A load of rubbish

[gradus]

At the end of my street is a small stone shelf against the rear wall of an adjacent property, but not belonging to it. This shelf is constantly used as a dumping ground, and not just for small litter. People have dumped unwanted office equipment such as damaged printers and huge cardboard boxes. I've not been able to identify the offenders with any degree of certainty, but as we are surrounded by estate agents I have a pretty fair idea who to blame.

All this is happening in an area where council refuse collection is very good, and there is no reason why this should happen. It's just slovenly thoughtless behaviour, and middle class at that!

Its true to say that the hedges around our local Tesco 'Superstore' are full of plastic bags, empty crisp bags, Red Bull cans etc but who dunnit? Annoyingly Tesco makes no effort to collect its customers' litter and remains surrounded by rubbish. The roads around us are repeatedly littered by people throwing used food and drink containers into the hedges but annoyingly nobody is ever caught doing it nor are the fly-tippers who dump old fridges, washing machines and other household rubbish in field entrances,when it would be just as easy to drive to the local municipal re-cycling yards. We have a 'Don't be a Tosser' anti-litter campaign but it seems to have made little difference to this engrained British habit.

[Dave2002]

Street litter is one thing but country road litter is, um, another?

As I approach retirement I have nightmares that I'll take up serious walking with my dogs round our local lanes (that bit's OK), and feel obliged to become a full time unpaid litter collector I already do a fair bit...

I feel sure you are a responsible dog owner, but round here one concern is the people who let their creatures poo just outside houses. I challenged one once, and she strongly denied it, but she did come back with a bag to clear up. It amazes me that they (the owners) can stand their while I watch.

PS: Even allowing dogs to poo anywhere presents problems, and spoils some playing fields.

[Don Petter]

It amazes me that they can stand there while I watch.

But dogs have no shame.

[Dave2002]

But dogs have no shame.

msg 17 suitably amended!

[Richard Tarleton]

Can the poor still shop at Tesco's and pay their outrageous prices?

Are Tesco prices outrageous? More than Aldi/Lidl perhaps but comparable with Asda/Morrisons and less than Waitrose and Sainsbury's....They also have price-tracking software which does running comparisons with Asda/Morrisons and a slip with your till receipt either tells you how much you've saved in comparison or gives you a voucher for money off your next shop.

I'm not sure about D Sedaris' (a new name to me) basic premise - is shopping at Tesco supposed to be a socio-economic category? (unsound), why Tesco any more than Morrison or Asda? Why Tesco rather than Aldi or Lidl, where the poor are even more likely to shop, if there's one available? What, actually, is supposed to be the determinant as to whether you drop litter?

In many cases (certainly that in my local area) where you shop an accident of geography as much as anything - we're a very long way from the nearest Waitrose. In the absence of a Waitrose, a lot of non-poor people who might shop at Waitrose if there was one available shop instead at Tesco, or indeed at other supermarkets. Round here, a lot of economically challenged people shop at Lidl because it's cheap, and more affluent types because it stocks good German cooked meats and cheap wine. The more you unpick Sedaris's remark, the more unfair it seems to pick on Tesco.

[Petrushka]

A fair amount of rubbish on the pavements and roads round here is caused by the bin collectors themselves who make no effort to pick up items that fail to make it from bin to lorry for reasons such as wind.

[Pianorak]

Are Tesco prices outrageous?

Probably an overstatement, and I gather they have mended their ways. I stopped patronizing Tesco ever since Aldi opened a couple of years ago. I wish them well, if only for the sake of their staff.

[french frank]

I'm not sure about D Sedaris' (a new name to me) basic premise - is shopping at Tesco supposed to be a socio-economic category?

A relative of mine is loaded and she drives right past a Waitrose in order to do her shopping at Tesco.

[Don Petter]

A relative of mine is loaded and she drives right past a Waitrose in order to do her shopping at Tesco.

Don't drink and drive?

[french frank]

Don't drink and drive?

Yes, maybe she just didn't see the Waitrose

[Don Petter]

She may have see the standard of driving and parking at Waitrose.

If it's anything like our local Waitrose, you need a high standard to be able to park in the five foot wide marked bays. (Not that you can then get out of the car if others are present).

[Stanfordian]

I feel sure you are a responsible dog owner, but round here one concern is the people who let their creatures poo just outside houses. I challenged one once, and she strongly denied it, but she did come back with a bag to clear up. It amazes me that they (the owners) can stand their while I watch.

PS: Even allowing dogs to poo anywhere presents problems, and spoils some playing fields.

A large secondary school in my area was refurbished complete with a high security, perimeter fence with locked gates to protect the school premises and playing fields. Within hours dog walkers had found their way in and dogs were running free on the playing fields where children play sport and have their lunch breaks etc.

I recently challenged a irresponsible dog owner (who I know to be a women in her 70s) who didn't pick up the dog's mess and I was told to get a life. I will interfere no more. It's a total waste of time. I think it is down to the responsible dog owners, who I believe are the vast majority, to challenge the irresponsible owners.

[MrGongGong]

The solution to dog problems is to have an expensive licence (with exemptions for people who have assistance dogs).

[teamsaint]

The solution to dog problems is to have an expensive licence (with exemptions for people who have assistance dogs).

You mean a regressive tax which disproportionately hits poorer dog owners?

[MrGongGong]

You mean a regressive tax which disproportionately hits poorer dog owners?

Unless you have a flock of sheep, can't see or are in need of a sniffer dog then having a dog isn't really an essential thing.
It's quite simple to tax rich people properly once you stop believing in the lie of "trickle down" (your leg?) economics.

People in the UK are far too sentimental about dogs.