howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
courtesy of the telegraph.
On a recent visit to Manchester I walked down Oxford Road. The thoroughfare is the haunt of students, there being two universities along it, Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan. I do not recall a filthier street anywhere, and I have visited more than 80 countries.
One positively waded through litter, kicking aside the detritus of a million refreshments taken on the hoof. A fair proportion of the students carried a plastic bottle, complete with something uncommonly like a dummy's teat, as if global warming had transformed the road into the Sahara Desert. I assume that the students at the universities are mainly middle-class.
Perhaps it isn't their fault, though. No one has ever told them that to eat or drink in the street is a degraded thing to do; and if they were told it would only make it more attractive to them, for what more sincere expression of sympathy for those who suffer from bad behaviour is there than imitation of it?
I wrote to complain to the Lord Mayor; I said that while I understood that the behaviour of people in Britain was generally disgusting, it was nevertheless the council's duty to keep the streets clean. I did not receive a reply, no doubt because everyone was too busy. Manchester Council has a 48-page document describing its anti-discrimination policy, the latter including monthly ethnic monitoring of the staff.
I wrote a similar letter to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham after a recent visit there. At least he replied, through a minion.
Manchester and Birmingham are filthy because England is filthy. An Englishman's street is now his dining room, and his country is his litter-bin. When Englishmen - or a sizeable number to judge by the results - arrive at a beauty-spot their first impulse is to chuck at it a vividly coloured empty bottle or tin of revolting drink with which they have recently refreshed themselves.
Dreadfully incompetent and dishonest as public authorities are, our pavements are not mottled by discarded chewing gum because of them; and it is not only because of them that our streets are the filthiest in Europe, if not the world.
Not long ago I had the humiliation of being answered with an aggressive and flat refusal. Perfectly politely, I asked a woman, who threw her cigarette end down at my feet as we entered Euston Station, to pick it up. If in retaliation I had criticised her slovenliness, I should no doubt have been arrested for insulting behaviour. In the absence of any sense of civic duty, we have no defence against litterers.
Britain was not always so filthy. I suspect that it is the result of a toxic mixture of excessive individualism (there is no such thing as society), and of an easily inflamed awareness of inalienable rights (who are you to tell me what to do? I know my rights). What I do is right because it is I who do it; the customer is always right, and life is my supermarket.
The virtual world has become more real and all-encompassing to us than what used to be called the real world. Those who toss rubbish from cars are in a bubble, and in a trance; separated physically from the world, bathed in music, usually trance-inducing, they glide past everything
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#2
Eating on the hoof. What is to be done? That freedom equates to a life unlicensed is, I contend, at the root of this problem. Much time and space could be used to go through the whole sordid issue, but one answer is that a premium be charged for eating off the premises, this money to paid to the local authority to cover the cost of supplying bins and emptying them.
The problem then becomes one of applying said monies to the task and not having councils use it to enhance expenses etc.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
not the problem around here tom, we don't have many bins left.
don't forget that eating on the hoof has been around for many decades, back to the time when fish and chips was bought on the way home from the pictures football match or pub.
i agree with the article people are the problem, lack of community spirit is closely allied to that.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#4
As I cycled up the High Street this morning just after 6 am the roads were covered in take away stuff,it is like that most days but this morning seemed worse.Those poor Road sweepers do a sterling job getting everything clean.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,321
#5
These were scenes last Tuesday in London Road, rubbish collection is Thursday, but that's neither here nor there as the most of this wouldn't be collected by the bin-men anyway. On my dog walk at 06.30 this morning two black bags had been put out overnight, naturally by this morning they were totally ripped and all over the pavement.
We did try a few years ago, as LRCF, to get the tenants of the premises above the shops to understand when (and how) to put the rubbish out. It was all to no avail however. We did have discussions with DDC who were going to issue multi-lingual leaflets, it never happened though.
I talked to a shop keeper last week who told me that he had been physically threatened over a similar issue.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#6
this lot was put out the day after collection, the following day the contents were strewn over a 100 metre radius.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#7
When are we getting the wheelie bins, that is for those that are lucky enough to be getting them? I thought it was supposed to be this month but we have heard nothing.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#8
You will be geting them by Oct/this year
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
#9
http://www.dover.gov.uk/waste__recycling/new_service.aspx, the change starts in September, 'canvassers' will be out across the district from August explaining the new scheme, good luck to them!
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#10
Sadly for many on streets like London Road, wheelie bins will not/cannot be an option as there is nowhere to store them, so the view that Terry shared above will still too often be the vista from my window
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#11
Thank you for the link, the only real change is the food waste bin.
What a shame the paper will not be going in a wheelie bin that would have stopped it blowing around on collection day I expect we will continue to use our blue bag for paper if that is possible.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#12
thanks for the link ray, they do not say what roads will not get them yet.
ross mentions london road as an example, i would think that practically all of tower hamlets would be unsuitable too.
the clarendons seem to be a definite no.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#13
I would have thought anywhere with a front garden or access to a rear alley that the refuse lorry could go along should get them or is that too obvious.
It is a great shame those that will still have to use sacks do not have a nearby area for a large community bin.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
#14
Jan,
The Paper will be collected from the black box.There was a three page article in the Dover District Council @your Service newsletter Issue 41 Summer .
Hope this is helpful .
You can also see who your local councillors are .
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#15
Sue, does that mean they will no longer empty a blue bag? There will not be enough room in the black box for all the paper and cardboard we have and the blue bag holds a lot more it is also lighter to carry when full.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
#16
black box for paper and cardboard .I suppose we will have to do as old friends of mine did .Tie the papers up in neat bundles I usualy flatten all boxes
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#17
jan
re post 13
not as simple as that, my road has front garden space and is suitable for the new bins.
the problem then is that most of the other roads on the pick up do not or if they do the bins would still end up on the pavement much as the bags do now.
#18
I cannot carry the black box when it is full because of my dodgy knee. As always, though, the problem is the attitude of individuals who insist on doing as they damn well please and putting out the rubbish in whatever they like, whenever they like. Perhaps a slightly more joined up approach by the council alongside some decent communication might help a bit.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#19
The council are highly assiduous in ensuring that the rules are adhered to. As far as businesses are concerned, that is. Only last Friday there were two DDC jobsworths in rubber gloves going through black bags in Castle St to ensure no trade waste was being left out for the household waste collection.
If you live in Castle or Russell St however you are free to leave out your household garbage on any day of the week to await the Friday collection and nobody gets prosecuted if the seagulls and river rats drag it all over the neighbourhood.
All the council's enforcement activity seems to be aimed at small businesses whereas we all suspect the real problem is DSS tenants who do not know how to behave.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
#20
This was discussed at the Dover West Neighbourhood Forum that I went to, with the various bins on show.
Assessing whether you are suitable for a wheelie bin will be done on an individual property basis and the physical ability of the property occupier will not be considered initially - I can imagine our councillors being very busy with appeals, and tears before bedtime
The officers present did say it would be OK to continue putting waste paper in the blue bags if your black box is full, whether that will get down to the operators remains to be seen.
On the other hand, this article gives us hope! -
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2015511/Council-rubbish-inspector-refused-allow-bins-emptied-122-homes-sacked.html
