In message <000101c3b68a$4bf20480$0b00a8c0@PAARD>
          Wouter van Ooijen <wouter@VOTI.NL> wrote:

> When sending from the Netherlands there is a big difference in fee
> between parcels smaller than a defined size (supposed to fit in a
> mailbox) and larger parcels (supposed to be delivered by riging the bel=
l
> - twice IIRC). Is this distinction common?
In the UK, it's basically flat-fee. If the parcel won't fit through the
letterbox in the door (some houses have small boxes by the door instead o=
f
a letterbox mounted on the door), a British postal worker (I was going to=
 say
"postman", but I've been told that's non-PC) will usually knock on the do=
or,
wait a few seconds, knock again, then leave a "We tried to deliver ..." c=
ard.
Of course, if the delivery person is lazy/late, they often skip the "knoc=
k on
the door" step and just push the card through the door.
Of course, said cards are dreaded by many - you usually have to wait 24
hours, then go to your local sorting office (I honestly don't know how Ro=
yal
Mail define "local" - ours is 20 minutes away) to pick up the
parcel/packet/letter/whatever. Fun? Not by any stretch of the imagination=
.
Still, at least the postage costs are mostly flat-fee (of the kind "below=
 [x]
kg, cost is =A3xx.yy") with extra costs for stuff like Recorded Mail
(signed-for) and Special Delivery.

Later.
--=20
Phil.                              | Acorn Risc PC600 Mk3, SA202, 64MB, 6=
GB,
philpem@dsl.pipex.com              | ViewFinder, Ethernet (Acorn AEH62),
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/  | 8xCD, framegrabber, Teletext
... You may be a tech if you're entertained by a 6-pack and sparking HV.

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