Posties Destroying Front Lawns with Their Bikes - What to Do?

dogboy on 27/05/2022 - 21:59

The postie(s) in my area are ruining everyone's front lawns by riding over them with their postie bikes when wet and leaving deep, muddy tracks. A number of us have complained to AusPost and while sympathetic it doesn't look like they will actually do anything about it. On my walk to the bus stop recently I noticed a lot of people's front lawns are in a similar state in my area. While myself and neighbours try and maintain a nice lawn it is impossible with inconsiderate posties doing the damage without seemingly any care or repercussions. I will need to buy dirt to try and fill in the ruts in my lawn at this point they are so deep.

Looking for any potential solutions to try and remediate this issue from the OzBargain community.

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Comments

  • nekro on 28/05/2022 - 16:16
    +2

    Bikies?

  • serpserpserp on 28/05/2022 - 16:17
    +2

    Bikies.

    • baskinghobo on 29/05/2022 - 15:08

      But then who will sort out the bikies for destroying doyboy's front lawn?

    • Dr Techno on 30/05/2022 - 10:40

      calling on Bikies for a fellow bikie :)

  • serpserpserp on 28/05/2022 - 16:18
    +2

    But seriously the only reasonable solution here is to landmine the affected area.

    • Franc-T on 28/05/2022 - 22:51

      Its not a solution at all.

      You get a new hole in the nature strip bits of postie and postie bike everywhere and they will send a new one to deliver the mail meaning you get the same situation happening again.

      • azngamer on 29/05/2022 - 00:02
        +4

        Orientation for the new postie would be: watch out for landlines, that's how the last guy died

        • Franc-T on 29/05/2022 - 08:03
          +1

          landlines are buried underground or on telephones though? Are they riding a zebra or tunneling to OP's house now?

      • serpserpserp on 29/05/2022 - 18:09
        +1

        You make an example of enough posties and they'll soon stop sending them.

  • Magnastar on 28/05/2022 - 16:55

    Why not just run some string line on either side of your front yard for a few weeks like you’d do if you were laying a new lawn until your precious lawn dries up.

    Took me less time to think of a basic solution to a diva problem quicker than it took you to whinge on the internet

    • funnysht on 28/05/2022 - 17:55
      -2

      My neighbor did that…next day the string was broken and clearly the ahole just drove over it

      • Butterfly Gocha on 30/05/2022 - 16:50

        Should've used crime scene do not Cross tape instead

  • funnysht on 28/05/2022 - 17:55
    -6

    Same problem
    Follow them home and do a burnout on their front lawn and a shit
    Inconsiderate aholes

    • Empharand on 28/05/2022 - 21:46

      That's a great idea….. If you want to be arrested and charged accordingly

  • Shellbob on 28/05/2022 - 19:39
    +1

    I used gravel to fill the track marks and stamped on it to go below the grass level. Can still mow . It's working so far

  • George Washington on 28/05/2022 - 19:58

    Sounds like a karen complaint

  • BookerDeWitt on 28/05/2022 - 21:23
    -6

    Modern posties are assh0les. They trash front gardens intentionally. Anyone handwaving this is just a peasant who rents and doesn't care about the property they currently reside on. Fact.

    • Euphemistic on 29/05/2022 - 11:12
      +1

      My postie is a nice bloke. Maybe it’s your attitude toward them?

    • Mr Haj on 31/05/2022 - 08:55
      +1

      Oosties are assholes, renters are peasants… Lucky he refrained from mentioning his opinion of Council!

      • BookerDeWitt on 04/06/2022 - 09:45
        -1

        Don't get me started on the council. Perhaps you should think for yourself and stop being so subservient and start measuring those who serve. Posties destroying front gardens, shouldn't be encouraged. But it is here and it indicates how insAne the members are at OZB.

  • Empharand on 28/05/2022 - 21:46

    Signup to a PO Box and redirect your mail

    • stewy on 30/05/2022 - 21:23
      +1

      Won't work. They'll still ride of your lawn to deliver their junk mail.

  • MindGrenadius on 28/05/2022 - 21:49
    +2

    Even when we get no mail our postie still traverses our lawn to get between our neighbours mailboxes

    Dick move IMO but I still respect the hustle

  • iseeyou1312 on 28/05/2022 - 21:59
    +1

    Plant some native trees to solidify the soil with roots. Posties are operating on a tight schedule and their routes would take far too long to avoid all the nature strips - but you could try maybe giving the postie like $50 and asking him to avoid driving over yours?

  • Caped Baldy on 28/05/2022 - 22:04

    Just have to live with it unfortunately since the ground is oversaturated. A lot of Council parks are left overgrown as the mowers get bogged and damage the ground. Pretty understandable.

