Mailbox hit 6 times

[FL420]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

she(said) it was my problem and move my mail box sh was not going to back to get around it.

She hit it one time at a good speed. It works perfectly and swings out of the way and came back and ripped open both right side doors and rear fender.

She called the police and they gave her a ticket as the box is not in the right of way it is 2 feet in on to our land.

Her boyfriend came by with his jacked up 4X4 and ended up taking up his truck and ending up on it's side in the 4foot ditch next to the driveway.

Ahhh, what a nice story to wake up to.

[C5c5]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

We have a place in TN about 2 hours away. Had it about a year when for some reason we went through 11 mailboxes in 2 mouths. It is on a narrow street were cars coming down the hill will pull on our driveway apron to clear uphill bound cars. Found out it was a person who lived top of the hill when I approached her about it she it was my problem and move my mail box sh was not going to back to get around it.

I built a swing away out of 4 inch heavy wall square tube cut at a angle wit a round Tobe in side and a spring to recenter after hitting. Mad a box out of 1/4 inch plate and mounted on a cutting blade from a 30 inch wood chipper.

She hit it one time at a good speed. It works perfectly and swings out of the way and came back and ripped open both right side doors and rear fender.

She called the police and they gave her a ticket as the box is not in the right of way it is 2 feet in on to our land.

Her boyfriend came by with his jacked up 4X4 and ended up taking up his truck and ending up on it's side in the 4foot ditch next to the driveway.

Wow, one must question the intelligence level of a person who refuses to take actions to do something that is in her own interest! Did she like hitting your mailboxes with her car? Wow. Very sad.

[drwyatt]

Against Federal law to destroy a mail box. Had a neighbor in the country fix the problem of a hit mail box. He put a length of a RR rail about 6 ft in ground. He made the box out of 8 in 1/4-3/8 well casing. It never got bullet holes or knocked down.

[stuccosteve]

For me it would be a challenge given the parameters that now exist, I would start with a few substantial large boulders arranged in such a way that they would redirect any normal vehicle, pickup or car, away from the mailbox. Then I would get a 24” X 72” Sonotube and set my mailbox in it after digging a 42” deep by 24” diameter hole to set it in. If the vehicles would defeat the boulders and make it to the mailbox it would be pretty much game over for the vehicle. Not only would the landscaped area be attractive it would also be effective.

[winniman]

How stupid do you have to be to run mail boxes over on purpose. I don't see how you could do this without the possibility of causing damage to your vehicle. Even a wooden post could take out a brake line or tranny line. The mailbox itself could go through your windshield. Sounds like an IQ test should be part of the licencing process where this is happening.

[Down South]

My mailbox was hit about 6 months ago. The standard Lowe's 4X4 mailbox post with 60 lbs of concrete holding it in the ground. They snapped the post even with the ground.

I picked up the pieces of the passenger side RV mirror and plastic and hung on to them for a while. I live on a dead end road and I looked and hoped that I could see the vehicle that was missing those parts. Never did.

The driver ran off the road when they hit my box. I could clearly see the tire tracks.

Me, I'd never put up a box made out of something that could hurt someone so I went back with another Lowe's 4X4 mailbox post but this time a white box with reflective numbers.

So far, so good.

[kteafatiller]

First time to post, bt could not ignore a problem I once had. 12 inch auger put into cement ao if they run over it now I should at least find the vehicle.

[Darin1960]

Originally Posted by Down South

My mailbox was hit about 6 months ago. The standard Lowe's 4X4 mailbox post with 60 lbs of concrete holding it in the ground. They snapped the post even with the ground.

I picked up the pieces of the passenger side RV mirror and plastic and hung on to them for a while. I live on a dead end road and I looked and hoped that I could see the vehicle that was missing those parts. Never did.

The driver ran off the road when they hit my box. I could clearly see the tire tracks.

Me, I'd never put up a box made out of something that could hurt someone so I went back with another Lowe's 4X4 mailbox post but this time a white box with reflective numbers.

So far, so good.

good choice , as I posted a story earlier ,you could be held liable if you caused injury.

[Down South]

Originally Posted by Darin1960

good choice , as I posted a story earlier ,you could be held liable if you caused injury.

Very true. I did some research some time back concerning the structure of mailboxes. I listed some of that criteria below.
I had read some other links about the mailbox owner being responsible for damage or injury.

