Trash Rant

[Bertha Venation]

There is so much trash on the streets and I am completely disgusted by it.

I want to know why people think it's okay to throw garbage out of their cars, or to leave it behind in a parking lot or park or other public area--or even why they think it's okay not to go back (provided it's safe) if something flies out of a truck bed.

This morning I counted three 12-pack beer boxes, one big plastic trash bag (looked empty), fourteen cans, five plastic bottles, three glass bottles, countless glass shards, one diaper, six paper cups and seven bags from fast food joints. This was all on Piney Church Road, St. Paul's, St. Charles Pkwy, and Smallwood Drive in Waldorf.

On one corner of grass in P.G. County (before a gas station) I saw where the lawn mower operator had blissfully driven the mower over what must've been a phone book or a newspaper. Shredded paper was mixed in with grass clippings across the lawn. Somoene wins this week's "Not MY Job Award" there.

As I walked to my office in DC, the guy hosing down the sidewalk (don't get me started on hosing down sidewalks) stopped the water to let me pass. He'd been hosing trash into the gutter.

What the hell is wrong with people?

 

[mainman]

you should have put him here...

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by Bertha Venation
What the hell is wrong with people?

They're a bunch of low rent losers. When you see a story about some woman with knee-deep trash in her home, it's not hard to see her throwing her Bud box in the street.

 

[tatgirl99]

I hate seeing trash lying around everywhere too.

I used to have neighbors that would put there trash out for pickup and wouldn't put lids on the cans and there would be trashed piled so high. The crows and turkey buzzards would come by everytime they put the cans out and pick through the trash and make a mess. And all that crap would end up in my yard and some times it would be strewn up and down the street. It was awful. I loved the day I came home and saw all the trash in there driveway. But they were idiots and just left it there and it eventually ended up in my yard.

So many idiotic and inconsiderate people in this world. When you live next to other people, be considerate. It's not real hard to put a lid on your trash can. Lazy lazy people.

 

[Ponytail]

I've been getting pretty aggrivated about that same thing. People just don't take any pride in there surrounding anymore, or at least, don't have any respect for others.

CRE is fairly clean, and for teh most part, at least the parts that I commonly drive thru, are kept up, and kept clean. But along the same road, in the same spots everyday, there is a new fast food bag of some sort thrown on to the road.

I wish I could catch the SOB that's doing it. I used to take license plate numbers and turn them in to the police when I was living in PA.

And actually, there is a statement on the car registration card that you are required by law to sign, that you acknowledge the littering law, and the fact that you can be prosecuted for littering, OR WITNESSING the act of littering if you do not follow thru with willfully ATTEMPTING to turn in the person/persons responsible.

 

[Bertha Venation]

Originally posted by mainman
you should have put him here...

Thanks for the tip, MM.

 

[yardsalequeen]

Good topic! This is definitely one of my pet peeves. If you think some litter by the side of the road is bad, you should see the small mountain of trash that accumulates at the Lusby (Appeal) transfer trash station on a Sunday when they are closed. I drive by it every Monday morning now and can't believe how trashy people can be. And of course the new Lusby Towne Center (opening summer 2004) is going to be right across the street.

I emailed the Calvert County trash supervisor recently about the ongoing problem - the eyesore - the potential for wild critters (rats etc) and disease etc. I don't see why they can't put up a hidden camera and take photos of people illegally dumping and send them a bill. Heck, I know if I can get a ticket in the mail courtesy of DC police with a photograph of my car with license plate exceeding the speed limit at a particular place and time, Calvert County should be able to photograph stationary cars parked at the transfer station on a Sunday.

The ironic thing is, very close to the transfer station, there is a sign on the road "$1000 fee for littering". All it would take is a few people to receive that $1000 fine and word would get out.

And and as far as litter in general, that stinks too. It amazes me how much trash accumulates right near the entrance to my neighborhood - even dogs know enough not to crap where they sleep.

 

[http]

Originally posted by Bertha Venation


There is so much trash on the streets and I am completely disgusted by it.

I want to know why people think it's okay to throw garbage out of their cars, or to leave it behind in a parking lot or park or other public area--or even why they think it's okay not to go back (provided it's safe) if something flies out of a truck bed.

This morning I counted three 12-pack beer boxes, one big plastic trash bag (looked empty), fourteen cans, five plastic bottles, three glass bottles, countless glass shards, one diaper, six paper cups and seven bags from fast food joints. This was all on Piney Church Road, St. Paul's, St. Charles Pkwy, and Smallwood Drive in Waldorf.

On one corner of grass in P.G. County (before a gas station) I saw where the lawn mower operator had blissfully driven the mower over what must've been a phone book or a newspaper. Shredded paper was mixed in with grass clippings across the lawn. Somoene wins this week's "Not MY Job Award" there.

As I walked to my office in DC, the guy hosing down the sidewalk (don't get me started on hosing down sidewalks) stopped the water to let me pass. He'd been hosing trash into the gutter.

What the hell is wrong with people?

I thought you were from Huntington Beach? Just think of Long Beach. Or Gardena. Or Korea Town. Same thing. Every place has their "Not MY Job" areas.

 

[http]

Originally posted by yardsalequeen
Good topic! This is definitely one of my pet peeves. If you think some litter by the side of the road is bad, you should see the small mountain of trash that accumulates at the Lusby (Appeal) transfer trash station on a Sunday when they are closed. I drive by it every Monday morning now and can't believe how trashy people can be. And of course the new Lusby Towne Center (opening summer 2004) is going to be right across the street.

