What makes the FSU so interesting?

[ML]

I don't understand why that put you in a state of panic. ???

Because I thought that, after viewing, she might expect a compliment or something; and I might not be up to it.

[LAman]

Because I thought that, after viewing, she might expect a compliment or something; and I might not be up to it.

Or was it because of the time it takes for the ED pills  to take full effect? 

[mendeleyev]

Normally on a Metro train, you hear this: Осторожно, двери закрываются!





That is comforting sound to know that passengers are warned, "Caution, the doors are closing." As everyone knows, there is a fail safe feature that the wagons cannot move if the doors are open, right? Right? That is the theory at least but as these passengers in Saint Petersburg discovered, maybe that fail safe isn't so safe after all!





But that sort of mistake can only happen on the Metro, right? It would never happen on a regular train, surely.





Open doors while dangerous would be nothing if there was a large malfunction on the Metro. Released earlier this year, the film "Metro" depicts a scenario in which construction on streets above the Metro causes a leak that allows the river that runs above parts of the Metro system to plunge into the Metro system.

As you can imagine the movie has been a box office hit in Russia as the Moscow Metro carries over two Billion passengers annually, second busiest in the world only to the Tokyo Metro system. Russians worry that such could happen and it already did on a smaller scale in 2006.


Enjoy the full length movie:

[ghost of moon goddess]

Normally on a Metro train, you hear this: Осторожно, двери закрываются!
...

In 1980, during the Olympic games Moscow Metro passengers could hear announcements in 3 languages: Russian, English and French. At the time English speaking passengers were warned  "Mind the doors". As far as I know Moscow Metro stopped announcing in English and French shortly after the Olympics left the city.

Meanwhile, on a Kyiv's Metro train you can still hear announcements of stations in two languages — Ukrainian and English. And of course: caution, the doors are closing ! 
As a reminder, "American announcer"  was introduced to Kyiv metro passengers on the eve of the Euro 2012.

[mendeleyev]

Although often maligned, there is no doubt that the Russian Postal Service has made tremendous strides in recent years to modernize systems and improve service.



For many Russian citizens, the Postal system today often looks like the frequently circulated joke that if one wishes to see what Soviet customer service was like, visit a post office.

Even critics admit that perhaps the crowning accomplishment of the Russian Post was the delivery of some 70 million parcels per month under dangerous conditions to Soviet army units during  the Great Patriotic War (World War II). They just wish it worked as efficiently and with the same sense of urgency today.

Postal authorities point to improvements and say that in reality the system is getting better.



According to the Moscow Times, Russian Post has 42,000 post offices, 380,000 employees, 52 million parcels, and processes 1.5 billion letters annually. Meanwhile, the company received 27,000 complaints, 15,000 burned letters, and 7.5 million rubles of fines in the last six months.

In a report from January of this year, Russia Behind the Headlines wrote that the average delivery time for a package from the UK to Russia is two months. As to frequent delays, many of those are the fault of Customs as the Postal Service simply must wait until each incoming package has been inspected.

There are even delivery games created to play "Postal Express."





Those critical of the service point to a shortage of employees and low pay thereby contributing to a "why should I care?" attitude among mail handlers and those who make deliveries.

Disgruntled customers went so far as to create a website detailing problems at the service, http://anti-russianpost.ru. That website appears to have been closed but not to worry, there are plenty of ways to hate on social sites such as Facebook (I Hate Russian Post) and vkontake.

If things like low wages and disregard for customer service weren't bad enough, how is your package treated en route? An online video has "gone viral" as the expression goes when passengers on a train filmed this scene of postal packages being tossed from a train wagon onto the concrete platform in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.

!

Postal authorities are currently investigating the Novosibirsk train incident. In April of this year then-Chief Executive Alexander Kiselyov of the Russia Post was fired after several scandals surfaced. It remains to be seen what impact the Novosibirsk matter will have on current director Dmitry Strashnov. Russia has seen five different Postal Service Chief Executives since 2007.



Need to track a package online? Here is a tracking tool for the Russian Postal Service.

[OlgaH]

April 9, 2013
Customs officials of Moscow region can not keep up with the mails. 500 tonnes of mailed packages got stuck at the Russian border, most of the packaged since New Year and Christmas time. Europeans complain they lose money and clients.

http://radiovesti.ru/article/show/article_id/88613

April 15, 2013
Finally Russian Post decided to increase their staff up to 30% in two days.

http://sibdepo.ru/news/89207-rossiyskaya-pochta-boretsya-s-kollapsom-bolshimi-bukvami.html

Khabarovsk Post November 2012. Lack of staff to sort the mails.








A stone instead of phone

[mendeleyev]

Olga, years ago I used to wonder why Russians seemed so obsessed as to how packages were wrapped at the Post Office. It seemed that they'd wrap a package in tape over and over again. I remember thinking that such extremes were a waste of wrapping tape. Today I understand: thieves go for the easiest mark and a heavily wrapped package takes effort and time to open. Hopefully they'd leave your package alone and go find an easier one to plunder.

