Why are mailboxes in my town at the curb instead of at the front door?

Question

We live in suburbia, just 12 miles outside of downtown Los Angeles. The town to the east of us gets its mail delivered to the front door of the house, but our mail goes to boxes at the curb, often across the street. As a result, mail is often stolen here. Why can't we get ours at the house? Are we living with the heritage of once having been a "rural" community?

Answer 1

'Rural" has nothing to do with it. It's like that in Austin, too. And most other civilized places.

Answer 2

So that the letter carrier can put mail in them from his little jeep. That's why post office vehicles have the driver on the right, not the left.

Richard

Answer 3

probably so your mail carrier doesn't have to get out of the vehicle to deliver mail, making the delivery go faster.  If enough people in your community complain maybe they would change it.

Answer 4

An old designation as a "rural route" is completely valid, and CAN have to do with it.  Of course, prior rural areas are now malls and starbucks.  You should see some old pictures of what the SF Valley used to look like.  

Answer 5

Usually because there are no sidewalks on those streets