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British Post Office don't help!
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Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Welcome to the wacky world of the Post Office! Personally, find no problems with London's postal areas. Just a teeny weeny sidenote: - I mentioned this several months ago... ...do you recall your response? Edit: Too busy falling off my chair to spell correctly :-) |
Dena Wiltsie Send message Joined: 19 Apr 01 Posts: 1628 Credit: 24,230,968 RAC: 26 |
Our Zip code system isn't much better and the only one who uses it is the postal service. Should we need one to mail something, we have Zip code maps or look it up online. If we need service, often we will be ask for a cross street - meaning the crossing of two major streets near our location. Phoenix's road system was constructed with a 1 square mile grid but as many streets are numbered instead of named, you can often have a cross street that's much closer. With an area as big as the Los Angles areas, you need to add the city into the mix because street names and addresses aren't consistence across city boundaries. Much of this is because the cities started small and separate but over the years, their boundaries grew together. |
Gary Charpentier Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 30648 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32 |
Our Zip code system isn't much better and the only one who uses it is the postal service. Should we need one to mail something, we have Zip code maps or look it up online. If we need service, often we will be ask for a cross street - meaning the crossing of two major streets near our location. Phoenix's road system was constructed with a 1 square mile grid but as many streets are numbered instead of named, you can often have a cross street that's much closer. Or in Los Angeles' case, many tiny cities got annexed as Loa Angeles had secured a water supply. Hills, rivers and other boundaries that aren't straight always toss curves in. Somewhere, no matter how you assign codes, they have to meet back up so there will be a big jump in numbering. |
John McLeod VII Send message Joined: 15 Jul 99 Posts: 24806 Credit: 790,712 RAC: 0 |
Actually, the first 2 digits of the zip code make some sense. First digit is a group of states that are all contiguous (with the exceptions of 0, and 9. These include some locations not on the continental USA. The second digit is allocated to a particular state (with the exception of a few states with really low populations that share the second digit and are distinguished in the third. The third digit is supposed to be a contiguous area as is the fourth. I have less data on these though. BOINC WIKI |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19059 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
None of it makes logical sense in the UK, even without government decreed boundary changes. There are places in one county with post codes and telephone codes of the county next door. So that parts of Gtr Manchester are in Lancashire, and parts of Cheshire are in Gtr Manchester. And parts of East Sussex are in Kent and BT will send you bills etc addressed to Kent, also they refuse to change it. So I've told them I don't live in Kent so this bill isn't for me and I'm not paying it. Plus they spelt my name wrong, again, uneducated heathens. Telephone codes are supposedly alphabetical, so how come 01253 - Blackpool 01254 - Blackburn |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
Or in Los Angeles' case, many tiny cities got annexed as Loa Angeles had secured a water supply. Hills, rivers and other boundaries that aren't straight always toss curves in. Somewhere, no matter how you assign codes, they have to meet back up so there will be a big jump in numbering. Chicago once had a similar problem. As smaller towns were annexed, the city came to have multiples of any number of street names. So, a hundred and I-don't-know-how-many years ago, they hired a guy to fix it. He sat down with a map of the city and changed names all over the place so there were no multiples. The city council was so impressed, they only made one change: they named a street for him. I wish I could remember his name. As some people know, before Zip Codes, large American cities had postal codes. An address might be 1234 Something St., Chicago 21, Illinois; or 5678 Other Ave., New York 38, New York. When Zips came along, these codes were adopted and just had appropriate prefixes added. So that same address in Chicago is now 60621. Here in the Chicago suburbs, all towns south of a line (probably Chicago's 0 North/South line, Madison St.) are 605xx and north of it are 601xx. Naperville was 60540 for about 20 years. Then they decided it needed more, but the consecutive numbers were already assigned. So, the rest of the city is now 60563-60567. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
None of it makes logical sense in the UK, even without government decreed boundary changes. There are places in one county with post codes and telephone codes of the county next door. So that parts of Gtr Manchester are in Lancashire, and parts of Cheshire are in Gtr Manchester. And parts of East Sussex are in Kent and BT will send you bills etc addressed to Kent, also they refuse to change it. So I've told them I don't live in Kent so this bill isn't for me and I'm not paying it. Plus they spelt my name wrong, again, uneducated heathens. Seems to me I read somewhere that British county lines are periodically moved. Perhaps the postal and phone codes align with the old county lines? As for Blackburn and Blackpool, perhaps they were assigned by someone with poor spelling skills? (Kind of like the entry for Earth coming under the one for Eccentrica Gallumbits...) David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19059 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
Seems to me I read somewhere that British county lines are periodically moved. Perhaps the postal and phone codes align with the old county lines? The Sussex/Kent border hasn't changed in the last 50 years. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
Seems to me I read somewhere that British county lines are periodically moved. Perhaps the postal and phone codes align with the old county lines? When were the phone codes set up? David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19059 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
Seems to me I read somewhere that British county lines are periodically moved. Perhaps the postal and phone codes align with the old county lines? started late 1960's I think, but not finished until 1980's. But I remember calling my Sussex grandparents in the early 70's and it was still manual connection to their village extn 19. |
