Page 7 | Would you date a binman?

TrishM80 · 2021-12-02T09:17:15+00:00

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

MadDeleine · 02/12/2021 10:44

@TomelettewithGreggs

Am going to defy the trend by saying no. Education is important to me. I wouldn't date an uneducated oligarch either.

Sure I will get flamed for this, but women are allowed to choose what they find attractive. I would date someone overweight, because physical looks are less important to me than education.

I totally see your point TomelettewithGreggs, but what do you mean by education?

Culture as in general knowledge, specialist knowledge, or critical thinking?

I have a doctorate and find so many of my peers are completely ignorant of some aspects of our culture, e.g. never been at a rock concert or even know much outside of their really tiny specialism.

Being clever, a sophisticated thinker and a reader are characteristics often found in a well educated person, but not necessarily.

The hypothetical bin person we are discussing may have made this career choice to cultivate their hobbies, to spend more time with their family, or simply because they are not made to climb the corporate ladder. They would not necessarily be an ignoramus.

TheSimpleSage · 02/12/2021 10:44

The OPs underlying question here is "would your potential partner's career/earnings/likely level of education play a factor in how you discriminate between them and other potential mates?" Or more specifically "would you consider a potential partner who is a low earner, doing what society considers a low status job?"

The answer will depend on how you rank as an individual within the mating hierarchy.

madisonbridges · 02/12/2021 10:46

My mum's binmen are really helpful and kind. She's 86 and a but forgetful so if she puts the wrong bins out, or even forgers to put then out at all, they go round the back if the house and get the right ones for her. And they're also cheerful and friendly. She loves them.
They're also in reliable jobs, with good working hours and a guaranteed pension. What's not to love about binmen?

TomelettewithGreggs · 02/12/2021 10:47

@MadDeleine I don't entirely disagree with you, but your scenario is a bit unlikely no? I would date you though because I also work in publishing and like nerds with narrow specialisms:)

Hoolahupsaresquare · 02/12/2021 10:47

Yes.

There’s other criteria I’d be looking for eg. intelligent, kind, not a misogynist, not selfish/lazy but these don’t have anything to do with being a bin man.

Peace43 · 02/12/2021 10:48

Yeah, why wouldn't I? He's employed.... that's what I care about.

BourbonScreams · 02/12/2021 10:48

Yes but I don't know if they'd date me, as I'm not very fit and hate early mornings

lockitdown · 02/12/2021 10:48

My Husband was a bin man when I met him.

sqirrelfriends · 02/12/2021 10:48

@TheSimpleSage

The OPs underlying question here is "would your potential partner's career/earnings/likely level of education play a factor in how you discriminate between them and other potential mates?" Or more specifically "would you consider a potential partner who is a low earner, doing what society considers a low status job?"

The answer will depend on how you rank as an individual within the mating hierarchy.

Not really, some of us were raised to marry for love. The smartest person I know married a barman, he didn't have less worth to her because of his job.

I married a high earner but despite having a "good" job I don't earn a lot. I don't think DH values me less because of it.

coogee · 02/12/2021 10:49

My husband did a stint as a bin man long before I met him. It was in the days when they had to empty proper dustbins into the back of the lorry. Apparently, he used to absolutely stink at the end of the day. His mother wouldn’t let him in the house until he’d taken his work clothes off.

On the plus side, he always got a seat to himself on the bus home.

Lobelia123 · 02/12/2021 10:49

Nice AND good looking AND single???? You'd be beating the other girls off with a stick :)

Hoppinggreen · 02/12/2021 10:50

We had a gorgeous bin man once and I’m not sure of his actual ethnicity but he always looked Native American to me.
I had a fantasy that he would whisk me away to the plains of America where we would ride horses and he would teach me to use a bow and arrow and I could be his squaw.
Must have watched Last of The Mohicans too many times

OnwardsAndSideways1 · 02/12/2021 10:50

Know men doing online dating and the answers on Mumsnet don't match the guys experience which I've heard about, which is that women are hugely driven by jobs/success and even text asking how much they earn! Strange how on Mumsnet no-one sees or even thinks about class/money but back in the real world...yes, I would say it would be a factor for me, I had a lovely next-door neighbour who was a bin man but he wasn't the type of guy I would date, wouldn't have had anything in common, the type of men I usually go for aren't bin men or doing manual jobs, and that type of man isn't attracted much to me either.

Silvershroud · 02/12/2021 10:55

@Topseyt

Bin men are human beings just like the rest of us and they perform a very valuable role. Give him a chance is what I would say.

What a strange thing to say. Not their fault and they can't help it, eh?

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 02/12/2021 10:56

My binman is a smoking hot surfer dude with long blond ringlets, he looks like he just strolled off the Home And Away set ( I am in Oz). So if I was 25 years younger hell yes!

Curlymam88 · 02/12/2021 10:57

My partner is a bin man. He became a bin man while I was already with him. He is the same man he was while he was in the first job when we first got together to who he is now as a bin man 🤷🏽‍♀️

grapewine · 02/12/2021 10:57

My mum's binmen are really helpful and kind. She's 86 and a but forgetful so if she puts the wrong bins out, or even forgers to put then out at all, they go round the back if the house and get the right ones for her.

This is so kind.

Electriq · 02/12/2021 10:58

Call me old fashioned but last I fell in love was with the man, not his job.

Maryann1975 · 02/12/2021 10:58

I think I'd go out with anyone except a journalist, politician or outreach coordinator
As I read the OP, I was thinking that I’d much rather date a bin man than Boris Johnson, and he seems to have No shortage of women willing to share his bed.

MadDeleine · 02/12/2021 10:58

TomelettewithGreggs, thank you, you are lovely

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 02/12/2021 11:02

My husband was doing a similar type job when we met. I remember the fact he would drag himself out of bed at 5am for work even after a night out really impressing me. My previous boyfriend was constantly phoning in sick to work and facing disciplinaries etc. and was sacked from three jobs in the two years we dated.
My husband’s work ethic was a really attractive quality to me. It also helped him set up his own (now very successful) business later down the line.

Punfreeusername · 02/12/2021 11:02

Unbelievable choice of question - ' Give him a chance' .

Tell you what OP, you can count yourself lucky if a modern bin man gives a snobby , image obsessed person ' a chance '.

They are well paid, hard working and physically fit..more than can be said for a lot of blokes.

TomelettewithGreggs · 02/12/2021 11:02

@MadDeleine I come from a S Asian background where education is very much prized, so we all do make choices based on our backgrounds. We are all projecting and that is ok:)

My husband is not "hot" but I find him interesting and well read, and we have common interests. Looks fade anyway.

MadDeleine · 02/12/2021 11:02

I think I'd go out with anyone except a journalist, politician or outreach coordinator

The latter is oddly specific! I'd be pushed to know what they do? Is this a joke I am not getting?

thepastisanothercountry · 02/12/2021 11:03

Why not ours seem to be a handsome, fit and cheerful enough bunch - and they're usually finished in time to collect the children from school - seems pretty good to me.

However, I wouldn't date one and hopefully will never have to or anyone else for that matter as DP might be a bit upset if I did!!