    I'm annoyed that RMS hasn't fixed a heap of potholes.

  • Logical on 28/05/2022 - 22:34
    +1

    Here is the solution you are looking for: Invest in a turf roller something like https://www.bunnings.com.au/selecta-60l-water-filled-garden-… Then you need to roll your turf every day especially after a good rain… this will compact down the ground under the turf and remove most ruts too. By compacting the ground under the turf it will future proof the extent of ruts made by posties.

  • Poor Ass on 28/05/2022 - 23:21
    +1

    All this rain made the tracks worse

  • noob999 on 29/05/2022 - 00:50

    I have had the same problem with our postie.
    My solution was to buy some bamboo stakes and Lime Green Brickline from Bunnings.
    Create a no crossing barrier at your boundary from gutter up towards the house for 3-4 m, put stakes every 2ft and then tie the brickline to it.

    This worked for 2 days then the posties decided to jump the gutter to get to my and my neighbours letterbox then continued to ride across my neighbours lawn again…
    so then I also but a barrier along the road infront of out letterboxes for 3-4 m but I left a gap for the postie to walk up to letterboxes.
    I also put up a small sign asking not to ride the bike across the lawns.

    This has worked a treat for the last 3 weeks. he now does not ride across our lawns and I have not blocked his access to deliver.

    • p3nf0ld on 29/05/2022 - 21:36
      -1

      I hope you have a clear passage for pedestrians to walk along the nature strip - otherwise be ready for lots of council complaints.

      • jerjergege on 30/05/2022 - 14:03
        -2

        Front lawn is not the nature strip. Some of us just don't have fences.

      • noob999 on 30/05/2022 - 18:38

        no one walk on our side of the road as the other side has a foot path :)

  • Benzy on 29/05/2022 - 01:00
    +1

    I had similar issue. Postie ran over two of my plants and it captured in my security camera.

    I have complained to Aus Post. It took 2 months for them to replace the plants but they eventually replaced it.

    I have also talked to postie about it, she apologise and she has never done it again.

    • Euphemistic on 29/05/2022 - 11:13

      I have also talked to postie about it, she apologise and she has never done it again.

      That’s the most important bit.

  • mdavant on 29/05/2022 - 05:01
    +2

    Don't make an enemy of a postie.

    Enough mail goes missing without pissing them off.

    • Brumby92 on 30/05/2022 - 12:16

      This. Good rule not to make an enemy of the anyone, especially the postie.

  • WeHaveRicePudding on 29/05/2022 - 07:57
    +1

    Bikies

  • uzz30 on 29/05/2022 - 09:03
    +1

    what to do?

    Bikies destroying Posties on front lawns

  • uzz30 on 29/05/2022 - 09:26
    +9

    There is actually a practical solution to this problem. It will involve some effort with digging and re-laying the turf, but once done the problem will be fixed and everyone should be happy.

    Check out SurePave for Grass

    SurePave® is a permeable paving system designed as a reinforcement solution for grass. SurePave can be used for off street car parking, laneways, garden paths, and grass driveways.

    SurePave is a great way to fix boggy and muddy areas where potholes, divots, ruts and puddles form by vehicles over use. Not only that, SurePave encompasses style, and functionality.

    As its permeable description suggests, SurePave panels are porous and free draining allowing the possibility of creating safe, functional and natural aesthetically pleasing surfaces.

    • 100% recycled, 100% recyclable
    • Australian made

    Available at your friendly neighbourhood Bunnings for around $20 / 0.5m²

  • Typo on 29/05/2022 - 10:50

    Get a GUR sign

  • grr1701 on 29/05/2022 - 10:57
    +2

    If you want your mail delivered in wet weather, this is the cost. We have the same problem, but the postie apologised last week. It’ll be a bit of a tidy-up after the rain, but I’d prefer to do this and get my mail, than not get my mail.

  • Slippage on 29/05/2022 - 11:22
    +4

    inconsiderate posties

    wait what?? how is delivering your mail inconsiderate

    suggest you get some top soil and level out where they ride, like everyone in Australia does.

  • RebelOrlan on 29/05/2022 - 12:00
    +1

    If you are not placing your mailbox within access to the footpath/nature strip, please create some pavement for the postie to drive onto.

    I'm a rebel so my mailbox is closer to my front door after someone vandalised it. It's not standard, but if you don't do the standard thing, make sure it is accessible.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/05/2022 - 13:03
    -3

    If they do this to the nature strip, just report it to the council. They probably won't do anything, and the nature strip in front of your house is not your land anyway, so don't worry about it.

