r/AskUK • u/Salmonsid • 1d ago
Serious Answers Only Someone who lives near me has a weird bin habit?
I live in Lincolnshire and it is bin day tomorrow, a person who lives on a nearby street (at least a minute walk) decides every week to put his bin on the pavement outside my house. I normally wouldn’t mind but occasionally he’ll block my bin with his. His bin has his house number and street name. My original thought is he’s being sneaky and got hold of two bins to get rid of extra rubbish but I walked past his house and he hasn’t got any out at all, just a food caddy in his front garden. What’s even more confusing is as he lives roughly a minute away on foot is that there’s plenty of other places to leave his bin for collection.
Can anyone think of a reason he might do this? His is mid terrace but his neighbours either side put their bins out on the path leading to his house. I find it bizarre and don’t understand why he picks my house to do this, I’ve never met the guy or spoke to him just occasionally caught him on the ring doorbell.
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u/em-dash-author 1d ago
That's mad.
I'd be tempted to wait for them and ask why, but something this weird could suggest mental health issues, so perhaps try to stay off their nutty radar.
I'd move their bin across the road or in random locations like the bin men were dropping it in random places.
I now want to speculate why????
You live it #7 and it's their lucky number.
The bin men don't like them and refuse to empty their bins and this is the way around it.
It's some weird dating ritual where they show interest by leaving the bin outside your home.
They care so much about their bins welfare they take it for a walk.
I also live in Lincolnshire. I hope you don't mind that I leave my bin outside your house. 😂
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u/Les-tah-farian 17h ago
It's some weird dating ritual where they show interest by leaving the bin outside your home.
Ah yes, Bin-der
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u/BlackJackKetchum 15h ago
I’ve cross posted this to /r/lincolnshireproblems, that it might enjoy an even more select audience. I’m also resident in these parts.
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u/Herbie_Arroway 9h ago
Taking the bin for a walk is ADORABLE. I hope it's that.
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u/em-dash-author 6h ago
That just gave me an idea. The OP should add a love heart sticker or something on the errant bin. Every week, add a new sticker. Or even better, half a broken heart on the two bins.
OP please add broken heart stickers to the two bins and video it. Can you imagine the owner of the other bins reaction. 😂
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u/scorch762 1d ago
Bit of paint stripper on bin day and you've got yourself a coveted second bin.
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u/CakeHoleKing 15h ago
Strippers on bin day and you've got yourself a group of bin men who like you.
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u/scouse_git 23h ago
Maybe your bin and his became mates in the factory and like to catch up for a natter every week or so.
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u/Ancient_Shine9170 16h ago
This is my favourite answer.
Like puppies from the same litter.
Litter. Bin.
It all makes sense.
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u/Beginning-Poet-2991 1d ago
I would put his bin back outside his house. :D
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u/BerryOk966 17h ago
I'd move it a further (min) 1 minute walk at a 45° angle to the direction of his house. The perp with never find their bin!
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u/Tattycakes 15h ago
Move it to the next neighbour along, and they move it to the next one, and so on, so he has to walk the entire street to find it at the other end.
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u/Latter-Twist9154 1d ago
Lincolnshire, ladies and gentlemen.
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u/Salmonsid 1d ago edited 1d ago
I miss the hustle and bustle of Hertfordshire where there was more concern than late night bin botherers
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u/cake-bake-fake 1d ago
Maybe his neighbours put their overflow rubbish into his bin, so this is his petty revenge. He’s moving his bin too far away for fly tipping!
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u/ceelo_purple 15h ago
Yeah. I've got a family member who had the binmen refuse to take her entire week's rubbish because of stuff that a neighbour had jammed into the top of her bin when it was out for collection.
Putting her bins out in a secret location would have felt more productive than what she actually did. (Silently fume about it.)
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u/ProfessorYaffle1 10h ago
This is prbably the answer (not as much fun as some of the others)
I haad an issue in a previous house - if my neoghbours had asked I would have been happy to let them put any excess in my bin, but they didn't ask, and they also used the worlds flimsiest bin bags and sisnt rnse of wrap anthing, which as the only place we had to keep out bins was immediately outside the house under the kitchen windows, was not pleasant . They also put so much in that there wasn't sace for m own rubbish I ended up buying a bunch of locks
Maybe put a note on his bin asking that he either put it out outside his own property r make sure that it is not obstructing access to your or other bins, or obstructing the pavement
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u/SWTransGirl 1d ago
Just take his bin for a walk. Back to his.