Now if the customs form reveals the contents worth the effort, then no manner of taping will matter.

[ML]

Now if the customs form reveals the contents worth the effort, then no manner of taping will matter.

Not postal; but rather airline luggage.

I was with a RW on vacation in Cyprus.  She told me how she had bought a new suitcase and with great effort [using nail files, phillips screwdrivers, etc.] had enlarged the holes on the zipper ends to accommodate a sturdy padlock.

I told her it was a waste of time, effort and money to put on any lock because someone in baggage would simply use bolt cutters to snip off her lock.  She poo pooed me and said everything had arrived OK in Cyprus.

But, upon her return to Russia . . . she sadly admitted to me that I was right.

[OlgaH]

Now if the customs form reveals the contents worth the effort, then no manner of taping will matter.

Problem is that the content of many mails from abroad disappears right at the Custom center during the sorting. The whole packages disappear there as well without a trace.

A man ordered the watch from the US as a present for his girlfriend, when he came to the Post office they gave him an empty ripped box with a paper from the Custom center stated that the box was empty.

[ML]

Or was it because of the time it takes for the ED pills  to take full effect? 

Perhaps.       That was included in my subtle 'might not be up to it.'

[mendeleyev]

Not postal; but rather airline luggage.

When first moving to Russia I used several trips back and forth from my company's California production centre to bring things to Moscow. On one trip I had about 6 way oversized suitcases and to mark each with additional identification I placed some red tape around each handle. Easy to recognize.

After making my way thru passport control I headed into the old SVO luggage area which at that time was a dimly lit basement. I grabbed a cart and set off amongst the belts to find my cases. There was a large Chinese family with lots of luggage and I noticed a couple of my bags on their cart. They spoke neither English or Russian and I spoke no Chinese. So, I pointed to the red tape and took 2 bags from their cart and loaded them onto mine.

Soon I spotted one of my bags on the line so went to retrieve it. When I returned to my cart, the first 2 bags had been removed and were back on the Chinese cart. I walked over and took them back to my cart. They had a lot of bags which surprised me as Asians usually travel light. I had a lot of bags which was surprising to nobody as Americans don't travel light, plus I was moving. Perhaps they were moving too.

Well we played that game of taking bags back and forth and after awhile the Chinese lady and her husband were yelling at me and having become tired and frustrated, I returned the favour. I told the husband that he should have been the one to wrap RED tape on his luggage but I'd beat him to it. A fine diplomatic scene, I'm sure. Had YouTube been around then we'd have gone viral instantly.

We were the last two parties collecting luggage from that flight. My cases were so large that a second cart was necessary. Being a large family they had a boatload of carts. Our little experience however turned out to have a least one advantage--the customs crews were tired after dealing with all the other passengers. I was tired too and decided to take a gamble and wheel my carts thru the green line, and if you've ever tried to maneuver two of those carts at the same time it is no easy task.

What the heck. I made it thru unchallenged as the customs officials were seated and not interested in inspecting any more bags. Unsure of what to do, the Chinese family hesitated at first and then followed me with their boatload of bags. They also sailed thru without a challenge.

[Ooooops]

... as Asians usually travel light. ...

On contrary - Asians always check-in tons cardboard boxes with stuff and most of Asian airports have special suitcase/box wrapping machines available (it protects luggage from theft and damage).   

[Vasilisa]

Olga, years ago I used to wonder why Russians seemed so obsessed as to how packages were wrapped at the Post Office. It seemed that they'd wrap a package in tape over and over again. I remember thinking that such extremes were a waste of wrapping tape. Today I understand: thieves go for the easiest mark and a heavily wrapped package takes effort and time to open. Hopefully they'd leave your package alone and go find an easier one to plunder.

Now if the customs form reveals the contents worth the effort, then no manner of taping will matter.

Actually most recent problems of the postal crisis in Russia are connected with the rising level  of online purchases system, Russian people started buying stuff online more often and the whole  old system failed. I think it was either April or May this year when all that information was in the news and the head of Почта России was fired. Hopefully the new one will find a solution.

Not a video but my personal experience with luggage. On my way back  to Russia a couple of months ago I had 3 bags/checked luggage and a smallER carry-on bag with expensive equipment and  a bunch of important documents  in it. But even the smaller bag had wheels and looked big enough, so they  made me check the small bag before entering the plane, too, so I had to reorganize my stuff very fast, so  I only took the documents and a reader out of the carry on and put them in the purse.
After hearing all those :"OMG, all expensive stuff are gonna be stolen in Russia" stories I realized there was no way for me to lock the bag at that moment and protect my stuff, so I checked it the way it was, right before entering the plane, no locks, no wraps, nothing and said good bye to the laptop,  and the heavy video equipment, as soon as the plane took off I remembered I'd left my small bag with expensive jewellery in the side pocket of the video bag.

