Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/06/30

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Subject: [Leica] Update: US Pestulance (Postal) Service
From: jshul at comcast.net (Jim Shulman)
Date: Mon Jun 30 17:13:44 2008

Just found out that of two recent film packages sent on Monday, June 23 by
Priority Mail from Bryn Mawr PA to Kansas and Phoenix, one took five days
and the other arrived late today (making seven days).  At least they arrived
intact!

I asked my local postmaster if they strapped the parcels to a gimpy snail.
He strongly suggested that I use the tracking system (an extra 60 cents)
next time, which would allow him to personally investigate any delays.  Have
to admit that he did want to help.  Also, I'll be taking other LUGgers
advice to use the USPS small parcel, which seems to cause less consternation
than the envelopes.

Jim Shulman
Bryn Mawr, PA
Who remembers getting six cent first-class letters from Chicago in one day.



-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Shulman [mailto:jshul@comcast.net] 
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2008 12:03 PM
To: 'Leica Users Group'
Subject: US Pestulance (Postal) Service 

One of the more recent frustrating aspects of an unhealthy attachment to
film photography has nothing to do with the rising price of film or the
delay between image capture and image viewing: it's the US Postal Service.

Over the past few months I've had unconscionable delays (and on one
occasion, as loss) in film shipments, both to and from labs.  These have
included:  ruptured envelopes (using the USPS's envelopes provided for
Priority Mail), delays of up to a month, and in one case film just MIA
(fortunately it was a test roll of a new camera and lens, so nothing
monumental was lost--if you could consider anything I shoot to be
monumental.)  In almost all cases I've double-wrapped my film--the film goes
into one USPS envelope, and that envelope into a larger one.  All is
Tyvek-encased, taped to a fare-thee-well, and yet still moves with the speed
of Lincoln's funeral cortege at a premium rate.

The strange part is that I've just started having this problem during the
past few months.  For years I sent film zipping back and forth across the
country at lightning speed, without complications.  

For those few remaining analog fans, has anyone else experienced similar
recent problems?

Jim Shulman
Bryn Mawr, PA
Whose tacky 8mm color movies of the Mermaid Parade finally made it to the
lab after a SIX DAY JOURNEY AT PRIORITY MAIL RATES.  


Replies: Reply from Gary at marklund.com (Gary W Marklund) ([Leica] Update: US Pestulance (Postal) Service)