Cranky Man Complains: Poorly Positioned Trash Containers

Garbage collectors of Oak Park, is there anything we can do about this?

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013 12:00 PM

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By David Hammond

Recently, after carrying a bunch of carry-out containers full of half-eaten food* to the garbage can, I marveled at the astounding lack of care demonstrated in the poorly positioned trash containers strewn about our alley.

Why in tarnation can't our garbage collectors position trash container handles toward the alley so that homeowners can easily lift the lids (which would then be positioned toward the homes) to deposit garbage and recycling?

Land o' Goshen, it makes sense for garbage collectors to position the handles outward so that it's easier for them to pick up and drop off cans!

Why, if not for plain mean-spiritedness, do they insist upon turning the handles inward, making it necessary for us, the weary men of the world (and it's mostly men who take out the trash), to either step into alley traffic to open the lid and deposit our loads or flip the lid awkwardly toward us before swinging in the bag?

Is it so hard to be thoughtful? This is a big deal, dagnabbit!

*Obligatory food reference

Reader Comments

7 Comments - Add Your Comment

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Speedway from Oak Park

Posted: February 22nd, 2013 10:08 PM

The worse thing about the garbage bin is the 20 or so bags of dog s#%t, some of which has leaked out of the bag. Absolutely worse thing is the couple of bags of dog s#%t in the recycle bin. Wouldn't be so bad if I owned a dog or cat. Also I thought we were supposed to not bag our recycleables. Am I wrong?

OP Transplant

Posted: February 22nd, 2013 4:39 PM

It makes me want to shake my fist and cry out, my voice cracking, "You kids get off of my lawn!"

The Brad from Oak Park

Posted: February 22nd, 2013 2:09 PM

Tell it, Eileen. I marvel at the families that, on a weekly basis, overload their recycling bins, refuse to break down boxes & cardboard, and don't use any sort of bags for the recyclables. The spirit of entitlement is strong in my alley. We have the requisite family that does this. They're too busy and important, with no care if their garbage blows all over the damn neighborhood. You should have seen the display they put on after Christmas. It was embarrassing and pathetic.

Eileen from Oak Park

Posted: February 22nd, 2013 2:03 PM

I have no issue with the bin people, I have a big issue with the neighbors who leave their bins in the allery all the time, makng it difficult to get in and out of my parking area. And I have an even bigger issue with the people who overload their bins every week and then their garbage blows all over the alley and my yard and they never pick it up. AND they put garbage in the recycling, now I am getting cranky

Alley dude

Posted: February 21st, 2013 2:25 PM

To be fair, I don't expect everything to be lined up at a perfect 90% angle every time, but it would be nice not to have to drive through an obstacle course every week. It looks like your blue lid had a price on it's head, and is probably swimming with the fishes.

Alley dude

Posted: February 21st, 2013 2:22 PM

David, your alley of bins look relatively organized compared to mine, lol. I'm guessing you don't live on the east side of the village? But I share your frustration. Sometimes I come out after trash collection day, and you'd be hard pressed to know who's bins actually belong to who. Sometimes my bins are closer to the garage next door. Sometimes in the middle of the alley There is no incentive for our bin men to put them back where they found them, so why would they?

David Hammond from Oak Park, Illinois Facebook Verified