(no subject)

[themadone]

*grrrs*

Got a snooty letter from the council telling me off for leaving my bin out on the pavement when I shouldn't have. So I called them up to complain as I'd been leaving it out on the day they told me (Tuesday) and they weren't collecting it until sometime (seemingly) random later in the week. It turns out that randomly and without telling me, they'd decided to change my collection day to Friday. So it's little wonder I'd been putting the bin out too early and then not putting it away again when it was emptied as that'd mean checking if they'd done it or not.

Person on the phone seemed to understand my plight and was on my side, which is good. I don't really like the idea of getting a large fine just cos the council decide to randomly change things without telling me. Although putting it out on a Friday is bloody annoying as it means that if I go away for the weekend on Friday, I can't leave the bin out unless the binmen come before I leave. Cos leaving the empty bin on the pavement, even for a day or two isn't allowed either.

I should have pointed out that if the bin was blocking the pavement, then maybe they should also do something about the cars that park on it and block it utterly too. I wonder what rule/regulation that kind of thing comes under.

EDIT: It also doesn't help when random people...probably the same people that complained about the bin being out too much...put their random loose rubbish in the bin making it impossible for me to fit my own rubbish in it properly. Hopefully I don't get a fine for having too much rubbish now instead :(

Comments

[jenny-gould.livejournal.com]

So what on earth are you meant to do if you are away? Would it not make a bit more sense if the binmen were employed to do the whole job?

[themadone.livejournal.com]

Apparently if I'm away, I'm meant to enlist the aid of friends or family to move the bin about on my behalf. Which is perfectly feasible I guess, but seems like a lot of hassle for someone - it's not like I'm on the way to anywhere, so they'd have to go out of their way to do it.

I suppose asking one of my neighbours would be the best solution as they'll be moving their bin between the same rough locations too. But I suspect I'll just leave the bin until I get back filled with stinky rubbish. If it's one of my neighbours who complained, it'll serve them right for complaining.

[blue-cat.livejournal.com]

I think the official reason is that it adds time to find & drag the bin out, and that means fewer bins per hour get emptied and thus it costs more in fuel (keeping the truck running while people run about getting bins) and wages.

It is easy for us as we have a drive, as long as we remember to park our bin. However they often don't return it to our drive so we could get in trouble that way.

[inquis.livejournal.com]

Ours is right outside the house, approximately a metre from the pavement, but they don't empty it unless it is actually on the pavement. Conveniently, our collection is on a Monday morning, so we have the weekend to sort stuff out for it.

[jenny-gould.livejournal.com]

yes, that is indeed the theory. I knew all that ... hell I have worked with council people on such things enough.... But its crazy!! We are being threatened with fines for not putting it out at exactly the right time, as in this 24-7 world of work its simply not possible. Plus little old ladies dragging bins to the edge of their properties with great difficulty seems mad. We shave a few hours costs from employing fit council workers and them doing the job properly. I leave my bin close enough to the property that they *do* still do it, though I am pleasantly suprised at that, but I forget to put my recyclables out most weeks. It also of course makes it almost impossible for people to use the pavements that morning if they have mobility issues.

[lucfia.livejournal.com]

iv just had somethning similar- execpt that they sent me a letter saying the bin would be collected on friday, and kept collecting it on thursday! and my bin has to live on the roadside as theres no where else for it to go.
the letter i had from runnymede said that the bins should be left on "the propertys boundry at 8.00" for collection

[themadone.livejournal.com]

I had a letter that said the same (8am etc...) but on Tuesday a few months back. No sign of anything similar saying Friday :(