To the guy that picks up my recycling/trash-

Submitted by Business_Fly_5746 t3_11f10l8 in WorcesterMA

Do you hate me or just your life? I pulled into my driveway yesterday just as you were emptying my bins (that are held together with tape thanks to you and the professional way in which you conduct yourself) just in time to lock eyes with you as you picked up my bin and chucked it down my hill, while making direct eye contact. I'd never expect you to bend over and carefully place my bins back. HOWEVER we both know it takes way more effort to chuck them 5 feet across my lawn, rather than just drop them to your side. I get it- you're mad or something. But leave me out of it and do your job. Don't you know about cameras? Don't you wonder who knows who in the city? Don't you worry about job security? Retaliation?? Just don't be a dick there are plenty of people who need jobs and would respect it. 🖕

Eta- to the 2 people who had rude responses, since you have an opinion, What's your solution? I thought posting about it would be the less invasive route. Looking for some commiseration and maybe somebody will see it and can do something about it. Rather than going down to the DPW and causing a scene since this has been going on for awhile now, you know… like a Karen? I'll wait.

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outb0undflight t1_jahfsp2 wrote

It's very weird how defensive people on this sub get about the city's dogshit trash pickup. I've never spoken to a single person in my day-to-day life who actually thinks it's good. But every time you criticize it on here there's people crawling out of the woodwork to act like it's the best service anyone's ever provided.

I complained about how difficult it is to throw away big carboard boxes when the residential drop-off was closed once and everyone's response was, "You need to break it down!" (I do) and "If it's too big you're supposed to break it down and put it under the recycling bin!" (I've literally watched them pickup the bin, empty it, and leave the folded cardboard on the ground. Bonus: They hucked the recycling bin after doing so.)

This is all to say that yeah, trash pickup here sucks.

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jahfzcs wrote

Seriously, I feel like I'm in the reddit Twilight Zone right now. Like this guy locked eyes with me and yeeted my bin, and people are trying to tell me I'm a Karen for anonymously complaining.

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FrontYardPeople t1_jahlnud wrote

I think the eye contact suggests he doesn't see anything wrong with the chucking of the bin rather than them having the nerve to knowingly offend you/be a jerk while staring you in the face. I could be wrong though!

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Eric_Fapton t1_jahj44o wrote

They do it to all bins. They just toss ‘em and run to the next ones. Its nothing personal. Everyones bins end up in a mangle mess flipped every which way on my street. It’s the nature of the business. You realize what people put in those things. Some nasty stuff! These guys have to smell every persons nasty bins all day long. Put yourself in their shoes for a few minutes and get over yourself.

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jahs1rf wrote

As a paying customer I expect bare minimum for my stuff to not be broken during normal use. Get over myself? Nice response.

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Eric_Fapton t1_jahusgh wrote

What I’m saying is your not the only person this happens too. Its just how they operate. They grab em, dump em, toss em, mine too. Every week.

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legendofsteve t1_jairhpu wrote

That doesn’t make what they’re doing acceptable…

Nor does it mean nobody should complain.

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AceOfTheSwords t1_jai06w7 wrote

My bin has basically always wound up upside down on the strip of grass between the road and the sidewalk (unless the wind carries it away), so this isn't a consistent thing across the whole city at least.

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_Strid_ t1_jaikivr wrote

Found the trash guy, probably from Republic.

It takes more effort for them to toss 'em than to drop 'em. Regardless, it's hardly normal for people to come home and have to pick trash bins up out of their yard, or down the road, or wherever someone throws it - not normal at all.

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Damaso87 t1_jajcn3h wrote

Trash happens in every city in the world, and somehow you're the one excusing Worcester's poor as piss performance as if it were the only place gracing us with the paid service. Grow up. These guys are shit at their job.

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its-a-crisis t1_jak4gvi wrote

It’s not unique to the city. Someone in my suburb’s Facebook group had an issue with the trash guys moving their bin across their driveway which was then blocking the mailbox, and the mailman began to refuse to deliver mail on trash days. Holy hell did OP get roasted.

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Whole-Wishbone-7539 t1_jaih8pi wrote

This reminds me of a complaint in this sub about a year ago where somebody was complaining about the fact that trash juice leaks out of the city trash trucks and some dude was ready to defend to the death that there was nothing that could be done about said trash juice. Absolutely ready to fight anyone who dared to say trash juice isn't something that happens everywhere to everyone. Some people have gaslit themselves into loving Worcester's awful public services.

