US and 5-digit zip code bigotry

[Almo]

I am so tired of the difficulties I have changing my address for US firms. I'm trying to update my address with the Fed Student Loan program, and it won't take my zip code, which has 6 digits since I now live in Canada.

The instructions are:

If your mailing address is in Canada, Mexico, a U.S. territory or a military installation, select one of the following options in response to the state question:

* American Samoa
* Canada
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Guam
* Marshall Islands
* Mexico
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Palau
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* Military

For all other addresses outside the United States:

* Enter the name of your city and country in the space for city (abbreviations are fine, but be as clear as possible).
* Choose Foreign Country for your answer to the State question.
* Type 00000 in the space for ZIP code.


Ok, so I can pick Canada (even Québec is in the list). But that doesn't help with the zip code; the system insists it must be 5-digits. There's not enough room in the city slot for it, either.

:mad:

I expect that if I select another country that the page should refresh with a version that allows more than 5 digits. I've seen that on other sites.

[paximperium]

I blame Canada.
Stupid 6 digit system. Who needs 6 digits anyway?...so much numbers...

[quixotecoyote]

Canada's Really Big

[paximperium]

Canada's Really Big

True...they do need a whole lot of zip codes for Greenland.

[Giggywig]

Aren't there like 27 Canadians anyways? Why not just assign each their individual zip code? You won't go into the triple digits for at least 100 years or so.

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I had pretty much the same problem with FedEx a couple of years ago. The site let me specify I was in Canada and Ontario but would not accept a Candian Postal Code.

I got in contact (my memory fails whether I e-mailed or called a contact number). After explaining the problem I got a phone call in a few minutes from customer service asking whether I was OK talking with one of their programmers! I explained the problem to a programmer; who listened and asked a couple of questions. It was actually fixed by the time I checked back a couple of weeks later.

YMMV. But it's worth a try. (Even though I know you dealing with the GOVERNMENT.)

[IMST]

This will all get dealt with when we invade your country for the tar sands.


and now I've said too much.

[balrog666]

True...they do need a whole lot of zip codes for Greenland.


Greenland is under Denmark not Canada. ;)

[paximperium]

Greenland is under Denmark not Canada. ;)

No. It belongs to Kazakhstan. Their number one citizen, Borat said so.

[gtc]

This will all get dealt with when we invade your country for the tar sands.


and now I've said too much.

But won't you guys need more zipcodes then?

Still I am looking forward to watching "Degrassi Junior High, 103043"

[IMST]

But won't you guys need more zipcodes then?

Still I am looking forward to watching "Degrassi Junior High, 103043"

In recognition of your lovely winters, you will be getting negative zip codes.

[GreyICE]

Oh, that explains why we give the 51st state so much freedom. Too much of a hassle to get their zip codes into our system just to incorporate their moose population.

[Almo]

It's even more complicated... our zip codes have LETTERS in them. They're of this form:

A2A 2A2

So even if it were a 5 digit code, I'm sure the thing would say "No Letters!!!!"

BTW, this is very much like the UK system. But theirs is like

aa22 2bb

Where the aa refers to the area. Like CV34 was the start of our zip code in Warwick.

Which reminds me. A pal sent me a package via FedEx. It went to Cape Verde. When I talked to the person at FedEx about it, she recognized my zip since she's from Coventry (hence the CV). She figured out the zip must have gone in the country slot. Sure enough, when I told him my address he thought CV was the country code. That cost me about $80 in shipping!!

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Oh, that explains why we give the 51st state so much freedom. Too much of a hassle to get their zip codes into our system just to incorporate their moose population.

How could you not want this guy?

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/1070848b8069780459.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=13592)

[wolves_skeptic]

Americans...

You will have our democracy.

You will have our ZIP codes.

You will have our paper sizes.

But you can't have Nuclear Weapons... only us and our friends can have that.

Still, maybe within 15 years or so everyone will be trading oil in Euros then America will probably collapse. At least we'll get decent cinema.

[PingOfPong]

Still, maybe within 15 years or so everyone will be trading oil in Euros then America will probably collapse. At least we'll get decent cinema.



You're not making any sense. How are you going to have decent cinema without movies like Catwoman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catwoman_(film)) and Junior (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110216/)? Don't worry little bro. We're going to be around for a looooong time.

*pats Canada on the head condescendingly*

Oh, and after dinner we need to have a talk about your silly zip code system.

[wolves_skeptic]

You're not making any sense. How are you going to have decent cinema without movies like Catwoman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catwoman_(film)) and Junior (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110216/)?

Damn, I'd forgotten about them. My argument shattered in two pieces of celuloid wonder.

[soylent]

Have you tried entering your zip code in hexadecimal? :)

[Corsair 115]

This will all get dealt with when we invade your country for the tar sands.Don't. Or else when you get there you'll be stuck in the tar and thus become easy targets.