I just have to share this you.

[Blue_icicle]

Picture the scene...

Late friday evening, standing out the front chatting to a neighbour together with my wife and oldest (23) daughter, when along the street comes 3 yes 3! dust carts to collect the green waste. Also bear in mind my street is a cul-de-sac and only 150yds long. So straight away we're thinking wth is going on here?! Thats not the point of my story - though I will be making some calls today regarding the policy behind this.

They each choose a section of the street and proceed to remove the green waste. one of them parked directly outside my house.

Once they have finished, they sit and wait for the vehicle for the lead vehicle to finish. Then the driver of MY (I'm thinking now its my personal dust cart) dust cart gets out and points to some old chipboard old bits of 2x1 and broom handles that were laying in my garden and says "You want to get rid of that mate?".

At this point I am confused, because:

1. we are only supposed to put 'green garden waste' like grass cuttings in the green wheeley bins.
2. If we put the woody trimmings of a few bushes on top of the green bin and the dustmen see it, they don't take it (unless they know we are watching).

so I said "is it ok to put it in there?" pointing to my dust cart. he says "Sure it'll be fine!" - "that would be great - thank you" I said.

He went back to the cab in my dust cart to talk to his mates, one of them got out and they both walked to my garden gate and the driver then said "Can you give us a drink for it?" - my response was "no, its ok (or words to that effect) I'll take it to the tip myself" so they got back in my dust cart and left.

I noted a quizical look from my daughter (she's 23 don't forget) but carried on chatting to the neighbour.

Yesterday after clearing my shed I got my daughter to help me carry some more bits of wood through to the front garden, to add to the rest. As we finished, I said, "I'll take that lot to the tip next week, will you help me?" she responded with ....

"I don't know why you just didn't give the dustbin men a glass of water. then you wouldn't have so much to take to the tip next week!"

She didn't quite understand why I was at that point screaming with laughter and rolling around my front garden!

 

[swee'pea99]

For some reason this reminds me of an old episode of Cracker, where Fitz gets out of a cab and says: 'You'll be wanting a tip? Don't leave your geraniums out through the winter.'

 

[andylaw79]

I know my hayfever has kicked in something chronic this morning and I'm just waiting for the tablets to take effect - but have I missed something?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Some people as beyond belief. "Do you want me to do x for you?" "Yes please" "Can I have y for doing x for you?"

Picture the scene...

Late friday evening, standing out the front chatting to a neighbour together with my wife and oldest (23) daughter, when along the street comes 3 yes 3! dust carts to collect the green waste. Also bear in mind my street is a cul-de-sac and only 150yds long. So straight away we're thinking wth is going on here?! Thats not the point of my story - though I will be making some calls today regarding the policy behind this.

They each choose a section of the street and proceed to remove the green waste. one of them parked directly outside my house.

Once they have finished, they sit and wait for the vehicle for the lead vehicle to finish. Then the driver of MY (I'm thinking now its my personal dust cart) dust cart gets out and points to some old chipboard old bits of 2x1 and broom handles that were laying in my garden and says "You want to get rid of that mate?".

At this point I am confused, because:

1. we are only supposed to put 'green garden waste' like grass cuttings in the green wheeley bins.
2. If we put the woody trimmings of a few bushes on top of the green bin and the dustmen see it, they don't take it (unless they know we are watching).

so I said "is it ok to put it in there?" pointing to my dust cart. he says "Sure it'll be fine!" - "that would be great - thank you" I said.

He went back to the cab in my dust cart to talk to his mates, one of them got out and they both walked to my garden gate and the driver then said "Can you give us a drink for it?" - my response was "no, its ok (or words to that effect) I'll take it to the tip myself" so they got back in my dust cart and left.

I noted a quizical look from my daughter (she's 23 don't forget) but carried on chatting to the neighbour.

Yesterday after clearing my shed I got my daughter to help me carry some more bits of wood through to the front garden, to add to the rest. As we finished, I said, "I'll take that lot to the tip next week, will you help me?" she responded with ....

"I don't know why you just didn't give the dustbin men a glass of water. then you wouldn't have so much to take to the tip next week!"

She didn't quite understand why I was at that point screaming with laughter and rolling around my front garden!

 

[Arch]

Some people as beyond belief. "Do you want me to do x for you?" "Yes please" "Can I have y for doing x for you?"

Errr. isn't that the basis on which all Capitalist (and many other types of) society is founded? No such thing as a free lunch and all that....

Andy, I think Blue Icicle is amused that his daughter thought the binmen wanted a glass of water for moving the extra stuff, when they were angling for a money tip for beer.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

That is also a valid conclusion to draw and quite probably the correct one. To me however I found the asking and if he wanted the stuff moved and then asking for cash also rather amusing. Maybe the OP should have offered the chaps a glass of water just to see their reactions

Errr. isn't that the basis on which all Capitalist (and many other types of) society is founded? No such thing as a free lunch and all that....