    If they do this to your private land, record it (get a security camera, or park your dash-cammed car to catch them on the act). Send it to Australia Post, and send them the bill. If they keep repeating, you keep doing this as well. I'm pretty sure Australia Post won't be too happy with the postie who repeatedly cause damage to private property, and for sure they will reprimand him/her. Problem solved.

    Having said all of this, it's important to have good rapport with your local postie. I always say hello, when I get the chance, and simple greeting goes a long way. He always puts my small parcels or letters in front of my door, when it rains, by actually entering my property. So why not just say hello to your postie couple of times, I'm sure he/she will avoid damaging your lawn, if you are nice.

  • gimli on 29/05/2022 - 14:37

    if ever there was a time for bikies…

  • RADICALIST on 29/05/2022 - 15:40
    +2

    Use your phone to film yourself going full Karen on the poor postie. Then post it on your choice of social media platform

  • OzDayZee on 29/05/2022 - 16:56

    I waited a few weeks and all the tyre marks are now gone.
    I think less rain solves the problem.

  • So Was Red on 29/05/2022 - 18:25
    -2

    OP or anyone blocking or doing anything shitty against their postie should expect their mail to get returned or go missing, just get on with your life and let them get on with their jobs. They just want to finish their work and get home safe just like anyone else.

  • Retchey on 29/05/2022 - 20:30
    -1

    Get a P.O BOX

  • Saars on 29/05/2022 - 20:50
    +1

    I tried to have this fight for over a year with Australia Post, save your time, it will get you nowhere

    They made a huge mess in front of my place, I even put some rocks on the lawn so they would HAVE to go around. The just stopped delivering the mail

    In the end, I replaced the soil along that strip with a more clay-heavy mix. Grass grew over the top in summer and it was dense enough that the damage was minimal in winter

  • burns13 on 30/05/2022 - 07:47
    +1

    Try calling Tracey Grimshaw

  • whitepuma on 30/05/2022 - 08:38

    You need to check with your council who is to take care of and maintain the front nature strip. In my council area it falls under the person or people living in the house it is outfront of (aka me).

    In this case, as it's my responsibility, if you have already reasonably notified both council and auspost, and nothing is happening, you should probably then raise it with the authorities.

    If the council is responsible for maintaining it, then you need to keep hassling and bringing it up with them….it's up to them to maintain it so it's up to them to escalate it aswell.

    In the end, assuming you have had reasonable attempt to notify all parties, this falls under destruction of property, it's just tough to say if it's your property or council property, and if it's council property whilst it's your job to maintain it, thats another layer of confusion.

    • whitepuma on 30/05/2022 - 08:42
      +1

      should also add. if it is your responsibility for that area….i'd invest in security cameras (already have), and when couriers/auspost is caught damaging it, send them the video evidence with the repair bill….I guarantee you do that a couple of times they will stop their posties from doing it.

      I did a similar thing, council wasn't maintaining the tree outfront of my property (and it is technically their responsibility). The tree was so overgrown it started dropping excessive leaves and branches onto my property…after notifying them multiple times and nothing coming of it (all they had to do was prune it)….i started sending them the cleanup bills for everything it was dropping on my property….after doing that once they had someone there within the week to prune all the trees in the street.

  • Davo1111 on 30/05/2022 - 09:03
    -4

    Talk about entitled…..

  • pandadude on 30/05/2022 - 10:21

    Has anyone though about quick sand?

    Jokes aside there nothing you can do as this isn't your land. The nature strip or anything passed your post box is actually owned by council.

  • jaimex2 on 30/05/2022 - 10:31

    Ask the council for a cement sidewalk on your street?

    • tonka on 30/05/2022 - 11:15

      The problem with this is you then spend more time maintaining as you have a much larger area to edge.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 30/05/2022 - 10:45
    +1

    We laid turf out the front. Over the last 5 years, the neighbours buffalo grass has been creeping down, as a result of the postie bike spreading the clippings, seed etc
    Nothing we can do about it, unless we get our postie off side.

    • Euphemistic on 30/05/2022 - 15:55
      +1

      Buffalo spreads with runners.

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 30/05/2022 - 17:25

        Yes they do. :(

        • Euphemistic on 30/05/2022 - 17:50
          +1

          So it’s not the postie spreading it with seed and clippings.

          • BewareOfThe Dog on 30/05/2022 - 17:57

            @Euphemistic: Sorry, I thought that you were referring to how Buffalo works? It might be Cooch?