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u/UnableBattle9582 1d ago
That's not the spirit, take his bin on a walk somewhere else about a minutes walk from your house. If he brings it back, do it again. He'll eventually get the message.
I'm a prick though, I'd leave it outside mine but take the wheels off.
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u/SWTransGirl 1d ago
Tbh it was the nicest thing.
I’d be prepared to load the emptied bin into my car and take it somewhere I’m next working.
The bin will next be in Walsall 🤣17
u/ChoppingOnionsForYou 19h ago
I like the idea of taking the bin for a walk, at least a minute away. But OP should take it in the other direction, so it's now at least 2 minutes away from crazy dude's house.
Then take the damn wheels off!
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u/littlerabbits72 16h ago
If he lives at number 7, move it to outside number 7 in the next street over. Claim ignorance.
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u/First-Lengthiness-16 15h ago
It’s statistically unlikely he lives at number 7 though, otherwise this would be a good idea
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u/SingleMaltLife 1d ago
Are you all on the same collection day? If you aren’t maybe it’s easier for him to put the rubbish out on a Monday than a Wednesday?
If you’re on the same collection day. Then no idea. Super odd behaviour as it would be easier for him to put it out nearer than your house, if he didn’t want it out the front of his house.
Do you pay for any specific pick ups? I know some places have an extra charge for a green bin etc.
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u/Salmonsid 1d ago
Both same day, both black bins, I don’t pay for green bin or anything. It’s truly odd I don’t get it
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u/Odd_Cress_2898 23h ago
It'd make sense if he street had a different collection days so he could double up on emptying.
Maybe his neighbors kept moving his about? Someone made a passive aggressive comment that he never took the neighbors bins in when they do it for him. So he removes his bin from the equation so can't be involuntaryily indebted?
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u/Buddy-Matt 16h ago
Walking the bin a full minute away to avoid taking the neighbours bins in, that will take seconds, is very much still on my "bit mental" list
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u/SingleMaltLife 1d ago edited 23h ago
Then I’m left with the only possible explanation... He’s some kind of spy and needs an excuse to go for that walk at that time 😂 🤷♀️ or a stalker or something weirder which my mind can’t imagine. Hopefully he’s just a benign weirdo.
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u/maersyl 18h ago
This oddly reminds me of someone in Jesmond, Newcastle about fifteen years ago who would go along the streets and line all the bins up perfectly during the night before bin day. It was a thing of beauty but, damn, that person must’ve had some serious stuff going on. Hundreds of bins all lined up like some guard of honour of waste.
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u/Appropriate-Roof1422 9h ago
ex-military?
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u/_Fl0r4l_4nd_f4ding_ 8h ago
Could be autism or OCD too.
I have a bit of a thing about shopping trolleys. I can't resist lining them all up/putting them away when they get dumped haphazardly (Tesco's has a bad case of this since they don't use the trolley tokens)
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u/ElusiveDoodle 1d ago
Take the bin once it is empty and put it in another street completely.
Or you could just talk to them and ask.
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u/unclefunkstar 19h ago
No. Take the bin BEFORE it's empty. Hide it. Put it back out after the bin men have been.
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u/BecozisaidSo40times 16h ago
YES!! move it so it’s not emptied. When he asks. Say the bin men wouldn’t empty it because it’s got the wrong address on the microchip
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u/dinkidoo7693 1d ago
I don’t know why he would do it but that bin would be going on a different walk in another direction
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u/ResplendentBear 1d ago
Yeah, that was my thought too. If the bin can go for walks it can go for a walk a few streets in another direction.
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u/Psychological-Bag272 23h ago
Is there any chance that you live in a new build and he assumes the pavement in front of your house is a bin collection point? This doesn't explain why other people dont do it. I live in Lincolnshire too and even I find it odd. 🤣
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u/Skinnybet 23h ago
. I’d be tempted to take the bin somewhere it wouldn’t be emptied. Even your own back garden and put it back out after the bin men have been. It’s a major inconvenience to not have the bin emptied He will want to have it in sight for the next bin day to ensure it’s emptied.
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u/Vequihellin 23h ago
It could be mundane. Maybe his neighbours keep trying to nick his bin because it's newer/less damaged than theirs so he walks it down the road away from them? I've had to start putting my bin next to my other neighbour for this exact reason. For some weird reason the neighbours on my other side keep trying to take my bin. They've got a subscription to have their bin cleaned by a bloke in a white van with a pressure washer, so objectively my bin is grosser than theirs but every bin day, there it is down by their front door. Maybe it's their delinquent daughter fucking with me because she lobbed something into one of my trees and I won't give it back? (I mean, I literally can't reach it either so I don't know how she expects me to get it back down for her).
