A sence of proportion

Given the recent big brother posts

I wonder in reality, over the next five years, what proportion of us will actually be languishing in jail, or under the sod as the result of overzealous policing, or terrorist activity.

Or how many of us will be banned from driving our pride and joys

Maybe if bird flu catches on there won't even be enough police left to operate all those cameras, which will rust on the poles.

I think most likely the biggest danger to any of us, besides the ever rising costs of motoring, is being the victim of our own passion and coming a cropper in our landies.

Reply to
Larry
Loading thread data ...

Larry wrote: .

Ah, what a way to go :)

Reply to
Karen Gallagher

Just to show how stupid it's all becoming, my parents in Kent have received notice from the council that they will be fined £50 if they put their rubbish out too early.

TonyB

Reply to
TonyB

Perhaps they should put it out too late......

Reply to
Jon

Or they could put it out in a wheelie bin so that the dogs and birds don't pull it all over the neighbourhood. Some areas look like slums of the inhabitants own making. Someone has to draw the line as to what is acceptable and what is not and putting rubbish out in a way that will minimise inconvenience and 'environmental pollution' has a direct influence on the quality of life of all the locals. It is a pity if some sensitive souls take exception to this but maybe they should grow up or get up earlier.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Unfortunately I think that the fact that the rubbish is in a wheelie bin makes no difference - it's still classed as 'too early'.

I must be a sensitive soul because I'm utterly sick of these 'jobsworth's' filling our lives with their petty rules. If they were just to get on and do their own jobs properly there would be no need for any of them.

Just like the present Government, of course.

Reply to
Dougal

Well, no, there is at least one authority in the Uk which has threatened people for putting out their Wheelie bins too early - Brighton ?

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Councils are increasingly tightening up on collection regimes. We are now on fortnightly refuse collection and some areas are now issuing smaller bins to small households. There is, believe it or not, a black market in large bins! If you get your waste collected fortnightly and you are away for a long weekend, it's very tempting to put your bin out a few days early before you leave.

It's all going full circle. Waste collections are subcontracted to commercial operators who allow their crews to determine their own hours. They can forego breaks etc to finish earlier. This has lead to instances of crews starting work at stupid o'clock so they can finish late morning and go off to second jobs. Several councils are using or evaluating GPS to police this, with start times limited to

7am or thereabouts. It also allows them to ban crews from major routes during rush-hour and resolve complaints.

One of the problems now is of 'assisted collections'. If you are disabled you can get the council to instruct the crew to collect your bin from inside the garden or even from inside your house. As collections get earlier more people register for this. Rounds take longer, crews start earlier and earlier etc etc etc....

Technology will ultimately allow billing by weight, and my company is involved in a few small scale trials of different methods. It will be possible to have flexible collections on a 'pay as you go' basis. Credit for recyclables and debit for waste. The unresolved problem is 'theft' of waste between neighbours.

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

That's what I like to see - throw all the responsibility onto consumers and householders.

I bet I'm not the only one here old enough to remember that a complete weeks worth of domestic rubbish from a family household would fit in a single dustbin. Oh, but silly me - can't use dustbins any more in case the poor dears hurt their backs lifting them .. and then they have to put them back - what a chore it must be. Still, I understand there are still career opportunities in the burger flipping trade.

Incidently, our local council (bless 'em) seem to have hit on a successful tactic. Households are encouraged to place all food waste in small plastic bin-boxes (the click-on lid type). Since we've been using this system the vermin have not bothered our trash at all. Means one needs two bins in the kitchen though. Probably worth doing even if your local bin-man doesn't maintain "a recycle for compost" section in his cart.

Personally, I'd be more than happy to burn all combustable waste and compost the food etc. The remainder[1] I'd gladly consider returning to the damn fools that manufactured it.

Example of one: today I needed a thermocouple for the gas boiler[2] - the packaging is more bulky and heavier than the item.

[1] glass and other recyclables excepted [2] Why do they always give up in the middle of a cold snap?
Reply to
William Tasso

What's the betting that any legislation associated with such a regime would specify a minimum weight (mass, if one is going to be pedantic) thereby effectively penalising those of us who generate little rubbbish.

Just like the council tax does for those living alone.

Reply to
Dougal

Creative accounting gone bonkers.

Just three words I'd like any fool considering such a scheme to consider (or any other tax really): cost of collection.

Reply to
William Tasso

Virtually no running cost at all. RFID tag on the bin (about 50p) and weigh-scale on the truck with reader (£5-£10k per vehicle). Against the rising costs of waste disposal it's pretty small.

Trouble is, it won't reduce the amount of waste produced. Reduced collection frequency simply makes householders better at compaction, not reducing the amount at all. Most household waste is packaging, and that could be most efficiently reduced at the manufacturing end.

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

Someone would have to clear up the mess. The housholder itself should do it but all too often there are scum who just don't care and make other people clear the mess.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

I'm affraid that councils just look for any and every excuse to raise revenue, and are being given the power to enforce anything they like without any effective appeal. For example, the planners can put you through the hoops at will, since they get paid for wasting your time and, even if you win, they *never* have to pay costs, so they can mess you about to their hearts content. This system is, of course, run by the self-serving beaurocrats. Meanwhile, our glorious councilors spend their time debating serious issues like what colour recycling bins to have and Womens Issues rather than worry about what is actually going on in the council's domain.

Richard

Reply to
beamendsltd

On or around Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:55:35 +0000, Tim Hobbs enlightened us thusly:

That's not what he meant, though, I think he was referring to collection of the money. Unless that goes into yer council tax.

However, if they're going to start charging for collection of domestic waste, people are going to be more than slightly narky if the council tax also goes up.

What I reckon is that the country has gone mad over managers and targetting. Take the road men, for example. Some years ago, each road had a bloke who went around fixing things, cutting hedges, clearing drains and so forth. Then they had a couple of blokes in a van who went around, covering a wider area, but doing much the same. In both cases, the blokes knew where there was likely to be a blockrd drain making a flood when it pissed down, and went past and unblocked it. They knew where there was likely to be a drift of dead leaves, and went and shovelled it. They knew all sorts fo trouble spots on their "patch".

Now, from what I hear, they have a new manager. The manager tells them where they should go, based on what'd been reported. I suppose what I should do is to report all manner of things all the time... then we might get back to haveing enough blokes on the ground to do the job reaonsably. But firing the managers would help.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Collecting the cost is easy - you and I pay for it. No dosh, no "certificate". And we get to pay for the new managemenet structure, plus a bit for the new council offices and annual dinner & dance.

Richard

Reply to
beamendsltd

...and Austin Shackles spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

Agenda item one in any sensible reorganisation, IMO.

Reply to
Richard Brookman

Agenda item two appoint managers to oversee reorganisation.

B-( Can't win...

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Those of us with businesses have to pay for our rubbish disposal separately anyway. So what do we get for our rates ? And we don't get to vote on behalf of the interest on which we pay our rates either.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Ours still does. Newspapers (daily broadsheet), glass (a few bottles/jars per fortnight) and cans (not many at all) go for recycling, peelings etc go into the worm bin, we buy very little pre-packaged food and our wheelie bin usually goes out approximately half-full (or half empty). Even though we are not having a collection this week, the bin will still take all the rubbish next week. Many of our neighbours however will have an overflowing bin and several black bags....

Lizzy

Reply to
Lizzy Taylor

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.