Sedona via SR 179 (Payson: neighborhood, school, license plate)

[bongofury]

Over the years I've traveled to many states along our American highways and back roads and have seen my share of litter. Some places have little, some places have plenty. Yavapai and Coconino Counties are a mixed bag. When a job or errand brings me to Sedona, I (often) travel there via SR 179 off I-17. The past four years I've seen a steady increase in plastic baggies stuck to scrub, discarded diapers, paper towels, fast food cups and cartons, napkins, old tires, oil cans, beer cans, etc. along SR 179 headed to the Village of Oak Creek, especially the first three miles or so. My hat's off to those community-minded people who "adopt" a stretch of roadway, and to others who collect litter and debris in those light blue garbage bags. I suspect the county/state takes some of the people serving time to collect refuge/litter, but I've never had anyone corroborate this. Since we have so many littering our roadways, it's a good thing we have conscientious people helping pick-up after them. In my neighborhood alone I've lost count of how many cigarette butts I've picked-up off my front yard. There is a device in your vehicle made for butts - it's called an ashtray. I'd love to know how many tickets for littering have been issued for 2009 - 2010. My local Sheriffs office says they do not have that data. I suspect we have more DUI tickets than littering tickets, but I hope I'm wrong.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by bongofury

Over the years I've traveled to many states along our American highways and back roads and have seen my share of litter. Some places have little, some places have plenty. Yavapai and Coconino Counties are a mixed bag. When a job or errand brings me to Sedona, I (often) travel there via SR 179 off I-17. The past four years I've seen a steady increase in plastic baggies stuck to scrub, discarded diapers, paper towels, fast food cups and cartons, napkins, old tires, oil cans, beer cans, etc. along SR 179 headed to the Village of Oak Creek, especially the first three miles or so. My hat's off to those community-minded people who "adopt" a stretch of roadway, and to others who collect litter and debris in those light blue garbage bags. I suspect the county/state takes some of the people serving time to collect refuge/litter, but I've never had anyone corroborate this. Since we have so many littering our roadways, it's a good thing we have conscientious people helping pick-up after them. In my neighborhood alone I've lost count of how many cigarette butts I've picked-up off my front yard. There is a device in your vehicle made for butts - it's called an ashtray. I'd love to know how many tickets for littering have been issued for 2009 - 2010. My local Sheriffs office says they do not have that data. I suspect we have more DUI tickets than littering tickets, but I hope I'm wrong.

Yup, you'd be wrong. And you know those signs you see posted along the hiway about being fined for littering? They are worthless.

I used to drive E. Hwy 260 every day from Payson to Kohl's Ranch and the litter along that hiway made me ill. One day, following a pickup along the hiway, I saw an arm come out the window and throw fast food bag of trash out. It made me so mad I caught up to them, got a description of the pickup, the license plate and the people in it. I also made note of the milepost, or as close as I could, and decided to report them. Well, I did, to a deputy sheriff who was also a friend. Well, actually, I asked him how to go about reporting it. He said it would be a "waste of time" and I would have to have a PICTURE of the trash tossed out. IF they decided to do anything about it I, and the people reported, would have to spend the day in court and it would be "they said/I said" and probably tossed out. So, why bother? I suppose the ONLY way anything would be done would be if a cop actually saw them. Your ordinary citizen sure can't do anything about it. Oh yeah, the next day...just out of curiosity...I stopped along the hiway where I thought they'd tossed that stuff and it dipped down where you couldn't really see much from the hiway itself and I was just AMAZED at all the trash that was accumulated down there. The area still looked pristine just because you couldn't SEE it. Disgusting!

[Ritchie_az]

I don't understand why people think the world is their personal trash can. It doesn't take much effort to dispose of trash correctly.

Here's a "thumbs up" to the folks who give of their time and energy to clean up after the "highway slobs": They never get enough thanks for what they do.

[OurNextAdventure]

I wish there were more people like you, who is absolutely disgusted with littering. When I get done with school, when am that Park Ranger or Forest Ranger, Warden, G&F, whatever it may be, I am going to be the ticket Nazi when it comes to Littering. No minimum fines here, you are gonna get hit with the hardest fine allowed.