            We had a landscaper come out, and he said the roots go deep into the ground whatever it is, and is hard to get rid of. He said it had most likely spread because of the postal bike etc

            • Euphemistic on 30/05/2022 - 18:21

              @BewareOfThe Dog: Could be kikuyu, it’s runners will go down a little way. Couch is mostly on the surface, very fine blades. Both mostly spread by runners, not seeds or clippings.

              Plenty of other weed species are spread by seeds.

  • Moomy on 30/05/2022 - 11:16
    +4

    I had similar situation 5 years ago. Posties rode his bike to my front door through my garden bed. His tires got stuck in the garden bed, he went back and forth, he eventually got out and rode across my lawn and broke a wooden edging. This was all captured on security camera.

    https://imgur.com/a/lnawifU

    At that time there wasn't a number that you can call to make complaints, so I had to call a different dept and lodge a complaint that way. I had to make a lot of calls over a period of 6 weeks before someone got back to me. Eventually a couple guys came over to my house and watched the video and saw the damage. So in the end the postie that caused the damage came to my house measured the size of the wooden edging that needed replacing, got a new one, painted it to match my current one and installed it. He did it during his work hours so he had his bright yellow uniform on.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 30/05/2022 - 17:59
      +1

      OMG!
      Thank you for sharing the footage BTW.

    • cadwalader on 30/05/2022 - 23:31
      +1

      What did he deliver? Would have been faster if they just reversed out and didn't trespass.

      • Moomy on 31/05/2022 - 17:29

        I dont remember. it was too long ago

  • trapper on 30/05/2022 - 11:50

    Just put something in the way… ?

  • trapper on 30/05/2022 - 11:59

    I would try fence it in someway first… but ultimately you could plant some of this evil stuff. - Which will keep them well clear of your grass forever. :)

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulus_terrestris

  • [Deactivated] on 30/05/2022 - 13:02
    +1

    Relocate the letterbox so postmen don't need to ride off the footpath to reach it. And if you don't have a footpath obviously they are going to access the letterbox by riding on the grass. That said I saw some neighbours put objects on their footpath like gardening tools so the postman is forced to leave the footpath at the previous house, ride onto the road, then ride up their driveway that their letterbox is right next to.

  • jerjergege on 30/05/2022 - 14:01
    +1

    I'm on a corner, and people constantly walk over my front lawn / ride bikes over to cut the corner, the grass is dying due to posties doing the same…

  • Tleyx on 30/05/2022 - 16:06

    Move to an apartment?

    • zombie hunter on 31/05/2022 - 18:49

      or farm. Where i live they not deilver so they give a po box half price

  • matbargain on 30/05/2022 - 16:34

    I’m a little confused don’t you have a footpath?

    • kerfuffle on 30/05/2022 - 21:58

      I don't. Welcome to south-west Sydney

  • bobolo on 30/05/2022 - 17:01
    +1

    They're posties delivering mail. The job in itself is stressful, rough and dangerous already. They don't need to think about your (or the council's) precious lawn

    Most you can do is catch them in person and ask them politely if they can be mindful of the lawn

    If they don't, tough titties.

    • tonka on 30/05/2022 - 23:11

      The 3 inch deep ruts they are leaving hidden under my grass poses the most danger to them. It is the safety of them and other pedestrians that concerns me the most. Plus I'm struggling not to turn an ankle when I mow. So maybe not tough titties, but safe work habits are part of their job. It's just common sense not to ride on lawn that is too soggy to hold your weight.

      • bobolo on 07/06/2022 - 13:06

        No, it doesn't. Their bikes can ride out with ease. Nobody cares about your ankles when you mow the lawn either. Even the guys that mow lawns for a living has to deal with ruts, holes, uneven surfaces etc with every lawn. He probably doesn't care either.

        • tonka on 11/06/2022 - 14:13

          Do you have a motor bike license. Because yeah sure they can ride out, but ruts are also one of the biggest hazards to riders. And people that don't care about others safety are, put simply, uncaring people. So why are you being confronting about this?

  • cadwalader on 30/05/2022 - 23:33

    The mailbox on our street is within our land borders (2-3m from front door). Some of my neighbours have resorted to putting edging across their driveways. Its just enough to switch their route so they're not taking the same path each and every time.

  • grr1701 on 31/05/2022 - 07:30

    Maybe you and your neighbours demand that the postie not ride on your nature strip, stay on the road, and just throw your mail as far as he can into your yard from the road? That would save your nature strip.

  • GooseHoward on 31/05/2022 - 09:00

    You sound like a snob.

    What on earth do you expect them to do? Stop on the bitumen outside everyone's house and walk to your letterbox? Then you'd complain about your mail taking too long to get delivered.

    Why don't you try to put yourself in the postie's shoes?

