beating up mail boxes

[edakrupp]

Some people last night at found our vulnerable row of mailboxes threatening enough to take a club and brutally attack them to bits and pieces. Poor little mailboxes, they do their job so faithfully, I can't see how they cold of offended anyone. We live in the heart of the Hollow-
Megan Road, not like it's marked or anything! I hope these hudlums know that it is a federal offense, and if I catch them, I'm going to give them what for!

[trussell]

I was reading about a guy who bought an extra-large mailbox, inserted a standard-sized one inside of it, then filled the space between the two with concrete.  Shortly thereafter, he found splintered baseball bat pieces on the ground next to it and nobody ever bothered his mailbox again!

My condolences to your faithful mailbox.  I'm sure it will be missed (although I bet J&L could hook you up with a new one)....

[Henry]

I wish someone who had done this type of thing would anonymously write down why they do this - I just can't understand the reasoning behind it as it apparently is not a vengeance thing against a particular person.

I personally get a lot of satisfaction out of doing something nice for people - Apparently these individuals get a lot of satisfaction out of destroying people's property.

[Loctavious]

I think it's a bit of the small-town affliction - and maybe a little caffeine.  Kids got nothing to do and a lot of energy.

Trussell - did you see that CSI ( Vegas) a couple weeks ago?  I think it was a rerun but 1 of the vinettes was about kids who kept hitting this one guys mailbox.  So he filled it ALL with cement.  When they came by next the kid hit it, and the way he was leaning outside the car made it so when the bat splintered some of the fragments hit him and the driver causing serious injury to both ( they both dies actually 'cause the driver lost control of the vehicle)  Granted its a TV show ( one written from true scenarios), but i think it points out an important point - that even though the guy was being victimized and property destroyed - the criminals doing it still had rights. 

Believe me, after our house was broken into, i seriously considered running non-lethal electrical current through all my doorknobs.  I was told though that if anyone got hurt - it would be on me.  DAMN!

[Sue W.]

I don't get it either , nor do I see the fascination with smashing pumpkins in the fall.

[Judi]

My belief is that it is usually one person thinking he is impressing another. It is the same kind of stupid behavior witnessed when trucks and four wheelers are ripping up the road and burning tires. Cheap entertainment to impress peers. 

[trussell]

No, Loctavious, I didn't see the CSI episode.  I read about that scenario in a magazine- not sure which one.  In the CSI episode though, it sounds like he did it intentionally to injure the the people doing it- since he rendered the mailbox unuseable.  In the scenario I described, the guy was only reinforcing his mailbox to protect his property, and not to do bodily harm (well, it was portrayed that way, anyway).  Regardless, I wouldn't suggest doing that- I just thought it was an interesting idea!

I know, I know, criminals have rights too. More than upstanding citizens, it seems.

[slpott]

We had an issue with this when we lived at the beach and I too did the concrete. My feeling was if it was going to cost me $$$$ every time they had fun at my expense that they too would end up with a broken arm and a hospital bill. I did not intend harm but if you don't belong on my property, stay away. The problem was soon solved in my neighborhood as many of us did it. Don't be so soft Trevor. ha ha

[Henry]

Had to go to the village and checked out the mailboxes - Obviously very determined to destroy the mailboxes from the looks:

[Kathleen]

Fairfax wasn't the only place they visited last night.  On my way to work this morning, I noticed several mail boxes scattered on the side of the road across from the ABC store in Georgia Center.  I don't know if the boxes were hit there or if they were just dumped there from other areas.  If you're missing your mailbox, you may want to check them out.

[Chris Santee]

When I lived in South Hero many moons ago,
someone would drive over my mailbox.

I became tired of replacing it and got a post-hole digger.
I dug down about 6 feet, to leave only a few feet above ground.
Physics, if a truck hit it again, it would end there.

Vermont State Police happened by and inquired about my intentions.
They informed me I would be liable if a driver got hurt.

I filled in the hole (not wanting to be an inspiration for a crime show).

[edakrupp]

Elaine kirkpatrick, said they used to do it every year for a while way back when she was a teacher, so she just got a post box at the office to solve the problem. A few years ago it happened and I found the club with a bunch of signatures on it. I think it must be a graduation rite of passage thing.

[mirjo]

It's unfortunate to have to pay for a PO Box because your curbside box is getting vandalised! Mailbox Baseball has been goin on for a very long time. It doesn't seem to make much sense to those of us who don't destroy other people's property. It would be a great insight to have an explanation as to why this pastime is such a thrill. I don't think the kids who do it realize that it's a federal offense, that it's not only a pain for the home owner, but also an expense!

I wonder how many former mailbox-smashers have been re-paid in kind since reaching adulthood and learning the error of their adolescent ways? That's a demoghaphic that would be interesting to hear from!

[Mike Raburn]

My first thought when I saw Henry's pic was "why not but a steel bollard at the same height or JUST over the the height as the mail boxes?"

This would prevent a swing from striking the mail box.

We have to set bollards around utilities entrances into building to protect them from people hitting them with vehicles.

I like Chris's idea but the WHAT IF factore comes into play.

[Henry]

Former Mail Box Smashers actually grow up to be very nice people - I spoke with one yesterday who has had his own mailbox smashed a number of times.  He told me he felt it was payback for those he had smashed when he was young.  This guy is the last guy in the world I would have thought would have done that.  He is one of the most helpful and considerate guys I know.  I never thought of it at the time, but should have asked him why he smashed mailboxes when he was a youth.