Wednesday 5 October 2022

Dustmen.

 

On Monday morning at around 7.30 am, I heard an ENORMOUS crash/explosion whilst walking with Billy. I asked a fellow dog-walker what she thought it was, but we were as baffled as each other.

Later in the day I learned that it was a dustcart that had overturned just down from the park, about 50 yards away, but out of our sight. It had been travelling downhill and turned right just where the camber of the road was against him. The inevitable happened; I imagine he was going a tad too quickly. The dustcart landed on its side and was eventually righted by a huge crane. Below is the slightly crumpled result. It looks considerably less damaged than I would have imagined.


Later that day I had a short chat with a dustman who empties the (dog poo) bins in the park. He's such a nice guy, and is very conscientious. He assured me that the driver of the dustcart was OK.

On the way to the park on Tuesday morning (the next day) I noticed a lot of rubbish in the twitten behind our garages, and made a mental note that if I could find a plastic bag I would tidy it on my way home.  Luckily I did find an escapee bag and filled it with several beer bottles and cans as well as some clear plastic containers and a few small gas canisters. Some bin men with a machine not unlike the one above had been watching what I'd been doing, and applauded me. 

How nice of them; it made my day!   

30 comments:

  1. That was a very thoughtful nice thing to do

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    1. I don't like living amongst other people's mess. I clean-up quite often, but I'm not usually seen doing so.

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  2. P is always picking up other people's rubbish along the roadside: often there is a bin only a few steps away but they prefer to just chuck stuff on the ground. If there is no bin handy he has been known to bring rubbish home in his pocket to put in our bin.

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    1. I just wish people who drop rubbish would do the same.

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  3. Picking up the rubbish of others is a small but very good thing to do. I used to pre Covid but I became hesitant and I've yet to restart doing so. I've never actually done as I want when I see someone littering, that is stuff the garbage down their throats.

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    1. I always make sure I sanitise my hands after touching other people's rubbish. Whether it does any good or not, I don't know.

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  4. I always leave the house with a bag on my walks, there are so many things to collect and throw in the trash can.

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    1. We don't have so many plastic bags these days, I was fortunate to find one on the ground.

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  5. I am a picker upper of rubbish and placing it in bins. I take my own rubbish home with me and place in my own bin. I feel it is my job to deal with my own rubbish.

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    1. It's mostly the night-time drinkers and drug takers who leave the mess. I don't suppose they'll ever change.

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  6. And I applaud you too Cro! Taking pride in one's immediate environment should involve some practical action - not just moaning and complaints. Is the alleyway illuminated? That should help to discourage those nighttime visitors.

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    1. It is illuminated and it also has CCTV, but it doesn't seem to stop those who wish to use it for nefarious purposes.

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  7. That'll take some explaining. I guess there'll be a bin lorry driver vacancy in Brighton.

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    1. I wouldn't be surprised. I always slow right down when I turn that corner in the car, he must have been going much too fast.

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    2. Or perhaps his load shifted, it's been known to happen.

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  8. Let's look at it from another angle. If you tidy up after other people why should they bother themselves? In psycho babble I think it's called "enabling". Cro, the enabler. The only thing I ever pick up - because they are an actual danger - are banana skins. Other than that I may tap someone, regardless of age, gender or size, on the shoulder and ask them, sweetly, big smile: "Who do you think is going to pick up what you just dropped?". Works every time. And, no, no one has yet rearranged my face.

    Another thought: Yesterday you moaned about some building being lit like a Christmas tree all night long. Could be for all sorts of good reasons - clearly unknown to you. Yet, your complaint - largely - that it might come out of your council taxes. So why do you tidy other people's rubbish when you pay your taxes for the bin men to do their job, not YOURS?

    Don't shoot the messenger who only poses contra points to make people think.

    Other than that, I am happy that you find a purpose in communal life. I read a most interesting essay yesterday (written ca 1970) of what may happen to old people when they don't have a function as such, in society, any longer. Bloody shocker. Wish I had known this twenty years ago before my father shut up shop unbeknown to me. I wouldn't have been such a challenge to him.

    U

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  9. Together we can make the world a better place, one thing at a time.

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  10. I've just learned that the driver of the crashed dustcart had a trainee with him at the time. Oh dear!!!

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  11. Nice story - nobody badly hurt and a kind deed appreciated all round.

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    1. I don't really know why they applauded, but it was very welcome.

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  12. Everything looks good when neat and clean. That's a large truck, luckily nobody got hurt and the trash stayed inside the truck.

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    1. Sadly our little 'twittens' are ideal places for druggies, litter droppers, etc. It's everyone's duty to keep the looking tidy.

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  13. You and Tenpin are cut from the came cloth! I also pick up trash. It is a small difference but something that everyone can do.

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    1. Ha ha. Yes she's a stalwart tidier as well, but her detritus tends to be a lot bigger than mine.

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  14. I pick up rubbish in the village and cold dog poo too

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    1. I think I must have gathered another dog's poo yesterday. Billy had simply used the same spot!

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  15. I applaud you as well. Well done sir .

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    1. No applause needed or invited, I am simply a normal citizen.

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  16. I pick up rubbish when it blows into "my" section of the front yard here but I don't wander the streets with a plastic bag and a pair of rubber gloves.
    Rubbish trucks don't often tip over here, but quite a few have had their loads burst into flames. One clever driver drove into the nearest cul-de-sac and emptied his load onto the road so the truck wasn't destroyed. He called the fire brigade who came to put out the fire. For too many there is no safe place to dump the load so they just park in the street and save themselves.

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