I can understand the aggravation especially if it is kids hitting them with bats or running over them with their old clunker.
But you need to address the problem differently. There are other channels that should be followed. If you can discover who is doing the damage. They will have to pay for it plus possibly a hefty fine.

How would I feel if someones grandma accidentally ran off the shoulder of the road with all the grand kids loaded up with her and she hits my mailbox and if my mailbox was stout enough to cause major damage to the vehicle and possibly cause bodily harm to the occupants?

The USPS has regulations for what they consider legal mailboxes.

A Guide to USPS Mailbox Regulations

All manufactured mailboxes must meet the internal and external dimension requirements of the USPS.
Curbside mailboxes must be placed on the right-hand side of the road and facing outward so that mail carriers can access it easily without leaving their vehicle.
The box or house number on a mailbox must be represented in numbers that are at least 1 inch tall. Numbers must be positioned visibly on the front or flag side of the box.
Mailboxes must be placed 6 to 8 inches away from the curb; the incoming mail slot or door must be 41 to 45 inches from the ground.
Curbside mailbox posts should be buried less than 24 inches deep and made from wood no larger than 4 inches high by 4 inches wide. Steel or aluminum pipes with a 2-inch diameter are also acceptable.
Newspaper receptacles may be mounted on the same post as the mailbox, but they must not contact it directly or be supported by it.

Link: http://www.dot.ga.gov/PartnerSmart/p...t/Chapter9.pdf

[WyCamper]

Originally Posted by Down South

How would I feel if someones grandma accidentally ran off the shoulder of the road with all the grand kids loaded up with her and she hits my mailbox and if my mailbox was stout enough to cause major damage to the vehicle and possibly cause bodily harm to the occupants?

How would that be any different than if grandma hit a concrete bridge abutment, or a tree, or a telephone pole or any other immovable roadside obstruction? I realize that there's always a lawyer looking for a pot of money, but still.

[Down South]

Originally Posted by WyCamper

How would that be any different than if grandma hit a concrete bridge abutment, or a tree, or a telephone pole or any other immovable roadside obstruction? I realize that there's always a lawyer looking for a pot of money, but still.

That's true but the accident would not be due to something that I did or could be liable for.

[Darin1960]

I shared a story way back on this thread where a man was found liable for reinforcing his mail box and causing injury so there is precedent. 2 things , negligence and liability. If you change anything , be it a mailbox or your own vehicle or whatever and someone is injured in some way , you could be negligent and probably found liable. I have a brother in law that drove an old 1983 toyota pickup truck around for years, it had a bed that was built before he bought it , the bed was a flatbed made out of steel, very well constructed but not a factory or aftermarket bed. He was rear ended by a drunk driver and the driver was killed.the family hired a lawyer and they sued my Bil for a couple of million claiming the bed was not standard equipment and basically over built . MY BIL and his insurance spent years fighting in court , eventually they settled for half I think. So , yes anything is possible .

[Itchytoe]

Originally Posted by Down South

Very true. I did some research some time back concerning the structure of mailboxes. I listed some of that criteria below.
I had read some other links about the mailbox owner being responsible for damage or injury.
{snip}
The USPS has regulations for what they consider legal mailboxes.

A Guide to USPS Mailbox Regulations
Curbside mailboxes must be placed on the right-hand side of the road and facing outward so that mail carriers can access it easily without leaving their vehicle.
The box or house number on a mailbox must be represented in numbers that are at least 1 inch tall. Numbers must be positioned visibly on the front or flag side of the box.
Mailboxes must be placed 6 to 8 inches away from the curb; the incoming mail slot or door must be 41 to 45 inches from the ground.
Curbside mailbox posts should be buried less than 24 inches deep and made from wood no larger than 4 inches high by 4 inches wide. Steel or aluminum pipes with a 2-inch diameter are also acceptable.
Newspaper receptacles may be mounted on the same post as the mailbox, but they must not contact it directly or be supported by it.

Note the use of the words "must" and "should". They are intentional and meaningful. There is absolutely no requirement of any kind for your mailbox post to be buried less than 24 inches deep or made to break away when hit. There is a requirement for the mailbox to be 6-8" from the curb and 41-45" from the ground though. Also, USPS's mailbox regulations aren't laws and are not legally enforceable.