    • tonka on 31/05/2022 - 09:43
      +1

      I would prefer they just don't deliver when the ground is too wet. How much stuff goes into the mailbox these days that can't wait a couple of days, it's mostly junk mail goes in mailboxes with the stuff you want quickly in vans with parcel post. Oz post already decided mail wasn't so important it needs to be delivered every day. So when it's wet just do the boxes with footpaths, or give them half runs with instructions to use driveways only if it's prolonged rain. It's a safety issue, what employer thinks it's OK to have employees ride on an unsuitable surface?

      • bobolo on 07/06/2022 - 13:03

        Stupidest suggestion on this planet. Who is the postie to decide what they can and can't deliver depending on the weather? How would they (or even Aus post) know if your specific mail can wait a couple of days or not? And all to save a bit of your grass? lol.

        I guess I can tell my boss next time it rains that I can't go into the office then. Me slipping down the steps at the station is way too much of a safety issue

  • mshanann on 31/05/2022 - 10:51

    astro turf

  • xcvbn on 31/05/2022 - 11:57

    Caltrops

  • MandMs13 on 31/05/2022 - 12:14
    +1

    Stop whining. The poor postie is doing his job, delivering YOU a service. Unless he is intentionally ripping up your grass with their 500hp dirt bike, learn to live with it. It doesn't rain all year round, and come spring / summer you'll find something else to whinge about I bet. Talk about self-entitled….

    • DiscoJango on 31/05/2022 - 17:58
      -2

      sorry, thats like saying all workers should just do their job and have no accountability. its not a 'poor' posty, its a 'lazy' posty.

  • Snowie on 31/05/2022 - 13:42

    Have you tried asking the postie if there's anything you can do to make his/her life easier? I might expect that if you are nice to them and offer to make some kind of change to help them, they will probably a) give you a potential solution and b) remember that you are the nice bloke in number 7 and maybe try not to stuff up the lawn.
    Might work

  • Acopic on 31/05/2022 - 16:30
    +4

    Solved this at my old house. Grab a plastic milk crate, black or green preferably. Cut all the sides so you have 5 squares of flat plastic with holes in it. Hammer it into the grass/ground/mud where the postie goes, you might need to dig it in or level a bit. Maybe top with a bit of dirt or seeds. Then just let the grass grow through it. After a few months it'll be invisible and won't sink or move when ridden over.

  • Drakesy on 31/05/2022 - 17:37

    Unless you have a pedestrian path out the front i'm not sure what else you expect the postie to do?

  • DiscoJango on 31/05/2022 - 17:57
    -1

    they used to do this on our yard (not the nature strip) so all us neighbors planted a whole bunch of trees and conveniently placed rocks

    no more idiot lazy posties ruining everyones front yards :)

    • Slippage on 06/06/2022 - 12:38
      +1

      If I was your postie (and I’m not) I wouldn’t be doing you any favors in return

      • DiscoJango on 06/06/2022 - 17:58
        -1

        when you and your neighbors build your dream home, spend a shit load on getting the landscaping done only to see it get destroyed by minimum wage moron posties, well see how much you would like it.

        But then again, minimum wage morons are just that, for that exact reason: they are not capable of thinking about the ramifications of what they are doing.

        • Slippage on 06/06/2022 - 18:15
          +2

          That’s a mighty big leap you’ve made there buddy.

          When I built my home (which while not my dream home, is certainly bordering the luxurious side and in a desirable neighborhood), I didn’t max out my credit to the point I couldn’t afford a bag of top soil every few months.

          Since working from home, I have started making an effort to get to know the delivery drivers to our place (aust post, amrac, toll, etc etc). My online buying habits (thanks oZb!) mean I get a delivery almost everyday. They are all great people and they look after me when it matters.

          Might also want to look into what they are paid these days, it might surprise you!

        • Euphemistic on 07/06/2022 - 15:57
          +1

          What a bunch of elitist garbage. Just because someone has a low paying job doesn’t make them morons or idiots. I’d guess that most posties actually have some level of care about their job. It’s an important role.

          I’d also guess that there are ramifications from cranky sods like you that think nothing of abusing someone in a service role and logging complaints about their precious lawn.

        • chris666 on 09/06/2022 - 15:26
          +2

          What a little baby crying over the nature strip that the council owns and not you.. I bet you don't even own your house the bank does

          • DiscoJango on 09/06/2022 - 17:56
            -2

            @chris666: front yard idiot, not nature strip.

            • chris666 on 09/06/2022 - 19:03
              +1

              @DiscoJango: Sure buddy bag of soil breaking the budget? Or the posties bringing you to many bills from the bank that's making you mad

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