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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

… to think that the postman should take his earphones out when delivering the mail?

180 replies

Thunderpat · 02/12/2021 12:56

My postman wears earphones when he is delivering the mail. This is annoying, but is it actually something that he shouldn’t do?

I have a newborn and live in a tall skinny house which means that I am usually doing something with the baby at the top of the house when he rings. I try calling to him out of the window (he can’t hear me) or grabbing baby and running down three flights of stairs, but by the time I get to the door he is well on his way up the road with his earphones in and a cheery spring in his step.

AIBU to think that he should take his earphones out when delivering the mail?

OP posts:
Spinxsta · 02/12/2021 12:58

Yeah, YABU.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/12/2021 12:58

Sounds to me like he’s just not giving you long enough to get to the door rather than the headphones themselves being the issue? Must be quite boring for him otherwise

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/12/2021 12:59

I didn’t vote because I think it’s half way in between the two

stairgates · 02/12/2021 13:00

I think that if he has rang the doorbell then hopefully he would have paused his music to listen for any sounds of someone inside. So yanbu to hope this is the case.

DockOTheBay · 02/12/2021 13:02

YABU it must be a pretty boring and lonely job and listening to music probably makes it more bearable. Surely you just go and get the parcel from a neighbour, or go down the stairs faster.

BigYellowHat · 02/12/2021 13:02

Could you put a sign on the door for him saying it might take you a few minutes to answer. I did this when I broke my leg and it was fine.

Original poster
Thunderpat · 02/12/2021 13:02

Where I used to live, the postman heard my elderly neighbour calling out when she had fallen down the stairs - she wouldn’t have stood much chance with this guy, though.

OP posts:
OinkPinkPonk · 02/12/2021 13:03

YABU

It'll be so boring without music for them.

RedskyThisNight · 02/12/2021 13:06

YABU. If it's going to take you several minutes to get to the door, he's not going to wait whether he hears you or not.

5keletor · 02/12/2021 13:11

YABU, if you're always taking so long to get the door I wouldn't expect him to be waiting anyway, especially in this quite literally freezing cold weather.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 02/12/2021 13:12

I have a sensory processing disorder and wear earplugs / earphones whenever I leave the house. There could be a whole host of reasons he needs to wear them.

CatJumperTwat · 02/12/2021 13:13

The world doesn't revolve around you!

NovemberNovemberDarkNights · 02/12/2021 13:15

I voted YABU because you are! But I'm giving you a pass as you have a newborn!

He's not doing anything wrong wearing headphones.

Do you have somewhere he could leave your parcels? When we lived in a tall house (basement plus 4 floors) I set up a downstairs room with baby changing stuff & portacot, chest of drawers with clothes etc. I was NOT trekking up & down several flight of stairs with the baby all day! & then baby & toddler etc. no bloody way
& it's not a good idea safety wise either.

Moonbabysmum · 02/12/2021 13:16

If you have a newborn, why are you carrying them down 3 flights if stairs to get to the door. Just put them down in their cot or thr floor. They cant go anywhere.

SleighbellsZ · 02/12/2021 13:16

Whilst his job is to deliver Mail it's not to wait round all day.
You must have a rough idea of time he comes.
I would never question my postman wearing headphones, would be incredibly boring without.

XenoBitch · 02/12/2021 13:16

YABU - would you want to walk for hours every day, the same route, with no music/radio/audiobook? It would drive me barmy!
Put a note on your door if you are expecting a parcel.
It is not the job of a postie to listen out for people in trouble either.

WaterBottle123 · 02/12/2021 13:17

This post can't be real!

CorrBlimeyGG · 02/12/2021 13:18

the postman heard my elderly neighbour calling out when she had fallen down the stairs - she wouldn’t have stood much chance with this guy, though.

That was fortune, but absolutely not the postman's responsibility.

Nicknacky · 02/12/2021 13:21

Why do you need to take baby down with you?

Cheeseandlobster · 02/12/2021 13:21

@CatJumperTwat

The world doesn't revolve around you!
This. Imagine being out for hours on the streets in all weather's. Having headphones in would make it more bearable. Please tell me you won't be trying to complain about this?

As someone else said above, if you get lots of parcels or are expecting one, then put a note on your door saying you need a minute to get downstairs. Problem hopefully solved

SusieBob · 02/12/2021 13:21

Oh ffs.

You are aware that postmen do actually have more than 1 house to deliver to and regardless of whether they are listening to music can't wait around if you can't get to the door immediately?

Original poster
Thunderpat · 02/12/2021 13:24

Thank you for my pass @NovemberNovemberDarkNights.

I can ask for things to be left outside the door on my Royal Mail app settings when it is redelivered, or any other type of delivery, but not for the post when it comes first time round.

I would like to explain my situation to the postma, but I can’t seem to catch him (… and one could only do so with visual means).

OP posts:
Justmuddlingalong · 02/12/2021 13:27

It's not his problem that you have a newborn, live in a 3 storey house and are often at the top of it when he's trying to deliver post. He's got a job to do and his round would take twice as long if he had to wait for people to accept parcels I presume they've ordered and are expecting.

Spinxsta · 02/12/2021 13:27

@CorrBlimeyGG

the postman heard my elderly neighbour calling out when she had fallen down the stairs - she wouldn’t have stood much chance with this guy, though.

That was fortune, but absolutely not the postman's responsibility.

This!
SleighbellsZ · 02/12/2021 13:28

I would like to explain my situation to the postma, but I can’t seem to catch him (… and one could only do so with visual means).

Will all due respect, there is a lot more people who are in worse situations than having a newborn who can't make the door in time.
Get parcels delivered to the post office/nearest shop and collect when your ready to.