Beheaded Mailbox: Plow or Snow?

Has your mailbox been beheaded? Plowed down? Who is to blame? 

We spoke with the Ridgefield Highway Department about winter mailbox trauma. "It really is a case by case situation - sort of like mailbox triage," said a Ridgefield Town Highway employee.  

Here's the protocol for mailbox trauma:

1. Examine your box and pole. Does it look as if significant snow build up caused the damage (or death)?

2. Is your mailbox quite old (has the pole rotted?)

"They do wear out and rot  in which case if anything touches it, it will go," the Highway Department explains. 

3. If you do believe a plow has knocked your pole out of the ground or beheaded your box, you can call the Town Highway Department Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at (203) 431-2748. 

"Our foreman will come to your home to examine your mailbox," said the Town of Highway Department. And how can they tell if your box has been victim of a plow?

"They can tell, trust me. They have seen many mailboxes and it's pretty obvious when a truck hits it."

What you should know: If the foreman has determined that your box has been plowed down (literally) the Town of Ridgefield will replace you mailbox with a basic box (no frills). But, it may take some time: "If the pole needs replacing, they may need to wait until the ground thaws a bit to get the pole in the ground," explained the Highway Department."