Andy, I think Blue Icicle is amused that his daughter thought the binmen wanted a glass of water for moving the extra stuff, when they were angling for a money tip for beer.

 

[Archie_tect]

It's awkward when someone offers to do something for you, apparently as a favour, and then demands payment- at least the bin-men were up-front about it!

There'll be all sorts of contamination of green waste going on where people hide stuff in their bins or bin-men put stuff in that they shouldn't whether for money or not. Went to our local tip with the hedge clippings yesterday- it has a really good set-up making it clear and easy to sort things out- yet still people mess it up just because they can't be bothered to walk a few feet. There was a blonde 40ish woman in a Mercedes estate- who spent as long arguing, with the poor bloke managing the site, as it would taken her to just do what she was supposed to- spouting forth about "not having the time to mess about sorting stuff because that's what they pay their rates for".

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I agree. We have a wonderful recycling facility near me. I still see stuff dumped along the road to it and like you have seen people argue with the staff. I must admit I did get a little ratty when I was off loading a few items that were 50/50 metal and plastic. One chat told me to put the item in the metal the other in the plastic!!!

It's awkward when someone offers to do something for you, apparently as a favour, and then demands payment- at least the bin-men were up-front about it!

There'll be all sorts of contamination of green waste going on where people hide stuff in their bins or bin-men put stuff in that they shouldn't whether for money or not. Went to our local tip with the hedge clippings yesterday- it has a really good set-up making it clear and easy to sort things out- yet still people mess it up just because they can't be bothered to walk a few feet. There was a blonde 40ish woman in a Mercedes estate- who spent as long arguing, with the poor bloke managing the site, as it would taken her to just do what she was supposed to- spouting forth about "not having the time to mess about sorting stuff because that's what they pay their rates for".

 

[Arch]

It's awkward when someone offers to do something for you, apparently as a favour, and then demands payment- at least the bin-men were up-front about it!

There'll be all sorts of contamination of green waste going on where people hide stuff in their bins or bin-men put stuff in that they shouldn't whether for money or not. Went to our local tip with the hedge clippings yesterday- it has a really good set-up making it clear and easy to sort things out- yet still people mess it up just because they can't be bothered to walk a few feet. There was a blonde 40ish woman in a Mercedes estate- who spent as long arguing, with the poor bloke managing the site, as it would taken her to just do what she was supposed to- spouting forth about "not having the time to mess about sorting stuff because that's what they pay their rates for".

People say they don't have time to sort out their recycling. I can't understand it. Bung some bags in the box, drop the thing in the right bag. Takes no more time than just putting it in the bin, and if it does, it's seconds. If your life is so full that you can't spare a second (maybe while the kettle boils?) you need to sort yourself out....

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Agreed 100%. It becomes a pain when products contain multiple materials that can not easily be separated out. A standing lamp for example has plastic, metal and concrete (in the base). Maybe I am being to anal about it

People say they don't have time to sort out their recycling. I can't understand it. Bung some bags in the box, drop the thing in the right bag. Takes no more time than just putting it in the bin, and if it does, it's seconds. If your life is so full that you can't spare a second (maybe while the kettle boils?) you need to sort yourself out....

 

[asterix]

They are extremely keen at the French tip. Before they even let you in you have to let them inspect the stuff and they tell you what each item is in case you have difficulty distinguishing wood, metal or glass. That said, one of them then comes and helps to offload it all. They did admit defeat with some chicken wire that had ivy entangled - it started off as metal but turned into landfill. C'est un melange.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Someone's dumped a sofa on the central reservation of one of the roads out of Gloucester. I'm really struggling to see in what way loading the sofa into your car, driving it to a dual carriageway and then carrying it across two lanes of traffic is easier than loading the sofa into your car and driving it to the tip.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Someone's dumped a sofa on the central reservation of one of the roads out of Gloucester. I'm really struggling to see in what way loading the sofa into your car, driving it to a dual carriageway and then carrying it across two lanes of traffic is easier than loading the sofa into your car and driving it to the tip.

I can not comprehend the mentality involved in such an act!

 

[Archie_tect]

John Bishop has experience of trying to take stuff to a tip in Liverpool.... I'll see if I can find the link!

Here it is [after 3:40]

John Bishop's fridge.

 

[Night Train]

Someone's dumped a sofa on the central reservation of one of the roads out of Gloucester. I'm really struggling to see in what way loading the sofa into your car, driving it to a dual carriageway and then carrying it across two lanes of traffic is easier than loading the sofa into your car and driving it to the tip.

I'm imagining that it was probably badly loaded on a trailer or pick up bed and fell off. If it was on the carrageway the Police will move it onto the nearest verge and then get the Council to clear it.

My local tip is quite good in that it has lots of sections and the staff are good about advising where things need to go. However, they still do the 'if in doubt, land fill it' with things that may be indeterminate materials.

Anything that is metal, like old engines and gearboxes, I will strip down to their components to separately weigh in the steel, brass, bronze and aluminium while keeping the nuts and bolts and bearings for reuse.