New trash cans (automated system) (HOA, houses, neighborhood)

[Goominim]

Hi all,
I now have new trash cans and was wondering if it is really necessary to put the cans in the street on trash day. I don't understand why a truck with a hydraulic arm needs to have the cans in the street as oppossed to on the curb.

I think it looks worse than being on peoples' lawns (curbside). It also makes driving more difficult when two cars are passing each other headed opposite directions.

Something else I was wondering - do most people keep these new cans in their garages? With once a week pickup for the trash can, it seems like it might smell up the garage. The downside of keeping them outside is that it will make the neighborhood look terrible (IMO). I'm thinking I'm already missing the old way of doing things.

[ryneone]

Originally Posted by Goominim

Hi all,
I now have new trash cans and was wondering if it is really necessary to put the cans in the street on trash day. I don't understand why a truck with a hydraulic arm needs to have the cans in the street as oppossed to on the curb.

I think it looks worse than being on peoples' lawns (curbside). It also makes driving more difficult when two cars are passing each other headed opposite directions.

Something else I was wondering - do most people keep these new cans in their garages? With once a week pickup for the trash can, it seems like it might smell up the garage. The downside of keeping them outside is that it will make the neighborhood look terrible (IMO). I'm thinking I'm already missing the old way of doing things.

We had automated service in AZ and they came by once a week also. We kept ours on the side of the house behind a privacy gate. Come to think of it they picked up ours on the sidewalk. But then that forced the school kids to ride their bikes in the street. Im not sure what the cans look like here but ours had a tight fiting lid and never really smelled. ( I was the trash boy of the house)

[firstclassflyer]

Originally Posted by ryneone

We had automated service in AZ and they came by once a week also. We kept ours on the side of the house behind a privacy gate. Come to think of it they picked up ours on the sidewalk. But then that forced the school kids to ride their bikes in the street. Im not sure what the cans look like here but ours had a tight fiting lid and never really smelled. ( I was the trash boy of the house)

We put them on the sidewalk the night before...the guys roll them out (usually these cans have BIG wheels) to the truck where the arm takes them.The lid is tight on ours too...no odors. Keep them in the garage.

[djw]

I keep mine in the garage and it only smells when you open the lid. So I make the kid take out the trash and I NEVER open it!

As for putting them on the street - around here it seems to keep folks from parking in front of them. I know when we'd put the old ones on the sidewalk, there was always someone parking in the way every now and then (I even did it myself once!). Keeps the kids on the sidewalks as well as another poster mentioned.
Then there's the uneveness of the curb/sidewalk that may cause the bin to topple if the arm doesn't set it down right?
I dunno. Seems pretty simple to me. It's only one (two with recycle) day a week and I like that there's no more hodgepodge of different cans with lids blowing everywhere and bins rolling to the bottom of the hill. Some windy days it was like playing dumpster derby through the neighborhood!

[The Man in SATX]

I think it is ridiculous of those people who actually put the garbage cans on the street. My neighbor puts his out right behind my dang car where I can not see it.. and I knock it over every single time. The garbage cans do not need to be put on the street.... the truck has an arm system that can reach it and pull it to the truck.

[sapphire]

We were told to put ours on the street. You can't block the sidewalks.

Solid Waste Division Automated Collection

[hadleyzoo]

I've noticed people in my neighborhood put them at the end of their driveway to one side, not in the street. In my neighborhood though, with all the cars that are parked on the street, a few trashcans won't make a difference. The lids are pretty tight. We recycle more than anything. So our recycle goes out once a week and garbage every other week (we only have 1-2 kitchen size bags of garbage per week for a family of 4). Yeah, open the lid and it smells, but closed you don't even know it's on the garage even if there's some stinky stuff in the can.

I agree that it's much better than the old way especially on windy days. It was like playing frog*er coming home trying not to hit any lids and then people walking up and down the road trying to find the one that belongs to them.

As far as putting them on the side of the house or in the garage...best to check with your HOA if you have one. Ours says cans have to be in the garage, not visible when driving through the neighborhood. But I don't think they've been through the neighborhood lately as many are on the sides of houses or in front of the garage. In my opinion, I think it looks ugly to see all these garbage cans.

[The Man in SATX]

Originally Posted by sapphire

We were told to put ours on the street. You can't block the sidewalks.

Solid Waste Division Automated Collection

Yeah, lets not block the sidewalk where no one walks on.. lets just block the streets where vehicles are constantly driving... we can all take turns driving one at a time to get down the road due to trash cans blocking the way.

[hadleyzoo]

Originally Posted by The Man in SATX

Yeah, lets not block the sidewalk where no one walks on.. lets just block the streets where vehicles are constantly driving... .

I hear what you're saying...people here like to walk down the streets rather than the sidewalk anyway.

Originally Posted by The Man in SATX

we can all take turns driving one at a time to get down the road due to trash cans blocking the way.

I have to do that anyway because of all the cars parked on both sides...so garbage cans, at least where I live, don't add any more to the problem.

[The Man in SATX]

Originally Posted by hadleyzoo

I hear what you're saying...people like to walk down the streets rather than the sidewalk anyway.

Haa Haa .. talking about that.. today I was driving to go get something.. and a dude was in the middle of the street drying his shirt .. blocking traffic and all..

Now what the heck is that??? We got some loose canons in this house!!