Neighbor using YOUR garbage can?

[aprilgail2]

We don't have the option to pay for extra garbage. Once a week we get one can for waste, one can for recyclables. Once a month we can put extra out, no charge.

Another vote for no biggie that the neighbor put his garbage in your can.

What in the world do you do with garbage if you have more than that? We cleaned out the basement last month and had 4 full garbage pails and 8 giant trash bags plus a recliner - we put them all out on garbage day and they take all of it.

 

[teller80]

We don't do cleaning like that until the weekend before extra garbage day. Maybe now though I'll start looking in my neighbors cans for extra space

 

[aprilgail2]

We don't do cleaning like that until the weekend before extra garbage day. Maybe now though I'll start looking in my neighbors cans for extra space

wow- I am shocked at some people garbage pick up. I would dread having parties at my house with all the extra trash generated LOL. After Christmas there are at least 3 cans of garbage in front of every house! And honestly if garbage was limited like that here people would just be dumping trash by any open lot they could find or on the side of the road.

 

[kacaju]

What in the world do you do with garbage if you have more than that? We cleaned out the basement last month and had 4 full garbage pails and 8 giant trash bags plus a recliner - we put them all out on garbage day and they take all of it.

You put in in the neighbors...LOL!! We have once a week pick up...but you can call for a bulk pick up if you have that much extra.

Our garbage is included with our taxes. As I said earlier we do this all the time with the neighbors when needed. My neighbors are Jewish...and always host Holiday family dinners...so I know they may need to use my can at that time...just like Christmas and my kids Birthdays I always have an extra bag or two I need to use theirs. I would never use another's can without asking first...but we have been here for 18 years now and have had the same neighbors...we don't have to ask every time we need to throw an extra bag out. When my neighbors go away...I will try to clean the basement or garage and use their
can so when it is garbage day it looks like someone is at home.

This thread is in good timing since I will soon get a new neighbor and I will let them know they are free to use my can if they have extra garbage from moving in

 

[Katy Belle]

We've lived in places like yours, with twice a week pick up. All the neighbors would do this. It worked out fine, as long as the person with the extra trash waited until close to pick up time. It would irritate me if I took one last bag out and found my bin full! If I had space, wouldnt bother me at all.

Here we have once a week pick up. Bins are provided by trash company. You choose your size of bin, and # of bins, and pay accordingly. If you have extra, you can leave out large bags, attach a sticker, that costs $2. We pay for a medium bin, which is usually sufficient. Some neighbors have 2. If someone took up space in my bin that I needed, it would irritate me. Especially if it was often. They should pay for an additional bin.

 

[manning]

Be sneaky like us. Wait until they go on vacation and then put garbage in front of their house.

 

[elaine amj]

A couple of days ago, I went out to check the mail and bring the garbage can in. I lifted the lid and there was still garbage in it, so I turned to back inside. As I did, my neighbor across the street yelled over and told me he had put some garbage in my can. I was like what? And he said yeah, the garbage had just come down his side of the street, but since it hadn't gotten to my side, he came over and dropped off his garbage in my can.

I really don't know what to think of this and it strikes me as a little strange. So I was wondering what people here would think. Here's some specifics:
*garbage cans are the property of the city
*garbage cans are free and replacements are free
*garbage is not billed according to weight
*garbage service is three times a week (one of those is for recyclables only)

So basically there's no consequences for me with him using our can. It just is a little weird. I mean, why can't he put his garbage in his own can and wait for the next pickup which was two days later?

Any thoughts?

it doesn't cost you any extra - and it is going to be picked up in a few minutes. I can't even fathom giving it a second thought. I've done it before. Didn't pop it in their can (not required in our area) but just popped my bag beside their can. Didn't ask as nobody was out - I would consider it even ruder for someone to ring my doorbell at 7am.

It would bother me if his garbage took up space in my can that I needed. We only get garbage pick up once a week on Mondays. We put the cans out on Sunday evening. If we have additional garbage to take out, we take it out to the curb and put it in the cans. One Sunday I took some expired food out of the fridge and went to put it in the garbage can. I was surprised to see that someone had stuffed a bunch of their stuff in our can. I thought it was extremely rude. I cleaned the fridge because I knew we had enough space in the can that week. Now I'm stuck with a bag of stinky food for a week. Or I could take out the other person's garbage and be stuck with that. We pay for one can of garbage to be picked up each week. That's our space. We sometimes take stuff for our neighbor across the street, and vice versa. But we always ask each other first. We've learned not to put our cans out until we're sure we don't have anything else to put in them.

If you have to pay and are limited - I would consider it very rude to use someone else's space, even if there is space in the can (for cases like yours where you might have last minute garbage to add). In this case, I would keep my own stinky garbage for an extra week.

Now - if the garbage man had already picked up your trash then he put the trash in my container then I would think that was weird and be a little peeved.

I'll share one of my pet peeves but my DH thinks I'm stupid but I hate when people put their dog poo bags in my empty trash can. I know it's a trashcan and it's not taking up much room but it will smell up the trashcan like poo. Trash smell is one thing but trash + poo smell is just gross. Again, my DH thinks I'm dumb because it's not like we're out in the alley and I'm smelling it but there are plenty of city trashcans to use. We have two dogs and I never put the bags in other people's trashcans when I walk by because they are closer. My DH thinks a trashcan is a trashcan!