ETA: the trash service is great in that if I ever need to get rid of some non kosher shit like lead, or electronics I just tape a bag to it and leave it someplace where the trucks will find it and then the city gets to decide what to do with it since they waste my tax dollars on shit like homeless daycare and running bus routes with annual ridership in the low teens.

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Damaso87 t1_jajcrjq wrote

That was an insane thread to read. I bet it's the same guy.

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Whole-Wishbone-7539 t1_jajjjcx wrote

That was one of the wildest threads on here. I'm not sure if that guy had ever left the city. I'm glad you remember that one.

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Zinski t1_jai47y5 wrote

I don't even care about the bins. It's just kinda crazy to me how much trash is on the streets of this city. Any time there is a storm I come out to my entire driveway edge filled with randome bits of recyclables that blew down the road.

I've lived in bigger cities. I've lived in poorer city's. None where as close to this trashy.

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delaneydeer t1_jailav4 wrote

People think I’m crazy when I say this. I’ve lived in six other states, multiple large metropolitan areas, nowhere else is there this much trash on the street except for like, Skid Row. It’s disgusting.

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Whole-Wishbone-7539 t1_jaiscfn wrote

I used to live on the less wooded side of college hill and it gets to be very windy out in the open extremely often. The amount of trash blowing around that hill on a Friday afternoon before the trucks came was a disgrace.

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sunshinepills t1_jajitww wrote

Since you've lived in bigger cities (as have I), you've probably noticed that bigger cities sweep their streets more than 1-2x per year. If Worcester had at a minimum monthly street sweeping, then maybe people would stop singing the same "recycling bin" refrain.

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masshole4life t1_jak53j4 wrote

that's because idiots propose solutions that are tailored for other cities instead of the city they actually live in.

the amount of people saying "well it works in other cities" is all you need to understand why none of the solutions work.

my favorite example is the "bins with lids" chorus who, now that they have egg on their face are going on about wheelie bins being picked up by electronic arms because "that's what other cities do". that idea will. never. work here.

when i point out how fucking stupid the suggestions are i get called a big ol meanie negative nancy.

too many people simply live in a gd fantasy and think stupid ideas are better than realistic ideas.

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pinteaubean t1_jaii3h1 wrote

Call DPW customer service and complain and then bring the broken bin down to there office and they will replace it. 508-929-1300. I’ve always found the customer service people helpful when I have reached out.

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moisheah t1_jaipfup wrote

I prefer to contact via email but I’ve also found them to be helpful. For example they didn’t pick up my trash (they just missed it I guess) and sent a small truck to collect it within a few hours.

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masshole4life t1_jak41jv wrote

you've found them helpful? i find them to be condescending and patronizing, and often just plain wrong. there's one in particular named john that i straight up hang up on if he answers.

I've been dealing with the city's "customer service" for over 25 years for various issues and i am so grateful for the online form. it doesn't get any better results but at least i don't have to listen to some little puke repeat "i'm sorry for the inconvenience" over and over when i'm asking a question. and the online form doesn't direct me to 5 different departments that have nothing to do with my issue.

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FIFAFanboy2023 t1_jai2a94 wrote

Throwing of the trash bins was literally the first thing I was told will get me fired quickest when I started as a trash driver. It was drilled into me that if we can't place it down where we picked it up, then the most we should do with it is turn it upside down and slide it back. They recognized the hurry in which we needed to work, which is why we were allowed to slide it over, but it was definitely a sin to throw a trash can.

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UniqueCartel t1_jaidl9r wrote

Weirdly I actually had a nice run-in with my Worcester trash pickup guy. I was throwing away a bunch of shit that I guess is not supposed to be thrown away and he says to “I’ll grab it this time, but next time remember”. And I was oh, ok cool. He totally could’ve left it and slapped that sticker on it telling me I’m a bad boy.

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yennijb t1_jahcqxi wrote

Yea, mine tosses my bins too, the stupid zip-ties have been busted on my tenant's recycling bins they broke in about a month of getting the new bins. So they just don't have lids, because when the zip ties broke, the lids went missing

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jahdg2k wrote

Ty. To be honest, everybody I speak to has a similar issue. Why would I complain directly to them, so I can dox myself and they can make my life hell? Like, they've already proven they dgaf. So frustrating that acouple people are jumping all over me about my post when all I'm asking is to just not put the extra effort to yeet my bins across my yard...

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yennijb t1_jai2vgj wrote

Yea unfortunately some people who have good teams on their streets think it's like that city wide. I did have decent luck reporting it though

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WhiteHawk928 t1_jaikmfr wrote

It took about 3 weeks of having the new bins for my lid to be damaged to a point where only one side clicks in. What's the point of distributing brand new bins to keep trash from blowing around if half the city has already had theirs become useless

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legalpretzel t1_jaiultn wrote

And if your lid isn’t attached they just dump it with the recycling.

