Private Property =/= Public

[blas87]

Means GTFO!

I dunno, I'm sure some people will want to pull the "Well, I've done this before!" or "But it's garbage/recyclables, so who cares?" cards, but I really don't care. It bugs me. And bothers my neighbors. And the caretakers. Supposedly, even management, but it's not like they'll make a trip by on a weekend to call someone to make an extra garbage trip or something to prevent it. They're more concerned about rocks in the pool.

In general, there's always a few people here and there, certain days of the week (what's really odd, is people who live here can hardly memorize the pickup schedule for garbage and recycling, but the bums can!) people will stop by in their giant rumbling pile of shit vehicles, digging through our dumpster and recycling areas.

Some people can argue that it's been tossed, it's for anyone's use now. Well, there's a little sign, at the entrance to the property, that says PRIVATE PROPERTY, NO TRESSPASSING.

If my neighbor sees me toss a bunch of cans in the recycling bin, and wants to go take it, that's different. But some bum who goes around in his pedo van to all of these apartment complexes, and parks there and spends as long as they please going through our stuff to find treasure or recyclables to get cash off of, just stings me.

It's bad enough that sign doesn't control the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons. It doesn't stop the treasure hunters, either.

It's also that time of year where a lot of people move, and people are more apt to put old chairs, entertainment centers, dressers, etc, by the dumpster and leave it there.

Cue anyone coming down the road seeing it, turning in, even though they don't live here, and eyeing up the stuff and then proceeding to call a friend or two to help them take it away, and soon enough, there's people who are just randomly driving around here towards the end of May/beginning of June to see if there's anything here to take. I saw that happen on Friday afternoon when someone very early in the morning had left a pink dresser outside, the same car came back later in the afternoon with a friend to help them size it up and see if they could fit it in the car.

And then we have yesterday. The pool isn't open yet. And it's for TENANT use only. It's a liability enough that the fence isn't high enough that neighborhood kids jump it anyway and try to sneak in at night, but going outside to smoke as often as I do on the weekends......I've seen vehicles that I've never seen here before, people I don't recognize....yesterday, this car pulled up, two women were already in their swimwear and towels, pull up and park next to the pool, and walk up to it......see the giant paddlock holding the door shut, and look all shocked and surprised. NOT A PUBLIC POOL. YOU DON'T LIVE HERE. You CANNOT use the pool if it was open! Besides, the rules say if you're a guest, the tenant has to be outside with you as well. They've threatened to take away the pool before because people let anyone and everyone come use the pool during the summer.

My neighbor was on his way out while I was out for a smoke, and I told him about the random car that was going to try to use the pool. He shook his head and said that the landlord keeps finding rocks in the pool, and the caretakers haven't noticed anyone who lives here doing it, so they're thinking neighborhood kids are hanging around the fence and throwing rocks into the pool, since it's only been uncovered for a week or so.

[siead_lietrathua]

yes, 1000X this!
almost every freaking day at work i have to tell kids that the store parkinglot/sidewalks, are not their skatepark, that it's private property, and to GTFO. otherwise they do jumps and tricks right into the oncoming traffic pulling into the lot. sometimes intentionally playing chicken with cars. little morons.

we also have people come dump their garbage into the dumpster over at the barn constantly. (one of those truck sized dumpsters, so no lid ) i think da is gonna hook it up to a carbattery soon, zap anyone that touches it at night.

[DrFaroohk]

Ugh. We used to have people at my store who would drive their little RC cars all over the parking lot, and refuse to move them. I would encourage other customers to run over the little things with promises of free merchandise.

Or at the local store, it's the "hangout", and one entire side of the parking lot is full of people who....park and sit there. WTF. How bored do you have to be that the highlight of your day is sitting at the gas station staring at people pump gas?

I agree with the private property thing, but generally, I feel that once you throw something out, you have relinquished all ownership rights and have no right to decide what happens to it. I hate people who obsessively protect their garbage.

[Dreamstalker]

My understanding is that if trash sits on private property it is still the property of the building/development until the city picks it up.

[aurelemsrealm]

I commonly catch people dumping their crap into the dumpsters at work, but it's usually just a small amount. If they're just cleaning out their cars, I don't say anything. If I see them dumping more than a shopping bag worth of trash, I point out that they should ask management permission.

Here lately, we've been finding truckloads of trash filling the dumpster. This isn't the first time we've caught people dumping their trash in the store dumpster. I've run several people off before.

