Are there ever circumstances where it’s justified to throw litter from a car?

[AmyDances]

Every time I go out for a walk near us, I end up coming back pissed off. The verges along the roads are covered in litter – bottles, cans, fast food packaging, and I’ve seen dirty nappies. It’s even worse on the big roads. It’s disgusting and completely unnecessary.

I just don’t understand the mentality. Who thinks, “Oh, I’ve finished my drink, better lob the bottle out the window”? Or “I don’t want this bottle of piss / dog poo bag / dirty nappy in my car for a second longer so I’ll drop it for someone else to pick up.”

So, AIBU to think people who litter like this are just total cf? I just don’t know how they can have so little respect for their environment or other people who have to deal with their mess.

🤣🤣

Get therapy or store it in your car boot.

your phobia is no excuse for leaving bags full of vomit for someone else to deal with.

I’m on holiday in Italy and the rubbish along the road sides is noticeable. DH and I can’t get our heads round the thinking, most places like shops etc have bins so why not just hold on to the rubbish and bin it properly! It’s everywhere and worse than the UK I think

This reminded me of a incident many years ago when I was on my way to the local primary school to collect my DC. Another mum joined me and she was pushing her 3/4 year old in a buggy. He was eating a packet of Chewits and throwing the individual wrappers on the ground. When I gently pointed this out to her, she responded with, "Oh yes, he does that". I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say! I would have gone mad if my DC had done that.

@HangryLikeTheHulk in fairness I guess I’m assuming it’s worse here, and it’s slightly more civilised elsewhere.

100%

It makes me so cross

I hate littering and fly tipping

This. Or if there's a wasp or a bee on it. (I would crash the car if I didn't get it out.) I'd litter pick somewhere to make up for it! 🔥🐝

The only time I've ever thrown litter out a car window was when I was 9. A wasp flew into the car, causing general panic.

In trying to waft in out the car again I caught it in the mostly eaten yoghurt pot I was holding - I have to admit I threw that out the car without hesitation.

In fairness I was both 9 and had seen the aftermath of my mum being caught by a swarm of wasps earlier in the summer. Still remember the shaky fear of those moments!

Like others I had seeing the litter alongside the road and join pick ups in my local area

No. It's disgusting, dirty, anti-social and should be punishable by death - or car crushing at the very least.

No, it's plain lazy and selfish for people to throw litter about. Awful to see some just deliberately drop it on the floor.

Stuff that will rot away and can provide food for birds/ insects I actually think is ok to throw into a bush or similar. I often throw seeds/ apple cores etc into my garden and they get eaten up. I don't like to eat in the car but honestly if other people throw apple cores into a hedge or something I don't think that's the end of the world.

Obviously anything that is plastic or is not going to be eaten/ rot away is not ok.

Depends if their was a spider on it absolutely. If it was something the birds would eat possibly otherwise no. I see a police officer do this once he was parked down my road and he chucked an empty crisp packet out the window I went out picked it up knocked on his window and said I think you dropped this.

Who are the 1% who think YABU?! I can't even fathom that mindset at all. I saw some scabby cowbag reverse up to the bins at the edge of our town park a few weeks ago, I looked away to answer my phone, I looked back and realised she had emptied her boot of bin bags and was getting back into the car. I tried to shout after her but she was 50 feet away and just drove off. Unfortunately because I was on a call, my bloody camera wouldn't work on my phone and I couldn't get a photo of her reg to report her. The tip is literally 3 streets away, this was pure laziness.

It’s not ok. It’s still littering.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66258233.amp

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/drivers-throw-apple-peel-car-window-b2494811.html

US Site but still applicable.

https://www.treehugger.com/dont-toss-apple-cores-and-banana-peels-ground-4857943

I think they are basing it on the question which is their ever a reason to throw rubbish out the car and yes there is however 99.9% of the time their isnt.

Whenever I leave the country and then come back in I always notice the state of the litter on the roads. Completely unacceptable with two causes - assholes who drop it and council cuts.

I try not to just moan though and I take a bag out with me when I'm walking and will pickup anything I can. It's never enough but it helps with my very local area. We could all do this, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who feels a bit powerless about the issue.

One idea that might make a big difference is making it mandatory to print the reg of the car that goes to a drive through on the Costa cup, mcdonalds, KFC etc.. So much of what I collect is from these types on companies. It's an easy win.

I once followed a car full of students back to their college because they’d thrown a McDonald’s bag out of their car. Took the reg number and went to the college reception office. Hope they got into trouble litter louts.

A lethal spider or an explosive device about to blow

Never.

I live in popular tourist area in north Wales and after the influx of tourists with the weather, the beaches and roads are disgusting.

I've seen people blaming the council for not putting enough public bins out. While that's true, it is still no excuse. We took six kids for a picnic on the beach on the weekend. Not a bin in sight, so we put it all in the bin bag we carry with us and brought it home to put it in the bin.

Japanese culture emphasizes community and respect for public spaces, making littering feel like a personal offence against their shared environment. If only it was the same in our country. It is a societal problem.

Yes it’s not a big deal is it

If there's a huge spider sitting on it? I think that might be an exception!

Our County Council spends over £500,000 clearing litter from the major trunk road into the county. That's our money spent for absolutely no good reason (yes, I know they have to clear it up). Just think what services that money would provide and that's just 1 road I know of.