Paper rounds

[steveindenmark]

When I was a lad I had a couple of paper rounds. They were of about 5 miles each. For a couple of years I did them on foot, carrying the papers in an old pram. Then I saved up for a bike and trailer and then a moped.

My parents insisted that I delivered the papers, regardless of the weather. It was a reponsibility I had taken on and had to fulfill. It was a good lesson that I have carried through life.

But I now often see parents driving their children to deliver papers. My first thought is how can it be financially viable. But my over riding thought is what are the parents teaching their children about taking responsibility?

Just a thought.

 

[Old jon]

Aye, paper rounds. Brass!! That being Yorkshire for money. That was also all the encouragement I needed. As for driving around, not where I lived. Out of sixty or so houses on the street I cannot recall more than a handful, four or five, cars and one outfit. A few small motorbikes maybe.

Not sure if present day parents are helping too much, I suspect this may have been the subject of debate since language developed . . .

 

[pjd57]

I had one for 4 years. 12-16 .
It was for a local shop so I didn't collect the money....less tips.

Carried a heavy bag of papers 6 mornings a week.
Lighter load for the evening papers.

I still live nearby and cycle most of my run most days.

 

[numbnuts]

I did an evening round of around 4 miles carrying 65 papers each night 6 days a week

 

[Levo-Lon]

I used to deliver the free paper..
We don't seem to have them now.
All weather..

Most paper delivery people seem to be my age lol,kids do still do it but it's a bloody rare sight ..

 

[EltonFrog]

Yep, had two one in the morning and one in the evening delivering the Evening Mail in Chertsey.

 

[rugby bloke]

Modern parents, we are all bloody useless aren't we ... In my defense all 3 of my kids had paper rounds and were never assisted by me.

 

[Dirk]

Used to do a morning and evening round and a double Sunday round, from the age of 12 to 14. Out in all weathers and no parental assistance.
I then got a job in a local greengrocers that paid half as much again.

 

[Slioch]

Used to my round in all weathers whatever it was. Didn't have any of that new-fangled goretex or other modern rubbish they have these days. Used to wear one of those old style "parka" jackets with the fur lined snorkel hood, and a bobble hat and gloves that my gran knitted for me.

Modern youth don't know they're born........mumble........mumble.........grumble.........

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Same here, driving your kids round a paper round. It is a sad indictment of car culture. Walk or ride back round paper round. It is not hard in this weather and we had a lot more snowy winters in 70's and 80's.

 

[Oldbloke]

Did a paper round all week, all weathers from 13-16, plus supermarket deliveries on an ancient bike then loading coal onto lorries in winter at my mate's Dad's yard.

Big shock when I had to start work on leaving school & getting paid less!

 

[Milkfloat]

I used to get a lift by car on my paper route. I had a rural round and whilst I was going from one village to another the shop owner who was driving to the really far villages would drive up alongside me on my bike, wind his window down and let me grab onto the windows sill. I took pride in always delivering, I made my way to work after the great Storm of '87 in Kent and was disappointed to find no papers there for me just a tree through the roof of the newsagent.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Paper rounds these days, with exceptions, are a joke. Before the days of social media, I signed up to get weekend papers for a month in the village I moved to. I received 1 week out of 4. When I complained to the local shop, I was told, ‘Well you can’t blame the delivery girl really, it is far for her to walk and besides her dad’s car has broken down.’

I lived three quarters of a kilometre from the village centre/shop.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Seeing the amount of giant SUVs blocking all the roads around Penistone Grammar this morning I'm not surprised they get ferried to everything else.
All have to be delivered to inches from the door. Totally ridiculous.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Paper rounds these days, with exceptions, are a joke. Before the days of social media, I signed up to get weekend papers for a month in the village I moved to. I received 1 week out of 4. When I complained to the local shop, I was told, ‘Well you can’t blame the delivery girl really, it is far for her to walk and besides her dad’s car has broken down.’

I lived three quarters of a kilometre from the village centre/shop.

You jest 3/4km too far to walk! WTF