reptiles, edged objects, etc and yes, revenue.
Answer:
18 U.S.C. 1725 states: “Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such offense be fined under this title”
“TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 83 > Sec. 1725″
Legal Information Institute
It appears that violation of this provision is an infraction, carrying a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual, or not more than $10,000 for an organization.
“TITLE 18 > PART II > CHAPTER 227 > SUBCHAPTER A > Sec. 3559″
[defining "infraction" in subsection (a)(9)]
“TITLE 18 > PART II > CHAPTER 227 > SUBCHAPTER C > Sec. 3571″
[establishing fines for an infraction in subsections (b)(7) and (c)(7)]
Legal Information Institute
See also:”Domestic Mail Manual – D041 Customer Mail Receptacles”
[especially section 1.3]
United States Postal Service
A unauthorized “acid bomb” injured an elderly lady this afternoon in Kenneth City, FL. I know an invitation is different
Report Post »Vietvet1
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 5:51pmSorry… even though the Mailbox is bought by YOU, the contents to be inserted within or on… falls under the regulations and fees alloted the USPS. They could have taped them to the front door and BINGO… no problem… otherwise you pay the postage… when caught. The mailbox is to be utilized by the home owner and the USPS ONLY.
And consider it a $35.20 legal lesson. Life and Laws… hard to break either without consequences
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