Caught some litterers in the act.

[dentheman]

I was coming home from a thoroughly enjoyable ride when I decide to pull over and take a break. I pulled off to the side of a very busy highway, behind an 18 wheeler that was also pulled over. After a few seconds, I see this large blue plastic container fly into the grass to the right of the road. I walked over and picked up the container (3 gallon oil container), and approached three men busy under the hood of the rig. I stood there for several seconds, until one fellow saw me, and I handed the container to him. He tossed it in the back of the pick-up truck that was parked in front of the rig. Not a word was said; hopefully they got the message, but probably not.

They never knew I was there, until they saw me with the container in hand.

[mrlmd1]

Nice going, and you're probably lucky to be alive and undamaged.
And as soon as you left, they probably flung it back into the grass again.
I doubt they got the message, other than you saw them do it and maybe the guy had a guilt trip for a second or wanted to avoid a conflict or being reported to the police for littering the highway.

[Water Warrior 2]

I applaud you but please don't do that again. You were outnumbered and likely outgunned too boot. Bad stuff happens.

[Rionna]

I agree with WW and mrmld, you had great intentions but please be careful. Even though I've been prosecuting criminals for nearly a decade, I am still constantly amazed at the viciousness of people. I don't want your environmental consciousness to lead to your becoming a victim. So many people are just plain mean spirited. Be safe!

[dentheman]

Maybe I was a little 'braver' than I should have been, but it pisses me off the way people litter the roadside. It is somewhat noticeable from a cage or a motorcyle, but really noticeable from a bicycle where I could see every bit of it. It is not unusual to see a mattress or a refrigerator laying along the road around here.

It was during the years that I rode my bicycle that I really became aware of how bad it was. And now when I walk my dog there are always beer bottles, McDonalds bags, and even the occassional trash bag full of trash where we walk.

In the future, if I come upon a similar situation, I am not going to let it go, but will call 911. There is a heavy fine for littering, if a person is caught.

[alantf]

Over here, if we've anything too big or too heavy to fit in the skips, (roadside trash cans), such as matresses or fridges, we leave them at the side of the skips. These are emptied daily, and around half an hour after them, comes an open truck to pick up all the big/heavy stuff that's at the side of them. It works just fine. Even when I needed to cut another doorway, I just left the large blocks of reinforced concrete there. By next day they'd gone.

[jonathan180iq]

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/74400/74466/74466_161_D9-4_c_lg.gif

[mrlmd1]

Take a pic with your cellphone, and of the license plate of the vehicle, then call the cops when you are far away. Much safer than confronting the guy with his bag of garbage.

[dentheman]

Over here, if we've anything too big or too heavy to fit in the skips, (roadside trash cans), such as matresses or fridges, we leave them at the side of the skips. These are emptied daily, and around half an hour after them, comes an open truck to pick up all the big/heavy stuff that's at the side of them. It works just fine. Even when I needed to cut another doorway, I just left the large blocks of reinforced concrete there. By next day they'd gone.
We have dumpsters that are emptied twice a week. A few years ago the city stopped picking up things that are left outside the dumpster, and there is a $250 fine for doing so. If it doesn't fit in the dumpster we are supposed to take it to the dump. But there is a fee to use the dump, and if a person doesn't have a pickup truck to haul it, they must find someone to do it. I guess the people who dump large items have the truck to haul it, but don't want to pay the fee. Or maybe it is just more convenient to dump it along the road in the middle of the night.

[Rookie Rider]

Alot like that here in N.Y.C. too. People think anywhere is their special dumping spot. I call them animals. Oh, and no one picks up after their dog either, just a handfull do.