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.

The area I live in has a lot of older pavements and roads that are now constantly undergoing repaving etc. There is one street with raised parts on the path that are cut off by people's driveways, meaning having to lift prams etc probably about 8 times to get from the start to the end of said street (not the one in OP, but just giving you an idea my area is a nightmare from prams and wheelchairs)

I have a friend who is a wheelchair user and walks her dog with her as well, she has nearly tipped a couple of times due to her dog pulling her when approaching curbs etc. Is everyone on this site really so close-minded that they cant fathom that, because they don't see it every day or havent seen it before, it therefore does not happen and cannot happen anywhere in the world?

You seem to really find the prospect of a wheelchair user tipping over being so unlikely that its hilarious and its weird to be honest. Even if they didnt tip over, theyre left stranded in the street waiting for someone to move all this trash cos they cant get past.

I mean, your first comment to me was to say im petty, pm accuse me of lying as you cant "imagine" a toy to cause a pram to tip over, and suggest my pram was the problem. Now you're just on a tangent mocking me for saying a wheelchair user could tip over, which is something else you apparently can't imagine.

Maybe do some work on your imagination, instead of acting like a dog with a bone to strangers online. Wheelchairs can tip over because of hazards, thats why drop kerbs and ramps exist in the first place.

YANBU the guy’s having a clear out, and can’t be arsed taking things to a charity shop/tip, so stick a “help yourself” sign on it and he comes out as the good guy, rather than what he is, which is a lazy fecker, and people on here are falling for it

Loads of people do this in Leeds where I used to live. Its fly tipping pure and simple!

Wheelchairs don't go at high speed. When they are blocked by a box they carnt move any further. They carnt just go on the road if there isn't a slope. Wheelchairs won't flip over, but it does stop them from moving

Impossible to do if you are in a wheelchair.

I bet all these people who think it's fine to block footpaths drive everywhere. I walk everywhere, blocking the path is a nightmare for prams, wheelchairs and people with sight problems. Think next time.

You can’t change other people’s behaviour, only your reaction to it.

You can if you report it.

Ok so she reports it, the toys disappear, she’s going to be anxious every time she walks past because of course he will know it was her who reported….so how long is this going to drag on for? Weeks? Months?

Or….she could step around the toys and not waste another second thinking about it. I know which one I would choose.

I kind of understand, OP, because I get ragey about people parking with their wheels on my local pavements, or letting their shrubs and hedges overgrow them to the extent that you have to step off the road to pass.
But honestly I have to keep reminding myself that this anger is simply a spillover from feeling generally angry and stressed about a lot of things in my life. A completely avoidable obstruction on the pavement is not really a problem.
Even if you did evacuate your anger successfully (in the sense of getting him to change his habits), you would probably be left with a sense of stress and defensiveness about the encounter, and you would ruminate about any sign that he had seen your demand as unreasonable.
Much better to try to try to cultivate an attitude of calm as you pass the toys. Some long deep breaths and a mantra about tolerance or letting go or whatever ticks your box.

See the bigger picture, why should she push her pram into the road? Why should wheelchairs be inconvenienced, they carnt just step onto the road they will be blocked completely. Give your head a wobble

You can’t navigate life this way, you will be constantly stressed and angry about every little thing. You’ll take years off of your life.

No it won't. Some one in a wheelchair carnt navigate life at all with someone blocking the footpath, be in boxes of toys or a car. Footpaths are for people, if you don't want people complaining to you or reporting you then don't block the path. It's that simple.

Just take them to a charity shop OP!

You’re complete missing my point but that’s fine, you do you.

No I'm not missing your point. You think worrying about this will make me stressed and angry and take years of my life. It won't. I'm simply saying my piece on a forum.

I just feel a bit annoyed that I tried to address it politely and was met with a 'it's not my problem' attitude. ...
his attitude towards me was so dismissive and careless i just feel a bit pissed off now ...
Its more the principle im having to walk in the road with my DD ...
its just getting on my nerves ...
If I think something is wrong, I have to say something. ...
Im bothered by his audacity ...

The thing that is really annoying you is his reaction to your request. It has offended your dignity and self-importance.
I suggest you look hard at the roots of your over-reaction.

In some situations in life, it is important to stick to your principles when someone else is in the wrong. This is not one of those times.

The OP didn't over react

It has offended your dignity and self-importance.

How is it 'self important' for a pedestrian to want to be able to walk in the space that is designated for pedestrians? The only self important person is the man who thinks he should be allowed to obstruct a public footpath with his tat.

The pavement is cluttered by a few boxes, but there’s no traffic as it’s a dead end, so you can easily pass by on the road.

Know your place, woman. A man wants to clutter up the pavement, so you need to step into the road.

When is bin collection day? I suggest you take all the toys and stick them in his bin when he's put it out.
And if I still keeps doing it, I still think you should report fly tipping!

I agree.

We have narrow pavements where I live, and I often see people with pushchairs having to walk in the road because people can't be arsed to put their wheelie bins back in their front gardens or on their drives.

That doesn't piss me off as much as the builders who park their vans carelessly in our narrow roads and stop the buses and delivery vans getting through, that's a daily event at the moment!

We have narrow pavements where I live, and I often see people with pushchairs having to walk in the road because people can't be arsed to put their wheelie bins back in their front gardens or on their drives.

In fairness to wheelie bin owners, if you put your bin out in the morning then go out to work, it's going to stay there until you get home. Nothing much you can do about it. And binmen will put them down where they feel like it, not necessarily back on your drive, if you have one.

People leaving stuff out on the street for collection have been prosecuted for fly tipping

If there’s a charity shop nearby go back without the pram and take them all to the charity shop