Countryside folks are dramatic about litter

[Thehonestybox]

I've always lived in big northern industrial cities, but recently my freelance work has meant I've been working a lot in very rural countryside (peak district, moors & Cumbria). At first I was sympathetic everytime a local said something about the litter being a blight, or outsiders climbing hills in flip flops, or people not closing sheep gates, etc etc.

But recently I've just thought - why am I sympathising?!

Us city livers see litter literally EVERYWHERE. I wouldn't dream of leaving my door unlocked at night and antisocial behavior is through the roof. And yet the other day I was working in a rural village and the person I was talking to spotted (with terminator level of vision) a Walkers crisp packet about half a mile away on a hill and I think I literally saw her pulse race through her neck as she said "and THIS is what I'm talking about!! ".

AIBU to wonder why countryside people feel like they should be immune to other people's selfishness?

If I was in Leeds centre and had an aneurysm over an empty packet of Nik Naks I think my colleagues would suggest I take a holiday.

(I suppose I'm referring to fairly wealthy people here, either farmers with land ownership or ex-city early retirees. TBF anyone 'working class' I've met in the countryside has been fairly welcoming to outsiders)

There's a vast degree of difference between having your laptop stolen because you left it in your vehicle (which, you should be able to do, I quite agree), and having to sit beside an innocent animal going through extensive surgery or drawing its last breath, because of the involuntary ingestion of litter.

If you can't tell the difference, that's on you.

I would have enormous sympathy for someone who had almost zero experience of the countryside who got into trouble - how would they know flop flops won't work...?

The phase ‘Do your own research’ springs to mind.

It’s not hard nowadays, there’s information at your fingertips if you want to look.

Your argument about leaving a laptop in a car in a high-crime area - the police were right. Just as a coastguard would be right to say you shouldn’t leave a child on an inflatable unattended after they rescue them. Or a farmer would be right to say you need to keep your dog on a lead. Or your mum would be right to advise you not to walk down an unlit alleyway…

So you have no sympathy for people who care about their surroundings because you don't particularly care about yours...

I think they genuinely think that it's 'part and parcel' of city life.

Is there livestock in the city that can eat litter then?

You can't really blame rural people for worrying about their own area more than yours. I suggest you start writing to your MP and council about the issues you have experienced.

That said, life is indeed a bit easier if you are street wise in a city, and dress practically living rurally.

@Thehonestybox

Common sense says flip flops aren't for mountain climbing. I'm from London, I know these things because I have a brain. Honestly if you have the wit to get yourself to rural areas you have capacity to check what you need

This is probably one of the most goady threads I've read on here and Ive been here years.

I choose to live rural away from the shitty city streets, I don't appreciate people coming from their shitty city streets to our wonderful countryside and bring their shitty city street littering with them.

Is that what you wanted op? Have I scratched your itch?

AIBU to wonder why countryside people feel like they should be immune to other people's selfishness?

YABU not to wonder why city folk are not more enraged by other people's selfishness ...

Isn't this victim blaming if something goes wrong? I would have enormous sympathy for someone who had almost zero experience of the countryside who got into trouble - how would they know flop flops won't work...?

oh my goodness I missed this when I posted before

I don’t know what to say, what an astonishing level of wilful ignorance

AIBU to wonder why countryside people feel like they should be immune to other people's selfishness?

What? Where did that come from?!

I would have enormous sympathy for someone who had almost zero experience of the countryside who got into trouble - how would they know flop flops won't work...?
The same way anyone of even average intelligence manages to figure it out Confused

Ah, but remember, 50% of the population will have below average intelligence!

Anyway, nice try op.

part of my job is to be a community liaison on conservation projects

😂

Perhaps it’s the attitude of people in Leeds that is wrong?

So because you live in a place covered in litter we all should? I live in a national park on a very regular income, this is not a wealth issue, it's about respecting and caring for the environment!

There is no way conservation officers don't know this.

(I suppose I'm referring to fairly wealthy people here, either farmers with land ownership or ex-city early retirees. TBF anyone 'working class' I've met in the countryside has been fairly welcoming to outsiders)

I don't understand.

What has class bias got to do with dislike of littering?
What, for that matter, has class bias got to do with how welcoming people are to newcomers?
And what does being welcoming/unwelcoming to visitors have to do with disliking litter?

I live in the ground floor of a tower block. I have sat next to a prostitute who had been raped in the car park while she sobbed and begged me not to call the police. I've sat with a man who had been kicked in the head and stomach until unconscious while I waited for a ambulance. Literally on my street.

And then have the police say "well, it's sad but to be fair it is a high crime area".

(part of my job is to be a community liaison on conservation projects)

Bloody hell!!

In the city there are people paid to pick it up though. In the country it'll just blow about until it ends up wedged up an endangered vole's nose or something.

Having said that I live in the city and my kids know they will be roasted if they drop litter. I grew up in the country though. I think some city kids assume someone will pick it up (and generally they're right!)

Christ - I couldn’t walk down Oxford street in flip flops without tragedy - never mind climb Nevis’ summit!

bless your heart for working in conservation and having NFI about the countryside.

I’m curious - are you a litterbug?

Crime is awful.
Littering is awful.
The countryside is full of the wealthy and the poor (just like the city), there’s pretty much a universal dislike of littering (just like everyone dislikes crime) and none of it has anything to do with his welcoming people are.

It's because we, in the countryside, are taught from a very early age how to use a bin.....maybe you city types ought to learn as well. It's very simple, you keep hold of your rubbish, find a bin and deposit the rubbish in it. Blimey and people think us country types are the stupid ones.

I don't know, but it just does IME. like how ramblers are more likely to have those gortex trousers with optional shorts zip in the same landscape I meet farm workers wearing jeans and trainers....

Countryside gol? How patronising! Dramatic about litter? No. Can’t say I know anyone who fits that description. I don’t know anyone who is a fan of litter anywhere. Countryside, town or city.

That is really sad but what has it got to do with litter?

Littering should be unacceptable EVERYWHERE. Its great that country folk are educating the townies on this matter.

As for flip flops, well, everyone to their own!