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Auto-walking trash bins
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Author:  mhuynh [ Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Auto-walking trash bins

I had bizarre incidents in the last two weeks. My trash bins appear to walk to the curb side by themselves. I keep the bins outside the garage behind the bushes. It is not visible from the street but accessible from the drive way. I take them out to the curb side in the late afternoon the day before the trash collection day. Last two times, I found them there already. :shock: Other than that, nothing got stolen or changed.

But it is quite a bit uncomfortable for me. I am retired but not that old that other people cannot help helping taking out the trash bins. What should I do? I just talked to the neighbor close to the garage about what happened.

Author:  Barbra Voltaire, FGG [ Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

It sounds like a kind soul is trying to do you a favor.
Do you think they'll put them back after the garbage gets collected?
I'd give them the chance. :wink:

If it really gives you the creeps, tape a note to the cans, asking that they be left alone and contact the Garbage Service and ask if they have other reports of this occurring.

Author:  Frank [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Chain it to something

Author:  Barbra Voltaire, FGG [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

You know, years ago when I worked in Marin county, there was a young fellow living there who I called "The Midnight Sweeper".
He was a meth amphetamine user, who almost every night would thoroughly sweep ALL the sidewalks of downtown Larkspur.

I thought he was a saint in disguise.

:smt033 :smt042

Author:  mhuynh [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 1:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Thanks for the replies. I’ll chain the bins and stick a thank-you note. Hopefully someone gets the message of “thank you but no thank you”.

Author:  maialetto [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 3:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Fill one with concrete/anvils/etc... then hide, take a video-camera, and wait for the guy trying to lift it. Even better if you put some glue on the handles of the bin. :mrgreen:

Author:  Gearloose [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

I have a neighbor who does that also. It is not as a kindness but as a rebuke. She has nothing to do all day except watch soap operas and stare out the window, report to us on our movements*, and worry for seven days that I might forget to roll the dumpster out. She's widowed and alone, so we split the dumpster bill.

It gives her something to occupy her mind, all three XOR gates of it.

* Really. Phone rings. "You were in your pool today".
!!! No wonder I got all wet!!!

Creeps me out.

Author:  George Sharen [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Even better tape a sawbuck and a thank you note on the handle of the bin once a month :twisted: :twisted:

wolf

Author:  Gearloose [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Quote:
He was a meth amphetamine user, who almost every night would thoroughly sweep ALL the sidewalks of downtown Larkspur.

I thought he was a saint in disguise.


Her probably IS, kind of, at present. :smt059

They are kind of like a glass Slinky going down the stairs.
Fun to watch, but they break all the time.

Author:  mhuynh [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

In contrast to gearloose’s case, my problem is I don’t know who is doing it. He/She may be doing it with a good intention. But walking up to the 50-yard driveway is a little too intrusive to me. (My house is located in a rural area and has a big lot.)

I am a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. But TKD taught me to avoid the situations I have to use my TKD techniques. Watching and confronting him/her might be one of the situations. I hope not, of course. Besides, a 5-feet/100 pound black belt is not much of anything.

But I want him/her to stop it. Yeah, chain and a thank-you note should work. But I am curious to see how Marco’s suggestion works. Wolf’s suggestion may encourage the behavior.

Author:  Gearloose [ Thu Nov 18, 2010 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Quote:
I am a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. But TKD taught me to avoid the situations I have to use my TKD techniques.


My school of self-defense teaches the same thing.

I hardly think someone who feels they are doing you a favor is going to attack you, though. It seems an overelaborate way of building trust.

One thing I have noticed is that nowadays, doing something one thinks is nice for someone else often messes with their minds. For example, in my town, if I am courteous and considerate to someone in traffic, it wrecks their day. They spend all day amazed, trying to figure out why I did it. So out of perversity, I try to be nice to people. They don't expect it any more.

So, in a sense, your story saddens me, that we have come to that. I am sometimes annoyed at my dumpster walking to the curb, even though there is no mystery about it. Basically, "It's MY job". But still, they seem to mean well.

Then, there is the implied insult: "They are so degenerate and feeble, they could not possibly do it themselves.."

Author:  squeaky [ Fri Nov 19, 2010 12:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

I'm not sure what my suggestion would be in this situation - if you knew who was doing it, it might be a whole different story. We have a big push in all our schools and communities right now to take 'Rachel's Challenge' named after one of the Columbine victims. The goal is to do at least one act of kindness every day. Maybe they're doing it too...and don't realize what their actions are causing for you.

Author:  Barbra Voltaire, FGG [ Fri Nov 19, 2010 12:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

That's why I suggested taping a note to the cans.

I will always move my neighbors cans back close to their house after pickup if I'm the first one out and about.....and they for me.

Author:  Gearloose [ Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Auto-walking trash bins

Quote:
I will always move my neighbors cans back close to their house after pickup if I'm the first one out and about.....and they for me.


Back when I was giving him big Holiday bonuses, the UPS Guy used to do that.

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