Forum Topic

Postmen and those darned elastic bands!

Can somebody please devise a way in which Posties can store the elastic bands they take off the bundles of mail?  An attachment to their bike?  A wire headdress with a prong, on which they hang the bands?  There must be something on their official-issue utility belt they could use?I thought about hanging a notice above my letterbox saying – Elastic band collection please donate here – instead of having to pick up the wet ones from the ground, three of which were under the side letter box.There are certain signs that our normal (may he have his weight-in-gold) Postie is on leave and taking the rubbish out this morning I picked up 6 from my front driveway and I can see another 5 or so on the pavement and on my neighbours driveway – is this the record on one driveway?Can you beat 6, chaps?

Sarah Felstead ● 7143d8 Comments

"Royal Mail provide red metal boxes into which their elastic bands as well as junk mail should be placed - they empty them each day"That's right Jim. I'm full up today so I'm off to the Jubilee Mail Centre. Keeps me fit!

Jim Lawes ● 4712d

Royal Mail provide red metal boxes into which their elastic bands as well as junk mail should be placed - they empty them each day.JL.

Jim Linwood ● 4712d

The more resourceful postmen put them back into their pouches so they can use them again the next day, which tends to be easier than sourcing a fresh supply at the office.  They couldn't do this with the old red bands however, as they were useless after one use.

Phil Andrews ● 4713d

I pick them up and use them too! But you can't help wondering how much it costs the Post Office can you? They were - I believe told about picking them up by the council sometime ago, obviously that fell on stony ground!

Vanessa Smith ● 4713d

Greetings old post.Walking around St Margarets at school time this morning and there were lots of kiddies on those small scooters with dozens of rubber bands on the stem.Spoke to a mum and asked if they were the bands being dropped by the Postmen and she said yes.  She said the postmen are grateful as they get into trouble if they drop the bands but obviously, from the number on these scooters going past me, they don't really care!Great recycling idea.

Sarah Felstead ● 4713d

I agree, I find them very useful when I'm out leafleting and cannot get into a communal block.  If I do have to leave a quantity of leaflets at the main door I can bundle them up using one of the many red bands which will inevitably be situated somewhere within five yards of the letterbox.

Phil Andrews ● 7142d

Keep them for your own use Sarah. Thats what I do, getting something from the PO for free. I don't think that I have bought any elastic bands for years. Thats whats known as turning something to your own adwantage, after all there are worse things at sea than elastic bands.

Colin Vaughan ● 7143d

Don't know that we can beat 6, but it is a continual problem.  What I don't understand either is that surely they would save thousands of pounds a year if they recycled the rubber bands & reused them instead of having to purchase new ones every day?...not to mention the cost to the environment.

Lynn Clark ● 7143d