I emailed the Calvert County trash supervisor recently about the ongoing problem - the eyesore - the potential for wild critters (rats etc) and disease etc. I don't see why they can't put up a hidden camera and take photos of people illegally dumping and send them a bill. Heck, I know if I can get a ticket in the mail courtesy of DC police with a photograph of my car with license plate exceeding the speed limit at a particular place and time, Calvert County should be able to photograph stationary cars parked at the dump on a Sunday.

The ironic thing is, very close to the transfer station, there is a sign on the road "$1000 fee for littering". All it would take is a few people to receive that $1000 fine and word would get out.

And and as far as litter in general, that stinks too. It amazes me how much trash accumulates right near the entrance to my neighborhood - even dogs know enough not to crap where they sleep.

You are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off topic.

 

[Judy]

Here, here!!!!!!!!

I ride bicycle along the roads of St Mary's County. I see so much litter on the roads--the beer bottles/cans that are thrown out just amaze me. I know of other bicycle riders that have had them thrown at them as they are riding. It is obvious that the people who are littering take no pride at all in their living environment.

Along the same lines...........
Why is it that smokers seem to think it is ok to throw their cigarettes on the ground or burning cigarettes out their car window? (my pet peeve)

 

[http]

Wow, you people are ferocious. Either you are overexaggerating or you need to live in North County Calvert, because up here it is spotless.

Regardless I think you are being a little tough on SOMD, but that's ok. First of all, yes relatively speaking, St. Mary's County has always been regarded as the SOMD armpit especially in the town center areas like Great Mills Rd. through the Park. But that's nothing compared to say the town center of Wheaton, Fairfax or College Park; trust me.

And as far as St. Charles and Smallwood, what do you expect? Your're in the backyard of a mall!

And as far as trash being laid out at night in front of a dump, sweetheart.............. its a dump! Move! That's like complaining of the noise at night from HS football games across the street.

There's nothing wrong about being conscience of one's surroundings and neighborhoods especially when you're doing something about it such as emailing and calling authorities like Yard Sale Queen.

But still, let's not blow things out of proportion.

 

[Pete]

Originally posted by Judy
Here, here!!!!!!!!
Along the same lines...........
Why is it that smokers seem to think it is ok to throw their cigarettes on the ground or burning cigarettes out their car window? (my pet peeve)

Duh, because if I threw it on the floor of the truck it would set all the napkins and fastfood bags on fire !!

 

[Sharon]

I chuck 'em out the window to get the car behind me off my bumper. It works too.

 

[Ken King]

Hey, it's not our fault. For years the government told us to "put litter in its place", well it's only trash until you throw it on the ground, then it's litter. Besides, if it bothers you that much there is always the "adopt a highway" program.

 

[Christy]

Uh oh! Here comes cigarette butt argument again!

For some reason to top of my driveway is the dumping ground for the neighborhood fast food bags, soda cans etc... I just pick it up and get on with it. Life's too short to obsess about the small chit. I don't have the time nor the energy to sit up there with a shotgun and resolve the problem.

 

[Bertha Venation]

Re: Re: Trash Rant

Originally posted by http
I thought you were from Huntington Beach? Just think of Long Beach. Or Gardena. Or Korea Town. Same thing. Every place has their "Not MY Job" areas.

What's your point? I didn't say it doesn't #### me off wherever I see it. Did you assume that because I'm new here, I thought the problem was exclusive to SOMD?

 

[Bertha Venation]

Originally posted by Christy
Life's too short to obsess about the small chit.

Call me loony, but I don't see this as small chit, not by a long chalk.

But hey, I'm a liberal. "RESPECT MOTHER EARTH" is the party line, and I have to march in lock step or they'll take away my ACLU card.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by http
And as far as trash being laid out at night in front of a dump, sweetheart.............. its a dump! Move! That's like complaining of the noise at night from HS football games across the street.

As somebody who lived in the area of the Appeal Landfill for many years, I did just that. I moved -- to St. Mary's County. Not just for that reason, but it definitely played a part in it. I lived about a mile away from "the dump" and could smell it at my house many times. It was never bad until about 5 years ago when they started hauling the garbage from St. Mary's for transfer and now it often stinks to high heaven. Nothing like walking out your front door to the smell of rotten garbage in the morning.

But why should anybody move because some people are lazy and inconsiderate, not to mention breaking the law? It always gets me that someone thinks because you have some problem with people doing something illegal that YOU should give way to their nasty habits. If you live next to a high school, you SHOULD expect noise at night; you'd be a fool otherwise. But that's a lot different than living next to the transfer station or landfill and putting up with illegal and disgusting after-hours behavior by some people.

The transfer station has posted hours -- it is YOUR (used here to represent residents of Calvert County, not you personally) responsibility to make it during those hours. They are open from 7 to 7 every day except Sunday. Just because it doesn't fit into YOUR schedule does NOT give you the right to pile YOUR trash in front of the gates. Go to the landfill about half a mile away - it's open on Sunday.

That said, I personally think the transfer stations being closed on Sundays is asinine, but their hours are a lot better than St. Mary's: M-F 9:30 to 5, and the weekends 8 to 5. That only leaves me the weekend to use the facilities as I work during the weekday hours.

 

[Sharon]

The big landfill on Sweetwater Road (Rt.4) IS open on Sundays. People are just lazy.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by Sharon
The big landfill on Sweetwater Road (Rt.4) IS open on Sundays. People are just lazy.

You're right. I meant to say the 'transfer stations' are closed on Sunday and got caught up in my that I didn't finish my thought.

I fixed it.