Page 8 | 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

frazzledfragglefromfragglerock · 02/12/2021 11:03

No but only because I'm married.

BiscuitLover3679 · 02/12/2021 11:05

Yep! Also you don't know all the facts. Is he doing it part time whilst he saves up as he's studying to be a surgeon? Does he enjoy it because it pays ok and he has more time to work on his campervan that he's going to take you on trips with all around the country? Is it just that he has an unglamorous job but is a really nice guy?

I used to work in care and was covered in bodily fluids on a daily basis - but we also wore gloves and knew to wash our hands 🤷‍♀️it means nothing. (Also agreed they tend to be quite strong ;) )

BoredZelda · 02/12/2021 11:05

Night owl here so no. The time they get up is what my son refers to as "a time of day that shouldn't exist"

Same. There’s a whole load of professions I would avoid dating for this reason.

My husband is an early riser and it works ok for us now, but I hated having to always be the one who got her ready for nursery or school when she was little. If I’d known his early habit when I first met him, I’d probably not have stayed! By the time I realised it was his habit, I was too far in to walk away.

Hoolahoophop · 02/12/2021 11:05

Binman at my old work was the best looking guy I ever met. Friendly kind. Fist time I met him I had to sign a contract. Was so pleased besides by his looks I forgot my name
Sadly he never seemed to notice me.

madisonbridges · 02/12/2021 11:07

Yes, @grapevine, they are really kind. Little things like this that people do make a huge difference to her life. 🙂

CounsellorTroi · 02/12/2021 11:08

@Pemba

Many years ago my friend's BIL was a binman, and she used to look down on him for that. Sorry to say, at the time I joined in with this a bit. Now I realise how narrow minded and snobby such thinking is. Refuse collectors perform a vital role in society, and God bless them for having strong enough stomachs to do it for us!

Thinking of jobs that would have put me off someone, I can think of :

Arms dealer
Anyone involved in making pornography

Dodgy landlords
Dodgy estate agents
Slaughter House workers

Tory politician Tabloid journalist

NinaDefoe · 02/12/2021 11:09

@MadDeleine

Ha! Lawyers, politicians and financial managers have been discarded as possible dating options upthread - these are (respectively) my DSs' career choices (both uni students) and my DH's job :)

Would you date me? I work in publishing. Just trying to establish if my whole family would be a nono for dating.

But seriously, yes of course, emphatically of course, I'd date a 'bin man' if he was a nice person and had personality depth and moral fibre.

I would not date a high tory, though. I would also struggle with a Daily Mail reader tbh.

Would you date me? I work in publishing. Just trying to establish if my whole family would be a nono for dating. Plenty of things are a turn off... You say you’d struggle to with a Tory or DM reader - same thing really.

CrunchyCarrot · 02/12/2021 11:10

Although I'd give him a chance (meaning carry on with the conversation) I'd want him to be on a similar educational level to myself, as longer term the relationship just wouldn't work out, otherwise. Who knows, he might be a philosopher who enjoys the work!

Birdsnesting · 02/12/2021 11:11

No. As I said on the other thread, my utterly lovely FiL is a retired binman, and we have two streetsweepers and a crusher driver in the family -- I've seen up close the toll heavy repetitive manual work takes on bodies as they age (and his generation was before wheelie bins, where you were hoisting heavy metal bins and throwing the contents into the truck). The agonising back problems he's experienced as he's got older I wouldn't wish on any one.

fakereview · 02/12/2021 11:11

Am going to defy the trend by saying no. Education is important to me

why would you assume that someone who empties bins is uneducated? They might have just decided they don't' want a stressful job. I doubt they wake up in the middle of the night worrying if they emptied a particular bin. Unlike waking up worrying if you amputated the wrong leg, or gave the wrong medication, or forgot a particular clause in a contract you were drafting.

Don't they all have HGV licences too, so quite sought after at the moment!

Birdsnesting · 02/12/2021 11:12

@CrunchyCarrot

Although I'd give him a chance (meaning carry on with the conversation) I'd want him to be on a similar educational level to myself, as longer term the relationship just wouldn't work out, otherwise. Who knows, he might be a philosopher who enjoys the work!