A few days ago some jerk left a pile of heavy boards inside the dumpster enclosure outside the dumpster. Jackass couldn't even bother to throw it in the dumpster. I was off work at the time, but heard plenty about it because the manager was pissed. Our dumpster was so full of other people's crap yesterday that I could barely get the store's trash in the dumpster.

We also have our share of people who raid the trash cans for aluminum cans and other such things. I've also noticed a number of people searching for losing lottery tickets to enter in the second chance drawing. I even had one customer ask me if I'd dig through the trash cans behind the counter. I said no to that request because there's only so much customer service I'm willing to provide.

[blas87]

I know, that used to drive me nuts at the gas station because the lotto whores actually wanted to collect the losing tickets to try for another chance

But, the other side of the coin, like my parents cleaning out my old room so I can move home, Dad put an old dresser outside that says "Free", so if someone wanted to show up and grab it, go for it.

That doesn't mean, though, that people should randomly drive around apartment complexes looking for furniture or garbage or recyclables.

[telecom_goddess]

I'm of the mind that once something is thrown away or put by a dumpster it's fair game. They don't own it anymore. As for private property in an apartment complex that's debatable. I had a cop ticket me because my youngest daughter was riding her bike without a helmet, and he he said it was on public property, so that's why the ticket. if it was private property the ticket wouldn't have been valid.

[blas87]

That's fine to think that way. My problem is, we've had problems where people just start driving around the complexes looking for treasure. You aren't supposed to be driving around here if you don't live here.

If you're driving around and see someone has a couch on the curb that says "Free", then fine, take it. But if you're in a complex that has a private property sign, and one or two people have driven past to take unwanted furniture from the dumpster, and then more and more people decide they'll make a drive past occasionally for recyclables or garbage, it's annoying.

And then when you have people who don't live here trying to get into the pool...

[AdminAssistant]

Some of the more rabid freecyclers in my old town were bad for ripping through our dumpster at all hours of the night and generally making a mess. Apparently they thought we were wasteful, since one morning I walked outside to find "CONSUME" spray painted on the dumpster and some instant oatmeal I had thrown away sprinkled in circles across the parking lot.

Oh, and *my* dumpster is not an appropriate place to put your dog poop. It's your dog, put its poop in your garbage.

[Greenday]

Isn't it legally considered trespassing to go onto private property to do such a thing?

[blas87]

Well, technically, it's tresspassing if you're there to try to sell stuff/religion, or if you're not invited to be there.

But, people get away with so much. They put up a sign and hope people listen. But complaining is worthless.

My complaints mostly stemmed from the other day (during the weekend), of the times I went out to smoke, I saw unfamiliar vehicles each time. The girls trying to use the pool really got to me, though. This is why most apartments don't have pools.

What's really funny is when the maintenance guy goes to throw garbage away from his truck, and sees something in the dumpster that shouldn't be there, so he decides to dumpster dive and try to find out who did it. FFS.

[protege]

That doesn't mean, though, that people should randomly drive around apartment complexes looking for furniture or garbage or recyclables.

Here, we have people who drive all over the borough looking for 'treasure' the night before trash day. Never mind that I've recovered two old Radio-Flyer wagons that way...along with the stool I use when I run trains, plus one of my model cabinets. No, these people are insane about such things. They'll take anything, no matter how destroyed the item is, simply because it might have some value. Maybe they need parts, or can fix the item...or maybe because they want it for its scrap value. Whatever, it is, they'll grab it. Around here, it's pretty common to see several beat-up trucks and vans "making the rounds." But, it is occasionally amusing to see what some people will take. Things, like my old lawn mower, for example. Why you'd want a 30-year-old Toro with a cracked engine block...I'll never know!

[blas87]

Oh, my neighbors actually know the names of some of the recycler rats who drive up every so often to take our cans and other recyclables. That, or they just do like me and make up mean nicknames for others.

There's a van that I don't even know how it's still running that shows up at least once a week, the guy driving it looks like a serial killer from a low budget Family Video movie......I shudder if I'm out for a smoke or going to my car and see him digging through our stuff.

At least, though, unlike Admin's stories, our treasure hunters and recycling rats don't leave a mess. It's just kinda stupid and their vehicles get in the way of this already small parking lot when they just go driving by and idling their vehicle in the middle of the driveway by the dumpster.

[jackfaire]

I used to have dumpster divers actually living in my apartment complex and they would get pissed at me if I so much as forgot to recycle one cereal box.

[IDrinkaRum]

At the local dump in the county where I live, they have a section where you can put things that are "too good to be garbage". Stuff like old dressers, pictures, bed frames, etc., etc. You just have to haul it yourself and leave it there. There are scavengers there all day long. But at least they're not encroaching on other people's private property.