Beware of Balikbayan Boxes

[IainBusby]

We just had a JUMBO balikbayan box collected over the weekend. The box had been carefully packed by my wife over two months or so with all the usual stuff, clothes, shoes, handbags, canned goods and chocolate etc. Unfortunately the only place in the house we could keep it where it wouldn't be in the way was upstairs in the little box bedroom and I was given instructions to get it downstairs ready for collection while the wife was out on Friday afternoon.

I managed to get it to the top of the stairs by swivelling it from side to side which wasn't to difficult on the carpet surface. Then, again with a side to side sliding motion, I slowly manoeuvred it over the edge of the top stair and onto the first stair which seemed to go quite well.

My intention then was to slide it further until it was across the points of the stairs and then do a very slow controlled slide down to the bottom of the stairs. But almost as soon as I got it across the points of the stairs, I realised very quickly that I was on a loser, because it wasn't a matter of strength, it was my weight against the superior weight of the box and the forces of gravity and the superior weight of the box and the forces of gravity, I'm afraid to say, won the day.

I found myself trying to run backwards down the stairs whilst still pushing against the force of the box bearing down on me. I think I might have managed two or three backward steps before I lost my footing and fell backwards down the stairs with the box pursuing me.

I finally ended up in heap at the bottom of the stairs, with the wind knocked out of me and with the box crushing me against the front door. My step-daughter was by then at the top of the stairs screaming her head off and afraid to come down because I think she assumed I was dead.

I eventually got my breath back and managed to reassure her. Then I managed to push with my back against the front door and ease the box away from me. I struggled to sit up a bit and then waited a while before finally attempting to stand up, all the while trying to sense where, if anywhere, I had injured myself. To my amazement, apart from a few grazes to my elbows and one knee, I seemed to be OK and was soon, almost back to normal.

I wonder if the folks back home in Philippines know how much these balikbayan boxes really cost us to send.

Iain.

[GaryFifer]

Good job you did not have the kitchen sink in it. Keep your packages light and small.

If it's sent by ship then it's a cargo, if it's sent by road then it's a shipment.

[Northerner]

Wow, you came away lucky I guess.. Hope next year you store the box somewhere downstairs!

[LadyJ]

Hi Ian, glad to hear you're OK.

[IainBusby]

Wow, you came away lucky I guess.. Hope next year you store the box somewhere downstairs!

Next Year! No chance, I told the wife we won't be doing that again for another three years...... at least.

[IainBusby]

Hi Ian, glad to hear you're OK.

Thanks Lady. Oh I forgot to mention, just to calm all of the Filipina's who were really worried, the box was undamaged.

[Northerner]

Next Year! No chance, I told the wife we won't be doing that again for another three years...... at least.

Send vouchers.... If you can get any

[eleazebonares]

Thanks Lady. Oh I forgot to mention, just to calm all of the Filipina's who were really worried, the box was undamaged.

hahaha..im so sorry,i was laughing.. Good thing the box didnt hurt u.

[Ji&Ma]

Ohhh my
Looks like these really are mean those boxes
Sorry but we didn't helped it but laughed in here when we imagined that JUMBO box chasing you down the stairs.
Glad you are alright and survived that OK

[pumpkins]

sorry po..

[Tawi2]

Thanks Lady. Oh I forgot to mention, just to calm all of the Filipina's who were really worried, the box was undamaged.

Shouldnt laugh really,but I liked your reassurance that the box was undamaged Could have been a lot worse,material possessions can be replaced though,it would be a whole different ball game to replace a knee,dont take the risk in future,just deliver the goods in person as a christmas surprise/holiday.

[IainBusby]

Shouldnt laugh really,but I liked your reassurance that the box was undamaged Could have been a lot worse,material possessions can be replaced though,it would be a whole different ball game to replace a knee,dont take the risk in future,just deliver the goods in person as a christmas surprise/holiday.

You tell that to my wife, she might decide it would be easier to replace the husband.

[aposhark]

.....I wonder if the folks back home in Philippines know how much these balikbayan boxes really cost us to send.

Iain.

Did you read this before, Iain?

"I am writing in response to your request for additional information for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I put 'poor planning' as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully and I trust the following detail will be sufficient.

I am an amateur radio operator and on the day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my new 80 foot tower. When I had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry the now un-needed tools and material down by hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small barrel by using a pulley, which was fortunately attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the 300 pounds of tools.
You will note in block number 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh only 155 pounds. Due to my surprise of being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope.
Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming down.
This explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.
Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold onto the rope in spite of my pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed approx. 20 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 11.
As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower.
In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and, fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope..."

[Leo]

about being up the tower I can tell you there is an Irishsong about the same problem called Murphy and the Bricks

[IainBusby]

Did you read this before, Iain?

"I am writing in response to your request for additional information for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I put 'poor planning' as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully and I trust the following detail will be sufficient.

I am an amateur radio operator and on the day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my new 80 foot tower. When I had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry the now un-needed tools and material down by hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small barrel by using a pulley, which was fortunately attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the 300 pounds of tools.
You will note in block number 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh only 155 pounds. Due to my surprise of being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope.
Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming down.
This explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.
Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold onto the rope in spite of my pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed approx. 20 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 11.
As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower.
In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and, fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope..."

about being up the tower I can tell you there is an Irishsong about the same problem called Murphy and the Bricks

Yea I've heard the song about Murphy and the bricks. seems rather apt....

[Mrs Daddy]

One way or another I know that it would happened that`s why when we had them We thought of stroring it downstairs so that no one would get injured.

[maria_and_matt]

One way or another I know that it would happened that`s why when we had them We thought of stroring it downstairs so that no one would get injured.

same here, we knew how heavy the box would be when its full so, it made more sense to put it downstairs.. lucky u didnt get hurt bad...

[aromulus]

When we sent our balikbayan box, early this year, it was collected from the first floor.....

None of this sheenanigins having to bring it down stairs...

We paid for the thing to be "collected" from the premises, and not from near enough the front garden.

So two pinoys got their act together and by pushing, lifting and shoving got the monstrosity into the van.

Happy days............

[darren-b]

When we sent our balikbayan box, early this year, it was collected from the first floor.....

None of this sheenanigins having to bring it down stairs...

We paid for the thing to be "collected" from the premises, and not from near enough the front garden.

So two pinoys got their act together and by pushing, lifting and shoving got the monstrosity into the van.

Happy days............

You're lucky as a lot of companies don't work on that basis (probably scared of damaging internal furnishings/decorations). Plus the many times we've had boxes collected it's only been a single guy - the first time the company actually got DHL to pick it up.

I prefer to make it easy to collect as I don't want to take the risk that they say they are not going to move it downstairs and possibly leave us stuck with the box until we can arrange someone else to collect it.

[Mrs Daddy]

Do customs tend to open it as well when it reach the PI as mine was open and my parents can tell as well...