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FrontYardPeople t1_jahm6qg wrote

We need to start writing haikus on our cardboard in paint or sharpie that speak to the importance of being gentle to our recycling bins.

Bin, a green ally,

Recycles waste to protect

Earth and all her kin.

Handle with much care,

This container of reuse,

A world to repair.

A broken green bin,

A waste of resources, time,

Handle it with grace.

Recycling bin strong,

But gentle touch extends life,

Careful, for earth's sake.

Recycling, a chance

To heal our home, our planet,

Handle with respect.

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xxlaur77 t1_jaib285 wrote

I use a large 32 gallon blue container and it’s pretty much indestructible and can fit way more than those green ones

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darksideofthemoon131 t1_jaiyih8 wrote

This morning I'm driving to work and encounter trash pickup. So they're blocking the road, which I get, so I pull to side behind a car so that they can pass by and I'll go by them.

Instead they pull up, box me in, take the trash and then compact it- leaving me stuck for a few minutes. I don't really mind the wait- I leave plenty of time to get in to work, but it was done purposefully. I don't know if he wanted a reaction or something but he lowered his window when he was next to me, like he did it on purpose.

Dick move, I didn't give him the satisfaction of reacting or getting upset. I smiled, waved and drove off after. Just bothered the heck outta me though, cuz it was on purpose- for no reason. I wasn't getting upset or yelling about waiting, I moved over to let them do their job. Why do that? Next time I'll make it difficult for them.

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outb0undflight t1_jajb4dy wrote

God. I feel you.

The other night NatGrid was doing roadwork up near me and they had those cones set up so traffic was still in two lanes. The guy in front of me went up the wrong side. I clocked that, realized 'Oh, I need to go up the other one,' and did....

Of course that didn't stop the National Grid dude from screaming "WHAT ARE YOU A FUCKING R****D!" directly at me.

Like why? What's the thought process here?You were pissed that someone else went up the wrong side so you decided to fucking scream at the next person? Bet you're a normal well adjusted dude.

I feel like all this shit got worse post pandemic. It's like no one knowing how to behave at a movie theater but on a grand scale.

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IIRizzII t1_jajeslg wrote

The trash and recycling trucks are ALWAYS, purposely, blocking the roads (especially the side roads). They’ll purposely pull to the left/opposite side they’re driving, cars parked, snow banks, everything else, leaving no room for cars to pass. They’ll notice a car sitting there waiting, instead of pulling out of the way, they’ll take their time to grab the trash or bin and then get in, pull up and not move just stay holding up traffic. Never fails.

You have more patience than I, and others I’ve seen caught in this situation. LOL

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SmartSherbet t1_jamb9ur wrote

I don't know for certain, but I would imagine that they do this for their own safety. People here turn into deranged maniacs when they drive, so having them zooming past workers who have to be in the street is pretty dangerous. Blocking the street with the truck protects the workers, and I don't blame them if that's their aim. Much better for drivers to wait a minute or two than for a collector to get hurt or killed.

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IIRizzII t1_jamva46 wrote

That makes sense.

But this one time I turned onto a dead end where there were cars already waiting on both sides of the truck (blocked in by cars parked on both sides of the street- but he could’ve moved up a bit) to get by, this truck driver most definitely saw these cars waiting. When he pulled up he did so a little and still made us all wait. Im not even exaggerating when I say I was there for no less than 5 minutes sitting waiting for him to move. Normally I would’ve been a little more patient but I was on my way to drop a DoorDash order off and we’re timed (which messes with our ratings). It also seems like this only happens to me when I have to be places like the school bus stop in the morning. lol

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SmartSherbet t1_janegfi wrote

Yeah, I'm sure there are exceptions when the workers are simply being inconsiderate and do things that are out of line. But, accounting both for safety and the fact that they have a ton of ground to cover and need to work their asses off, this is one of the few things about our overall terrible trash system that doesn't upset me. If they need to leave the truck in a certain spot to maximize their efficiency and/or safety, I'm okay with that.

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johnjohn11b t1_jal2mqw wrote

I feel bad for everyone here. My bin is always left exactly where it was, and the zip tie is still on.

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jalvrlu wrote

I don't want to give away personal information because I truly am worried about retaliation, But I have noticed that people complaining seem to be generally from the west side...

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dancemiasma t1_jajuykg wrote

FACTS!!! Two of my bins have gotten broken by those jerk offs

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Mobile-Ad-326 t1_jakw0b7 wrote

Saw them on my cameras effortfully chucking my recycling bin many feet. Seemed angry.

