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Re: Re: Re: It is disgusting in this day and age how people still throw rubbish
That seems amazing, Kabu, but probably not that unusual. I too have seen a huge variety of, let's say, "household furnishings" lying discarded on the side of the road, some of it in very good shape. It almost makes you wonder sometimes how the people who "lost" them could simply drive on and not make an effort to turn around and relocate or retrieve them! But regardless, the debris really does make the whole highway and surrounding area look terrible! It's a shame . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 24, 2013 at 4:52 AM
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Re: Re: It is disgusting in this day and age how people still throw rubbish
Australia is bad too. My friend back there reckons she could furnish her house with what falls of when people move and just keep going on the highway. Chairs cushions couches on and on....
posted by
Kabu
on May 23, 2013 at 2:29 PM
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Re:
Really, Dr JPT? I've always regarded Florida as being one of the more "cleaner" states! Have I been misinformed, or simply mislead? So far I've gotten responses on this topic from a variety of places ( including Canada ) and it seems as though this particular problem is fairly universal. What a shame. I was actually hoping against hope that at least one person would write that no such problem exists where they live. -sigh- 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 2:00 PM
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Re:
You may be right, Mia, but I'd have to think that that scenario is somewhat unlikely, primarily because many of those pillows already had a "worn" look about them! But there is a good chance that those people got home ( or wherever they were headed )got out of their car, looked on the roof, and went "Oh, no!" We'll never know . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:56 PM
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Re: JimmyA
Believe it or not, Sir Wiley, we have similar pick-ups as well, although they are somewhat infrequent. But I guess there are just some people who simply cannot wait for that truck, and will think nothing of throwing that same debris out of their cars to land on the side of a road somewhere. In some areas around here, terrible doesn't begin to describe it . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:53 PM
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Re:
I'm sure they did, mariss. If there had only been one or two pillows, it may have looked as though it was done purposefully. But I honestly just can't see someone throwing that many pillows out of their car intentionally. Yeah, litterbugs can turn any nice area into an eyesore. It really is a shame . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:50 PM
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Re: jimmy
That, jean, is a question for the ages! True, things do "fall off" of vehicles unbeknownst to the driver, and those incidences are forgiveable. But then there's that creed who think nothing of tossing their trash out of their car windows with no thought or regard whatsoever to their surroundings. Those people should be boiled in oil . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:47 PM
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Re: Jimmy
I believe, Naut, that there are probably "tales" to be told from almost every corner of either country regarding litter and roadside debris. And the worst part is, if you were to actually confront someone you witnessed tossing garbage from their passing vehicle, they would probably exclaim "Screw you! Mind your own business!" Aah, don'tcha just love people . . . ? 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:37 PM
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Re: Jimmy...
That's the way it is here too, Rumor. I think one of the funnier sights ( if you can call it funny ) is to see massive amounts of garbage and debris surrounding those very same Do Not Litter signs. It's almost contemptable . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:34 PM
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Re: It is disgusting in this day and age how people still throw rubbish
Yes, it is bad, Kabu. Yeah, there are still some selfish, inconsiderate people out there who think nothing of tossing a cup or bag out of their windows as they drive along, but I believe, in this particular case, those pillows may have just fallen off of a car or truck without the driver's knowledge. It was still a somewhat strange sight to behold . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:31 PM
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Re:
Yeah, FSI, it's bad everywhere. I believe those adopt-a-highway programs are nation-wide, but they seem to work better in some states as opposed to others. I'm not sure why that is. The Chesapeake Bay area is very nice! I'd hate to see it marred by debris . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:28 PM
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Re:
You're lucky, Utah. Yeah, we have those "adopt-a-highway" programs as well. Some seem to work, while others don't. And there are still parts of Utah that are considered "wild?" Hmmm . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:22 PM
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Re:
Where I grew up, lustor, there are "cookie cutter" homes as well. But in this area, the homes are somewhat unique and individualized. But I have seen that scenario too, where there is one, beautiful home sitting next to one that looks as though it has been through a war! But no matter what, none of these homes usually have throw pillows strewn about in front of them . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:15 PM
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Re: Someone was trying to make nature's sofa more comfy perhaps?..:)
We have those same laws and requirements here too, Katray, but apparently, they are either difficult to enforce, or else our "troopers" are just a tad lazy! Yes, anything falling off of the back of a vehicle is potentially dangerous to those behind them! There have been many accidents reported because of just those types of incidences . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:11 PM
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Re:
That's very true, adnohr. I have a feeling they did fall off without the driver's knowledge. Perhaps they were on their way to Goodwill in the first place! Hopefully, whoever finally picked them up thought along the same lines too . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 23, 2013 at 1:08 PM
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In rural Florida, we see it a lot. These folk are messy and have no regard for clean and neat.
