Snow Removal Today

[BandB]

I've encountered a couple of other Amazon shipping issues which might prove useful for cruisers. As everyone probably knows, Amazon doesn't let you select the shipping method. But at teh same time, Amazon doesn't do diligence to see whether the method they select can actually deliver.


For example.


1) I order something with a ship to street address that UPS and FexEx deliver to, but where there is no USPS service. If Amazon asked the USPS, they would say it's not a deliverable address, because it isn't. But Amazon still regularly tries to ship via SurePost which is UPS to the local post office, then USPS delivery to the final destination. Packages sit at the post office or get rejected, all with no notification. If they are at the post office, I have to drive 10 miles round trip to get it. Might as well go to a store.


2) I ordered something and the only place that could receive it was the post office via General Delivery. The marina would not accept packages. So I ordered with a shipping address of General Delivery at the specified post office. This one Amazon shipped UPS through to the final destination, but the post office won't accept UPS deliveries. So the package got stuck inside UPS until they finally returned it to Amazon as undeliverable. I could have gone to UPS to pick it up, but it would have required renting a car and the better part of a day driving.

This is being seen more and more. Also, all the Amazon deliveries done by "Amazon" are not done by employees but by contractors through Amazon Logistics.

Then Saturday deliveries to gated communities. FEDEX and UPS have no problems getting in but the USPS will say "Business Closed" so Amazon promising a Saturday delivery just doesn't happen.

Now, Amazon is basically saying they have so many delivery problems, maybe you should use an Amazon locker. They're set up at many banks now. Let's see, I'm going to order online to save the effort of going anywhere, but then I'm going to get it delivered somewhere that I now have to drive to. At least Walmart gives you a small discount if you want store pickup instead of home delivery.

We find no two delivery drivers for the post office seem to have the same set of rules. We have a gate to our drive. We've had packages left outside it, on the street, we've had them not delivered but no notice left and online it said "Business not open" when it's our home. Then there is the dropping of the package without even ringing the bell to let the people inside know.

The real issue behind all this is that Amazon, and others, has finally figured out free delivery isn't free. So, they're looking at every possible method of reducing the costs and with that comes reduced service. They also thought they saved by not having shoplifting and they're finding a lot of doorside theft. Now some of the alleged theft is being discovered as delivery problems though.

Just to point out it's not all just the post office. While we read about mail left on trucks or tossed aside and not delivered, there have recently been some major theft rings inside Fedex facilities.

 

[twistedtree]

This is being seen more and more. Also, all the Amazon deliveries done by "Amazon" are not done by employees but by contractors through Amazon Logistics.

Then Saturday deliveries to gated communities. FEDEX and UPS have no problems getting in but the USPS will say "Business Closed" so Amazon promising a Saturday delivery just doesn't happen.

Now, Amazon is basically saying they have so many delivery problems, maybe you should use an Amazon locker. They're set up at many banks now. Let's see, I'm going to order online to save the effort of going anywhere, but then I'm going to get it delivered somewhere that I now have to drive to. At least Walmart gives you a small discount if you want store pickup instead of home delivery.

We find no two delivery drivers for the post office seem to have the same set of rules. We have a gate to our drive. We've had packages left outside it, on the street, we've had them not delivered but no notice left and online it said "Business not open" when it's our home. Then there is the dropping of the package without even ringing the bell to let the people inside know.

The real issue behind all this is that Amazon, and others, has finally figured out free delivery isn't free. So, they're looking at every possible method of reducing the costs and with that comes reduced service. They also thought they saved by not having shoplifting and they're finding a lot of doorside theft. Now some of the alleged theft is being discovered as delivery problems though.

Just to point out it's not all just the post office. While we read about mail left on trucks or tossed aside and not delivered, there have recently been some major theft rings inside Fedex facilities.

I'll pause and apologize since we are way off topic here.... But continue on anyway....


I have found the level of service from both UPS and FexEx has declined significantly over the past 5+ years, and I attribute it largely to Amazon. It's not really Amazon's fault, but a consequence of their success. I think UPS and FexEx have so much business now that they don't seem to care how good a job they do. I frequently have drivers who simple abandon a package somewhere near the address, and I only find it by accident, or because I realize something is missing and go on a hunt. Sometimes it's at the neighbor's house where nobody is ever home. Sometimes it's on the little wall in front of our house. Sometimes it's at the end of the driveway. Sometimes it's on the side porch in front of the "Please Deliver to Front Door" sign. And packages that are out for delivery and that never come, with some silly excuse for why. Then there was the fexex truck I was behind on a double line divided highway with two lanes in each direction. Rather than drive a little further to make the correct entrance into a plaza, he slowed down in the left lane, made an illegal left turn across a double yellow line an across two lanes of traffic, and when into the plaza through the exit. That one I called in with the license plate number. And in Vermont, the UPS guy just ditches our packages somewhere in town. Sometimes they ate the neighbors, sometimes they are at one of the genera stores, sometimes they are at the other genera store (yup, we are a happen'n place and have two stores), and sometimes they are at the post office. And it's anywhere from a 3 to 5 mile drive between each of these locations. I'd say FexEx and UPS are equally bad, each in their own way.