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jalv83r wrote

I promise you he is. Exactly why I'm here on reddit and not in person. I don't need to make my things worse by doxxing myself!!

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chunkyogini t1_jajrlbn wrote

Some people just don’t take pride in what they do. You gotta admire people who do menial jobs and do it well. Sorry your bins got trashed,

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Sassmaster008 t1_jaiowbn wrote

Instead of talking to someone who could fix your issue, you decided to post on reddit. What do you expect to happen? Did you just want to vent?

Why isn't calling the dpw and talking to them kindly and calmly a good option? Instead you're saying why don't they fix this problem while never expressing your issue to people who can address it.

I think everyone assumes their service is what the rest of the city gets. I get decent service but I also understand there's areas that don't. It's a driver dependent issue not citywide. I also wouldn't assume that there's a large group who want to be garbage collectors. It's good pay for hard labor. The hard labor scares people away.

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greenman2426 t1_jaipvo7 wrote

It's also worth noting that only trash collection is handled by DPW in the city; recycling is handled by a contractor, although the bins are City-supplied.

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jpm01609 t1_jah8511 wrote

Nice gratitude, dude

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jah8e19 wrote

I'm sorry, is this a free service I'm gifted?

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[deleted] t1_jaidy8b wrote

[deleted]

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darksideofthemoon131 t1_jaj0nam wrote

Ever heard of taxes?

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sunshinepills t1_jajj8re wrote

People who expect us to blindly thank city employees for their service probably do not pay taxes.

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Ready-Interview-9809 t1_jak17cg wrote

The recycle folks are contracted. And this comment isn’t making any sense to me. Maybe OP should tip for Xmas.

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Ready-Interview-9809 t1_jajitab wrote

Towns pay taxes as well, and also for private removal of refuse, or to get a sticker to drive it to a dump themselves.

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masshole4life t1_jak5jvq wrote

lmao what do you think the yellow bags are subsidizing?

the amount of transplants or kids on this sub who don't remember the beginning of the recycling program is high on this sub.

dude thinks recycling is a charity service. jesus christ.

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East_Cartographer_57 t1_jah9207 wrote

Ok, Karen.

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jah99uq wrote

Yes, a Karen is definitely somebody who anonymously complains about a service they're paying for, where the person in charge of the service is intentionally breaking their property.

Should I ask for the manager of this sub?? 🤔

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_Strid_ t1_jaimlvy wrote

Townies will be Townies.

You haven't done a single thing out of pocket here, at all.

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masshole4life t1_jak5x68 wrote

what do you think the yellow bags are all about?

you're either a transplant or a kid if you don't understand that the entire reason we pay for stupid special overpriced bags is to fund the recycling program.

personally, ive been buying them for over 25 years. what about you?

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jah9ufp wrote

Since you have an opinion, What's your solution? I thought posting about it would be the less invasive route. Looking for some commiseration and maybe somebody will see it and can do something about it. Rather than going down to the DPW and causing a scene since this has been going on for awhile now, you know… like a Karen?

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East_Cartographer_57 t1_jaha8p7 wrote

Your entire post comes off unhinged and delusional. You throw middle fingers around and make tiny veiled threate about "knowing people". That's why you're a Karen. Thr solution is to make complaints in a more polite and less hysterical way. You don't need to "make a scene".

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jahaovl wrote

Nobody's making any threats and I don't know anyone. What I'm wondering is if I had a job like that out in the public and I didn't know who lived where, I might be a little bit more careful with how I conduct myself. I'm not sure how you're reading hysterical, project much? It's funny you're telling me to go complain in person to not be a Karen?

Til it's "delusional" to expect services that you pay for. I also learned that using one middle finger emoji is "throwing around middle fingers". That wondering something is making a "veiled threat." And finally- An anonymous vent on a social media platform is being considered a Karen.

That middle finger was directed at you. Tell your husband to do a better job.

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Kpop2258 t1_jakj9sm wrote

"Make complaints in a more polite way"

You're grasping at straws big dawg.

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Business_Fly_5746 OP t1_jalvx9s wrote

"Make a scene" from behind my computer. Please, stop! Your advice is making me laugh and I'm trying to dwell in my anger here. I can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic...

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D_is_for_Doomsayer t1_jahtwwr wrote

Dude's frustrated and has every right to be... even if they do come off as a bit unhinged. I'm just assuming they're in it right now and they're exasperated. No reason to make it worse. You have to acknowledge that they have a point, even if they're being a bit extra, yeah?

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