Delivering mail by jumping from a moving boat

On Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, there's a summer tradition: "mail jumping". It's a bit dangerous, a bit ridiculous, and would never be allowed to start today. But it's a tradition. ■ Thanks to the Lake Geneva Cruise Line: www.cruiselakegeneva.com/
Edited by Michelle Martin / mrsmmartin
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[@TomScottGo]

And to answer the obvious question: yes, there are other ways to get the mail delivered these days. But it's a tradition, and one that a few lakehouses are happy to continue!

[@thecookieloverforlife]

Cool.

[@hoyle7780]

Great Video!

[@alexlennen]

@@hoyle7780 it’s literally a minute old

[@Hamsterlover-wo4le]

TRADITON

[@xen0n_ML]

@@alexlennen lmao he watched it in 6x speed

[@Cruiselakegeneva]

Tom, thank you for visiting us and making a video about Lake Geneva Cruise Line! It was great to meet you, and we think you did an amazing job delivering the mail -- come back any time for a job as a mail jumper on the US Mailboat! 😃

[@HieronymousLex]

You guys are awesome. Thank you for keeping a piece of our history alive. So proud to be a wisconsinite

[@IanGacek]

This was a great video, thanks for having Tom along!

[@evan5935]

What a cool idea! Wish we had this on Lake Huron 🤷‍♂️🤣

[@JHeleneAndersson]

We had a great time taking the tour last summer, great work!

[@enissay9950]

Nah, he was bad at it, you guys on the other hand were amazing... I hope to visit you one day to enjoy the ride 😘

[@PenumbralVT]

Tom is really out here completing side quests

[@janslavik5284]

"Kiss the _Goose_ on lake Geneva" *+* *5* *points*

[@k.r.99]

- Break your limits and ride all rollercoasters Trophy unlocked: *Brave knight.*

[@Zadster]

*DINGGG* Cheeeeev!

[@WanderTheNomad]

His main quest is to complete all the side quests

[@saifuusuri]

@@janslavik5284 That's a hidden achievement.

[@MillicentOak]

"They know that their outgoing mail might have toothmarks in it" is probably my favourite bit.

[@grantm6514]

Imagine: "Job applicants are required to bite down on an envelope to ensure they meet orthodontic requirements - with open bites ending several aspirant mail jumpers' dreams."

[@fynkozari9271]

Her tooth mark?

[@tumblingartist]

4:18

[@arganiaspinosa9122]

@@fynkozari9271 Hers or anyone else delivering the mail.

[@TheAnthraxBiology]

I love how much Tom overcomplicated this. "so I run toward the mailbox, I put it in the mailbox, I turn around from the mailbox, I go back toward the boat" 😂

[@jimdennis2451]

"Kiss the goose."

[@theopoldthegamer4284]

I don't get how you can complicate it less

[@dromedda6810]

hes a programmer, he likes to split things into smaller individual problems

[@PACKERMAN2077]

And I stopped to get a croissant

[@Astrussy]

@@PACKERMAN2077 😂😂😂

[@Steets]

Tom Scott exploring the weirder parts of the postal system is a miniseries I am loving so far.

[@cyrilio]

I second this. There’s probably tons of these over the whole world. Get on this Tom!

[@thebigragu9952]

@@cyrilio just the American postal system alone has a bunch of weird little traditions and protocol. I can’t imagine how many there are over the world.

[@AutomatonArchive]

He should look into Yoyodyne and their connections to Thurn and Taxis. Quite the rabbit hole!

[@isaaceiland-hall425]

Tom has become a mini-liveaction-CGPgrey on this and it's delightful :)

[@PQRDG]

Welcome, everyone, to the post-Scott era

[@hotelmario510]

I love that Tom's way of coping with nerves is to give a running commentary of everything he's doing. Natural television presenter.

[@twistedtachyon5877]

Plus the occasional primal yell, of course.

[@tncorgi92]

Reminds me of Mike Rowe on "Dirty Jobs."

[@Scanlaid]

@@tncorgi92 imagine that crossover. Tom Scott and Mike Rowe chat in a sewer.

[@tncorgi92]

@@Scanlaid I would watch that!

[@kala_asi]

Thinking back to the cave video, there was a lot of nerves and a lot of self commentary, you're right

[@EpicGamer_9999]

Tom just seems so genuine now, and you can tell he loves doing KZbin. Something a lot of people don't have.