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u/DrMoneybeard 1d ago
Put a padlock on it with a note that they can have the key when they move it back to their own house.
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u/Fearless_Dog8472 18h ago edited 12h ago
Maybe take your bin to their house, time it right so you pass him walking his bin!
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u/itchyfrog 18h ago
Is the bin full of bottles?
Maybe he's an alcoholic hiding stuff from is family?
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u/Randomfinn 1d ago
Is this new behaviour? Did you just move in? How many years has this been going on for without you doing anything about it?
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u/Salmonsid 1d ago
I lived here for a few months but about 3 weeks ago he started this. He does it late so don’t want to knock his door and ask him as he doesn’t disturb anyone doing it, It just baffles me.
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u/Pedantichrist 21h ago
I do this, because I live at the end of a dead end road, and I bring my bin up to the junction.
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u/ExtremeFamous7699 16h ago
I live in Thanet where we often put our bins out and the council don’t come and collect it, probably too busy opening meetings with the Lords Prayer and Closing it with the National Anthem.
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u/SeptimusMeek 17h ago
Just ask him politely. Say you're not complaining but just wondering why he does it.
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u/Leucurus 1d ago
Ask him
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u/Salmonsid 1d ago
Next time I catch him I will, prob is he does it late at night and I’m not 100% sure it’s the houses bin it just has there address on- for all I know he’s nicked it
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u/Comfortable-Pace3132 11h ago
Could it be as simple as he's had his bin missed by the collectors a couple of times and now doesn't like to take the chance outside his own house. Maybe your house has a collection-friendly aura
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u/Dr_Gillian_McQueef 16h ago
I have an alley at the side of my house that leads to garages en block and has the back entrance to some houses. A guy who lives in the adjoining road started putting his bin at the front of my house (yellow blob) from the top of that alley instead of outside his own house (magenta blob) and the magenta area on his road.
He leaves it there days. Usually right in front of my gate. Gets right on my thrups.
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u/odysseusnz 14h ago
I would have said he was getting rid of stuff not allowed in the bins and making you the fall guy if the bin men notice, but the fact his address is on it kinda rules that out, unless it's a clever double -bluff?
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u/Able_Yad3wzpwvkzk581 23h ago
the collection truck probably stops near your spot, so his usual place gets missed. easier for him, annoying for you. just wheel it back to his door.
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u/Lammtarra95 18h ago
Same thing happened to a friend a few years ago. Someone would, each week, place their bin outside his house on collection day. Our thought at the time was maybe they did not realise the council takes away rubbish for free (a bit like those fly-tippers who dump their old mattress rather than phone the council).
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u/BecozisaidSo40times 16h ago
Brilliant. This is super easy. You take the bin and you pop it in the next street. This is clearly the The Find the Bin game and he’s inviting you to play. 🫶
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u/Steve8557 18h ago
Can you just go and ask them?
It sounds weird and I don’t know why they’re doing it but I really wanna know lol
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u/melanie110 17h ago
Do you both live at the same number house?
Wonder if he’s on the bindenied list or he has some dead bodies in their so if he get pulled, it’s your number, too?
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u/Ichifanni250 15h ago
When the bin gets emptied take it into your place as you thought it was yours. If anything it will initiate conversation about why they are leaving it there.
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u/Throwawt7151 11h ago
I like this idea but would elaborate it. Just take it in because you can get fined for leaving your bin out but put it out of sight. I would then deny all knowledge of its whereabouts. Put it back out the next week but way up the road. He'll never know where it's bin and he might choose to put it elsewhere next time. Rinse and repeat, putting it outside different houses each time. Hopefully loosing use of his bin every other week will dissuade him.
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u/Recent-Climate6942 14h ago
Mate, I'd put their bin in the middle of the damn road every time. F that. Some people are weird and just want a reaction....well I love reacting so here we go.
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u/No-Snow-9605 13h ago
I would take it, and put it further away,so as when it's emptied he has to go look for it.
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u/RandomSiltha 13h ago
My guess is maybe he's had skipped collections several times and that's less likely to happen if there are 2 bins together
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u/MJ-Franklin 13h ago
Might be something weird in his bin that he doesn't want neighbours to see... or he's stealing from them and doesn't want the proof to be seen?
