Mailman Steve: Hero for Failing to Deliver (Junk) Mail

Instead of squirreling it away he could have just put all of that junk into a recycling bin on his route.

This guy is my new hero. He deserves a medal.

I can see Newman(Seinfeld) and other irate mailmen huddled in a circle in the middle of the woods. Newman lights a match and ignites an enormous bonfire made of junk mail.

He should have delivered it.

I bet that the area on his route was slightly happier and healthier than surrounding ones and just didn't know it.

It's pretty sad that only one person responded in his defence after he'd rid a neighbourhood of junk mail for so long!

He's no hero. The reason he didn't deliver it was because he was too LAZY to carry it around. One wonders what else he kept instead of delivering.

Heh, no good deed goes unpunished.

Ted- I wouldn't call heart problems and diabetes laziness...

No good deed goes unpunished is right.

After years of fighting with the USPS about requesting non-delivery of the "pizza papers", I discovered a database of their regulations. I used the USPS own rules and regulations against them to stop getting the "pizza papers" in my box. They didn't take it well though.
The employees did not even know of this rule. I am betting that he did not know of it either. If he had, he probably would have told the people on his route about it.

I don't care if he's lazy, in ill health, or on a crusade. If someone prevents me from getting even a little of the crap people insist on sending me that I either don't look at, or make sure never to use, then that person is a hero. I hate junk mail and anyone that sends it to me.

Goooooooo Steeeeeeve!

More power to ya buddy

He should have delivered it. Postal carriers have an excellent union, and if he was having difficulties carrying the mail due to health issues, they could have reassigned him to something else. Yes, I realize that people would love to say "Stop sending me junk mail", however, the marketing will happen anyway. Would you rather receive annoying phone calls in the middle of dinner? How about on your cell phones. Direct mailing is a really important part of the economy, and it keeps people like Padgett employed. I wonder how great he's going to be feeling without a paycheck coming in. Not only that, but I don't really like the idea of somebody else deciding for me which of my mail is "junk" and which isn't. I know that some of my credit card info is purposely disguised as inconspicuous junk mail to deter theft. He had lots of other options that were within his job description, and within the law that could have worked out a lot better for him. It doesn't sound like diabetes and heart issues are the only problem here. I would say that a mental health checkup would be required before he's brought back on the job. I don't like junk mail either, however, there is food on my table and a roof over my head because of it.

I agree with Ted...he should have delivered it. Who is he to say what is junk mail..."pizza circulars, oil change discount notices and Chinese menus" <-- Yes, some may consider these junk, but to others these advertisements come in handy.

Plus, I bet if you supporters were the business owners who paid money to create these ads, you would be upset.

I think it was because he was lazy and not for the good of it all, because as Ali stated he could have put these ads in a recycling bin.

What would Neatorama be without the people who love to point out the obvious like a bunch of strict rulle following 5 year olds? I think everyone here knows he violated rules and that he violated them for personal reasons..that's why he's in trouble. What's great about growing up is being able to see past the black and white to discuss the grays.

He had it buried in his backyard. How was that on his heart? He knew he was doing something wrong. It wasn't his decision to make.
Frau, if you figured a way to keep the stuff that annoys you out of your mailbox with the legalese of the USPS, that is fabulous! Share with others, please! My own personal pet peeve is people other than my carrier slipping stuff into my mailbox. I find that many religious organizations are prone to doing that, and I've complained formally about it. People put strange things in the mail. Every spring brings baby chickens, ducks, and bees. Once a full grown peacock went through our local PO. How would you like to deliver that?

Advertisers need to learn that a lot of people, like myself, don't like being bothered, whether it is on the phone, or with crap in my mailbox. The more a business pushes their flyers/phone calls/ etc. on me, the less likely I am to use them. I realize not everyone feels the same, but quite frankly, it all annoys me, it's all a waste of paper, and not very easy to opt out of or legally get rid of, like the telemarketers from hell.

Doing something "wrong" is sometimes necessary to get a point across, and if he were my mailman, I would have definitely stood up for him.

If heart problems and diabetes were preventing him from completing his job, then he shouldn't be doing that job. Is he entitled to a job a can't he can't perform? Not saying I want to receive junk mail, but what gives him the right to decide which mail is junk?

I still call laziness. That's not pointing out the rules like a five-year-old. That's just stating the obvious.

Who knew this story would be a hot-button issue! I think... he should have delivered the mail. I hate junk mail as much as the next person, but some people find those ads useful (at least that's what I've heard!) I don't think not delivering the mail had anything to do with his health (or laziness?) I think he just thought he was helping out the people on his route.

For some reason my comment wasn't posted.. Anyway, for those of you who hate the junk mail, in Canada we have the red dot campaign. Just put a red dot on your mailbox and you won't get junk mail anymore! It's fantastic! Look it up at reddotcampaign.ca-- I think there is a link for you US folks too.

if i didn't get junk mail all i'd get are bills... so i'm kinda torn. I wonder how much of the US's trash is junk mail. Money spent designing it, printing it, cutting it to size, delivering it to the postal service, sorting it and delivering it to your house, putting it in a bin and having it taken to the dumb. This money Keeps our economy alive...

yeah like a Zombie is alive.

Hoarding: It always leads to a downfall.

The only thing he did wrong was asking if they wanted it delivered first. It looks like we need to start an anti junk mail day every... When did it say he got cought?

Lazy.