2 Mailboxes in 2Snows 2 Hit & Runs

Jazzywoman · January 2, 2008

Oky.. I'm just a bit peeved..

Everytime it snows, or gets slippery on our street, someone hits our mailbox and destroys it beyone belief!

I've lived here for 15 yrs, and in those 15 yrs, I've had to buy at least 1 mailbox every winter. NO ONE EVER COMES TO CONFESS!!!!

I have to pay for the mailbox, post, put it in.. paint it.. etc. (our community has special rules regarding mailboxes.

This is the second snow we have had this year.. and THE SECOND DARNED MAILBOX DESTROYED!!! (in 2 months)

It's getting expensive when I have to buy the stuff, usually $150.00 each time, and I DON'T GET REPAYed because no one sees "them" do it.. and no one is HONEST ENOUGH TO CONFESS.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE THINK IT'S OK TO DESTROY MY PROPERTY AND NOT HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE???

WHAT IS THE DEAL????????????:angry

Ang1982 · January 2, 2008

That sucks. People are so stupid.

Teach them a lesson, get your mailbox but first put a big steel post in the ground and put your mailbox around it or somehow find a way to make it so that if they smash your mailbox then they will smash up their car too?

Marimaru · January 2, 2008

That sucks. People are so stupid.
Teach them a lesson, get your mailbox but first put a big steel post in the ground and put your mailbox around it or somehow find a way to make it so that if they smash your mailbox then they will smash up their car too?

I agree, if someone has some real consequences, they might say something, or if they bust their radiator on a steel pole, they at least aren't just backing up and going away.

If your community has special rules on stuff like that, is there someone in your community you can talk to about this? It's pretty messed up that you are out that much money just because it has to be 'just so'.

You could also set up a webcam and see if you can catch who does it next time it snows.

missy4gordon · January 2, 2008

I hear ya, in our previous house, everytime the snowplow would come by it would clip our mailbox too. They never repaid us for the new ones we would have to replace. We got sick of it so we decided to just get a Post Office Box.

Jazzywoman · January 2, 2008

Post office box might not be a bad idea..

I really like the "steel post" idea.. *evil giggle*

Kat817 · January 2, 2008

My inlaws are on a farm, and the road in the front of the property is well traveled. Kids used to go by and swing a bat at all the mailboxes and destroy many at a time.

My DH and my BIL replaced it several times--then got creative. They took a large steel pipe, buried it in the ground, added cement, both in and around the pipe. Then they created a mailbox from another section of the pipe. Using a torch, they cut and hinged the door....and it has been standing for almost 15 years!

When the neighbors moved in, they created a similar one, after replacing theirs a few times!

The newest one is my sons, and it is done to match his home---on the same road. He bought the cardboard tube used to make cement pillars, he poured the cement, and then bricked it to match, leaving a space for his mailbox. Like he staked the outside edge of all the brick, but left the center open, and that is where his box is. He put reflective numbers on the brick so emergency personel could find them easier if need be.

If a vehicle hits any one of them it will not leave unscathed!!! They are however easily reached by the mail truck, and within their guidelines, for size and accessibility.

I know how it is, and I sympathize with you----they do it to us, by sliding off and through our fence--right into the pasture, oftentimes will cows in the pasture and they drive off, leaving my cows to get on the road. Then it costs me to either fix it, or if we find out who did it, making them fix it by taking my time to take them to court---which I have done, and would do again----people need to be responsible when they screw up!!

Rant on----it is completely understandable!

Kat

Boo Boo Kitty · January 2, 2008

Post office box might not be a bad idea..
I really like the "steel post" idea.. *evil giggle*

I am sorry this keeps happening to you! BUT f.y.i. here it is illegal to have a steel post for a mailbox. It needs to be break away for the reason if someone does hit it they won't get really hurt.

I would hope who ever has done it would not be the same person! BUT they should fess up. I think they aren't thinking the cost is that high and think they can get away with it. Good luck.

TxArcher · January 2, 2008

Sink a 3 inch diameter schedule 40 steel pipe in the ground about 4 to 5 feet and concrete that thing in good while also filling the pipe with concrete.

That pipe will cut a car in half before it breaks free!

You will still have to replace the mailbox but the pipe will still be there!

SueSue · January 4, 2008

Our neighborhood has to have brick houses for the mailbox. We share the tall brick house with our neighbor. Ours got knocked down twice so the third time we both rebuilt the tall brick part for the mailboxes and put a brick flower bed on both sides. For some reason that stopped it. Ours may have been teenagers tipping them over. It was also expensive to replace.

kagoscuba · January 4, 2008

For those who decide to have steel pipes or brick mailboxes, they may be liable for a lawsuit for someone who hits those mailboxes in a pure accident and are hurt. If burglers can successfully sue for getting hurt while committing a crime, then anything is possible.

I use a much more low-tech method. I bought a durable plastic mailbox and attached it by using two bungie cords (one in front and one towards the back) wrapped around the mailbox and supporting post. Here in NJ the snow-plows get going about 40mph down my street and when wet snow and/or pure ice gets propelled at 40mph, not much stands in it's way. This winter both of my neighbors' mailboxes have been blasted off and were laying in the lawn. Mine was just cock-eyed on the post, and a simple readjusment did the trick.

luluc · January 4, 2008

Kagosucba, you may just be my husbands long lost brother with that set up.

kagoscuba · January 4, 2008

luluc....LMAO....I have been accused of not allowing my Georgia roots to leave me while here in NJ. My NJ born wife just calls it my "Redneck Side" and lets it go at that. Besides, she has learned she can't argue with what works. She admits the mailbox may be ugly as hell, but we haven't had to replace it (or even pick it up off the ground) in 5 years either. It's a very Eastern philosophy..."let mailbox flow like Water, not be stout like oak tree; when the wind blows the mighty oak will fall, while the mailbox will find it's own path." See, crap like that last sentence drives her nuts, but that's my job, right?

luluc · January 4, 2008

Ha, and I'm a transplant Long Islander living in TX...just NOW getting use to the "Redneck Side" of things, tho being here several years. Never imagined how many uses for Duck Tape one could come up with....Add bungys to the mix, hubby could be entertained for days....LOL