English post offices are terrifying...

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I don't know if it's just the one I visit, or London, or England in general, but I have developed a fear of going to the post office because the workers are so rude! (I am sorry if you are an English postal worker, by the way - may you be one of the nice ones!)

For one thing, I can never hear them, but every time I say, "Sorry? What's that?" they roll their eyes and lean forward and act like I'm an idiot American for not understanding them. It's partly the accent, but mostly the way they often mumble...

And the other thing is that they seem to expect me to know exactly what I'm doing. If I ask, "What do I write here?" or, "Where do I put this sticker?" they don't tell me exactly what to do, they just wave or mumble something and I'm left as confused as ever...

Does anyone else have trouble with this? Or any advice for me? LOL. There are only so many times you can say, "What did you say? I'm sorry!" before you lose it...

some people are, just simply, obnoxious

postal workers don't like foreigners, maybe it is because of all the mail from you they are made to deliver, who knows

show them a firm hand, let them know whos boss.

e2a: but be sure not to wear a balaclava.

Most American postal workers are okay.

I went to a post office in america once and they were not friendly either.
If you have trouble with the post office what ever you do don't try talking to any doctor receptionists!! !

George Costanza: Let me ask you something... What do you do for a living, Newman?
Newman: I'm a United States postal worker.
George Costanza: Aren't those the guys that always go crazy and come back with a gun and shoot everybody?
Newman: Sometimes.
Jerry: Why is that?
Newman: Because the mail never stops. It just keeps coming and coming and coming. There's never a letup, It's relentless. Every day it piles up more and more, but the more you get out, the more it keeps coming. And then the bar code reader breaks. And then it's Publisher's Clearinghouse day.
Jerry: All right, all right.

Yeah, I suppose I'll have to continue dealing with it, but I shouldn't act like a victim. I'll get over it, LOL. Part of life...

Are you going to a sub post office? A lot of the small post offices are franchises. The one near me the guy is so rude. In fact the whole family in the shop (Budgens) go out of their way to be rude to customers. I saw a woman literally in tears, because of an argument over a pram. I don't know what the hell their problem is. They would do better if they were nice to their customers. Also the guy smokes in the post office booth and the shop completely stinks. I'm not sure of the law now but I thought it was now illegal to smoke in a place of work. Maybe as he is the owner it is ok but there are other people around i.e. customers, co-workers. Besides I'm not sure either the post office or Budgens would allow that in their franchise/voluntary chain agreements.

Main post office they are just really busy. The workers are overstretched.

If you take it personally - they win. That's the objective. To put their grief and misery on to someone else. YOU. So if you refuse to play the grief game while making the realization that they don't know how to be any other way because if they did they would, then it makes things a whole lot clearer and easier to manage. Of course it's a PITA (pain in the ***) but you could be humming, listening to music in one ear, wearing shades, saying a mantra - all while dealing with them - so it just doesn't effect you as much....... And if that doesn't help. Screaming in a car with windows rolled up might......

Yeah, I suppose I'll have to continue dealing with it, but I shouldn't act like a victim. I'll get over it, LOL. Part of life...

jjstar wrote:

George Costanza: Let me ask you something... What do you do for a living, Newman?
Newman: I'm a United States postal worker.
George Costanza: Aren't those the guys that always go crazy and come back with a gun and shoot everybody?
Newman: Sometimes.
Jerry: Why is that?
Newman: Because the mail never stops. It just keeps coming and coming and coming. There's never a letup, It's relentless. Every day it piles up more and more, but the more you get out, the more it keeps coming. And then the bar code reader breaks. And then it's Publisher's Clearinghouse day.
Jerry: All right, all right.

Haha, I love Seinfeld. Thanks for the quote!

you're damn lucky you can find a sub-post office that is still open.

Besides, its not the counter staff that are the real issue. Its getting anyone else in Royal Mail to do any f*****g work at all.

As a young boy, one of my favorite people was our mailman, who always gave bubblegum to the kids in the neighborhood as he made his rounds. Mailmen these days drive and get little exercise. Maybe that's why some of them might be a bit cranky. They don't have any real interaction with the people to whom they deliver mail anymore.

When you go to the post office these days, the people at the counter are well trained to ask you if you need to buy any extra stamps or shipping materials. They are generally helpful.
I can't really say anything really bad about them.

Sorry if I've ruined the mood, but I would MUCH rather enter a post office than a car dealership.