[@RoyWiggins]

I certainly hope he does, because he's been on KZbin longer than some KZbinrs have been alive!

[@xchronox0]

I mean, this is the same guy who got a VPN sponsor and ended up dunking on VPN sponsors instead. I knew right at that moment, Tom Scott was more about the passion than the payment. Still a relief to see that hasn't died out.

[@arirock18]

@@xchronox0 And then still got a vpn sponsor after that video

[@metalrockstarizer89]

Explain that to Nikocado Avocado.

[@xondisco]

He always was genuine :)

[@smnoy23]

Love Paige’s surprised “Oh, he did it!”

[@seegurkekiller]

The people involved seem so nice. Paige is so encouraging and the captain has so much of a "let the kids have fun, I'll make sure they're safe" vibe.

[@zsoltsandor3814]

Paige absolutely loves her job, it's obvious beyond obvious.

[@paulhaynes8045]

All Americans seem nice on YT. It makes you wonder how things like Vietnam, Trump and Sandy Hook happen...

[@user-bh2wf3pc4o]

@@paulhaynes8045 What a bizarre tangent...

[@kyleberry698]

No no, M has a point too. That totally was tangential to the original commenter and so was my reply. but I still felt like saying something before this gets like... angry. you are loved btw

[@jacketbox4573]

Welcome to Wisconsin I’m proud to call home

[@mukulupadhyay4656]

I think the driver must be praised too here guiding the boat so close to the platform and not hitting it every single time is commendable.

[@cold12u]

I didnt consider this, huh.

[@Blyskawica1]

‚Captain’! Boats don’t have drivers!

[@Justpim19]

Why do you think someone falls into the water on a weekly basis. The captain was to far from the dock

[@soundscape26]

Much practice.

[@carbon1255]

@@Blyskawica1 Strictly boats have commanders and some boats do have drivers- a driver is someone who controls the engine, and in a traditional narrowboat they are literally driving horses to pull them along.

[@QuantenMagier]

I love it that he actually copied her kissing the goose, that's so essential for the mail delivery! ❤

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

It’s so weird to hear Tom describe this job being done by “people half his age” because I always envision him as being just a little older than me, which would mean half his age is quite young.

[@jacobshirley3457]

Google says he's 38. Huh.

[@user-lv7ph7hs7l]

@@jacobshirley3457 Order of magnitude

[@alesin1992]

It's difficult to tell since he looks like he's 25 and 50 at the same time.

[@vstoned3873]

@@alesin1992 ded

[@MaybeAnnatar]

I mean, think about it like this, he hit 100k subs 8 years ago and was already out of college

[@cheesecake4204]

It’s fun to think that every Tom Scott video is like a postcard from a friend telling you about a cool place they found.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I would totally buy a line of Tom Scott-branded postcards. I know he doesn't do merch but he should totally make a deal with some niche attractions.

[@tydshiin5783]

Honestly that would be so freaking awesome

[@undeniablySomeGuy]

super on brand too. Imagine going to the US canada border and sending home a post card with Tom Scott screaming "I'M HERE AT NIAGARA FALLS!"

[@EyeGlassTrainofMind]

That's a brilliant idea! Maybe for a special charity event or something?

[@cheesecake4204]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 YES. “IM HERE AT CHERNOBYL.”

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Many a commenter before me has expressed the shocking feeling one gets when Tom Scott stops by a place where one has been before. Today, as someone from Wisconsin who has been to Lake Geneva several times, I finally understand what it's like. I shall now be the one to say, wow, I never knew that an amazing place like this exists in my neck of the woods!

[@vistabuntuu]

Same!!

[@cj2u11]

Same. Tom came to Wisconsin and didn't even say hi 🤣

[@colinz226]

Lake Geneva also happens to be where the TTRPG Dungeons and Dragons was invented.

[@TheMW2informer]

@@colinz226 Elkhorn***

[@ky_piece]

My family lives down there and it's wild seeing him where I've been multiple times 😅

[@roundishwhale]

This seems like a wonderfully unique tourist attraction! It also feels like it's the kinda wonky tradition that has just been kept alive cause everyone involved is just so very happy to be a part of it :D

[@GonzoPandora69420]

It's the Wisconsin way.

[@The4stro]

It indeed does look very fun

[@sm_stormzy1075]

@@GonzoPandora69420 so is leaking volleyball team photos apparently

[@timothyhendricks3004]

​@sm_stormzy1075 what?

[@jordanmcintyre5148]

I think what I love most about Tom is his willingness and motivation to try crazy and interesting things despite being obviously uncomfortable and sometimes terrified. Awesome bloke.

[@dannydevito5729]

He had a willingness to be awkward that I admire

[@Novenae_CCG]

@argon The awkwardness is when he makes a big deal out of something he knows isn't that big a deal, I guess. But it's not a bad kind of awkward, as if it would imply him to be an insecure person, or anti-social. It's just that adorable nervousness when he's out of his element. But being out of his element _is_ his element, which is why he's really cool at the same time.

[@jordanmcintyre5148]

@@Novenae_CCG Yes, that's exactly it! Being out of his element is his element. That's what I love about him as a person.

[@sirBrouwer]

@@dannydevito5729 well it might have helped that he used to be Mad captain Tom.

[@Gorrgrim]

This may be interesting... but crazy?... terrifying?... Maybe terrifying if you've never been outside

[@jeremyjoyner1198]

Tom is the perfect example of "if you can't overcome your fear, do it scared"

[@boobah5643]

I thought doing it scared _was_ overcoming your fear.

[@tylisirn]

Bravery isn't the absence of fear, but acting despite of it.

[@blacksteveman]

@@tylisirn Reminds of the quote " bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid"

[@pbjbagel]

@@tylisirn Great quote or paraphrase, but it should be "...in spite of it" or "...despite it".

[@youkiddinme6882]

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is doing it even though you are afraid.

[@jblen]

I like the acknowledgement that he still had his mic on, and then going for the jump without taking it off anyway, as if there may have been some insightful commentary that wasn't worth missing for the sake of possibly buying a new mic... But he made it so it all worked out fine

[@loganricherson3749]

The way I see it, it's just a cost of doing buisness. If he breaks the mic, it's going to cost him less than the benefit he'd get on the video for having it on. He either succeeded and doesn't loose anything but gains commentary, or he fails and still has the commentary which would be really funny and has to replace the mic, of which I'm sure he has spares

[@jblen]

@@loganricherson3749 if he fails though, he doesn't have the commentary because the mic is now soaked and shorted. I mean I guess it depends how waterproof it is and how hard he fails.

[@loganricherson3749]

@@jblen the drive is probably fine so he could get the audio off it I'm guessing. It depends I guess

[@lyndonlives638]

​@@jblen If it was some kind of wireless mic then it'd be transmitting good audio through to a dry receiver right up til the moment it stopped functioning. From a video editing perspective, it would have been fantastic to have the sound of him falling in the water from his audio pov.

[@alexiswhite7812]

I actually work at the cruise line and have for 6 years. Fun fact: kissing the goose is supposed to give you good luck so you don't fall in on the north shore

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Well, it worked for Tom!

[@yuvalne]

+

[@kathybramley5609]

Awesome 😎👍

[@DerKatzeSonne]

What‘s up with the north shore? Is that less pleasant to fall in?

[@lordofthechimie]

@@DerKatzeSonne maybe it is colder I dont know

[@OLBastholm]

Tom is so hilariously uncoordinated. I'm really impressed that he's putting himself in so obviously uncomfortable situations

[@michaelbronson7410]

If u really want to see how uncoordinated tom is, check out the parkour video

[@TheMilitantHorse]

As someone with a parent in the USPS, I love seeing the quirky yet still active parts of the Mail Service. I love it.

[@adzriekunyu]

The way he aggressively and audibly kissed the goose 😂

[@buckethead60]

I love how about 3 seconds after letting out a primal scream, Tom still politely kisses the goose before departing

[@oggiggs]

It's not polite to keep a lady waiting

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

He was going to get those style points no matter what.

[@yuvalne]

+

[@xsforreal]

As someone who lives in the area, you're supposed to kiss the goose before you go out for good luck!

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

Imagine if a pizza delivery guy can speedrun his way to reach for the customer's house by doing exact the same thing as Tom does.

[@tz4015]

kiss included and all

[@Feakre]

"Pizza delivery" often takes longer than that 😂

[@sirBrouwer]

I could imagine some would order more for the show then the food.

[@adwzt]

Your pizza might get wet someday

[@LRataplan]

I do not want a pizza with teeth marks.

[@ellisballard]

This isn't the point of the video but what really surprised me was 'outgoing mail'. For some reason I didn't realise in America you can just put outgoing post in your own mailbox to be taken away.

[@nutbastard]

Yep. That's what the flag is for. You put it up if you have outgoing mail.

[@Timeyy]

@@nutbastard Bruh Ive been looking at US mailboxes on TV for like 20 years and never even wondered what that thing was actually for lmao

[@nutbastard]

@@Timeyy The postal service in the USA isn't perfect, but it is very good compared to a lot of other countries in terms of how well it actually does work. It was designed around rural parameters, and before rail and cars and whatnot. The US is preposterously large, and a good portion of people don't live anywhere near anything even resembling a city. Coast to coast is well over 40 hours of driving. That's more than a work week to just traverse the country, with no stops. Paris to Moscow is only 30 hours. So the whole idea of outgoing mail makes sense because there are vast stretches of the US where there's hardly anything at all. But there is postal service for all of it.

[@pompeii7839]

@@nutbastard For my entire life, I saw those flags on TV and assumed was the opposite. I thought the mail delivery person put the flag up to tell the residents that they had received something.

[@Elmojomo]

Wait, how do you send out your mail in not-America? I mean, I get that Post Offices exist, but surely not everyone lives within proximity to one? What if you need to mail something, and the nearest PO is 20-30 mins away? Do you have to take it there yourself?

[@averagepo4474]

It surprises me that out of all the weird things we do in Wisconsin this is the one Scott chose to cover. But at the same time it doesn't really surprise me lmao

[@kevinresh8797]

It's cool to see a place I know on KZbin, but I agree with you on the weird stuff in Wisconsin

[@mindfullymellow2323]

Mind blown. Tom Scott in Lake Geneva, just up the road. Good to see a Brit willing to explore beyond the US coasts (NY, LA, FL).

[@cj2u11]

Tom going Sturgeon spearing could have been good though

[@CHIIIEEEEEEEEFFFFSSS]

I spent a summer at Lake Geneva a few years ago, and it's wild to see Tom having a very similar reaction to the one I had when I learned about this.

[@cooldloop2381]

Wow you must be rich

[@daexion]

@@cooldloop2381 Doesn't mean they are rich.

[@cooldloop2381]

@@daexion My grandma has a small condo on this lake and that alone costs around $300,000. This lake is where all the big business people of Chicago go for vacation. If you go on the boat they give you a tour and tell you about some of the mansions.

[@teddylykowski8034]

I have a cottage up there. Seeing Tom in areas where I go often is very odd.

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@cooldloop2381 OP didnt say they owned where they stayed...

[@RedLeader182]

Tom! I grew up on Lake Geneva, spent my youth on my father's boat on the waves, and he worked for nearly 30 years at Gage Marine, the company that owns these boats (The flag with the G on the employees shirts!). I just recently lost him. Seeing this pop up now on my feed gave me a huge smile. The boat jumpers are a local legend in our area. Thanks for a nice reminder of dad!

[@LARAUJO_0]

Rip

[@AndrewKLove]

sorry for you loss

[@73frogs]

i'm real glad you got this as a sweet reminder :-) wish you the best!

[@tsab398]

Rest in peace for your dad, Hope you have good memories

[@Glizzy__Mcguire]

Tom is out here doing every side quest the game has to offer

[@NBAI823]

Imagine jumping off a vessel and running onto a dock and having to sprint back before you are abandoned at a strangers house to deliver someone’s walmart coupons.

[@Erik_The_Viking]

I was waiting for him to jump on the boat ledge, say "YES!" and then fall in the water when celebrating. Overall a great job Tom!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

That would have been a great bit to dedicate to. It'd totally be worth getting drenched for comedy.

[@abduljaleelkhan1449]

tom is so scared to be physical yet he is so physical these days.

[@unocualqu1era]

My body is ready

[@vegigun]

Getting body-slamed, tightrope walking, jumping off a boat to deliver mail, parkour ... at some point Tom is going to need to admit that he's developing some degree of physical fitness.

[@matthew8153]

He trying to prove to himself he can still keep up with the whippersnappers.

[@petercory8128]

Anyone else throw their arms up in celebration with Tom when he successfully got back on the boat? Good job Tom 😁🥳

[@101BlueShadow]

Being from Wisconsin, it's so fun to see Tom here exploring quirky traditions I didn't know about! Thanks for visiting Tom! I need to go check this out myself!

[@tangyorange6509]

The lake is very fun, I have a house in Williams Bay

[@Abisanth11]

Fun fact: The town is called "Lake Geneva" while the lake is called "Geneva Lake". They were both originally named after Geneva NY (confusingly split into the city and town of Geneva) which in turn was supposedly named after Geneva, Switzerland. Edit: To avoid confusion with Geneva IL, both were later renamed "Lake Geneva" and "Geneva Lake" respectively.

[@jnzdg]

I had to go and read the wikipedia article about this and I'm amazed at how bizarre the naming gets. Besides being named after Geneva, NY (due to having resembled it in some way) the city was renamed to Lake Geneva, to avoid confusion with Geneva, IL, which was also named aferer Geneva, NY. And finally Geneva, NY was named after Geneva, Switzerland located by lake Geneva.

[@djsilversun]

The whole thing is just named after Geneva and Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the New York thing literally doesn't matter one bit

[@inefffable]

@@djsilversun wrong

[@NotKyleChicago]

Also near Lake Geneva as you head west on Rt. 50 is "Geneva".

[@IpwnNublets]

Also the world’s largest tabletop gaming convention now held annually in Indianapolis is called GenCon because the creator of D&D, Gary Gygax, was from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

[@owlivdejong5086]

All of his parkour training showed with the way he broke down the steps and walked himself through leaping back on the boat. I love it.

[@57thorns]

Yes, I forgot about that. He did some parkour as well as tight rope walking. The guy is definitely athletic.

[@TryinaD]

His parkour teacher gonna be so proud

[@jliller]

Nothing in life is ever wasted.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I'm so glad I live in a reality where we can talk about Tom Scott's parkour training and only be half-joking.

[@PENFOLD5]

@@jliller “Time spent with an expert is never wasted.” - Gary Brennan

[@nobodynobody1235]

"If you don't know, now you know!"... Kind of thing Great video as always Tom

[@rafaelperalta1676]

Honestly made me laugh but not mockingly. I enjoyed every second of this and it's nice that they're still doing this awesome tradition for decades now. I hope it continues even further.

[@LeoYoshi54321]

Never thought I'd see Tom Scott kissing a goose on a pier in an American lake, but I also never thought I'd see Tom Scott in a profession wrestling event, so I guess it's fair.

[@advanceringnewholder]

goose, train, goose on a train

[@cwg73160]

AT an American lake

[@stevenw3017]

Wrestling event? When was this? I gotta see that.

[@theobuniel9643]

@@stevenw3017 It's on Tom Scott plus.

[@stevenw3017]

@@theobuniel9643 thanks. Just found it! So enjoyable.

[@sminthian]

If you're wondering about that yellow flashlight on his back, it's a common lifesaving light for personal flotation devices. They start blinking if they detect they're wet and float next to you, so people can find you if you fall into the water at night.

[@crescentceleste]

I was not wondering about that but I'm grateful for the info!!!

[@MegaSnow121]

Tom, that was one of your best videos. Fun, informative and amazing. It made me smile - and your joy at not falling in or missing the boat, was a great ending. It’s heartwarming to see this 100+ year old service being kept up as a real meal delivery and a tourist attraction. One more place to add to my bucket list!

[@alex0589]

This is one of those jobs you'd hear about from old folks that can't possibly still exist today, surely it's an urban legend... Great job getting the extra goose points!

[@Atlas.Brooklyn]

"I am who I think you think I am" I worry that Tom believes himself to be physically inept on some levels because of how he views himself through the eyes of his peers. Proud of him for challenging that comfort.

[@CockatooDude]

I mean he's an IT guy so I'm not surprised.

[@bakerfx4968]

@@CockatooDude to be fair, he’s an IT guy who has now spent a few years doing a lot of non-IT stuff :P

[@BlueZirnitra]

He kind of is. He's trying his best, but he is clearly not someone driven by the thrill of pushing one's body to the limits. He's what we call a good sport, and that's fine, that's why people like him.

[@popenieafantome9527]

He has definitely challenged his comfort levels. He allowed himself to be set on fire in a different video that showed how real fire is used in movies.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

@@CockatooDude 2009 Tom Scott was an IT guy, but then he got rid of the ponytail.

[@hullinstruments]

“They know their outgoing mail might have tooth marks in it“ that got me !!! Yes it’s hilarious

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

That line worked perfectly with the footage.

[@yuvalne]

+

[@OnTheCrux]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 That was the plan!

[@franklarosa740]

I live in Wisconsin but had never heard of this before seeing your video. I bought tickets immediately and went on the cruise today. Thanks for making my weekend!

[@shauntoastr]

I used to go up to Lake Geneva every summer and I remember going on these boats with my grandma. Its nice to have the memories come back.

[@dosomethingcool6569]

As someone who has family in lake Geneva it’s really cool to have finally known the topic of a Tom Scott video before he explained it.

[@ImLukas]

I’ve visited Lake Geneva and it was kinda crazy to see Tom making a video on it from some place so close to home

[@qloshae]

It's always so fun to see him not just document, but enthusiastically explore and participate in stuff if allowed to, even when realizing that he might put his equipment in danger or he's not super comfortable with it. People learn things and everyone involved has a good time.

[@owie8212]

As someone who occasionally orders live tarantulas, this made me unreasonably nervous

[@colinmottram4429]

Tom’s nervous laugh is one of my favourite things! That was really exciting to watch- thank you!

[@abhinavmelathil366]

If James Bond was in charge of a postal office

[@idova]

no if it was james bond you would have to take a drink for each letter

[@spankasheep]

and the dock explodes afterwards XD

[@jasper2469]

the name's bond, mail bond

[@oz_jones]

@@jasper2469 impeccable

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

There'd have to be an overly sexualized secretary at the office.

[@azayles]

All of Tom's parkour training has led up to this moment :D

[@ICountFrom0]

PARKOUR! This really was a chance to use what he'd learned before.

[@azayles]

@@ICountFrom0 I wonder if he's done more Parkour since, too, cause I'm sure he said he'd like to :D

[@encycl07pedia-]

led*

[@azayles]

@@encycl07pedia- oops! Good catch 😅

[@nnerd]

I love lake Geneva! My grandparents live about 10 minutes away and we used to watch these guys do this all the time!

[@HimanXK]

Tom is really turning into an athlete. Parkour, wrestling, now boat jumping. Really fun to watch him take on all of these sports and challenges

[@timothymclean]

Out of all the crazy stuff Tom's done, it's the little but adrenaliney things that are the scariest. Not so much the things that have a serious chance of death if someone screws up.

[@MihikChaudhari]

Well, if someone misses jumping onto the boat or dock or slips, there is a chance they could get a head injury, lose consciousness and drown before the boat could even turn around for help

[@hydroxyl5130]

It's crazy a task like this is so paced. Why can't they stop?

[@bakerfx4968]

@@hydroxyl5130 stopping at each would at least double or triple the time required out on the boat, it’s a tourist attraction, it’s cool, gives the kids a summer job, etc… I thought the reasons were quite clear from the video :P They could stop, and I’m sure if enough kids got hurt they would

[@DrZaius3141]

Reminds me of the video about some massive cliff that's insanely dangerous and therefore very safe. If you can tell instinctively how dangerous it is, you will be more careful and more safeguards will be involved. If it's something "so easy, even kids can do it", that's where it can get dangerous if you are a person that takes things lightly.

[@squillz8310]

@@DrZaius3141 I've heard that logic used before too. I'm not very familiar with the intricacies of it, but I'm familiar with it.

[@OptimusPhillip]

That is the best "One Take" moment in Tom Scott history.

[@TheAmorphousGamer]

Nah, I still think the bottled water video has got it beat.

[@notthatcreativewithnames]

Don't forget that time when Tom talked about KZbin video IDs and recited the full value of 64^11 while walking in a park.

[@mrmelon54]

@@notthatcreativewithnames that video was also sick

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

There has been a lot of good planning in Tom Scott history, but this is the best luck.

[@obi-wancanblowme5968]

I've lived in WI all my life and never knew this was a thing.

[@Vinemaple]

Always keep hold of the railing, Tom! Hand over hand, one hand for the ship and one for yourself!

[@Mutual_Information]

Tom Scott visiting your local operation to make a KZbin video has got to be exciting.. what a kick to the day.

[@linollieum3742]

I recommend that everyone watch the inside edition video on this (yes I know, inside edition is stupid but the footage is cool), it actually shows the tryouts, and there are some really hard falls. It really shows the dedication to this job that the tryouts have and how hard and dangerous this job can be until you're used to it, since for Tom's video here they only showed the 5 year veteran making it look easy, and Tom's lucky try where he nailed it. "Teen Mail Boat Jumpers Might Be the Best Job Ever inside edition"

[@xaviorshideout]

Thank you!

[@federicosilvestri5527]

Tom went for the style points. What a legend

[@FSUMercerian]

These experiential videos of Tom doing weird jobs/tasks are just the absolute best.

[@jonasdatlas4668]

This is such an amazingly bad idea it sort of overflowed and wrapped around into being awesome again and now I kind of want to try it.

[@peterfireflylund]

Ideas use modular arithmetic.

[@peterrose5373]

It's not the fact that they do this, it's the speed at which they go.

[@Cvmpbell]

This looks like so much fun lmao, even falling on your ass would be hilarious

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

A good idea is a bad idea plus time.

[@minecraftmatthew1393]

The fact that Tom actually did it despite talking himself down is amazing.

[@GUNUFofficial]

There's a place called house on the rock in Wisconsin, there's something called the infinity room, an automatic orchestra, the worlds largest carousel, and a bunch of other wild things you'd probably like.

[@TarenNauxen]

Lived in this region most of my life and I've never heard of this. Absolutely amazing. Next thing you know, Tom's going to learn to play Hammer-Schlagen!

[@Thisandthat8908]

love how the lady sounded so genuinely happy when he made it.

[@Tea-Spin]

I’m more impressed by the boat driver to be able to get so close with the dock

[@AA-iq6ev]

This looks like so much fun, perfect summer job

[@RuijsNL]

Great to hear these people talk about this, seems like they really enjoy doing it. Also big props to you for rocking it Tom!

[@julietemily8157]

being one of the drivers seems just as hard, holy hell they get so close to those docks

[@sherri5550]

He’s the best… I’m biased, he’s my husband!

[@bigmike8586]

@@sherri5550 Glad you guys found the video! Have there been a lot more tourists booking dates lately?

[@sherri5550]

It’s always busy!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

That driver must be the most qualified person for the job of getting a boat close to a dock so that a teenager can jump up from the boat to run up to a mailbox and back onto the boat to deliver mail.

[@khalilahd.]

This is actually such a cool tradition. It’s nice to see people keeping traditions like this alive 😅💜

[@Ntmoffi]

It's you again. You're everywhere.

[@georgeiii2998]

Are you a bot?

[@1nsaniel]

But the tradition is dangerous

[@57thorns]

@@almostblank4025 Clearly not 25, which is when you start to be able to actually assess danger as you brain is by then fully developed.

[@allenfortenberry9924]

@@57thorns and yet we allow people to make almost all of the most dangerous discisions in life by themselves starting at age 18, a full 7 years earlier. Heck, 9 years before their brains are fully developed we let them get behind large machines that move at high speeds very close to other such machines. For some reason I doubt that this has anywhere near the same rate of serious injuries per person as teenagers driving cars

[@thefrub]

4:15 Bravo to the editor, perfect synchronization of the interview and the footage there

[@RumoSenpai]

This seems like a fun job!! Thanks for showing this, Tom!!

[@phyphor]

I'm old enough that I remember when trains in the UK used to have doors you could open before arriving at a station and regular commuters would hop out before the rain had stopped. I didn't think Tom was that much younger, so I'm surprised that he was surprised by the technique of getting off a moving vehicle to a stationary platform.

[@CouchPotator]

It's a much bigger gap. I'd think the boat also moves faster as slow boats can't maneuver, but that's a completely guess. There's also no space for a mistake landing back on the boat.

[@SquareyCircley]

Tom's a fair bit older than me and I even remember those trains :/

[@RadimBadsi]

You can still do that on lines 3, 6, 10, 11 and 12 of the Paris metro ;)

[@cameronbreeze4029]

Piers are also often very wet and slippery, with the added risk of falling into water after receiving blunt force trauma jumping from a moving vehicle.

[@tommydoez]

I think it's more due to the fact that when you're younger, jumping off a moving vehicle is just a risk you take for the fun of it. but when you get older then you're more wary of twisting your ankles.