posted by
Dr_JPT
on May 22, 2013 at 6:40 PM
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I've always been slightly amused by road debris, especially big items. Every time I spot them, I spend a few enjoyable minutes entertaining myself by picturing the look on their face, when the driver arrives at his destination to find half his furniture gone.
In the case of your throw pillows, I imagined the following story:
A wife buys pillows and drags them all home, but husband hates the color (or pattern). She refuses to return the ugly pillows, so hubby "accidentally" forgets to secure them properly during the move. That's not littering - it's spousal warfare!!
posted by
Mia890
on May 22, 2013 at 6:36 PM
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JimmyA
That sounds terrible. I'ts like our road here in rural Ontario at times but now they have a day in the months where one can put the junk out on the side of the road and a large dump truck collects it all.
posted by
WileyJohn
on May 22, 2013 at 5:53 PM
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Wonder if they blew off by accident. Too bad about the litterbugs in general.
posted by
mariss9
on May 22, 2013 at 5:46 PM
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jimmy
i think your first thought was probably the right one. once in a while we will see things like one new looking shoe, and i smile thinking some little one had a good time throwing that out the window. lol but i will never understand why people cant dispose of their garbage in the correct manner.
posted by
jeansaw
on May 22, 2013 at 3:47 PM
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Jimmy
It's a problem even here in our nice and oh so clean and orderly Ontario! And though I haven't been in NJ lately, I could tell a few tales about upstate NY...
posted by
Nautikos
on May 22, 2013 at 11:32 AM
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Jimmy...
Yes, its a problem here in Canada, too...roadside debris..of course there are fines for littering, but never anyone around to enforce them..
..
posted by
Rumor
on May 22, 2013 at 10:05 AM
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It is disgusting in this day and age how people still throw rubbish
all along our road are cartons and cups from take home stores and plastic bags and stuff.
posted by
Kabu
on May 22, 2013 at 9:41 AM
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Like Utah, Maryland has Adopt-a-Road programs as well...I see the same sort of debris situation with the Chesapeake Bay.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on May 22, 2013 at 9:33 AM
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Out here in the wild west we let folks clean the roadsides for free, well almost for free. They get a sign that says "This part of such and such road has been cleaned and adopted by so and so...It seems to work as the streets and highways are always trash free.
posted by
UtahJay
on May 22, 2013 at 9:30 AM
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hmmm interesting, maybe a store that was in ruin or something like that. I know here where I am the zoning in this town to me is weird. As you drive down a street there will be a beautiful home and next to it a torn up mess, and then maybe a business mixed in the group. Where I am from most homes are cookie cuter homes.
posted by
Lanetay
on May 22, 2013 at 8:43 AM
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Someone was trying to make nature's sofa more comfy perhaps?..:)
We have a few of those "always messy" places too. I've heard of people being fined huge sums for dropping a cig. butt out their window but nothing about those who deliberately or non deliberately litter the roads with big stuff. It's dangerous to other drivers too; imagine being behind that pillow slinger, could have been blinding, startling, etc.! 
There are fines here for not adequately securing things to a vehicle before driving; fatal wrecks have resulted from not doing so, but that is probably not well enforced either.
posted by
Katray2
on May 22, 2013 at 8:37 AM
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Maybe, as you first thought, they fell of a vehicle without the occupants noticing? Heck, there are Goodwill places that will take such articles with pleasure if the owner no longer wants them.
posted by
adnohr
on May 22, 2013 at 7:58 AM
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