Litter

Roll your eyes and sigh....but do nothing
66%
66% [ 2 ]

When I see people throw stuff out of their car windows it drives me crazy. Why wouldn't you just leave the trash in your car until you can stop and throw it away properly? Why is the interior cleanliness of your car important to you but not the streets and sidewalks?

I'm waiting until I'm 75 so I can speak my mind and harass strangers about their bad habits on the street and in public spaces. I'm totally going to yell at people for littering, not staying to the right on stairs and escalators, men sitting with their legs wide on the train. You name it, I'm going to be that kind of old lady. ;-)

WhyFi wrote: I'll be the fat old man walking around with my shirt off, just 'cause I can. I'll hit on all the cute girls a fraction of my age, because I'll be old - who's really going to take me seriously? I'll make no effort to hide my flatulence, I'll belch with flair and, in general, I'll loudly suck the marrow from the last bones of life.

Will you wear purple as well?

He also wears "salmon" polos

whyfi is my hero!

WhyFi wrote: [quote=doublediamond]I'm waiting until I'm 75 so I can speak my mind and harass strangers about their bad habits on the street and in public spaces. I'm totally going to yell at people for littering, not staying to the right on stairs and escalators, men sitting with their legs wide on the train. You name it, I'm going to be that kind of old lady. ;-)

We are destined to clash in the far future. I intend to use my old age to my benefit, too, but for evil. I'll be the fat old man walking around with my shirt off, just 'cause I can. I'll hit on all the cute girls a fraction of my age, because I'll be old - who's really going to take me seriously? I'll make no effort to hide my flatulence, I'll belch with flair and, in general, I'll loudly suck the marrow from the last bones of life.

oh my. I like getting into fights with bitchy old people. I could never live in san francisco. ya know how everyone on this board accuses other people on the board of having a sense of entitlement? well, everyone in SF does have a sense of entitlement beyond anything we can comprehend. they're psychotic. I was flying out of SF, after a 1.5 week vacation that involved flying to a wedding in north carolina, another one in seattle, visiting an old elementary school friend in portland, and finally going to SF just, cause, well, I was already on the northwest coast, so why not? anyway, I hauled all my shit onto one of their pretend subway cars (pieces of crap, I tell you - what kind of subway runs on the street - not above or below it??) and everyone onboard is going to a baseball game. or maybe football. I don't remember. in any case, it's packed and I have a suitcase, a backpack and a purse, so I'm struggling to keep everything stable. and here's where I clue you into the signs on this subway contraption:

1. on the seats toward the front, which in nyc say something like "please give this seat to the elderly or disabled", the sign says in SF "federal statute blah blah requires that you give up this seat for the age impaired and physically impaired" or something super obnoxious and PC like that.

2. there are signs everywhere that are like "you can't drink beverages or eat food on this train" and "please place all large bags on the floor", etc.

so this crazy old lady, who is already sitting down, and can clearly see that I'm struggling to keep all my shit stable without falling down myself (the other fuckin' thing about these trains is that they have NOTHING to hold on to) all of a sudden is like "you have to take off your backpack". and I just looked at her and was like "whatever, stfu". so she starts ranting that the sign says that I have to take off my backpack and that's a rule and I have to follow it. so I tell her to fuck off -- she's got her federally mandated seat, doesn't she? then I yell to the whole train (crossing into insane land ...) about how I live in nyc and if any crazy old lady pulled that shit in nyc she'd get clocked and wtf is wrong with SF. and half the train is like "yeah, I used to live in nyc - people there would kill people here."

moral of the story: if you're a completely insane, contrary, ornery old person, stay the fuck away from me.

Flexichick wrote: [quote=VeggieQueen]Someone gave me a tip once... say something like 'excuse me, you dropped something'. Most people say 'oh thanks' and pick it up (I don't know if they just litter somewhere else or actually throw it away later). Others just ignore me and keep going. I think it's a 'safer' way of handling it. I've never gotten into an argument.

This is what I've been doing for years. It works very well

Triple ditto. I've found that saying "hey you lazy piece of shit, stop throwing your trash on the ground moron" sounds exactly like that to the person you are speaking to, no matter how carefully you phrase it. My experience is that it quickly degenerates into "fuck you", "no, no, fuck YOU" and is pointless. "Excuse me, you dropped something" doesn't usually get me a "thanks", but it does usually get them to pick up their stuff.

If it's an adult that litters, I usually get really anoyed and just give them a dirty look. I probably should say something, but I don't end up having the gutts to. On the other hand if it's a kid or teenager, I always say something. Once, I saw this 12 year old girl eating pizza, and then throwing the plate right on the street. I told her to pick it up, and walker her to the trash can for her to throw it out.

Grrr, Me Angry!

I hate litterers. Yeah the car guys are the worst. I mean have you seen the guys who stooped at a light, actually open their doors and dump out all of their garbage onto the street, then drive off ?!? Like the remains of an entire meal...cups, food wrapeprs, napkins, paper bags..the works!

I actually fantasize about driving up to them and shooting them dead - leaving their bodies slumped in their front seats - with some sort of "Don't Litter" sticker on their chests as a calling card.

I'd do the "Excuse me I think you've dropped something" line, but I'm sure my voice would be dripping with so much rage and contempt that I'd might as well just yell "Asshole" for all the civility that would be implicit in my demeanor.

It's just the unthinking stupidity and selfishness of it all. Do they not care that there's trash all over the street and hence their nabe looks like shit? Do they not understand that their nabe looks likes shit is because they're dropping garbage all over it? Do they enjoy stepping in someone else's gum, or having garbage blow onto their stoops or vestibules?

I doubt I'll get a real answer - but if one of you car dumpers are out there - care to explain how your mind works? You don't have to use your screen name, post Anonymously, but give us a peek into your reasoning.

Who knows, maybe you'll convert us all into car-dumpers?

Flexichick wrote: I have also been known to say (sweetly, but loudly) "you're welcome" if somebody doesn't say "thank you" when I hold a door open for them. When they look confused I say "oh, sorry, I thought you said 'thank you'"

:-)

this is such a problem here in my office that I kept saying "you're welcome," but after a while, I couldn't hold back my rage. I was afraid I'd get myself fired! But, I'm calmer now so maybe I can try again cause it's such a peet peeve of mine.

who's really going to take me seriously?

People take you seriously now? Wow... that's interesting.

I don't know about that. I work in the Bronx which is the litteringest boro and which probably has the fewest out of staters.