I mentioned to another neighbor about seeing another neighbor put trash in another neighbors can. He then told me one day he lifted the lid and inside his empty can was a little blue bag. Which everyone knows belongs to the lady on our street who walks her dog. We only have 10 house on our street and she is the only one we see walking a dog carrying a blue bag.

I can't believe these people why!!!

UGH - would hate for someone to put garbage in an empty garbage can. It's one thing when the garbage is about to be picked up - but another thing altogether AFTER it's been picked up.

As for doggy poop bags - IMO a trashcan is a trashcan. It really doesn't smell all that much - as long as it has been properly knotted up. I will use a neighbor's trashcan if it's garbage day and their trashcan is on the curb. I won't use it if garbage has already been picked up.

I live in a residential area - so no municipal trashcans. I'm OK carrying the poop bags home - but if a garbage can is out and it's going to be picked up the next morning, I never dreamed anyone would have a problem with it. I guess I'll just carry my poop bag home - would hate to offend someone.

I learn so much about the variety of things that offend people on the Dis

 

[tvguy]

What in the world do you do with garbage if you have more than that? We cleaned out the basement last month and had 4 full garbage pails and 8 giant trash bags plus a recliner - we put them all out on garbage day and they take all of it.

You can get more than one 90 gallon garbage can here, but you pay extra. My mom's neighbors have 4. Flip side is, the also offer 30 and 60 gallon trash cans and reduce your bill.

You are allowed one free junk pickup a year, one pile 4 x 4 x 8.

If you have more, you take it to the dump and pay $5 for a car, $10 for an SUV and $20 for a pickup.

Toxics and paint have to go to the dump, but there is no charge for them.

 

[Hillbeans]

I pay for one pick-up a week, but I live in a quiet cul-de-sac and we all have different garbage companies. I have never seen neighbor garbage in my can. There is a house on my street which intersects the main road and they do put a sign on their garbage can "No Dog Waste" so I can imagine their can was often used by others walking their dogs around town for dog waste, gross!

 

[DisneyBelle99]

I admit to watching too many crime shows, but honestly, my first thought was, " What is in that garbage? " "He has to throw it out in my bin?" "What will CSI find if he is a criminal?" I think it is nervy to do that without asking, but if it is the neighborhood norm, then OK. Still weird to me.

We don't pay separately for garbage, but have it picked up 3 times a week; recycle items once a week. One day you can put out large items like couches, etc. All included in our taxes, but believe me, you don't want to pay our taxes on Long Island!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

they are in fla garbage gets stinky fast

I freeze meat and stinky stuff in containers and toss night before garbage pick up. Cuts down on the maggots and smell.

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

If we generate too much trash for our cans, we take it to a dump where we pay extra. Same thing for yard waste. We could add yard waste pick up on, but it would be a subscription service and we don't generate enough waste to justify the extra charge.

 

[Gracie09]

I admit to watching too many crime shows, but honestly, my first thought was, " What is in that garbage? " "He has to throw it out in my bin?" "What will CSI find if he is a criminal?" I think it is nervy to do that without asking, but if it is the neighborhood norm, then OK. Still weird to me. We don't pay separately for garbage, but have it picked up 3 times a week; recycle items once a week. One day you can put out large items like couches, etc. All included in our taxes, but believe me, you don't want to pay our taxes on Long Island!

Or nj ( we get the same service)

 

[FireDancer]

The truck goes up my street once now and does both sides but that is new. A few years ago I forgot to put the garbage out and ended up putting a bag across the street next to the neighbor's. I didn't put it in his garbage can, just laid the bag next to his. I didn't really think anything of it and wouldn't had he done the same to me. That kind of thing is just not on my radar.

I do find it fascinating how other places do garbage though. There was a thread about it a year or so ago and I never knew that places had limits on how much you could put out or were charged directly. We don't have to use special cans and we aren't forced to recycle either though my city does offer it as a service.

I do prefer being able to just put out whatever I want and not worry about a laundry list of rules or regulations.

 

[HM]

A couple of days ago, I went out to check the mail and bring the garbage can in. I lifted the lid and there was still garbage in it, so I turned to back inside. As I did, my neighbor across the street yelled over and told me he had put some garbage in my can. I was like what? And he said yeah, the garbage had just come down his side of the street, but since it hadn't gotten to my side, he came over and dropped off his garbage in my can.

I really don't know what to think of this and it strikes me as a little strange. So I was wondering what people here would think. Here's some specifics:
*garbage cans are the property of the city
*garbage cans are free and replacements are free
*garbage is not billed according to weight
*garbage service is three times a week (one of those is for recyclables only)

So basically there's no consequences for me with him using our can. It just is a little weird. I mean, why can't he put his garbage in his own can and wait for the next pickup which was two days later?

Any thoughts?

At least he mentioned it to you.

Our nieghbors across the street have used our containers several times when theirs is too full for more garbage (or recycling) without saying a word to us.
DH and I feel it's just rude of them for not even saying anything to us. And if in the future, the city decides to start charging by the pound or something, then it would cost us.

 

[krcit]

Never fails to suprise me at what people get twisted about. Wouldn't be a blip on my radar. I even throw my empty water bottle in strangers recycle bins when I'm out for a walk. I guess I should knock on their door and ask first