Donald L. Johnson Send message Joined: 5 Aug 02 Posts: 8240 Credit: 14,654,533 RAC: 20 |
Actually, the first 2 digits of the zip code make some sense. As I recall, (anybody want to hunt down the wiki?) The 1st digit is, as John M says, a Regional code. The 2nd and 3rd digits identified a major Postal Distribution Center within that region, and the last 2 identified a City or Post Office within that City, served by tha Distribution Center. City codes were usually assigned alphabetically. My Zip Code is 93291 (originally 93277, but the city grew). 9 = West Coast Region, California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii & Pacific Islands. 32 = Bakersfield, California Distribution Center (now closed, my mail comes out of Santa Clarita CA.) 91 = Visalia downtown Post Office, serving the area north of SR-198 and west of Santa Fe Avenue. Post Office boxes sometimes have their own zip codes, separate from the Post Office that houses them. Ex: P.O. Boxes at the Downtown Visalia Post Office (the original 93277, now 93291) have Zip Codes 93278. P.O. Boxes at the new Main Post Office (current 93277) are 93279. Only a government efficiency project... Donald Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
The best political rant seen from you to date. So what is the problem? People know how to contact you & know where you live so regardless of what number or postcode you have, they call or arrive... ...job done! |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19059 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
The best political rant seen from you to date. So what is the problem? But sometimes they don't. I was supposed to get a large item delivery one day, between 13:00 and 17:00, a couple of months ago. When it didn't get here I phoned the company and they said it was on the truck and thought it should have been delivered well before 19:00. Luckily they managed to contact the driver, who's excuse was "He got to the sign saying he was entering Sussex, and knowing the address post and telephone codes were for a Kent town, thought he was going in the wrong direction" The delivery got to me about 20:30, with a driver who didn't have enough hours left to return home. Why he didn't call me I will never know. |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Why he didn't call me I will never know. Very good point. That's not yours or the company's fault but the driver's. As for running out of driving time, again down to the driver. Before the days of mobile phones, we had to carry a supply of 10p pieces. Any problems call the depot or the customer[Ah they were the good old days)... ...again, job done! |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Historically, Sussex was the home of the South Saxons, as Essex was to the East Saxons, and Wessex was to the West Saxons, and Middlesex was to the Middle Saxons. The North Saxons lived in Nosex which is why they died out. Good one! |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19059 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
East Sussex from Kent, Seven Oaks area, if I remember correctly. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
Over here, at least in Illinois (the states do have some say over this), as demand for new numbers increased, the phone company(ies) first divided the area codes. The whole Chicago area had been 312. They changed the suburbs to 708. Then they divided 708 into 708, 630, and 847, and 312 was divided such that it was for a small area downtown, plus City of Chicago lines all over the city (the city already had two whole 3-digit exchanges to itself) and the rest became 773. Yes, businesses had to reprint every time (where I work, they gave us business cards with no area code at all just as the overlays rolled out). This still wasn't enough, so the companies proposed overlay area codes. Somebody (probably the new startup phone companies that would be assigned these numbers) protested because no one would want them because then <GASP> people would have to dial 1-ten-digits to call next door if it was a different area code. The solution they came up with? EVERYONE has to dial 1-ten-digits, even to call a number in the same area code. "Fairness." (At this point, I don't know why we still have to start with the 1, but we do, at least on landlines. I never use the 1 on my cell. I suppose maybe as they run short of numbers again, they'll start using a 2 instead of the 1.) Anyway, all of the areas now have overlays; I think 847 may have two of them. Meanwhile, the belt around the traditional 312, 815, has not changed at all that I know of. Lower population, I guess. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
(the city already had two whole 3-digit exchanges to itself) I'm not a complete expert on the history, but as I understand it, in the early days exchanges had 2 letters and a number, and then the line had 4 more numbers. I'm also given to understand that someone very early on decided that the best way to make international calling simple was to sell American equipment to other countries (also a good way to make money, I suppose: sell them the first bunch cheap and they keep coming back for more). Here in Naperville, there were 2 exchanges, ELmwood 5 and ELmwood 7. Because Bell Labs had a major presence in town, we were actually fairly late in getting direct dialing, but then we got a very early ESS when we needed a 3rd exchange. I think the ESS was in a separate building. Then when more exchanges were added, they were all in that same ESS. Somewhere around the time the original AT&T was split up, I think, the original 355 and 357 were transferred over to whatever computer system came after the ESS. Now we have number portability between land lines and mobiles, so the EL5 number assigned to my parents after they married in 1962 now rings on my cell. Seems to me I heard of places in Africa doing just that, more or less. Well, the plan I heard some years ago was to skip land lines altogether and just give everyone a mobile. I should quit here; I'm falling asleep. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
Additional: An organization with a Centrex can dial from one internal line to another with just the 4 digits. City of Chicago, having overflowed a 10,000 number exchange, has/had a Centrex with 5 digit dialling. Since my employer went to IP phones, the external prefix doesn't have to be the same for every line in our system. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Captain's log - supplemental First Officers Log - Addendum Should have remained the GPO! Addendum - End |
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