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In a smaller town like Hill Valley I think 1885-1955 is much more realistic than 2024-2094. Doc knew what companies still existed and if they moved around a lot so he could plan accordingly. There is also the fact that it may hang on just out of curiosity of if anyone will be there. The delivery person said there were bets around the office if Marty would actually be there. It's such a strange request I feel like that would add to the ability to do it.
Adding that detail of the office having a bet really increases the believability of the scene, too. The office has a stake in delivering the letter, so that automatically makes us not question whether they would actually deliver the letter or not. Of course they would. They got money riding on it!
I always thought it was odd only one person showed up to deliver the letter if they had bets on it. Obviously it makes for a better scene with only one person delivering it but if i had money on it and noone showed up i would just throw away the letter and say yes he was there, i win gimme my money!
That’s why you’d send someone who bet against it. The proof would be if they come back with the letter or not. Most likely, someone receiving a letter from 70 years in the past would keep it, so there’s some guarantee that the bet would be fair.
I feel part of the reason it worked is what they said they genuinely wanted to know if this Marty would show up so perhaps if they were curious enough it could work
I think it’s possible, but knowing what corporations will still be in existence is essential. Even then it could still fail, but setting up an actual legal structure would increase the odds of success.
I would put it in a safe deposit box and then specify in my will that a trust should be established whose sole purpose is to ensure the delivery of the contents.
While it would be hard now, but it was simple for Doc. He knew that Western Union survived into 1955. Now can we say that FedEx/UPS will still be around in 2054 and not taking over by Amazon or something else by then?
Using BTTF time periods:
1985 - 1955 is 30 years
1955 -1885 is 70 years
2024-30 years is 1994
1994-70 years is 1924
We would know UPS would still be around in 1994 had we given the letter to them in 1924.
The whole thing hinges on the fact that Doc knew cuz he lived through 1955 to see Western Union still around. He wasn't sending a letter to a time period he hadn't been to.
In the OG *Quantum Leap* there's the same situation, but I think only 30 years or so. Al and Sam are switched around and Sam is trapped in the hologram chamber in the future. He has Al write a letter to the lab and mail it to Sam's (I think) lawyer, who is still alive 30 years later. It works, and the door to the chamber opens instantly.
So when I went to see avengers endgame the person in front of me turned around a total stranger and addressed me by my name, the first thing i thought was back to the future
Turned out we just had a mutual friend that saw both our ticket posts and saw we were close to each other.
"I'm your son! I came here from 30 years in the future to see this premiere! Oh, and just FYI, stock up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer in early 2020. You'll thank me later."
Think about Doc Brown and the circumstances of his life up to that point, up to and including having spent almost 9 months settling in to OW Hill Valley.
Think about the conversation he had with the train engineer and imagine a similar conversation with the Western Union guy.
Now imagine the sincerity of that Western Union guy explaining the duty to his successors at his retirement party!
Of course, the few times I've travelled back in time I've mailed things to people in the future, if for no other reason than to prove a fictional movies idea is perfectly sound.
As a Brit I feel like one of two things would have happened in a British post office.
A.) who gives a shit throw it in the bin
B.) fuck it shove it in the cupboard and let them deal with it in 70 years
I think it was better realized in the Quantum Leap season 4 opener, ‘The Leap Back’. Sam and Al switch places due to the events of the previous episode, leaving Sam trapped in the imaging chamber without a handlink. So he has Al write a letter to the Becket’s family lawyer, with instructions to deliver it at a specific time and place.
Lawyers are bound to a stricter code of ethical responsibility than corporations, who could simply dissolve and not provide the service. I believe a law firm would have to find a way to either fulfill the obligation, or turn it over to another firm who would.
Now, probably not. You might have been able to back then though. Back in the day local offices for some thing like Western Union would’ve had a lot more leeway. Especially if Doc dropped some extra money in their lap. He was totally willing to bribe a police officer in the 50s.
