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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you date a binman?

641 replies

TrishM80 · 02/12/2021 09:17

Inspired by another thread about being a binman as a career.

You meet a guy on a night out or OLD. Seems nice enough and nice looking, all good. Tells you he's a binman.

YABU - immediate turn off
YANBU - give him a chance

OP posts:
Pontypandypandy · 03/12/2021 16:27

Only if he had a bath first.

imnotareindeer · 03/12/2021 17:41

I wouldn't, because a binman can't earn enough to really live in the area I live in. A high salary is attractive to me. I have the greatest respect for our binmen and the token female one, but they aren't attractive or slim around here. I couldn't do it, so they must be fit, but they aren't stunners.

And yes I do have a job too thanks before anyone asks and two young kids.

liveforsummer · 03/12/2021 17:41

Love how the answers in this thread are incredulous about this question whereas mumsnet is a place where 6 figure salaries appear the norm and people are horrified about the idea of dc sharing a room or that people don't have space for a home office or a second toilet. Fwiw I'd absolutely date a bin man (not mine most are way out of my age bracket and one clearly smokes cannabis from v early in the morning). They certainly earn more than me!

Mummabear89 · 03/12/2021 17:45

I married one

chaosmaker · 03/12/2021 17:46

I would date anyone that I fancy and is a great human being. What has job got to do with anything?

chaosmaker · 03/12/2021 17:48

If you wanted a job that was a turn off then there are plenty. Most of them tory mp....

Whatamess582 · 03/12/2021 17:48

This is a horrible post. It’s like bear baiting. If anyone actually said no, they are going to be ripped into by outraged Mumsnetters. Of course it shouldn’t matter what job someone does but to start a thread that is basically the mumsnet equivalent of Jeremy Kyle… is pretty low.

Bebethany · 03/12/2021 17:49

@ TrishM80 are you a Job Snob, sounds like it, ffs!!!

Whatamess582 · 03/12/2021 17:50

@chaosmaker… Grin any possible turn off of a binman would pale in comparison…

LurkerMortificado · 03/12/2021 17:52

He has a secure job on reasonable wages and obviously works hard. Bonus because he'll be home by lunch so if you want kids he'll be around to actually see them. Honestly I can think of much much worse.

Stellf · 03/12/2021 17:55

I would worry if the smell stays on him, it’s like being a butcher, even after showering still smells of meat!

liveforsummer · 03/12/2021 17:56

@LurkerMortificado

He has a secure job on reasonable wages and obviously works hard. Bonus because he'll be home by lunch so if you want kids he'll be around to actually see them. Honestly I can think of much much worse.
Our bin men are still out late including on Sunday's - I wouldn't be so sure!
Mirw · 03/12/2021 17:58

Why not if he is a decent man? I know binmen who do the job because the pay is decent, they don*t take their work home and are off 4 days together which allows them to go walking, climbing, skiing, mountain biking, motorbiking, etc every week. Most are single, 2 live abroad. All are great guys!

QuornSausagesAreTheDevilsPenis · 03/12/2021 18:01

No, but only because my husband wouldn't like it!

Dh was unemployed when we met so binman would be a step up!

anon666 · 03/12/2021 18:02

Since the pandemic, I've come to see binmen is the same category as firemen. They are physically fit and doing a job that's dangerous and essential to society.

What's not to like?

Mummabug18 · 03/12/2021 18:09

@amymel2016

How is this even a question 😂 What’s wrong with a bin man?!
RIGHT?

My husband was a bin man for almost 14 years. Reliable, secure, well paid jobwith early starts but got home around lunch with almost all weekends off. The only person who needs second guessing is the one questioning the guys worth. He's doing a dangerous, thankless job that people generally only think about when the jobs NOT done.

The councils bin men (like my DH) worked throughout covid, 3 to cab (about 2m wide - the distance we were all supposed to keep apart) with no additional PPE, collecting all the waste from everywhere with no idea if it was from a covid positive building with no pay increase and STILL dealing with the daily bs of people complaining about the noise they make and being in the way of other vehicles. SIL is a midwife and FIL worked on the doors of a covid researching hospital and a local testing centre after losing his job at the beginning of the pandemic. Each one of them and the thousands they worked with were amazing no matter if they delivered/saved lives or picked up bags of rubbish for the same reason. My aunt is a self employed independent solicitor who is amazing in her own right for keeping her head above water during the pandemic whilst caring for my grandmother full time.

Check yourself, eh!? 🤨

Check

Mandyjack · 03/12/2021 18:09

Sadly 15% are snobs going by todays figures

CaliforniaDrumming · 03/12/2021 18:13

And the others are shallow because they only want hot binmen.

DonaPatrizia · 03/12/2021 18:14

People can have whatever criteria they want for whom they date, but ruling out on the basis of job or political party is not something I would automatically do without finding out more about the person.

I've never dated a Tory but I probably would if he was intelligent and sincere.

There is a lot of snobbery about occupation in my world. The latest thing seems to be it has become a status symbol to carry on working when you're old!

My DH is 67, plus he has cancer. He worked for decades in a good career and studied at Oxford. He retired a few years ago with a good pension, I still work at a high level job and am very happy he's not working because he looks after me and the house etc.

You would think, all things considered, no-one would feel the need to look down on him because he's retired.

Yet still I have colleagues and friends who make barbed comments about 'what does he do all day?' as if he is a letdown. It gets my goat. I doubt any of them would date a binman!

Megan1992xx · 03/12/2021 18:15

@CaliforniaDrumming

And the others are shallow because they only want hot binmen.
True
Worriedatwork1 · 03/12/2021 18:16

Yup, steady income, ours get around 26k base rate plus various extra payments and overtime/bank holiday rates, and a decent pension if council employee. Most are home by 2pm.
I think under 25 I might have turned my nose up, in fact I embarrassingly once did, however I’ve come to realise a lot of “successful” men in business are narcissistic, chauvinist, very often cheating on their wives who are home with the kids, so now I place less value on what someone does for a living and more on their character

ghostmouse · 03/12/2021 18:16

Mumsnet is a different bloody world, my neighbours are bin men, factory workers, cleaners, I’m a factory worker, we all get filthy but we work hard and clean ourselves after every shift.

We don’t all have high end 100000 thousand a year, office dwelling or wfh high flying careers.

anxiousstanley · 03/12/2021 18:17

God yes absolutely. Why wouldn't I? At least he'll always be in work.

Worriedatwork1 · 03/12/2021 18:19

@OnTheBoardwalk

All the people who know bin people and the bin people on this thread can I ask a question please?

Does the pay reflect the colour bin you collect? I’ve always felt the general waste wheelie bin collectors should get more than the paper wheelie bin collectors

Not usually, in fact some crews will swap between both. You might think recycling is cleaner but there is still a lot of broken glass etc and they have to climb inside the vehicles to wash them
TheRemotePart · 03/12/2021 18:27

I used to have a boyfriend who worked in a fish factory.
He used to smell even after a shower
I imagine a bin man would jump in shower immediately too. And smell better than fish, after.

And they strike a lot lol. So available during the week Wink