Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:19 pm Posts: 914 Location: California, USA
I had bizarre incidents in the last two weeks. My trash bins appear to walk to the curb side by themselves. I keep the bins outside the garage behind the bushes. It is not visible from the street but accessible from the drive way. I take them out to the curb side in the late afternoon the day before the trash collection day. Last two times, I found them there already. Other than that, nothing got stolen or changed.
But it is quite a bit uncomfortable for me. I am retired but not that old that other people cannot help helping taking out the trash bins. What should I do? I just talked to the neighbor close to the garage about what happened.
_________________ Best regards, Mitch
I am a slave to cutting a stone completely free of chips and very much enjoying it.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
It sounds like a kind soul is trying to do you a favor. Do you think they'll put them back after the garbage gets collected? I'd give them the chance.
If it really gives you the creeps, tape a note to the cans, asking that they be left alone and contact the Garbage Service and ask if they have other reports of this occurring.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
You know, years ago when I worked in Marin county, there was a young fellow living there who I called "The Midnight Sweeper". He was a meth amphetamine user, who almost every night would thoroughly sweep ALL the sidewalks of downtown Larkspur.
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:04 pm Posts: 1642 Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Fill one with concrete/anvils/etc... then hide, take a video-camera, and wait for the guy trying to lift it. Even better if you put some glue on the handles of the bin.
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:41 pm Posts: 5534 Location: Massachusetts, USA
I have a neighbor who does that also. It is not as a kindness but as a rebuke. She has nothing to do all day except watch soap operas and stare out the window, report to us on our movements*, and worry for seven days that I might forget to roll the dumpster out. She's widowed and alone, so we split the dumpster bill.
It gives her something to occupy her mind, all three XOR gates of it.
* Really. Phone rings. "You were in your pool today". !!! No wonder I got all wet!!!
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:19 pm Posts: 914 Location: California, USA
In contrast to gearloose’s case, my problem is I don’t know who is doing it. He/She may be doing it with a good intention. But walking up to the 50-yard driveway is a little too intrusive to me. (My house is located in a rural area and has a big lot.)
I am a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. But TKD taught me to avoid the situations I have to use my TKD techniques. Watching and confronting him/her might be one of the situations. I hope not, of course. Besides, a 5-feet/100 pound black belt is not much of anything.
But I want him/her to stop it. Yeah, chain and a thank-you note should work. But I am curious to see how Marco’s suggestion works. Wolf’s suggestion may encourage the behavior.
_________________ Best regards, Mitch
I am a slave to cutting a stone completely free of chips and very much enjoying it.
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:41 pm Posts: 5534 Location: Massachusetts, USA
Quote:
I am a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. But TKD taught me to avoid the situations I have to use my TKD techniques.
My school of self-defense teaches the same thing.
I hardly think someone who feels they are doing you a favor is going to attack you, though. It seems an overelaborate way of building trust.
One thing I have noticed is that nowadays, doing something one thinks is nice for someone else often messes with their minds. For example, in my town, if I am courteous and considerate to someone in traffic, it wrecks their day. They spend all day amazed, trying to figure out why I did it. So out of perversity, I try to be nice to people. They don't expect it any more.
So, in a sense, your story saddens me, that we have come to that. I am sometimes annoyed at my dumpster walking to the curb, even though there is no mystery about it. Basically, "It's MY job". But still, they seem to mean well.
Then, there is the implied insult: "They are so degenerate and feeble, they could not possibly do it themselves.."
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 2:04 pm Posts: 623 Location: Southern OK/North TX
I'm not sure what my suggestion would be in this situation - if you knew who was doing it, it might be a whole different story. We have a big push in all our schools and communities right now to take 'Rachel's Challenge' named after one of the Columbine victims. The goal is to do at least one act of kindness every day. Maybe they're doing it too...and don't realize what their actions are causing for you.
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