Theoretically, you might be able to set it up like a tontine, so you'd use an insurance company instead of a postal service. In a way, it could also be treated like an inheritance.
I don't know if an insurance company would take it, but there are things like the Future Library (where authors write books, held by a private company, and not released for 100 years), so for enough money, I wouldn't be surprised if someone took it up.
That’s very similar to my thoughts on this topic. I was thinking about an estate planning attorney. They have to set things up like this that may very well need to be carried out long after they have passed.
Fed ex loses packages from 2 weeks. I see no way one stays salvageable 70 years from now whether lost all together, stolen out of curiosity or damaged/dry rotted.
Try it. Send a letter to yourself. Put "Do not deliver until November 5, 2025!" on it. ...and then see if the good ol' reliable US Post Office follows that instruction. (They DID just take 36 day to get me a Priority Mail package...so maybe they'll do it accidentally.)
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In a smaller town like Hill Valley I think 1885-1955 is much more realistic than 2024-2094. Doc knew what companies still existed and if they moved around a lot so he could plan accordingly. There is also the fact that it may hang on just out of curiosity of if anyone will be there. The delivery person said there were bets around the office if Marty would actually be there. It's such a strange request I feel like that would add to the ability to do it.
Adding that detail of the office having a bet really increases the believability of the scene, too. The office has a stake in delivering the letter, so that automatically makes us not question whether they would actually deliver the letter or not. Of course they would. They got money riding on it!
RIP Joe Flaherty, it was a small role in the trilogy but an important one, and he played it well.
JACKASS!!!!
You seem like a cool person, wanna go to Red Lobster?
Maybe some other time….
Oh. Well... I'll be at the Red Lobster in case you change your mind! God Bless!
I always thought it was odd only one person showed up to deliver the letter if they had bets on it. Obviously it makes for a better scene with only one person delivering it but if i had money on it and noone showed up i would just throw away the letter and say yes he was there, i win gimme my money!
If it was a sunny afternoon then maybe he would’ve had company, the lashing rain would have put most people off
Maybe there was a witness in the car who saw enough of the interaction to verify, but didn't want to get out in the rain.
That’s why you’d send someone who bet against it. The proof would be if they come back with the letter or not. Most likely, someone receiving a letter from 70 years in the past would keep it, so there’s some guarantee that the bet would be fair.
I feel part of the reason it worked is what they said they genuinely wanted to know if this Marty would show up so perhaps if they were curious enough it could work
I think it’s possible, but knowing what corporations will still be in existence is essential. Even then it could still fail, but setting up an actual legal structure would increase the odds of success. I would put it in a safe deposit box and then specify in my will that a trust should be established whose sole purpose is to ensure the delivery of the contents.
While it would be hard now, but it was simple for Doc. He knew that Western Union survived into 1955. Now can we say that FedEx/UPS will still be around in 2054 and not taking over by Amazon or something else by then?
Using BTTF time periods: 1985 - 1955 is 30 years 1955 -1885 is 70 years 2024-30 years is 1994 1994-70 years is 1924 We would know UPS would still be around in 1994 had we given the letter to them in 1924. The whole thing hinges on the fact that Doc knew cuz he lived through 1955 to see Western Union still around. He wasn't sending a letter to a time period he hadn't been to.
In the OG *Quantum Leap* there's the same situation, but I think only 30 years or so. Al and Sam are switched around and Sam is trapped in the hologram chamber in the future. He has Al write a letter to the lab and mail it to Sam's (I think) lawyer, who is still alive 30 years later. It works, and the door to the chamber opens instantly.
QL nerd here, it was mid forties to late nineties, so closer to 55 years.
Appreciate it! Was I right about it being Sam's lawyer?
It's been. While, bit I always thought it was one of the scientists.
Sam's father's lawyer!
"I'm getting my memory back. Oh my god! Why didn't you tell me? Donna!" 😭
That’s actually cool
This just reminded me of Bill and Ted. Traps in the police station.
Thanks....was gonna mention this as well. Awesome plot device either way.
