Royal Mail inspecting 'dangerous' parcels? Anyone?

Spoke to the post office owner this morning, he said that they all had to go on a dangerous items course, and that any li-ion batteries have to be actually connected to the lights or whatever they are powering. Earlier on this week I took a parcel in, a set of alloy 750mm bars, cheapest they could do was £11.96!.

I’ve always been pretty happy with Royal Mail, and used them where I can, but they ain’t doing themselves any favours now. It’ll be interesting to see how the business changes post sell off.

Edit – I heard from smudge this morning, he’s setting up an account with interlink, says they are getting a lot of work from businesses which used to use RM.

Dont worry we are over loaded with work could do with losing some business 😀

Battery arrived this morning! A week and a half later, and with a letter saying that it had been disposed of?. Oh, and the plug and cable from the charger was missing, useless twunts.

Spoke to the post office owner this morning, he said that they all had to go on a dangerous items course, and that any li-ion batteries have to be actually connected to the lights or whatever they are powering.

Like yes thats clever
hi-powered led light connected to the battery in a bubblewrapped parcel
light accidentally switches on and heats up way past safe and sets the parcel alight .
Very safe .

Who is delivering all these cheap chinese lights to the users?

I can understand the loose newer type smartphone batteries not being allowed, unless in the phone or in some kind of purpose designed case for shipping. But RM (or any courier) is going to have rules, and that probably means every guy opening packets will interpret a rule differently.

Just look on youtube for kids hammering nails thru an old, charged smartphone battery or RC battery pack. Instantly impressive in either smoke or flames. And that’s what’s in your pocket, hand or held against your face right now.

Personally, I think this is also a money-making scheme on the side (possibly to offset the loss in trade).

I wanted to RMA a bluetooth keyboard today, inland UK. Via Signed-For 2nd class, this would cost £3.70 – almost reasonable, only I fessed up it had a lithium battery in it which was not removable, and “the only way” it could be sent was via Special Delivery at nearly 9 quid!

I’m going to throw it over the fence to MyHermes and other less enquiring servies. Sometimes their shortcomings can be an advantage.

I think they should lose the “Royal” tag sharpish. Unless they mean it to stand for Royal Rip-Off.

H.

I’m going to throw it over the fence to MyHermes

I agree, give it to them using the same method they’ll use to give it to the recipient 😉