I know a novelist who works as a postman, and a visual artist who works at least some of the time as a binman -- keeps you fit, done early, thinking time.

DaisyNGO · 02/12/2021 11:12

I find your options a bit counter intuitive.

yes, totally. The early rising would be a practical issue but judging by the fitness of our binmen - I mean fitness AND fitness, lol - I wouldn't be surprised if they manage on very little sleep though.

honest, important job.

Branleuse · 02/12/2021 11:13

It would be fine with me. Not an issue at all. Honest work

MrsBerthaRochester · 02/12/2021 11:13

No. I would assume they didnt have the same level of education as myself and that we wouldnt have anything in common.
My exh is a lawyer and a huge prick so I wouldnt date one of those again either.

DaisyNGO · 02/12/2021 11:15

@MrsBerthaRochester

No. I would assume they didnt have the same level of education as myself and that we wouldnt have anything in common. My exh is a lawyer and a huge prick so I wouldnt date one of those again either.

something about that "level of education" comment makes me shudder.

gunnersgold · 02/12/2021 11:15

It pays well! I work in a shop , would you date me ?🤷‍♀️🙄

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 02/12/2021 11:16

Wow what's with all the hate for lawyers?

lockitdown · 02/12/2021 11:16

I used to think that "it" wouldn't work with someone who doesn't have a similar level of education as me. How wrong I was. My Husband doesn't even have GCSE's ("o" levels) but got a BTec later in life. I have a degree, 2 postgrad diplomas and a masters.

It works. 22 years later, it totally works. Be more open minded.

GetTheFlockOutOfHere · 02/12/2021 11:16

@TrishM80

Absolutely. They are paid well, and would be fit, and also, they don't roll around in the back of the bin wagon ya know.

HailAdrian · 02/12/2021 11:17

I'd be more wary of someone who COULD work but instead relied heavily on their high-earning partner to provide them with a certain lifestyle. You see that a lot on here tbh. Then they end up trapped because the financial implications of separating are too daunting. It's sad.

Ilovedthe70s · 02/12/2021 11:17

@MrsBerthaRochester

No. I would assume they didnt have the same level of education as myself and that we wouldnt have anything in common. My exh is a lawyer and a huge prick so I wouldnt date one of those again either.

Never assume, I have a PhD and I stack shelves in a high street retailer

Hoolahupsaresquare · 02/12/2021 11:17

I’m trying to think of a career I’d struggle with in a partner.

leader/member for the opposition politically perhaps as it’s likely we would be fundamentally very different in terms of views/outlook.

The owner/CEO of a business that I personally find highly unethical - wouldn’t apply to people just trying to make a living IYSWIM. So owner of DM or similar but probably not the people just starting out trying to find their feet in journalism.

Professional assassin/arms dealer ?

TheSimpleSage · 02/12/2021 11:18

@OnwardsAndSideways1

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.

A welcome reality check for the thread.

Most women desire competency in a partner which is often, but not exclusively, exhibited through earnings or career and for that partner to be at least as competent as them. At least. This desire is somewhat innate.

Bunnyrun5 · 02/12/2021 11:18

I think I’m going to be in the minority here but I’ll stick my neck out…
It’s a no from me based on the fact a binman likely to have low career aspirations limited career progression? Promotion .. Driving the truck? Average salary, yes it’s a job but can’t imagine having the ‘how was your day chat’ after work might go yawn 🥱
Sorry I know they do a great job and someone’s got to do it, but I’ve never liked men with dirty finger nails.

AliceA2021 · 02/12/2021 11:18

It's interesting that many date men who are arrogant, selfish, cheats, narcissists, liars, unreliable etc. Some not on purpose but others appear to seek out the 'bad boy' type, goodness knows why. Now obviously not all bin men are pillars of the community and like any other occupation a mix of personalities.

I note that some people have a long list of requirements for whom they might date and quickly strike off the list but wonder if they might be less than impressed if others strike them off for being a particular occupation or having children/ties/family carer etc, too large, too this too that. Personality and kindness seem to figure a lot lower down the list after striking so many off it first.