Nine days

Wed 23 January 2008 8:28pm by
Filed under: Melbourne 

Jeremy is rather unimpressed with the postal service. On Monday last week he mailed a letter to himself from my mum’s place, and it took until today to arrive. Some other mail had been turning up — sporadically, but something every few days. I wonder if some of the posties on post-Christmas holidays?

For a while there we thought it had vanished completely, and would eventually be like that recent case where a postcard turned up 93 years after it had been sent.

But as it is, it took nine days to cover such a short distance: 2.3km as the crow flies; 3.3km walking; a little further by road. So although it probably went via any number of mailing centres, it had an average speed of 0.015 km/h.

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7 comments on Nine days

  1. Roger on Wed, 23rd Jan 2008 8:52 pm

    2. Daniel
    Nine days! That’s absolutely hopeless. No wonder no one uses snail mail any more.
    Rog.

  2. Andrew on Wed, 23rd Jan 2008 9:10 pm

    3. Funny how Australia Post’s test letters that they send achieve a next day delivery rate of 98.5% Jeremy should feel honoured to be among such and elite 1.5%, according to Aust Post.

    My partner posted a parcel to Langwarrin Monday evening and it arrived in their post on Tuesday, midday.

    You are correct in that the letter would have covered many kilometres.

  3. Mal on Thu, 24th Jan 2008 12:26 am

    4. That’s truly atrocious! Shame, Australia Post, shame!

  4. Suzie on Thu, 24th Jan 2008 9:16 am

    5. I’ve heard of mail coming from the UK and the US faster than mail posted in Australia.

  5. Randall on Thu, 24th Jan 2008 11:40 am

    6. I hate to correct you Daniel, but it had a theoretical MAXIMUM speed of 0.015 km/h. If, as you say, it zigged left and zagged right on its way back to your place, then it was a hell of a lot slower than that….

    (Without knowing your locality and whether the mail centres are in line with your place – I assume not – and that kind of detail…)

  6. Jeremy on Sat, 26th Jan 2008 8:24 am

    7. Driving then plopping it in the mailbox and getting it out myself would’ve taken about 9 minutes.
    Emailing would’ve taken maybe 9 seconds.
    But snail-mailing… (Last time I’ve used the thing) NINE DAYS… im not impressed with australia post

  7. Jon on Sun, 27th Jan 2008 2:29 am

    8. This article at Reuters tells a similar story with a man in Poland proving that if his letter was actually delivered by snail (0.048 kilometers per hour) it would have reached him quicker.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2423750920080124?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews