Patent ID: 7080773

Claim:
A method of preventing a snowplow and snow moved by the snowplow from striking a mailbox, said method comprising the steps of: providing a mailbox assembly including at least one mailbox housing and a vertical support attached to the mailbox housing, said vertical support extending into a ground surface; providing a panel having a front side, a back side, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; providing a pair of posts, each of said posts having a bottom end and a top end, each of said posts being fixedly and directly attached to said back side of said panel to prevent relative movement therebetween and such that said top ends are positioned adjacent to said top edge and said bottom ends each extend downwardly from said panel; a pair of sleeves, each of said sleeves having an upper end having an aperture extending therein, said apertures having a size adapted for removably receiving said bottom ends of said posts; extending each of said sleeves into said ground surface adjacent to said mailbox assembly; and extending each of said bottom ends into one of said sleeves, said sleeves being positioned such that said back side of said panel is adjacent to and aligned parallel with a lateral side wall of the mailbox assembly and said front side of said panel faces toward oncoming traffic.