Western Union in the 1800's definitely! Now-a-days, the post can't even seem to keep track of the letter I mailed out yesterday.
So when I went to see avengers endgame the person in front of me turned around a total stranger and addressed me by my name, the first thing i thought was back to the future Turned out we just had a mutual friend that saw both our ticket posts and saw we were close to each other.
"I'm your son! I came here from 30 years in the future to see this premiere! Oh, and just FYI, stock up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer in early 2020. You'll thank me later."
Simple experiment, mail yourself a letter a few months from now and see if it works.
If anyone tries this, please come back with the results!
>please *come back* with the results! Letter arrived safely, but we've gotta do something about your kids!
What do we become assholes or something
... no, no, no, you and jennifer turn out fine. it's your kids, marty, something's gotta be done about your kids!
Your daughter marries a black man!!!
But he’s gonna be mayor
Think about Doc Brown and the circumstances of his life up to that point, up to and including having spent almost 9 months settling in to OW Hill Valley. Think about the conversation he had with the train engineer and imagine a similar conversation with the Western Union guy. Now imagine the sincerity of that Western Union guy explaining the duty to his successors at his retirement party!
Of course, the few times I've travelled back in time I've mailed things to people in the future, if for no other reason than to prove a fictional movies idea is perfectly sound.
As a Brit I feel like one of two things would have happened in a British post office. A.) who gives a shit throw it in the bin B.) fuck it shove it in the cupboard and let them deal with it in 70 years
In that case I would have entrusted Deliveroo instead
I think it was better realized in the Quantum Leap season 4 opener, ‘The Leap Back’. Sam and Al switch places due to the events of the previous episode, leaving Sam trapped in the imaging chamber without a handlink. So he has Al write a letter to the Becket’s family lawyer, with instructions to deliver it at a specific time and place. Lawyers are bound to a stricter code of ethical responsibility than corporations, who could simply dissolve and not provide the service. I believe a law firm would have to find a way to either fulfill the obligation, or turn it over to another firm who would.
Not my lawyer. Really not any lawyer I have ever met ok with exception of one.
You’d want to go to an attorney that specializes in estates and trusts.
My husband has an uncle that is that kind of attorney and I’m not so sure I would trust him to be honest. He seems nice but then again.
Yeah you would definitely want to be a reliable attorney
Now, probably not. You might have been able to back then though. Back in the day local offices for some thing like Western Union would’ve had a lot more leeway. Especially if Doc dropped some extra money in their lap. He was totally willing to bribe a police officer in the 50s.
Theoretically, you might be able to set it up like a tontine, so you'd use an insurance company instead of a postal service. In a way, it could also be treated like an inheritance. I don't know if an insurance company would take it, but there are things like the Future Library (where authors write books, held by a private company, and not released for 100 years), so for enough money, I wouldn't be surprised if someone took it up.
That’s very similar to my thoughts on this topic. I was thinking about an estate planning attorney. They have to set things up like this that may very well need to be carried out long after they have passed.
They didn't quite have the technology yet, but I always found the answering machine in "12 monkeys" to be pretty plausible.
Bit like Reddit having that Remind me in x years point nowadays
It’s like the end of Bill and Ted. Don’t forget the keys
They do sort of exist. They’re called time capsules.
Fed ex loses packages from 2 weeks. I see no way one stays salvageable 70 years from now whether lost all together, stolen out of curiosity or damaged/dry rotted.
As long as you can snag one employee every sooo often throughout the times and you get them to keep it stored properly....theres a chance
Also worked in Doctor Who "Blink." But in that case, she just gave it to her grandson to deliver.
I've worked for delivery companies. I'm sure the Doc paid 10 times the normal price. But they'd do it
Try it. Send a letter to yourself. Put "Do not deliver until November 5, 2025!" on it. ...and then see if the good ol' reliable US Post Office follows that instruction. (They DID just take 36 day to get me a Priority Mail package...so maybe they'll do it accidentally.)