changes

By alice | February 23, 2007

I live in a very small street with only eight houses, but delivery vans come down here at least twice a day. Fed Ex and that other company. People have a lot of parcels delivered by not the Post Office these days. The internet brings us gifts every day.

They bash on the door a few times, then put the parcel down and walk off. One time, a delivery man hid the parcel under our doormat. I guess he thought it was more valuable-looking than usual (true- it was Lego/s). Nobody expects parcels to be stolen from doorsteps. Everywhere I’ve lived in England, that would be insane. I never minded about crime when I lived in the UK, but that was before experiencing life in a place that feels this safe. It’s wonderful.

What would a world without America be like?

7 Comments »

7 Responses to “changes”

Tatyana Says:
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:30 pm

My living in MidWest sister has this annoying habit of leaving her garage door fully open when she leaves the house. Naturally, the thin wooden door leading from inside of the garage to the kitchen has only lever lockset, no actual lock.
No stranger ever entered her house.

Rhea Says:
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:44 pm

I live in a part of Boston that is kinda urban. I can’t stand being so vigilant all the time about things like packages left on the front porch, etc. This never used to bother me, but now I don’t like living like this.

alice Says:
February 25th, 2007 at 5:29 pm

I guess getting older means you tire of the boring continuous extra work involved in being vigilant all the time. The young might see that as being all worn out, but maybe the young just have lower standards. Both, probably.

Theocritus Says:
February 25th, 2007 at 7:06 pm

Alice, your tribute literally brought a tear to my eye, and I am not, for once, being sarcastic. It is a commonplace to see people screaming and howling about how evil we are and accusing of us everything. It’s almost like being blamed for bad hair days.

What I find particularly irritating is hearing it from people who are throwing a tantrum–just because they can. We’ve all seen the sickly child who becomes a schoolyard tyrant, sure that his weakness protects him from revenge. I don’t recall seeing massive demonstrations, endless ones over silly things, about the Great Soviet Satan, because they knew they couldn’t get away with it.

I console myself that the venom directed against us is delivered secure in the knowledge that we will not strike back, being too good for that. One I was immerded with someone who tried to use my similar restraint against me, and eventually there was a day of reckoning. But then I’m not as good as America.

Samizdata.net Says:
February 26th, 2007 at 7:16 am

Alice Bachini-Smith and Stephen Davies on the remoralisation of society

Everything I have heard and read tells me that this kind of thing used to be true in Britain. I live in a very small street with only eight houses, but delivery vans come down here at least twice a day. Fed Ex and that other company. People have a lot …

Katie Says:
February 26th, 2007 at 11:32 am

For years and years we never locked our doors, front or car, and neighborhood children and friends wandered in and out with just rapping on the screen and calling out…”can Jim come out to play?” or “got any coffee?” Now, we feel we must call before visiting, and all doors are locked, and the police get on the TV now and then to remind us to lock our cars and hold our purses close….sad.

Phil A Says:
February 28th, 2007 at 2:44 am

It is still true in some places in England. I guess it depends on the neighbourhood.

When we have stuff delivered (sometimes by the post office, sometimes by a courier), it is usually either left on the porch, or with one of the neighbours.

Without wishing to tempt fate, to date, we have never had anything go missing. We live in a village about 30 miles from London.