AIBU to report neighbours leaving bins blocking pavement for wheelchair access?

[Wheelchairbarbie]

This might sound petty, but hear me out.

Bin day is a Tuesday. One week the bins come early, at 7am (black, general waste) and the next week they come about 11am (green, recycling) and it alternates like that.

The people a few houses down put their bins (two of them) out on the pavement at 11am on a Monday, every week without fail. So it's up to 24 hours in advance that they are sat there.

It's a narrow street, with no dropped curbs and a high camber in the road.

I am a wheelchair user and when I'm going along the pavement, I literally can't get around the bins. I can't navigate my chair onto the road as there is no dropped curbs and the camber is so high. My options when I come across them are ot reverse up the street or wait for a passerby to help me.

This is the only route to my bus stop and I need to school runs and get to and from work.

I see them walking their dog past my house several times a day, so I know they are around after they put the bins out. I've no idea why they do it so early. They always take them back in the second the bin men have been too. Like, before they've even pulled away.

My husband has been round twice to explain the situation and ask them not to block the pavement for a whole 24 hours. They didn't answer both times even though we had seen them pull into the drive and go in, the second time he put a note through the door.

I saw them walk past at the weekend and went to the door and politely asked if they had got my husband's note and if it was OK to please note do that. They could see I'm in a wheelchair. They looked sheepish and said "Oh yeah, OK, fine" but then today... They did it again! I was stuck until a lady helped me round.

I've also seen several mums with pushchairs have to walk into the road to get round them too.

What can I do? I absolutely hate to be "that person". I just want to live my life, go to school and work and move along the street I live on with independence and feel they are being very selfish and inconsiderate.

If they won't listen to us, can we report them to the council? I am pretty sure there's is a council house. I don't want to but if I have to can l/should I? And do the council have powers?

TIA

It’s annoying but, realistically, who are you reporting them to and what action do you expect to be taken? The council aren’t going to go round and read them the riot act and, unfortunately, bad manners aren’t punishable offences

It's actually a bit more than annoying.

Imagine not being able to walk along your own street and then been stuck in one place, often with your young children, and then having to rely on strangers to help you.

Report to the council, there's no excuse for putting your bin out the morning before it's being picked up. Some people are just selfish

Report them if you want but don’t expect much to happen. One of our neighbours dogs keeps shitting up and down street on the pavement and the best they did was put up a sign.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/household-waste-bins-when-and-how-councils-may-issue-fixed-penalties

it is an offence and you could report it - I am tempted to do so as I am on two crutches and struggle to walk on bin day - combination of bins and cars across pavements . I don't think people realise how hard it is when there is no dropped kerb - you have my sympathy but I would be tempted to try another bite first as I hate confrontation

I think you could try reporting to the Highways department of your local council- maybe take photos and ask if they could have a word.

But I would also put another letter through the door and ask them to please think about their actions. Again. Could you knock on their door when you’re stuck so they can see impact??

I’m also a wheelchair user and totally hear you and feel your pain

but you say there’s is a council house - it’s probably not as most council houses are now 3rd party Housing Association run and you’d need to know which HA. If your council has a street/rubbish nuisance option you can call on them

Don’t give up, make noise until they stop!

Is there a footpath on the other side of the road? If they leave the house for work they might have to put the bins out early. Unfortunately not much to be done if there is nowhere else to put them.

I want to (and only can after being helped around the bins) but I'm not brave enough. It was hard enough going to my own door to speak to them. I only did that because I felt I had to. My heart was pounding the whole time.

You can absolutely report them for blocking the pavement.

It sounds like there's a bigger issue your council should be considering though with wheelie bins regularly blocking the street due to where they're required to be picked from and left. Using narrow pavements for this is detrimental to disabled people.

It’s infuriating for you and putting them out before 6pm is a bit ridiculous but I like most people put my bin out when I’m preparing dinner, quite frankly i wouldn’t remember later and once I’ve eaten I’m not going back outside, it’s a 5 minute walk to put mine out due to the set up of the development. They are then out until 6pm the following day because the bin men usually haven’t come by 8.10am when I leave. It’s the system that doesn’t work for you really not people having their bins out overnight

I did explain both those points in my OP -

I can't cross the road. There's no drop curb and the camber is too high.

They haven't left for work. I see them walk their dog past my house several times a day, after they've put the bins out. And they put them out a full 24 hours before they are collected, 11am the day before.

(But sometimes they do come early hence having to put out the night before)

They night before is different to the morning before. I'm talking 11am the day before collection. They are around because I have seen them. They go out to walk their dog several times after they've put the bins out.

You can report them but the council may not be bothered as it won’t be classed as a high priority issue.

Our website just state bins must be out before 6:45am and returned to your property as soon as possible. Nothing about blocking pavements.

The link I sent specifically refers to wheelchair users as a reason to fine people who leave bins out too early - could you perhaps get your husband to drop off the guidance so they can see the potential size of the fine ?

That's a good idea, thank you. I'll have a look now and print it off

@Wheelchairbarbie

I would contact your Ward Councillor (you can find out who it is by going to www.gov.uk and typing in your postcode) to look into this matter.

Also if you have any PCSO’s in your area it might be worth having a word and see if they will go round to your neighbour’s for ‘a chat’.

Hope you get this matter resolved asap!

Does your council use the fixmystreet website? If so, you can try reporting on there. Our council usually addresses issues within 24hrs and it will then be dealt with by them. If you report it every time it happens, it may spur them into action. Sorry this is happening!

Your local council website on bins may have a better bit to print out on your local council policy and find structure - or you could laminate the policy and attach it to the offending bin!

Absolutely unacceptable, and incredibly selfish. You've tried being reasonable and spoken to them about it, but I suspect a fine will likely be required to see any actual behavioural change unfortunately. Definitely report it.

Sadly not. I've not heard of fixmystreet before and just had a look. It says my council don't accept reports via that website :(

Shame because it looks really good and easy to use

Thank you, and so do I! People really don't appreciate how hard it can be when you can't move along the street. Years ago, before I ended up this way and was just a mum pushing a buggy, I thought it was bad enough, but at least then I was physically able to walk into the road, however dangerous.

Now I am just stuck!

My friend who is in a wheelchair regularly reports people who leave their bins out on the pavements all the time. Our council sends out 1 warning letter, and then will fine people (I guess it's a bit of revenue for them!), usually the warning letter works. I'm not sure that this is the same for all councils, but our council's bin guidelines do state that bins should be put out on the edge of your property, not on the pavement, if you do have to put them on the pavement for example because you have no front garden, then they are not to be put out before 6.30am on the day of collection. It might be worth finding out if your council has similar conditions.

"Reporting" is all very well, but fuck all help to a person freezing outside who cannot pass. And it's bad enough being utterly vulnerable in a wheelchair as it is.

This is where you realise that prams - which can be taken over a curb - and wheelchairs which cannot are not "the same".