Cape garbage puzzle (Miami: city hall, home, contractor)

[MsVaslovik]

I put my garbage container out on the edge of the street around 5:00 Monday morning, just as I always have, and when I get home from work it's still there full. The lid has been flipped open, and items not mine had been added to it, and a couple cans, also not mine, were on the ground near it, but it was still full, and the truck didn't empty it. I'm puzzled as to why that would happen. Anyone have a clue?

[Compression]

So, the cats that perpetrated this mystery did not leave any notes or phone numbers behind?.......


CN

[Kim in FL]

Originally Posted by MsVaslovik

I put my garbage container out on the edge of the street around 5:00 Monday morning, just as I always have, and when I get home from work it's still there full. The lid has been flipped open, and items not mine had been added to it, and a couple cans, also not mine, were on the ground near it, but it was still full, and the truck didn't empty it. I'm puzzled as to why that would happen. Anyone have a clue?

Call the company and ask. I don't know if they manually lift your cans, but if they do and they think it's too heavy, they won't pick it up. The other trash is from people on their morning walks needing a trash can.

[juntjoo]

Originally Posted by Compression

So, the cats that perpetrated this mystery did not leave any notes or phone numbers behind?.......


CN

Wrong guy lol. I think you were looking for me

[juntjoo]

Um actually, the other day they missed mine too. Didn't find any one else's garbage mine. That's strange, but yeah, it was last week for me. Maybe sometimes they're drunk or something, stop to pick it up, then lose track of what they're doing and figure they were done but weren't actually then leave. I suppose unless there's a pattern it shouldn't reoccur...

[Compression]

Originally Posted by Kim in FL

I don't know if they manually lift your cans, but if they do and they think it's too heavy, they won't pick it up.

I don't know if any of them actually manually lift the cans any more.

But I think what's bolded may be the key clue to what might have happened. Sometimes, the trash gets packed into the can to tightly, either at the top, or further down, half way, or toward the bottom. When the automated arm picks up the can, and flips it over, some things fall out, and other stuff that is jammed in might stay put.

They likely don't see it, or don't care enough to see it, and just move on to the next can up the road. Probably not in their job description to manually empty someone's can if the trash doesn't fall out on the first attempt. Not saying it's right or wrong, just what is.

CN

[Compression]

Originally Posted by juntjoo

Um actually, the other day they missed mine too. Didn't find any one else's garbage mine. That's strange, but yeah, it was last week for me. Maybe sometimes they're drunk or something, stop to pick it up, then lose track of what they're doing and figure they were done but weren't actually then leave. I suppose unless there's a pattern it shouldn't reoccur...

I'm an independent that leans conservative.

I detest what is so called "politically correct" speech.

But there is a point at which "tact" could be a good thing. Were I a sanitation worker, I might take offense, or at least wonder.......well, tact prevents me from going much further here.


CN

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by Compression

I don't know if any of them actually manually lift the cans any more.

But I think what's bolded may be the key clue to what might have happened. Sometimes, the trash gets packed into the can to tightly, either at the top, or further down, half way, or toward the bottom. When the automated arm picks up the can, and flips it over, some things fall out, and other stuff that is jammed in might stay put.

They likely don't see it, or don't care enough to see it, and just move on to the next can up the road. Probably not in their job description to manually empty someone's can if the trash doesn't fall out on the first attempt. Not saying it's right or wrong, just what is.

CN

If they are the big green trash cans with ID numbers printed on them, given to each homeowner by the municipal waste management facilities, they are picked up by and dumped into the truck by an automated arm/grabber operated by the truck driver, not manually picked up, ever.

You ever see those guys in operation? There is one guy per truck, the driver who also operates that grabber, no one else on the truck. They drive through the streets, stopping to pick up each can, dump it, and move on. I doubt the driver even sees what's going on, and certainly doesn't stop to pick up anything that falls out of the can onto the ground, or makes sure each can is completely emptied. And if a can is placed in a position where the grabber can't get a good hold on it, it won't be dumped.
These trucks and grabbers damage the cans too, every can we have had either gets big scratches on it, or have gotten long cracks in them. They tell you they will replace the cans if they become unuseable.

We have been lucky with our garbage so far, but we have had our recycle can half dumped a few times. They use the same automated grabber system with the recycle trucks, and if one quick pickupanddump doesn't get everything in the can, too bad so sad.. that usually happens when there are broken down cardboard boxes that get wedged in the can.

I would call the Waste Management folks with any problems or they don't collect your garbage.

[Samiamnh]

Good luck getting any response from WM. I had a large pile of brush to be removed and called for the claw truck which we've done in the past.I called several times,emailed several times and stopped 3 times at their office at city hall,
Each time I was promised a visit and it never happened.
After 3 weeks I gave up and got a private contractor to remove it.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by Samiamnh

Good luck getting any response from WM. I had a large pile of brush to be removed and called for the claw truck which we've done in the past.I called several times,emailed several times and stopped 3 times at their office at city hall,
Each time I was promised a visit and it never happened.
After 3 weeks I gave up and got a private contractor to remove it.

Well that sure would piZZ me off.. Sounds like someone at CC's Waste Management is not doing their job.
We never had any problems getting the folks out when we scheduled bulk pickups either in Miami-Dade or Charlotte counties. They have always given us a timeframe for the pickup, and came within that timeframe.