Binmen not taking bin

[bigkey2020]

I thought I was going insane. Put the bin out a few weeks ago at 6.45, it was definitely before the truck came along as there were 4 other full bins out on my row awaiting collection. Later when I went to pick it up mine was the only bin not taken. Now it does state that bins should be out by 6.30am for collection. However the fact that they hadn't come yet would suggest it would still be collected.

Fast forward a fortnight, I put my bin out last night for collection today. This morning I happened to glance out the windows. There was a guy in hi viz walking around at 6.30 obviously checking which bins were out in time. Aibu to think this is extremely petty? I would assume the time of 6.30 would be a guide incase it's collected early not as some sort of punishment. They have just been. A friend of mine said that she sometimes run out with hers as they are being collected and they take it. Are binmen really that mean? Or AIBU to think they should still take it if they haven't been yet?

That’s ridiculous.

Are you sure he is checking which bins are out and not that they contain stuff that shouldn't be in there?

Is this the refuse bin or recycling? If refuse, YANBU. If recycling or another bin you can only throw specific things in, they might be walking around at 6.30 and checking the bins aren't contaminated and then only take those they've already checked? That's how it works in our area anyway.

Sorry I should have added , it was the refuse (black) bin.

I guess depending on how strict they are, the refuse could also have been contaminated with food waste, garden waste, bulky items, etc. are you confident that yours is not?

Just put it out the night before?

Why did you not report it as a missed collection last time? Ours uses cameras on the truck to confirm if your bin was there or not so they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

I would assume they just made an error last week. I've never heard of bins that were out when the lorry came being left because they weren't out earlier. Unless the guy walking round was marking the bins in some way, how could the staff on the lorry possibly know which bins he'd seen?

If it was rejected because it contained the wrong type of waste then surely they should inform you so you can avoid the issue in future? Around here they have a roll of stickers saying effectively "wrong rubbish" and directing you to the council website, and they slap one on your bin if they refuse* to empty it.

*No pun intended

I forgot to put it out the last time, normally it is out the night before. I don't think things are as high- tech here in NI.

Yes I have seen those stickers on bins here. There was no sticker. I think it was pure pettiness because it was 'late' going out. Mine definitely wasn't contaminated.

It seems like it was just a simple case of them missing your bin. The man checking the bins prior to the lorry arriving isn't checking to see if they are all out before 6.30. Think logically about it, he cannot possibly check the whole route and remember who had not got it out before half 6.

Missed bin collections happen, I would have let them know it was missed and they would have sent someone to collect it.

Bin men don't keep a log of who put their bin out 15 minutes later than advised they simply collect what is there when they arrive and because they are human sometimes they accidentally miss a bin.

Here we have a message facility on the council website to report a missed collection. Id do that if you can.

I agree with others that it was likely a simple missed collection and they were checking bins for incorrect items. They do that here sometimes.

However I can well believe that bin collectors (like all people) can be petty. Mine kept leaving my bin in the middle of my driveway so I would have to stop the car in the road, get out and move it so I could get in. As I live on quite a busy road this can be dangerous, not to mention that I have some mobility issues. I know they can’t be expected to put the bin back in an exact spot but having a tiny bit of common sense would be appreciated. I asked them politely if they could avoid the centre of the driveway so I could at least go round it and for the next month or so it was very carefully placed in the middle of the driveway. My doorbell camera caught them doing this and then giving the finger at my house so I know it was deliberate. Don’t know where they found the time!

Although the doorbell footage did give me grounds for a complaint and that stopped it. I can be petty too 🙂

The guy in the high viz didn't look into the bins, he just scanned them as he passed by. So definitely not checking for inadequate items. The area we are in isn't built up . All the bins are set out in a row, and moved to another part of the road once picked up as we are on a hill. I definitely think it was complete pettiness.