... even if we have no lawn. But ya get the point, dontcha, Gentle Reader? Let us proceed... eight days ago the city of Portales set a dumpster down in front of the Inmóvil Casa de Pennington and life got better, in that we finally had a place to dispose our trash, which was mounting up at a rather alarming rate. Things went well the first day and we divested ourselves of our trash and a small amount of moving detritus. But things took a decided turn for the worse on day three when I made another trip to the dumpster, only to find some dirtbag had filled it nearly to capacity with moving boxes... which had been tossed into the dumpster without being broken down. I thought... briefly... about pulling the boxes out of the dumpster and breaking them down myself. That thought hit the wall when I noticed said boxes were filled with dirty disposable diapers and other rather obnoxious stuff.
So... fast forward five days or so... the dumpster is filled to capacity and my co-tenants in the apartment complex continued to pile their trash on the filled-to-capacity dumpster, having no other option. Well, except for me... I held my trash, waiting for the city to come by and empty the thing. The city came by today and dumped the contents of the dumpster into their garbage truck, EXCEPT for about six boxes and a couple o' garbage bags which spilled out on to the street, one of the boxes hitting the garbage truck driver in the head and upper body as he dumped the dumpster. And then the asshat pulled away, leaving the street littered with boxes and trash.
So, YrHmblScrb went outside and cleaned up the mess, mainly coz no one else was gonna do it. I've made FOUR calls to the City to complain and each time the call rolls to voice mail, whereupon I'm informed that "this line does not take messages." We will persevere and I WILL make my displeasure known.
Yeah... Get OFF My Lawn!
Ugh. Laziness and lack of respect for others gets on my last nerve.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure they're all co-tenants and not dumpster trolls who're too cheap to pay for their own trash pickup?
ReplyDeleteThis will be normal ops, sorry to say.
ReplyDeletePeople actually drive around and dump their stuff in what is known as free dumpsters.
About the only thing you can do is elect a trash commander. Basically, the landlord builds you a fenced-in place for the dumpster, each of you have a key.
When the bins get full, the trash commander rolls the dumpster out on trash pick-up day, and then quickly locks it back up behind the fence.
Another option might be, for each resident to opt-out of the community dumpster, and get their own personal waste can from the city.
ReplyDeleteThe land-lord then drops your rent the same amount.
People usually don't molest the personal waste cans.
Just: They're co-tenants. The city bundles trash collection in with the water bill, so everyone in town has "free" garbage service (except for base housing, which has its own contract). I doubt that people from outside the city would drive this deep into town in search of a dumpster... but I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis will be normal ops, sorry to say.
I don't think so, Anon. I think things will "get normal" once everyone is moved in and settled. Most of the dumpster-packing this week was boxes and such.
Anon: **I** pay for my garbage service, as noted above, not the landlord. And I don't think P-ville works the way you suggest.
ReplyDeleteBad trash pick-up is not okay. Definitely call and complain about the trash left in the street and the full dumpsters. The trashmen need a good butt chewin'. If you don't get an answer, write a letter to the editor. Apartment management does need to put up signs about breaking down boxes or they need to put up more dumpsters. Can you tell this is a pet peeve? While in Red River this summer we had to clean the cabin before we left. My friend pulled up to an empty dumpster in a neighborhood to throw out our one bag of trash. I would not lete her. I explained that these were not her dumpsters and people pay for their use and that the city puts out a roll-off bin for her use. She said she had always used other's dumpsters. Sometimes people go on vacation and leave their brain at home.
ReplyDeleteUgh! Hopefully as you say this will settle down once people have moved into the new digs. In the meantime, I echo Lou's comments about being persistent in your complaining. It's a pain in the ass that you have to do it at all, and yet eventually someone will listen. I'm sure your complex management isn't too pleased about the trash situation - be sure they know as well.
ReplyDeleteI had to be persistent in a complaint to our State DOT regardign snow plowing on a state highway. Short story: the 2 lane highway I take to work wouldn't be plowed until you reached the more affluent section of the highway; there were mornings that we'd drive in 6 inches of snow! I complained to the DOT after every storm; they kept denying that is was like that, so I suggested they come stay with me the night before a forecasted snowstorm then drive to work with me. See how it felt to drive in 10 miles of snow piles on the highway.
The next snowstorm? The plowing situation was VASTLY different.
Can you tell this is a pet peeve?
ReplyDeleteWell, I sorta got that feelin', Lou. And I WILL keep tryin' to get a hold o' the City.
Kris: So, did they come out and spend the night with you? True story: the mayor of the small burb in Dee-troit I lived in just happened to live on my street. Guess who was plowed FIRST? Heh.
Geaux get 'em, Buck! Trash pickup in New Orleans is bizarre. The City contracts with 3 different contractors, for 3 different areas -- don't ask me why there are 3. This is New Orleans -- no one knows why. If you live in a building with 4 or more units, yo're on your own and must find your own trash contractor. Curbside recycling has FINALLY resumed since Katrina, but they won't pick up glass.
ReplyDeleteI admit to having searched for out-of-the-way dumpsters on occasion, and my DIL is an expert. Shame on us!
I admit to having searched for out-of-the-way dumpsters on occasion, and my DIL is an expert. Shame on us!
ReplyDeleteWell... I've done that, too. Earlier this week I thought... seriously... about driving my garbage over to Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park because MY dumpster was overflowing. Shame on me, too.
Buck - you're right I probably should have explained - no, no one stayed overnight. :-) But my larger point was taken when I suggested it.
ReplyDeleteToby suggested taking video of the problems and the trash men.
ReplyDeleteLou: I finally got a hold o' the city. They told me "no, that sorta behavior on the part o' the driver is NOT normal" (in response to my question) and offered to send someone out to clean up the mess. I told them that wasn't necessary as I had already cleaned it up, but I DID want the supervisor to "counsel" the driver. They said they would.
ReplyDelete