Recently I have actually had the best luck with the post office. Where possible I select them for shipping. It's usually cheaper, and almost always faster, especially across country. And they reliably deliver to the door, along with the day's recycling.

 

[ben2go]

I'll shut up today. I've been all worked up over the sleet and freezing rain we've been getting since daybreak. Our temps are hovering above freezing. It may go downhill after dark.

 

[BandB]

I'll shut up today. I've been all worked up over the sleet and freezing rain we've been getting since daybreak. Our temps are hovering above freezing. It may go downhill after dark.

Wifey B: Made us look at your weather and at Charlotte......not nice. If we were there, I'd be very unhappy with the cold rain and ice and stuff.

 

[ben2go]

Wifey B: Made us look at your weather and at Charlotte......not nice. If we were there, I'd be very unhappy with the cold rain and ice and stuff.

If it wasn't a school week for my son, I'd try to head a little south and east.

 

[BandB]

If it wasn't a school week for my son, I'd try to head a little south and east.

Wifey B: Well, we're on the way to Key West. No snow there. But just for a day, then heading up the west coast of FL.

 

[ProMaritime]

A leaf blower should do the trick.

 

[BruceK]

I'll pause and apologize since we are way off topic here.... But continue on anyway....
I have found the level of service from both UPS and FexEx has declined significantly over the past 5+ years, and I attribute it largely to Amazon. It's not really Amazon's fault, but a consequence of their success. I think UPS and FexEx have so much business now that they don't seem to care how good a job they do. I frequently have drivers who simple abandon a package somewhere near the address, and I only find it by accident....

Odd, but I get around 5 emails a day quoting "Docket Number X" purportedly from USPS and or Fedex about non delivery of goods I didn`t order. I expect to see Fedex and USPS vehicles and their drivers despondently searching the street narrowly avoiding collisions with each other, but I see none. The emails are in my Spam box, but I`m sure they are genuine, even if the author is neither Fedex nor USPS.

 

[ben2go]

Wifey B: Well, we're on the way to Key West. No snow there. But just for a day, then heading up the west coast of FL.

We got lucky. The weather warmed and has stayed above freezing. I'd like to be in Clearwater with my toes exposed.

 

[sdupleich]

One of the thirteen boats which didn't make it through that weekend...

Which marina was this? How did it happen? Was it just due to the weight of the snow? Terrifying!

 

[MurrayM]

Which marina was this? How did it happen? Was it just due to the weight of the snow? Terrifying!

MK Bay marina, Kitimat, BC, but boats (and boathouses) also went down in Minette Bay and Kitamaat Village marinas.

How did it happen? There had been a long cold snap with northerly outflow winds flowing down the mainland channels and inlets. Just as the cold snap was finishing, a wet storm blew in from the Pacific. In the photo below you can see where cold air flowing along the valley floor caused snow, and that it was raining at higher elevations. This usually results in 3' to 4' snowfalls which we take in stride...the crazy part was 7' in two days

The power was out for three days and the road was closed as well. Those boats facing north had huge drifts on their aft decks. Ours was facing south so not much weight piled up on the bow because there is less surface area. More lucky than smart. Any number of things could have combined to sink the boats, such as leaky lazerette hatches + bilge pump failures and/or weak batteries, etc.

Snowflakes can get so big here that when you catch them on your tongue they don't melt away...you have to chew them.

 

[BandB]

MK Bay marina, Kitimat, BC, but boats (and boathouses) also went down in Minette Bay and Kitamaat Village marinas.

How did it happen? There had been a long cold snap with northerly outflow winds flowing down the mainland channels and inlets. Just as the cold snap was finishing, a wet storm blew in from the Pacific. In the photo below you can see where cold air flowing along the valley floor caused snow, and that it was raining at higher elevations. This usually results in 3' to 4' snowfalls which we take in stride...the crazy part was 7' in two days

The power was out for three days and the road was closed as well. Those boats facing north had huge drifts on their aft decks. Ours was facing south so not much weight piled up on the bow because there is less surface area. More lucky than smart. Any number of things could have combined to sink the boats, such as leaky lazerette hatches + bilge pump failures and/or weak batteries, etc.

Snowflakes can get so big here that when you catch them on your tongue they don't melt away...you have to chew them.

I'm assuming the marinas didn't keep any personnel on site or near and then no one could get there to do anything?

 

[MurrayM]

I'm assuming the marinas didn't keep any personnel on site or near and then no one could get there to do anything?

Marina is 6Km out of town down a twisting, narrow, forest lined road. Road was closed due to snow, fallen trees, broken power poles and power lines on road. All marinas accessed by the same road. Marina manager got stuck in Kitimat and nobody lives on site or aboard boats. The only other boat launch in town is on private industrial land and was being used as a bulk storage area.

MK Bay marina has since made it possible for boats to be cleared of snow on a regular basis by several residents of nearby Kitamaat Village, for a fee. Must have been some boat/marina/personal liability hurdles to jump. They would presumably snowshoe or skidoo to the marina in a similar storm.