To think the bloke who told me off for taking grit out of the grit bin should fuck off

[Birdbox181]

This morning, I had to get my elderly neighbour to a hospital appointment. She has bone cancer in both hips. Her drive way was very slippery this morning. A fall for her could be fatal. She's on crutches.

I drove to the nearest grit bin I could find, filled a bag for life, probably a quarter full and put it down on her front door step, drive way and the pavement outside her property.

As I was putting it into my bag a bloke stopped and reprimanded me, telling me it's not for private use. I explained the situation and but he wasn't interested.

What an absolute cock.

we have got a grit bin and no organised volunteers. I'd mind if you were emptying the bin but a smallbag not here or there, I'd do it too.

I

But it isn't his remit to decide if her "excuse" is reasonable or not, or presume she doesn't know the rules.

She's a grown adult not a naughty teenage shoolgirl playing a prank. It's not his job to officiate over the bin from his front path. She knew what she was doing, she didn't ask for his opinion or advice.

god give me strength..people on this thread.

don't give the interfering old twat another thought, you did a good thing

He was right. They are generally put in areas where there's a risk - like roads with sharp corners. They are near those areas to be used in those areas, where the gritter lorry doesn't go. They're not for use on private property - you can buy grit at B&Q for that.

However, I think he was a bit peevish. But I'd have been slightly shocked to see someone drive up to one and take grit away. Though I wouldn't say anything. I've never actually used one myself, there's one at the end of my road but I've never seen anyone use the grit from it at all. I do keep a bag of that fast defrost salt stuff in my shed just in case, but I've had it years and never used it.

Thankyou to everyone who has replied with a kind comment. Much appreciated.

I find all the posts accusing the OP of stealing utterly bizarre.

this exactly why our council provides grit bins including encouraging people to look out for neighbours

unless you have special rules in your locality.

I'd have told him to piss off.

They provide them for public use on public paths. Not for private property.

I know they deliver quickly, but between the car and her drive would’ve been a feat.

You did the right thing. Ignore and forget about it, it's not worth worrying over

I can't either, no one i know would have an issue with someone using a small amount of grit to help an elderly neighbour.

Our local council published a map to identify where salt/grit bins were located and stated they were only for use on public paths not private home paths or drives.

@NormasArse no need to be sarcastic. We've known this weather has been coming for at least a week.

Bet he wouldn't have had a go at them though.

It would take more than someone driving up to a grit bin and filling a Sainsbury's carrier bag with a few trowel fulls to shock me.

Good on you OP, and in answer to your original question, yes, he can fuck off. I hope the appointment went well and wish your neighbour the best of luck.

He probably realised he was being a dick once you said what it was for but he didn't want to look like a dick so carried on moaning at you. Standard male procedure.

I cannot imagine having so little going on in my life that seeing someone do this would even register with me, never mind cause me to pass comment.

You were doing a nice thing, definitely write that encounter off as “people can be wankers” and laugh about it.

you were trying to do a good thing @Birdbox181 💐

but the advice is it's for roads and pathways

It may not be for that purpose but you did the right thing.
You'd have to be a dick to be up in arms about someone using it for an elderly neighbour.

He’s right, it’s for use on the roads not private drives. Just imagine if everyone did this, what would happen on the actual road

YABVVU and it’s people like you that make me mad

Quite fantastic. Anyone who is all for sticking to the rules under any circumstance, I sincerely hope that you're never a doddery old cancer patient on a snowy day relying on a lift from a harrassed woman who forgot to order her own private grit stash in a timely fashion.

As someone who used to coordinate a voluntary community pavement clearing/gritting group, which included organising grit bins and getting them filled, I think you did a good and sensible thing for your neighbour, and, in fact, our group used to use some of the grit from our Council grit bins to grit paths for elderly and disabled neighbours.

However, a lot of able-bodied people in our area did use to help themselves to grit for their own drives and paths meaning that when the weather was bad, we sometimes couldn't grit the pavements due to lack of grit.

In general, I think it's a good idea for people to have a bag of grit which they can use on private paths/drives (their own or neighbours) without having to use grit bin supplies. The grit is easy to buy, not that dear, and will keep for years if it's not needed. But if I was in the position you were in with your neighbour, I would have not hesitated to use some of the grit to keep an elderly person safe, and I would not have subjected you to a lecture either.

PS: don't get me started on the people who used to use the grit bins as rubbish bins!

Please, please get a grip and direct your ire at people who actually deserve it.

Is that special rule in your locality because it’s certainly not in mine and OP helping her neighbour is encouraged.