Postmen!

WHA

Just walked 50 yards down the road, and counted (and picked up) about 30 rubber bands - there were more down people's drives, especially near letter boxes.

The size and colour were exactly the same as those left outside my front door, just after the postman has been.

Why can't the postmen keep hold of them and put them in his pocket rather than just dropping them?

Last summer, I had a hedgehog in the garden whose feet (paws?) were tied up with one.

This is no different to anyone else littering the street with sweet wrappers etc.

Nile

What a pity about the wildlife and what a waste of good rubber bands.

This is going to sound a bit sad but my ex-boss used to bring in fistfuls of rubber bands (given to him by his postman) to work, rather than buying stationery on his budget.

If it was happening down my street, I would contact the Postmaster General (you don't need to affix a stamp to the envelope) by letter to complain about the postman.

rushnowt

i never thought about the wildlife either :-[

i know other member have broached this subject, but from the point of veiw that they collect any disgaurded rubber bands to save buying them.

Allexie

Hand up here as a picker-upper of rubber bands!  I never thought about the wildlife either - they just came in handy!  Shall do it with more gusto now.  As all posties seem to do it I wonder what Royal Mail policy is on this, (any postpersons out there?).  You would think their purchasing people would question why they had to keep buying soooo many rubber bands  :-/

bridiej

I have the same, always three or four left on the driveway. I always pick them up and bin them to stop our cats (or other wildlife) eating them or getting caught up in them.

Perhaps we should all complain to the Royal Mail - after all think of the cost savings if they kept hold of the bands and reused them! :-/

VickyA_2

My parents always get loads of post (run a business from home) and always get to keep the rubber bands. They have a great little stash that I get to raid when I see them! Then again, they "know" their postman.

Poppy9

My boss is so mean he collects the paper clips from Xmas crackers for the office.

You could use the rubber bands to make a Chinese Skipping rope. ;D

shoe_addict

My dog has had to have two operations (seperate occassions - she never learns - silly dog! ::) ) to remove elastic bands that had got tangled in her intestines. Each operation cost over a grand and she was really sick - elastic bands can be very damaging to animals.
So please everyone who wants them pick them up with pride ;D

SnowyOwl_2

I suggest we all write to Royal Mail's customer services department. Their current slogan is "With Us It's Personal".... if their employees are leaving their "rubbish" on our streets and on our property then it's personal to us too!! Not to mention the harm they are doing to animals and the environment, and the waste of a perfectly good reusable resource, all sponsored by us, their paying customers.

https://www.royalmail.com/customerservices

sorry don't know how to do links....anybody want to help me out?

Hugh_Skint

They make great bouncing balls when wrapped around each other and layered !
http://forum.moneysavingexpert.com/YaBBImages/rolleyes.gif
Roll Eyes

Hugh_Skint

I mean the rubber bands ....not the postmen !