Lettercrossing?

[devi]

How much faith do you have in human nature? Are people helpful and socially responsible in general, or lazy self-serving bastards? I've had a nice idea, but I'll need helpers, and now with my new poll capabilities I can try and recruit.

This is it: Apparently PG Wodehouse never went to a postbox. He just dropped his letters out of his window on to the street. He said that they all, without exception, made it to their destinations - posted by nice helpful passers-by. I'm sceptical - I find it hard to imagine it working then, let alone now. I want to try it out.

So anyone who would like a snailmail from me, put your address in here (I've set it up so only I can see the results). It doesn't matter where in the world you are. In fact, faraway people, you'll be even better - maybe someone coming across a letter stamped and addressed to Australia would make more of an effort to post it than if it was addressed to Croydon. Or would they? Let's find out.

I will write letters, stamp them, and leave them at various locations. To make it easier, they will all be within sight of a postbox. If you get yours, let me know. The letters will also contain a slip of paper saying 'If you are not (the recipient), you have just failed a test of social responsibility' or something. Heh heh.

So come one, come all. It'll cost me a few quid in stamps, but no matter: I'm curious.

(Edit: Duh. I thought it was Evelyn Waugh, but apparently it was PG Wodehouse - but I can't figure out how to change the name of a poll. Oops.)

[Poll #366408]

Comments

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I recall hearing that it was PG Wodehouse who did that. But now I think of it, the exhaustive biography I just read of him made no mention of the habit.

[smorgasbord.livejournal.com]

I am game.

[dakeyras.livejournal.com]

Sounds intriguing - I'm in!

[miss-newham.livejournal.com]

Excellent use of a paid account, my dear!

[snowballjane.livejournal.com]

Since I live so near you, maybe it will be hand delivered instead.

[kesstrel.livejournal.com]

What she said! *points upwards*

I'll let you know if it has a post mark on it.

[venta.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a fun game!

[modulatorium.livejournal.com]

If PG Wodehouse relied on others to post his mail because he couldn't be bothered to walk down to the post box, doesn't that make him a lazy self-serving bastard?

Maybe the passers-by were too nice and helpful. If they'd simply thrown his letters in the nearest bin, he might have learnt to get off his arse and post his own mail.

[mzdt.livejournal.com]

Something I've always meant to try is using the minimum possible amount of address - in the case of numbered streets, just the house number and the postcode (assuming the postcode covers only your street). I've used that as an external return address on packages for a while now, assuming that the post office can work it out if they have to. It should be all you need...

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

Just a quick tip: pick a day that isn't rainy and you're not expecting dustmen !

[tokyo-mb.livejournal.com]

An amusing idea. I know I'm not on your friends list (yet?), but having found you and this post via haggisthesecond's friends list I'm intrigued whether this will work.

I think here, in Tokyo, it would stand a good chance - regarding London, I'm less sure.

Hope you don't mind my intrusion.

Cool Idea -

[killalla]

I've given you my Oxford address, but I can give you my Hawaii address if you prefer to try for destinations as far afield as possible. (Of course, it's an odd letter that would travel halfway around the world and back again, but then it is an experiment...;)

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

If I join in, will you just leave the mail lying around on the living room table?

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

I've picked up letters in the street and posted them before. Only a couple, and they looked like someone with a bundle of letters had just dropped one on their way to the postbox.

[inskauldrak.livejournal.com]

cool idea : )

Btw, the 'A' in the house number is quite important as otherwise the estate agents downstairs may be inadvertantly accused of failing a test of social responsibility... and I'm sure they knew that already!

[eponymousarchon.livejournal.com]

Yep, send me one and I'll let you know what happens :)

[dermfitz.livejournal.com]

Glasgow here. A sort of midrange target, if you like. This is excellent, and I wish you luck.

[foxy76.livejournal.com]

This is a lovely idea - am I too late??

[sera-squeak.livejournal.com]

Found this through nisaba and I think it's a really interesting thing to try so, if you don't mind, I've left you my details.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

also here via nisaba -- I'm fascinated by this experiment! Have left you my details, hope tghat's OK.

[duranorak.livejournal.com]

Another one here via nisaba, and I'll gladly leave you my address but I also think it's a wonderful idea and wondered whether I might do it as well, or whether you'd rather keep it. :) I'd understand if you wanted to keep it with just you doing it, it would probably make more sense from the social experiment point of view anyway.

Best of luck with it. It does seem to be working. :)

E.
x

[(Anonymous)]

I had some first hand experince with this. While vacationing in Edinburough (I'm from the States) I wrote & stamped a post card to my girlfiend... and promptly lost it on my way to the mailbox. I retraced my steps 3 times & finally gave up hope of ever finding it. A week and a half later it arives in her mailbox.

People are suprisingly considerate.