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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To phone the council on the shouty sweaty bin men

71 replies

GirlWhoWearsGlasses · 08/07/2015 11:33

'Fucking close the LID!' 'Oh for fucks sake!' Etc etc. I think they are annoyed the lids aren't on the recycling bins because they're full. Fair enough. I might be guilty as charged (not today) and if there's extra and I'm in I try and go out and ask politely if they'll take the extra boxes that aren't in the bin. They don't come super early morning on this street

AIBU to think it's a bit much and intimidating to have the loud swearing?

OP posts:
maddening · 08/07/2015 22:21

But they are aiming their sweaty words at the residents happy feet - so if you are your dc are coming out of your own house and the bin men shout specifically for you to hear that your fucking kid won't fucking close you'd be chuffed- general swearing - whatever - drop the recycling box and exclaim "oh shit/fuck" or "fuck me that's a heavy one" But shouting at residents or so residents can hear "close the fucking lid" is not on. They should complain to their management that residents are not observing the bin rules and then management can respond maybe advising residents that they need to follow the rules or their rubbish will not be taken and then follow through with that. Or they could knock on and advise that they will take it this time but future infractions will result in non collection.

Original poster
GirlWhoWearsGlasses · 08/07/2015 22:37

Spot on maddening - in the past they used to put a sticker on the bin saying it wasn't being taken as overfull etc. I'm not being a precious flower at all - I don't even mind swearing - as you said - when they've dropped something or whatever

OP posts:
fakenamefornow · 08/07/2015 22:43

I heard the best bit of swearing ever from a street workman once. He was using one of those big drill things you dig the road up with, I guess it wasn't working well because I over heard him. 'Oh fuck, the fucking fuckers fucked,' (imagine being said with an air of exasperation.)

Molio · 08/07/2015 23:02

Given the absolutely disgusting way so many people fill their bins, with no regard to the discomfort of the men who have to empty them, I think swearing is completely ok. I doubt they'd swear at any house they were collecting from if the bins were relatively considerately filled and the lids were as they're supposed to be. I'm constantly amazed at how filthy so many people are with their bins, it reflects very clearly just how unthinking they are. So yes, they're probably swearing because you're a bit slutty on the bin front OP. YABU - twice over.

FarFromAnyRoad · 08/07/2015 23:07

Oh fuck, the fucking fuckers fucked

Love this! I intend to use it at every forthcoming available opportunity Grin

Ilovecrapcrafts · 08/07/2015 23:09

I'm really shocked people think it's ok. They're in uniform and need to behave appropriately. I'm rolling my own eyes at the council worker whose department have no idea how to make them behave- no wonder the public sector is so bloated and ineffective in parts...

crustsaway · 08/07/2015 23:24

Oh get over yourself. Nothing wrong in a good swear up!

crustsaway · 08/07/2015 23:28

Why on earth does wearing a uniform mean you cant say fuck? They aren't in top and tails or cassocks are they :/

Ilovecrapcrafts · 09/07/2015 00:06

Isn't it obvious? In uniform you're representing the organisation. All uniformed roles will have restrictions on your behaviour in uniform. Have you not had a job before?

Icelandicsuperyoghurt · 09/07/2015 00:39

Why on earth does wearing a uniform mean you cant say fuck? They aren't in top and tails or cassocks are they :/

There'd be ougrage at an A&E nurse within earshot of a bunch of mega drunk patients, shouting, "Fucking drinking again on a Friday night. We keep fucking telling them they'll end up passing out and slamming theirs heads against the fucking pavement, but they never fucking listen." Am sure they'd love to but hopefully wait till they're taking a break.

Or the firemen outside a burning house yelling, "Fucking hell, how many bleeding times do we have to tell people to blow their poncy scented candles out before they go to bed."

People do stuff that makes other people's working lives more frustrating or difficult, but imo people at work shouldn't swear within earshot of customers etc.

lem73 · 09/07/2015 00:42

Do you know what Icelandic I wish they could! Your post has really made me laugh.

