Dumpster Divers and Messy Sidewalks

[maumau]

Most people in our street only put the bins out after 8/8:30 on pick-up day because of these trolley guys and the disgusting mess they leave.

For myself, I put refuse bags in the 2 x wheelie bins and from about halfway up I add garden refuse and as many thorny twigs as possible.

Security company also plays their part in hustling vagrants away.

 

[saor]

I used to have the same issue. then I waited one morning, saw it happen and went to to talk to them.

I asked very politely that they clean up after themselves, adding that I give them food and old clothing etc. on a regular basis.

So I just said do they think it is fair that they make such a mess?

The result was remarkable...I've seen some of them clean up after others were there and made a small mess.

Screaming and swearing and threatening brings you nowhere with these people...they have heard and seen it all.

Had a similar experience at our building. Went outside one morning and chilled next to one of them and explained the situation and said we really don't mind that they're there but the mess is causing people to complain and wanting to put locks on the bins etc. Things got better from then on out. And because there's a regular crew of them in the area they also don't want to do something that's going to affect their access to bins.

Asking them nicely seems like a decent first thing to try, especially if they're regular faces.

 

[Nemesys]

It seem you all have it very easy. Our bankrupt town/city have never heard of rubbish bins. So we have to put our rubbish out in black bags. The rubbish truck schedule is an indication and accurate to within around one and a halve weeks. So first the stray dogs tear the bog to get to what ever they can smell making it easy for the divers to collect whatever they think they can sell. I once tried to communicate with them but they are not local and that did not work.

 

[Thugscub]

Mamba/cobra/puff adder in plastic bag.

 

[The_MAC]

In my area, our security company keeps them in check.

I also only take out my garbage as close to pickup as possible.

I don't mind them, they must just behave. I also often give them stuff and chat, and remind them to behave otherwise people will start chasing them away, seems to work

 

[jezzad]

Have similar issues in our neighbourhood, although to be fair they dont really leave a mess behind.

I have taken to leaving my bin behind the driveway gate. As the rubbish truck arrives I open the gate and the guys pull it out. Alternately I wait for the truck and drag the bin out as they are arriving.

 

[SlinkyMike]

I used to have the same issue. then I waited one morning, saw it happen and went to to talk to them.

I asked very politely that they clean up after themselves, adding that I give them food and old clothing etc. on a regular basis.

So I just said do they think it is fair that they make such a mess?

The result was remarkable...I've seen some of them clean up after others were there and made a small mess.

Screaming and swearing and threatening brings you nowhere with these people...they have heard and seen it all.

Same approach worked for us. In my experience treating people like animals only makes them behave like animals.

 

[skeptic_SA]

I save all the empty jars accumulated throughout the week. Put them in a hessian bag and break them. Sprinkle the shards liberally into all bins and inside bags. This is a last resort tactic mind you. I asked asked the 4 gents that collect recyclables to not leave the place in a mess. They too wiped their a$$es on my polite request. Now they skip ours and go direct to our neighbors.

 

[notayoba]

How much does one get for a quart bottle these days? Since the cost of living skyrocketed, I've been mostly drinking quarts. Now I have a ton of empties after a couple of years. Trying to determine if it's worth suffering the indignity of taking them in, or if I should just leave them on the sidewalk for the hobos.

Random question, but this looks like the best place for it.

 

[Enzo Matrix]

How much does one get for a quart bottle these days? Since the cost of living skyrocketed, I've been mostly drinking quarts. Now I have a ton of empties after a couple of years. Trying to determine if it's worth suffering the indignity of taking them in, or if I should just leave them on the sidewalk for the hobos.

Random question, but this looks like the best place for it.

/slow clap

 

[airborne]

How much does one get for a quart bottle these days? Since the cost of living skyrocketed, I've been mostly drinking quarts. Now I have a ton of empties after a couple of years. Trying to determine if it's worth suffering the indignity of taking them in, or if I should just leave them on the sidewalk for the hobos.

Random question, but this looks like the best place for it.

It’s something around R1.50 a bottle, looks like you have yourself a little gold mine there zama-zama Notayoba, spend it wisely... maybe another case of quarts

 

[notayoba]

It’s something around R1.50 a bottle, looks like you have yourself a little gold mine there zama-zama Notayoba, spend it wisely... maybe another case of quarts

Haha. I think I might have enough for a dinner for 2 at a fancy restaurant. A beer or 2 a day, for a few years is a shitload of bottles.

 

[airborne]

Haha. I think I might have enough for a dinner for 2 at a fancy restaurant. A beer or 2 a day, for a few years is a shitload of bottles.

Now you just need to get them to the bottle store. Maybe phone your local bottle stores, they may collect that volume of empties, there is some advantage for them getting large amounts of empties.