On 24 Oct 2006, at 18:27, W B Hacker wrote:
>
> That is a cop-out.
>
> No 'national' snail-mail postal service, nor private courier will,
> or would
> allow themselves to be forced to - carry hazardous, offensive - or
> merely
> 'non-compliant' packages, properly 'addressed' or not.
>
> They are *required* to reject such, and the recipients generally
> expect them to
> do so.
Actually, that's not true. You aren't allowed to post illegal or
hazardous material, but the UK's Royal Mail doesn't make judgements
about offensive material, and *anything* non-hazardous with a
recipient name on it is required to be delivered.
<http://www.royalmail.com:80/portal/rm/content1?
catId=400044&mediaId=400255>
There are recommendations for packaging, but no requirements. <
http://
www.royalmail.com:80/portal/rm/content1?catId=400044&mediaId=400251>
Even without a proper address, or with an incorrect address the royal
mail is required to make best efforts to deliver. For example, lots
of post is delivered to well known names (like BBC or Santa) even
when there's no proper address given. The Royal Mail will open
envelopes or consult telephone directories to find an address, if
necessary.
The delivery might be dependant on making up any shortfall in postage
paid.
None of that means that the same rules should apply to email, though.
--
Ian Eiloart
Postmaster,
IT Services
University of Sussex
