AIBU to report toys left outside house blocking a narrow pavement?

[worldshottestmom]

I walk down a certain street very regularly to get to a certain place. The building I have to get to is at the end of this street and there are no other ways to access it. Outside this one house, there is constantly toys there free to a good home. I think it's lovely leaving toys out for people who may not be able to afford them, or just as a way of repurposing them so they don't immediately end up in landfill.

However, the toys are there constantly, and it's not just a few, either. It's about 3-4 boxes worth every other week, and the public path that they are left on is veeeery narrow. I was walking past today with the pram with my DD2 in it and a loose toy on the floor caused the pram to tip almost into the road before I caught it.

I knocked on the door and said to the man who answered that it's really lovely he's leaving these toys out for free, but would he mind putting them in his front garden as my pram had nearly jusut tipped into the road due to a loose toy on the floor. He said he can't put them in his front garden as it's really small and has a wall in front so no-one would see them, and that no-one else has complained about it so maybe just be a bit more careful going around it. I said I was careful but it's really hard to get past because the path is so narrow, then suggested maybe just leaving 1 box at a time so it's less of a hazard. He said he's not just leaving 1 box as he has no room in his house and wants them gone, then suggested I walk on the road (!) So I don't have to dodge them. I told him I won't be walking in the road with my daughter in the pram and he needs to do something about it and left it at that. For context, there is no path on the other side of the street.

Honestly I just feel a bit annoyed that I tried to address it politely and was met with a 'it's not my problem' attitude.

Aibu to report this as fly-tipping? I really don't want to as it would make me feel awful knowing they have kids and I'm reporting them and going to get them fined or whatever, and I know they're being generous by giving away the toys for free. I just feel I've already tried to address it and there's not much more I can otherwise do, and it's just generally getting annoying I'm ngl. I'm also weary that he is going to know that it was me who reported him, and I have to walk past this house pretty frequently.

Yeah but unless he's clearing out Toys R Us, how long do you think this is going to last?

I am a bit torn on this one. I live on a road where this is common. I often put things out for people to take, but only ever fully on my driveway, never on the public pavement, and they are always gone the same day (high footfall area). He really shouldn't be obstructing the pavement. I think if he's doing it often and the stuff isn't going that day because it's a quiet road, then speak to him again and then report. Do you have Fix My Street in your area? You can do it anonymously via that.

Of course I have other things to worry about, I'm not worried about the toys. Im bothered by his audacity to say that he's not going to move it all onto his private property, he's going to leave it on a public path and I just have to walk in the road with my 2yo daughter. This has been going on for months

You look over your shoulder to make sure no cars are coming and then step into the road to pass tge boxes tgen continue along the pavement.

I agree, it's perfectly fine if it's on your own driveway/garden. If its all over the public pavement then it's just not ok. Maybe for a day or so but this has been going on for a while. I've never heard of it but will check now, thank you.

Tbh I think he’s right. How dramatic can it be that your pram can suddenly lurch into the road from a toy? Are you absolutely tiny so you can’t control the pram, or sight impaired?

I'm sensing that maybe he buys his kids loads of toys frequently.

Some people have no principles

Also the possibility of wheelchairs 'tipping' due to toys on a pavement 😳

This is fine, clearly he wants them gone so you’re welcome to take them

We have principles, they just differ from yours. Principles just means a fundamental foundation of belief… it doesn’t mean that foundation must align with yours.

Apparently not

I second just shoving the boxes back into his garden. Every time. Bonus points if you can block his way in and out, then he might see how annoying it is.

You would have done well to remember that before commenting the first time

Its a good idea tbh

You ASKED for opinions

I didn't ask you not to comment

So you only want people to agree with you?

They wouldn't tip, it would just block them. Wheelchair users are very vigilant as to what is in their path.

So what is the wheelchair user then supposed to do? Sit there and wait until someone comes along to move the obstruction?

Gobsmacked at all the people telling op to just walk in the road with her pram. Why the hell should she?

OP, you shouldn't have to, but if there are loose toys scattered over the pavement, chuck them back into his garden.

Why should a pedestrian have to walk in the road because a dickhead thinks the pavement is his own personal charity shop?

No, but you don't have to jump to more personal attacks, i.e calling me dramatic for having his stuff causing my pram to tip, saying someone who is small and sight impaired, of which I am both. Yet I can see fine with contacts, and despite being small, am perfectly strong and capable enough of controlling a pram. His stuff being a hazard scattered across the street has no reflection on me.

Preach

Someone with sense, thank you. I think I will tbh his nonchalant response was just annoying

It would block wheelchairs completely. They carnt just go into the road, there needs to be a slope. Are they supposed to wheel the chair backwards to get to one? It's hard enough using a wheelchair and plan where the slopes are without idiots blocking the path. This is as bad as cars going up on the kerb and restricting access to the path .

Well quite.

However, my post was about the prospect of a wheelchair 'tipping' due to a toy on the pavement.