Gah! Post office staff & posting air pistols

[distantcamera]

Send it Parcel force

With this gun Parcelforce would probably be OK. But with compensation limited to £100 instead of £500 it would not be the best option for a more expensive pistol.

[PaulR]

I send mine special delivery 24 hr. (£11) which gives enough in compensation. The rules allow this.

That said when asked what it contains I say "sports equipment".

I have yet to make a compensation claim but am prepared to argue the toss should it ever happen.

[Rich]

After having done some work on a stock for someone I went to send it back to him, PF48 and asked to increase the insured value to £200.

"Before I do that, would you mind telling me what's inside this parcel?"

A piece of wood.

"It must be bluddy expensive wood if it's worth £200"

[bighit]

Fine saying sporting goods until it goes missing and you then tell them it was an airgun

Seeing as airguns have their own regulations.

[Rapidnick]

Why did you bother to tell the clerk details of the contents? My understanding is that all you have to do -and then only if specifically asked- is to certify that what you want to send isn't against regulations. The best thing to do in the real world is to call the item in the box is 'engineering parts' or 'sporting goods' whatever you choose to say.

[lew07]

Why did you bother to tell the clerk details of the contents? My understanding is that all you have to do -and then only if specifically asked- is to certify that what you want to send isn't against regulations. The best thing to do in the real world is to call the item in the box is 'engineering parts' or 'sporting goods' whatever you choose to say.

This exactly.They are to make You aware some goods are prohibited. They should have a list.You then answer Yes or No. The exact contents of Your parcel are none of their business.

[angrybear]

Why did you bother to tell the clerk details of the contents? My understanding is that all you have to do -and then only if specifically asked- is to certify that what you want to send isn't against regulations. The best thing to do in the real world is to call the item in the box is 'engineering parts' or 'sporting goods' whatever you choose to say.

This exactly.They are to make You aware some goods are prohibited. They should have a list.You then answer Yes or No. The exact contents of Your parcel are none of their business.

They are a private company taking responsibility for transporting & delivering your item, so they are 100% entitled to know what they are carrying,
If you don't like their terms...don't use their service.

Apart from that it's pointless to lie or misrepresent your item, it's legal to send a low power airgun, or parts of one & if you need to claim the compensation you're still going to have to prove what it was & what it was worth, at which point the rules for a gun will apply.

[PaulR]

Fine saying sporting goods until it goes missing and you then tell them it was an airgun

Seeing as airguns have their own regulations.

The regulations actually allow this method of posting air pistols - not all post office employees know this and I got fed up with arguing the toss. When I did argue and they checked they accepted it! So in the event of a claim I will simply use the same argument.

[bighit]

The regulations actually allow this method of posting air pistols - not all post office employees know this and I got fed up with arguing the toss. When I did argue and they checked they accepted it! So in the event of a claim I will simply use the same argument.

I know they allow posting airguns . What I said was in relation to saying it was sporting goods. As Angrybear has stated above , they are firearms.so they go under the royal mails firearms regulations.

So if it goes to belfast and gets destroyed ; who gets blame for it? The sender.

Yes it would be great if every post office workers knew the regulations but it does not help when people lie as to whats in the parcel.

if you send it as sporting goods and it gets destroyed then tough poop.

[jonnyovy]

I have a print out of the parcel force policy and have highlighted the appropriate text. I simply take it with me and be honest.

When you see Veronica's eyes light up and monotone voice starts with 'we will not accept..' i simply say 'i rang customer services to check this morning, you do carry low powered airguns, they directed me to their website, which, as advised, i have printed out and brought with me to save any confusion with post office staff'.

Veronica's face will look slightly stunned, her smirk will drop and she will start to mumble a bit and shake her head whilst reading the print out. Then to save looking like a fool, she will turn into your best mate mode, take your parcel and make comments like 'well i wish they told us stuff like that'

[angrybear]

I just put the box on the scales & say,
"Hello, it's a low powered airgun so as I'm sure you already know, royal mail rules state RMSD or PF48 service only to send these"

It cuts them off before they have time to think, and also makes it clear to them that you know the rules,
If you also casually hold a copy of the restricted items leaflet (so they can see the title) they also know you come equipped for an argument.

They usually give you the evil eye, but just smile, nod & say "yep, I send a few so I'm used to explaining"

[Rapidnick]

After having done some work on a stock for someone I went to send it back to him, PF48 and asked to increase the insured value to £200.

"Before I do that, would you mind telling me what's inside this parcel?"

A piece of wood.

"It must be bluddy expensive wood if it's worth £200"

A 'wooden sculpture' is the right answer here Rich.

[Rich]

A 'wooden sculpture' is the right answer here Rich.

Thanks Nick, I like to think that some of them are works of art...

[lensman57]

After having done some work on a stock for someone I went to send it back to him, PF48 and asked to increase the insured value to £200.

"Before I do that, would you mind telling me what's inside this parcel?"

A piece of wood.

"It must be bluddy expensive wood if it's worth £200"

Obviously this smart arse has not seen the price of a piece of a 2 feet long exhibition grade Turkish walnut yet or he wouldn't be remarking about £200.00.

A.G

[micky2]

After having done some work on a stock for someone I went to send it back to him, PF48 and asked to increase the insured value to £200.

"Before I do that, would you mind telling me what's inside this parcel?"

A piece of wood.

"It must be bluddy expensive wood if it's worth £200"

The thing is you don't have to tell them what's inside if asked, you just have to say something that is not on your restricted list.