Nigel 
November 9th, 2009
- Hey guys, what are you thinking?
It is rather obvious this bin has no more room for litter.
Leeds refuse workers are on strike, so this ain’t gonna get sorted any time soon.
We’re not on some country back lane where people dump old mattresses and fridges out of sight, this is a key route across Leeds inner-city ring road.
So what could be happening in the minds of those responsible?
I need to express how angry I am with ‘them’
My immediate reaction every time I walk past this sight is anger at the people who dumped their litter. Maybe they too are angry. At Leeds Council or at the strikers. And felt an urge to vent that anger by throwing the rubbish they’d planned to put in the bin. Not exactly constructive, but I know the feeling.
I’m going to make this problem more obvious so ‘they’ will have to do something
Now this is more rational; anger is directed at a practical solution. Trouble is it probably won’t work; there are more urgent refuse problems around the city right now.
I’ve just had a great evening and it’s tough being considerate
Well, there is a club a hundred yards away; and this is about where people who grabbed a takeaway in town will have had enough and want to drop the remnants. Yes, I’ve also sometimes had too much to drink. Afterwards I looked back and figured I’d rather not put myself into a state where I became loud-mouthed, obnoxious, and a bit dangerous behind the wheel of Dad’s car. Now as an old fogey I wonder if guys who need to get smashed several times a week shouldn’t get a life. But I can understand contributing to the mess by this bin after too many pints.
Hey, chill. It’s a laugh.
What a sight! Let’s contribute. Let’s be a part of it. This is fun. Life’s too short to fuss about stupid things like people dropping litter. Yes I get that one too but the fact is (trust me) life is actually quite long. I think it was Mahatma Ghandi who said ”There is no dress rehearsal, today is a day in your life”. Mind you he probably said it in one of the Indian languages, but even after losing something in the translation it’s powerful and true. Fun is great. Giving up on real life because it’s tough and painful and uncertain feels great for a time, but is it worth it? There’s more to life than just chilling, having a laugh, and trying to forget what life is really about.
And then again…
Maybe I’m the one whose thinking is twisted. The problem is identified. A solution is at hand. Perhaps on Wednesday evening I should take a large dudtbin liner and some thick rubber gloves (thick because there could be used needles in that pile) and clear up the worst of the stuff round that bin.
Mind you there won’t be room in our own wheely bin. The guys are on strike. Still, I could take a bag or two to the tip. The walk would do me good.
Here’s another shot from nearby. Not the best lighting conditions, but we wanted to get home for lunch.
Leeds inner-city ring road is a few yards below this shot.
And by the way when you think about it you realise there is no ‘them’. Only us.
Update: three days later
It is Thursday evening. Last night I walked past the litter bin once more. Someone had not only emptied the bin but picked all the litter up in that area. Thank you, whoever you are.