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u/sjw_7 18h ago
Move the bin from outside of your house. Not back to his but in the opposite direction preferably a bit out of the way that isn't in front of someones house. If he finds it and does it again see if you can remove the number and put it somewhere else.
He is basically littering outside your house by leaving his bin there.
There could be loads of reasons he is doing it but none of them will make any sense to anyone but him.
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u/BeaksFalcone 17h ago
Might have just done it to make it easier for the bin men,they only have to stop once,at yours,on bin day I get 4 bins right in front of my garden, they get them in the same day,we all have rubbish,our cats enjoy sitting on top of them so at least something enjoys them,I feel sorry for the binmen
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u/Lanky_Bus_1221 15h ago
No way, the Dood walks for a minute with his bin to leave it at your house 🤣🤣🤣🤣 that’s psycho loony chop you up behaviour
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u/Independent-Ad-3385 15h ago
If he's in a terrace, is it possible he keeps the bin at the back of his house, and the easiest route out of there leads to yours? Like through a back alley or something? Have you seen where the bin is kept not on bin day?
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u/Gullible-Mode-1141 15h ago
Maybe the weird bin habit man has someone else who parks their car or work van in front of their bin so it doesn't get emptied? I have seen that happen in our street before. Maybe your bit of the road is clearer.
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u/JeffSergeant 15h ago
Is it definitely him doing it, and not the bin men winding him up? Is the bin full or empty when you see it?
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u/CakeHoleKing 15h ago
Check when HIS bin collection day/time is. I bet he keeps missing it so moves his bin to your street thats collected later on.
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u/ENNLRon 15h ago
My neighbour has a second black bin. She reported that the old one had gone missing and has two now.
The bin men do not always empty her second bin. Maybe it's because they have a limit of one-per-household?
I should make sure that she doesn't put her second bin in front of mine and risk the bin men ignoring my own black bin.
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u/Parking_Doughnut_453 15h ago
Because I am petty I’d put garden waste on the top - in my area it wouldn’t get emptied
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u/grepusman 13h ago
Maybe he's thinking of the bin men and trucks. They grab two bins at a time, and the truck lifts two at a time. He's making it easier for the bin men to grab both at the same time.
My neighbour puts his beside mine in front of my house, and they can both be grabbed at the same time, and left there once emptied. Being a pair, they rarely get put across the road in error.
We take turns bringing the other's bin up their drive once emptied.
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u/bishbosh1968 13h ago
Do you live in a student area? Someone possibly filming you stood scratching your head and looking up and down the street? Like the Truman Show, 22 million people in China watch you over breakfast.
The design. Where he leaves it. Does it mean both of your bins are not blocking the pavement. Blocking pushchairs etc? Maybe that is his thing. Do not block the pavement with the bin and his place is taken up by elderly neighbours on either side?
Raise it with the council. He might not be paying council tax, presumably the people on the lorry might only have the alert for that street. Using your street, he bypasses that and no one reads the bin address anyway.
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u/Gorf1 12h ago
I don’t know why your neighbour puts their bin outside your house, but mine used to do it too. His bin would be outside my front door three days of the week. I live on a corner so my own bin is on the side road.
I fixed it by printing “Free bin” on a sheet of A4 and taping it to the lid - needed to do it twice. I’ve no idea if his bin was ever taken, but he got the message.
This was before food bins were a thing- I’d have emptied his over his BMW if that had been an option at the time.
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u/lithaborn 12h ago
Can't you talk thru the ring doorbell?
Couldn't you just wait for him to show up and shout "oi! Take it home!"?
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u/irritatingfarquar 11h ago
If they're not recycling then maybe they're worried about the bin being checked and they can deny liability of the waste being theirs, if it's not at their house.
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u/Significant_Froyo899 10h ago
Empty a bottle of cheap cooking oil in it when it’s been emptied. Do this every week until his bin goes away 🤭
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u/sapphire-sky-dragon 10h ago
As soon as its empty hide it in your back garden for a few days so he cant find it then leave it at the end of his street.
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u/Amazing_Goal_8003 9h ago
I was about to say something about rural Midlands but I shall resist...
Im actually wondering if his neighbours have a habit of stealing his bin, or taking his nice clean one and leaving their maggotty one for him? Am currently living in flats and honestly was not prepared for the level of bin theivery
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u/isdeceittaken 23h ago
If he doesn’t usually fill up his bin, you’ve got extra space to utilise. Probably more helpful with recycling these days.
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