[@jamez6398]

"Stopping the boat for safety?? No, that's way too inefficient!!" I love that Yankee work ethic... 😆

[@petesmith13]

I kinda want a regular mail driver to go through all the risks they take just to show tom this isn't any more risky than that

[@oakenshadow6763]

This is really cool. I love that they keep a tradition alive, making it safer with the ladders and vests. It so amazing.

[@nankinink]

knowing about this mail jumping thing, this is something so Tom-ish that I stopped for a second and asked myself, haven't Tom made a video about this already?? lmao

[@superjare23]

There was a kid that post Tiktoks of it; thinking of him?

[@sw8296]

I swear i've seen something like this before and I can't believe it wasn't a Tom Scott video

[@Zack_Wester]

i had the same thought then I realized it was In Sweden. the boat did slow down when docking if the runner needed it. and did do a loop if the runner failed to get back.

[@marekriebmann1495]

I saw that before too but I can not imagine where. Before I spend nights sleepless thinking of on which vacation I could have saw this, is there any movie out there with a little scene of a box doing this mail jumping?

[@CrumCringle]

No, i 100% have seen a video like this before Edit: it was A video about this by Inside Edition

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

When Tom Scott becomes Tom Cruise, *Mission ImPostable* I know it was a stretch.

[@ailaG]

Cruise boat surely

[@ZT1ST]

@@ailaG Speed 2: Cruise Control reboot - now with a segment in the middle of it where postal mail is being delivered to get a message to the oil tanker to get out of the way.

[@desaturated-firefox]

Oh, that looks super fun. I would have wanted to do that as a teenager too.

[@TheDufanzy]

I love all of your videos but this has to be my favorite so far. So simple and fun while being informative about this interesting little tradition.

[@victorswaroop2289]

4:19 "They know their outgoing mails may have tooth marks on it" - bites the mails 🤣🤣

[@MaxxMcGeePrivate]

I'm also very impressed how close they drive by the piers. With that speed and the boats are not small, a crash would certainly deal some good damage.

[@JoshuaMorgan]

What an awesome episode! Good job, Tom, and thanks for sharing!

[@karkitty202]

I remember when I felt like a nerd for watching Tom Scott, now everyone watches him!

[@ImLlaver]

Tom Scott doing literally anything physical is the most entertaining thing on youtube.

[@martinpaulsen1592]

What's fascinating to me is how, despite his lack of athleticism, Tom seems to have a very clear grasp of what his body is doing at any given time. You see it in a lot of the videos he puts on Tom Scott Plus - he really goes through what he's trying to make his body do, what it is doing, and how he can correct it - and for anything from gross-scale things like blacksmithing, stage combat, or parkour to fine-scale things like vocal control or throwing pottery.

[@zyaicob]

+

[@michaelhagerman1074]

I feel like Tom is going through my random KZbin history and doing all the things I've learned about. I love it!

[@King--God]

Im So glad you decided to visit the mail boat! I emailed you probably a year ago suggesting a visit. Im rightly mad that I missed your arrival in Lake Geneva!

[@georgewitte3548]

Tom Scott making good use of his parkours training! 😄 Very cool.

[@DerAlex86]

Since you seemed to enjoy delivering mail by boat so much: In Lehde (Spreewald) in Germany, about 60 houses have two mailboxes, one on the road side for winter, and one on the lake side for summer. Not sure which one is more physically demanding - the boat in Lehde doesn't even have an engine, you'd be punting it on the whole route.

[@nickirmen6671]

Whenever Tom starts a video with "This is objectively a bad idea" you know you will enjoy said video

[@kencoffman7145]

The Lake Geneva mail boat is a Wisconsin summertime legend.

[@barpe4514]

I only saw these on tiktok before, so cool that Scott made a video about it

[@JohnFoley1701]

The best part about tom scott visiting your country is that he informs you of something you never knew existed in your own backyard.

[@spankasheep]

Tom Scott, becoming the most informative stuntman :D

[@DescendDab]

This is just awesome. Tom legitimatly is one of, if not the, best youtuber I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Both informative and very fun, I love it!

[@daytonwhite9507]

This made me smile, Tom. Thanks.

[@hanzi696]

As someone who grew up not far from Lake Geneva, it's really cool to see Tom flexing his athletic ability in this local tradition 😜