I didn't lose anything. It all came the way it had been packed,  nothing was missing, not even my expensive wedding ear-rings in the side pocket.

I guess good people get good service even in Russia

[Vasilisa]

Problem is that the content of many mails from abroad disappears right at the Custom center during the sorting. The whole packages disappear there as well without a trace.

A man ordered the watch from the US as a present for his girlfriend, when he came to the Post office they gave him an empty ripped box with a paper from the Custom center stated that the box was empty.

That's interesting. So what is your opinion of the postal service connected with  the mail order brides delivery? Do you think the brides are delivered  fresh or expired with some parts missing, or dissapear without a trace?

[Anotherkiwi]

That's interesting. So what is your opinion of the postal service connected with  the mail order brides delivery? Do you think the brides are delivered  fresh or expired with some parts missing, or dissapear without a trace?

I thought there was no trouble getting stuff out of Russia!

[Vasilisa]

I thought there was no trouble getting stuff out of Russia!

You are wrong, there can be valuables or antique stuff, the customs may give you really hard time and of course the service is slow both ways.

[Anotherkiwi]

You are wrong, there can be valuables or antique stuff, the customs may give you really hard time and of course the service is slow both ways.

One would hope that the average mail-order bride, although extremely valuable, is not an "antique."  And one certainly trusts that she will exit Customs, and won't have parts missing or damaged. 

[Ooooops]

One would hope that the average mail-order bride, although extremely valuable, is not an "antique." 

Depends on her DOB:


"Objects of cultural significance


This broad category refers to any item that is of unique importance culturally, artistically, scientifically, or historically. It includes anything manufactured over 50 years ago... "

[OlgaH]

On contrary - Asians always check-in tons cardboard boxes with stuff and most of Asian airports have special suitcase/box wrapping machines available (it protects luggage from theft and damage).   

we have such machines in Russia for service quality improvement as Abakan airport advertizes "it protects from theft..."

  http://www.sib-info.ru/content/5599/15684/15686/15703.html

[Anotherkiwi]

we have such machines in Russia for service quality improvement as Abakan airport advertizes "it protects from theft..."

  http://www.sib-info.ru/content/5599/15684/15686/15703.html

The only times I've ever seen these have been in Russia (first at Sheremetyevo).  I wondered what on earth everyone was doing when all I had on my suitcase was a tiny combination lock (which is still all I use).  My case got safely to its destination - I imagine all the wrapped ones did too.

[Faux Pas]

The only times I've ever seen these have been in Russia (first at Sheremetyevo).  I wondered what on earth everyone was doing when all I had on my suitcase was a tiny combination lock (which is still all I use).  My case got safely to its destination - I imagine all the wrapped ones did too.

My first time seeing the stretch wrap machines too was on my first trip to Russia. I scoffed at the notion of doing so. On my second trip over a handle had been torn off of a new piece of luggage and on the way back a front pocket ripped to the point that the new (and expensive) bag was useless. Both happened between Moscow and Siberia. Nothing was ever stolen. I learned my lesson. I stretch wrap everything now 

[SANDRO43]

The only times I've ever seen these have been in Russia (first at Sheremetyevo).  I wondered what on earth everyone was doing when all I had on my suitcase was a tiny combination lock (which is still all I use).  My case got safely to its destination - I imagine all the wrapped ones did too.

They are available in most European airports, too. Apart from making thefts harder, wrapping also protects luggage from rough handling and consequent damage .

[ML]

Sort of strange that this wrapping works . . . in some situations.

For instance:  Leaving Russia (or another country) carrying some of the antiques that have been discussed here.  The wrapping machines are before customs control when leaving the country.  So why do the authorities let wrapped baggage through without searching for antiques?  This should be the ideal way to smuggle items out of the country.

Also, for example:  Flying from USA with a stop in Moscow before heading on to Siberia.  Customs control happens at your first stop in a country.  Do Russian customs Moscow just let through un-inspected those bags that are wrapped?  If yes, wouldn't this be the way to go for smugglers, etc.?

[OlgaH]

Sort of strange that this wrapping works . . . in some situations.

For instance:  Leaving Russia (or another country) carrying some of the antiques that have been discussed here.  The wrapping machines are before customs control when leaving the country. 

and that's why the wrapping is not allowed before the search.  if you did wrap they will ask you to take the wrap off.

[Boethius]

Sort of strange that this wrapping works . . . in some situations.

For instance:  Leaving Russia (or another country) carrying some of the antiques that have been discussed here.  The wrapping machines are before customs control when leaving the country.  So why do the authorities let wrapped baggage through without searching for antiques?  This should be the ideal way to smuggle items out of the country.

Also, for example:  Flying from USA with a stop in Moscow before heading on to Siberia.  Customs control happens at your first stop in a country.  Do Russian customs Moscow just let through un-inspected those bags that are wrapped?  If yes, wouldn't this be the way to go for smugglers, etc.?

Every piece of luggage, I assume, as in the US, is Xray inspected.