BumpTheElephant · 09/07/2015 06:14

YANBU.
I wonder if the posters who think it's perfectly fine or even necessary for them to be swearing due to their "shitty job" which actually isn't all that shitty, would feel the same about a female cleaner shouting and swearing because she had to clean shit off the office toilet or what about the nursing assistant who regularly wipes adults arses? Would they be allowed to swear at the patient? I think not.
Somehow I don't think it would be tolerated in more "female" jobs not that there should be female and male jobs anyway

Lagoonablue · 09/07/2015 06:32

I don't think it is acceptable for someone in a public sector told to be shouting and swearing in the street. It is simply a matter of professionalism. I work got a council and this would not be tolerated.

Just because they are doing a tough manual job doesn't excuse professional standards of behaviour. Where do we draw the line? Bin men can swear, so what about road cleaners or highways staff, parks workers etc?

Btw it's a hard job but they are not badly paid at all.

TheChandler · 09/07/2015 07:12

BumpTheElephant Somehow I don't think it would be tolerated in more "female" jobs

Well, of course not. This crapola whenever a precious man does a job that might involve gasp manual effort and bigger gasp getting dirty, tired or walking, so any bad behaviour must be tolerated, is so utterly pathetic. For the record, I have never in my life seen a good looking refuse collector in the UK - Jesus - isn't it possible to discuss a topic involving men without this pathetic hero worship thing. And if the job is too offensive or dirty for them, they shouldn't be doing. Perhaps you should compare them with nurses and cleaners who regularly clean up human waste, or those who look after animals for a living, who actually shovel shit.

Refuse collection is highly unionised and the managers themselves admit that their precious little darlings will tolerate almost no modernisation, discipline, etc because they will strike to get their own way (at least that's what manager admitted to me when I, along with half the neighbourhood, complained that our bins hadn't been uplifted for over two months due to various excuses). As they do frequently. This little industry has carved a little niche for itself and there were relatively recent reports of Manchester binmen being paid 50k pa due to exploiting their supposed need for overtime, especially double time on Sundays and holidays.

Having carved out a working practice for themselves whereby they can excuse themselves from doing their own job over a bin lid not fully closing have no sympathy from me. Some of them are basically thugs and swearing and shouting in public while doing their jobs is just another way for them to carry out their bad behaviour.

giraffesCantPluckTheirEyebrows · 09/07/2015 07:13

mine come at 8am on a Sunday morning and swear aand shout and sometimes even vomit in the lane.

Notasinglefuckwasgiven · 09/07/2015 10:03

I can't believe we're still getting our norks out about binmen.....Grin

SophieJenkins · 09/07/2015 10:10

I think it sounds like one of them got carried away. I don't think it's necessarily worth reporting but I would find it a bit disturbing OP.

I got stuck along with about 3 other cars last week behind a late bin lorry and it was really, really hot and the poor guys were just doing their best but they clearly felt they had to rush which I absolutely hate when I am doing a job I have to do.

They have no choice - single lane traffic and parked cars either side, what are they meant to do, just leave the bins?

So I smiled and I wound down my window and yelled 'don't rush mate it's Ok' and he seemed really happy that someone wasn't swearing at HIM.

He said 'not sure about the ones behond you though!'

I mean yes initially I did think 'OFFS' when I couldn't get the last 200m home, but seriously, it's one of those things and I figured they felt under a huge amount more pressure than I did.

Be nice to your bin men. It's a horrible job - not just cos of the rubbish but cos of the abuse they get.

Lagoonablue · 09/07/2015 20:48

Actually my bin men are great. Very professional. They don't earn 50k though! Though not a terrible salary.

Lack1 · 19/08/2020 09:21

angry about food collection as i had a lot he swear a said you can keep
it your fucking self

Lack1 · 19/08/2020 09:24

my food bin man swear at me as i had a lot to get rid of as my freezer had packed up on me and said next time you can keep it you fucking self

AiryFairyArtyFarty · 19/08/2020 09:29

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