Postal Boxes and lost/kept boxes
3 messages in this thread |
Started on 2007-06-24
Re: [LbNA] Postal Boxes and lost/kept boxes
From: Pamela Smith (pamela@pertinacity.net) |
Date: 2007-06-24 08:52:45 UTC-04:00
On Jun 23, 2007, at 9:34 PM, Kirbert wrote:
> donutz716 wrote:
>
>> Being part of PLBing means that you must be prepared that there's a
>> possibility your box will get lost. This can happen if the box is
>> planted in the wild too. Out of the 5 Lord of the Rings boxes - 2
>> went missing. Out of the 60 boxes or so that I planted in the
>> wild,
>> 1 went missing. I feel a lot safer planting my boxes then mailing
>> them.
>
> Wow. I would not have expected that. I would have expected that a
> lost PLB would be a rare thing indeed. I wouldn't expect the USPS to
> lose more than one out of a thousand. And I wouldn't expect anyone
> who actually signs up for a PLB to somehow lose it while it's in
> their possession. What do you think happened to the two PLB's that
> went missing?
>
> I hate to even suggest that any letterboxers might be less than
> honest, but is there any possibility that a boxer just decided to
> keep a box? And if this ever happens, is there a way to blacklist
> these people so nobody sends them any more PLB's?
It happens. The one and only stamp I've lost was one I sent to
someone who seems like a fairly responsible LBer otherwise. Checking
in every few months, I got promises that it'd be returned and emails
saying they'd forgotten to mail it, but they'd do it soon - it was
packed up and sitting there ready to go. Now all I get is radio
silence in response to polite emails. Given that it was the first
stamp I released into the wild (it was actually planted, then
retrieved, as part of a group deal that never really materialized
completely), it's annoying that I'll never see the logbook, but I
guess that a few years into this wonderful hobby, I'm resigned to the
fact that not everyone is as conscientious as everyone else.
pezpam
Re: [LbNA] Postal Boxes and lost/kept boxes
From: Kirbert (PalmK@nettally.com) |
Date: 2007-06-25 00:34:37 UTC-04:00
Pamela Smith wrote:
> > I hate to even suggest that any letterboxers might be less than
> > honest, but is there any possibility that a boxer just decided to
> > keep a box? And if this ever happens, is there a way to blacklist
> > these people so nobody sends them any more PLB's?
>
> It happens. The one and only stamp I've lost was one I sent to
> someone who seems like a fairly responsible LBer otherwise. Checking
> in every few months, I got promises that it'd be returned and emails
> saying they'd forgotten to mail it, but they'd do it soon - it was
> packed up and sitting there ready to go. Now all I get is radio
> silence in response to polite emails.
Wow. They even confirmed that they HAD it, and promised to ship it,
and then didn't? That's really amazing.
It does seem as though there should be some way to warn others not to
send a PLB to these guys.
-- Kirbert
> > I hate to even suggest that any letterboxers might be less than
> > honest, but is there any possibility that a boxer just decided to
> > keep a box? And if this ever happens, is there a way to blacklist
> > these people so nobody sends them any more PLB's?
>
> It happens. The one and only stamp I've lost was one I sent to
> someone who seems like a fairly responsible LBer otherwise. Checking
> in every few months, I got promises that it'd be returned and emails
> saying they'd forgotten to mail it, but they'd do it soon - it was
> packed up and sitting there ready to go. Now all I get is radio
> silence in response to polite emails.
Wow. They even confirmed that they HAD it, and promised to ship it,
and then didn't? That's really amazing.
It does seem as though there should be some way to warn others not to
send a PLB to these guys.
-- Kirbert
Re: Postal Boxes and lost/kept boxes
From: wood thrush (wood_thrush@mac.com) |
Date: 2007-06-25 14:10:50 UTC
Kirbert wrote: It does seem as though there should be some way to
warn others not to send a PLB to these guys.
-----
As was mentioned before, many people who become black holes have been
responsible PLb-ers for some time, until a life event happens to
them. And again, some people get overwhelmed in their enthusiasm, and
either for time or $$$ purposes just shut down. Much of the time they
are too embarassed or overwhelmed to come forward again, even to
respond to people who want to help. This is just human nature.
Sometimes they later will contact the PLb list--we tend to be pretty
forgiving in these cases.
I think it is rare that someone sees a nice box and just decides to
keep it.
The PLb community has come up with several ways to work with black
holes. There is the "rescue" of boxes mentioned earlier. The PLb
yahoo group has a database where, if you know you are having an
issue, you can request that people not send to you, or where people
can list boxers that have not been heard from in a while. And most of
those who create and moderate rings know about those who are in
trouble and adjust accordingly.
Black hole patterns are similar over time--it is usually the same
kinds of circumstances that lead to them. PLb-ers are careful to warn
new people about getting overwhelmed with too many PLbs, but that
still does happen. However, it is next to impossible to predict to
whom a death or a divorce or cancer or elder care issues, or an
accident, or another life issue is going to strike next. And that is
why black holes are a factor that has to be taken into account if one
wants to do PLbs.
My best advice is that PLbs are probably not for those who are so
attached to their work that they'd be deeply hurt if it were to go
missing. But isn't that true also of letterboxing in general?
wood thrush
warn others not to send a PLB to these guys.
-----
As was mentioned before, many people who become black holes have been
responsible PLb-ers for some time, until a life event happens to
them. And again, some people get overwhelmed in their enthusiasm, and
either for time or $$$ purposes just shut down. Much of the time they
are too embarassed or overwhelmed to come forward again, even to
respond to people who want to help. This is just human nature.
Sometimes they later will contact the PLb list--we tend to be pretty
forgiving in these cases.
I think it is rare that someone sees a nice box and just decides to
keep it.
The PLb community has come up with several ways to work with black
holes. There is the "rescue" of boxes mentioned earlier. The PLb
yahoo group has a database where, if you know you are having an
issue, you can request that people not send to you, or where people
can list boxers that have not been heard from in a while. And most of
those who create and moderate rings know about those who are in
trouble and adjust accordingly.
Black hole patterns are similar over time--it is usually the same
kinds of circumstances that lead to them. PLb-ers are careful to warn
new people about getting overwhelmed with too many PLbs, but that
still does happen. However, it is next to impossible to predict to
whom a death or a divorce or cancer or elder care issues, or an
accident, or another life issue is going to strike next. And that is
why black holes are a factor that has to be taken into account if one
wants to do PLbs.
My best advice is that PLbs are probably not for those who are so
attached to their work that they'd be deeply hurt if it were to go
missing. But isn't that true also of letterboxing in general?
wood thrush