Most Dangerous Block In U.S.? Mail Delivery Halted

[bijou]

HARVEY, Ill. (CBS) ― Dozens of mailboxes remain empty after the post office suspends service in one south suburban neighborhood. Some people get angry when their mail is late. But in Harvey, people have been waiting for days and days. They're not getting any mail at all. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports that one mail carrier in Harvey feels threatened.

The U.S. Post Office seems to think that this is one of the most dangerous blocks in the country. People who live on it say they haven't gotten any mail delivered to their homes in almost two weeks.

Venus Jones is one of them.

"Between robberies and shootings and delayed police response, several things going on, that would make it unsafe," said Harvey resident Venus Jones.

One of those shootings on the morning of October 10th reportedly happened yards away from the mail carrier. That's when the mail stopped on Marshfield between 151st and 152nd streets, but the post office didn't tell anyone.

"Some of the people didn't even know that it was being held at the post office," Jones said.

Now Jones, who says her own home has been broken into three times in 30 days is talking to her neighbors about the mail problem and what should happen next.
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The mail carrier has a point. He shouldn't be expected to take his life in his hands to deliver mail.

[thundley4]

Nope.  I see no difference between this and a mailman being able to skip a house with a dog in the yard.

[Rebel]

Someone's a community organizer from the Southside of Chicago, about 8 miles from this place. I can't think of his name, but it's on the tip of my tongue. 

[bijou]

Someone's a community organizer from the Southside of Chicago, about 8 miles from this place. I can't think of his name, but it's on the tip of my tongue. 

You can't say 'community organizer' 

[Chris]

One of those shootings on the morning of October 10th reportedly happened yards away from the mail carrier. That's when the mail stopped on Marshfield between 151st and 152nd streets, but the post office didn't tell anyone.

"Some of the people didn't even know that it was being held at the post office," Jones said.

Shootings, home burglaries, delayed police response, and she's complaining about her MAIL?? 

[thundley4]

Shootings, home burglaries, delayed police response, and she's complaining about her MAIL?? 

Last I knew, welfare checks still come by mail.  The woman has her priorities straight. 

[Hawkgirl]

Ahhhh...the candidate for change who can't even keep his city street's safe with the largest percentage of failing schools....yes, he will certainly bring change to america. 

[DixieBelle]

It's a quagmire. I say we pull out of the greater Chicago area.

[Airwolf]

They could always do it like the Philly PD did years ago. Just set the whole damn block on fire.

[Chris_]

They could always do it like the Philly PD did years ago. Just set the whole damn block on fire.

Consider the motion seconded. All in favor?

[thundley4]

Motion carries unanimously .  Can we blame it on Oprah kicking over a stage lamp?

[Thor]

I will say that the USPS has become pretty lame, finding any and all excuses to NOT go out of their way to deliver mail. When I lived in Becker, MN, I lived on a semi-circle drive that had three lots. My house was on one of those. My mailbox was on a street some 1/3 mile away. I inquired about getting them to deliver to a mailbox on my "cul-de-sac" and after some BS "investigation", it was decided that my street was 'too dangerous. Bear in mind the only traffic on that street was me, my wife and a few misdirected golfers. The adjoining street was a county highway. The USPS stated that I could install a mailbox across the highway from my house. They considered my 10 mph cul-de-sac too dangerous, but would make me cross a 55 mph highway and stop their vehicle on a 55 mph highway   :clueless:

[thundley4]

We've left our dog out a few times when the mail has come but that's because they have  no set time for delivery, anywhere from 1-5 p.m.  Sometimes the mailperson will carry dog treats and deliver our mail, (usually that's been a female). Most of the time they will pass by if the dog is out, she's a little 30 pound beagle.

[Atomic Lib Smasher]

Happened a few years ago here too. I used to live in the West Bluff of my town (a pretty scummy area with lots of crime, but with historic looking homes and brick streets) and the mail came late one day and two deadbeats pulled a gun out on the mailman. Mail was delayed for a couple weeks (unless ya wanted to drive up to the actual post office to pick it up) and for two weeks after, the mailman had to work his route with a police escort.

I live in a city of about 100K people and lots of Chicagoans have moved 100 and some odd miles south from there to here and it's gone to shit since then. I think this is what is to be expected when The One is anointed in January, God willing it doesn't happen.

[Wineslob]

I will say that the USPS has become pretty lame, finding any and all excuses to NOT go out of their way to deliver mail. When I lived in Becker, MN, I lived on a semi-circle drive that had three lots. My house was on one of those. My mailbox was on a street some 1/3 mile away. I inquired about getting them to deliver to a mailbox on my "cul-de-sac" and after some BS "investigation", it was decided that my street was 'too dangerous. Bear in mind the only traffic on that street was me, my wife and a few misdirected golfers. The adjoining street was a county highway. The USPS stated that I could install a mailbox across the highway from my house. They considered my 10 mph cul-de-sac too dangerous, but would make me cross a 55 mph highway and stop their vehicle on a 55 mph highway   :clueless:

Golfballs are considered a weapon.

[thundley4]

Honestly, I really can't blame them.  It doesn't matter how small a dog is or how friendly you purport it to be, in many times it's just not worth the aggravation to deal with.  While a small dog isn't likely to cause serious harm, they do tend to be more apt to bite.  Just not worth the risk or drama in many cases for someone making deliveries or house calls.

I don't blame them either, but I just wish they had some sort of consistency in their delivery time. A 3 hour window isn't much better than the cable company will give you.

[miskie]

Okay - as the resident mailman for the VRWC

Dogs - Im good with dogs, but not on the route.. most would like to tear my face off. They are even willing to ignore 'invisible fence' technology to get a hunk of one of us. Ive even seen a German Shepard climb a chain link fence to complete its mission. The only conclusion I can come up with is it has to be the mail itself that makes the dog crazy. Perfume samples. hundreds of people licking envelopes. Mail that smells like the house it came from (cigarettes, moth balls, etc) I suspect that a single mailman must smell like an advancing army to the average dog, and it confuses and frightens them.

Delivery times - random times indicate a route thats been split-up into pieces to cover because of vacation, absences etc. If its every now and then. If its consistently bizarre, then the mailman isn't very good,or the route is an Auxiliary route that will never have a regular carrier.

Delivery location issues - alot of different reasons for this.
A ) New development/street must be better than half completed before the mail will travel down that street.
B ) Constant danger from traffic, loose dog, visibility, personal risk etc.
C ) Lanes of traffic to cross to get there. The Post office doesn't like crossing four lanes or more, and will go out of its way to avoid it. If it cant be avoided or minimized, the cross-street may get a cluster-box.

Its in part because of danger to the carrier, and in part because of the lawsuits. People love to sue the post office. To many folks, hitting a postal vehicle, even if its not the mailman's fault, is considered to be the equivalent to winning the lottery.