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too proud to pay a mean guy $5 for his "trash"
so i'm standing in the alley, helping a friend move stuff into his place, when suddenly a dumpster garbage truck backs up to us from the street. what do i behold atop the most recently collected trash in the truck's bin but a schwinn letour frame and fork (and most else except wheels) in visibly good condition. it was like fate itself was commanding me to fixie up this bike.
until the garbage guy came round back from the driver's cabin. concerned that he might freak out if i just reach in, i ask "hey, can i take this bike?" to which he responds "if you pay me." i give him a suprised smile, to which he keeps his deadpan expression and sour attitude and responds "i'm serious." still smiling, i ask "well, how much do you want?" and he responds, still deadpan, "five bucks." so i consider it for a second. i tell him "it's yours" and casually get back to my business. now, most bike folks acting rationally would easily hand over the five bucks and grab the frame with a smile. but i just didn't want to make a mean guy five dollars better off for helping him unload some of his "trash", even if the trash was my treasure. it was an emotional decision, i know, in that we would both lose out economically but i'd at least keep my pride in not helping out this guy i didn't respect. but, of course, i still waver between regret and pride. did i do the right thing? is there a garbage truck etiquette that i'm not aware of, which holds that even the "trash" the garbage workers think is trash can be for sale to those who value it? or should the guy have just been cool about the frame and told me "yeah, take it--it's trash." |
Technically the trash becomes the property of the trash collection company. Until that point it's the property of the homeowner. But whatever.
Sure, he should have given you the frame for nothing. It was obviously no skin off his back. On the other hand, you're disrupting his routine and he figures it's a good way to make a couple of bucks. I mean while he's selling you something he doesn't own, you're asking him to give you something for nothing. Who's in the wrong? If I wanted it, I would have given the $5. I mean it's just $5. |
$5 for a LeTour? Ooh, I woulda done it...
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Yeah, those guys will get like 50 cents for it when they sell it to the scrap metal place.
The junkers take LOADS of bikes to the scrap yard every day here in Chicago. Well, at least the one by my house. Dude. If I have those junkers sell 'em to me. Then I sell 'em on CL. Maybe. |
The dude was within his rights to ask for $5, HOWEVER, that does not absolve him for being a dick about it.
I wouldn't have paid him either. What's to keep him from just taking stuff, and holding it for ransom in the back of his stanky truck? Best nip this problem in the bud, after all, if the United States of America does not negotiate with terrorists, why should you? |
maybe I missed something but what exactly did the guy do to disrespect you? I’m sure the guy was loaded and was asking for $5 to be a dick. Seriously, if this is the worst thing that happened in your life today, consider yourself fortunate.
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The guy was a lame wanger. The bike wasn't his to sell. Some people just get off by taking a piss in someone else's Cheerios....
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I would have given him the five, and another five to have him reach in and get the bike for ya...
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a perfect time to haggle. I would have said how about a buck.
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Man, pride and ego are overrated. I've been busting my ass trying to find ANY decent frame around here to fix up, and it's been a huge pain. If it was a decent frame, I would have GLADLY handed him 20$ for it.
You have your "pride" and now a bike that could have ridden the streets again is going into the trash heap, and you're out a frame. But, then again, I'm definitely not you, and as illogical as the decision might have been, it was a strongheaded one, and there's nothing wrong with being a little strongheaded... :) |
It may have been worth the $5 bucks. Sucks that it was only trash to him until someone else expressed interest in the item.
I also find your username somewhat ironic in this case. |
To put things in perspective, can you still get a cup of coffee for under $5 in Chicago?
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I bid 25$!
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Originally Posted by twiz
a perfect time to haggle. I would have said how about a buck.
I'd like to tweak the interpretation on this just a little. Sorry to maybe try and overanalyze you for a sec, sw/os, but maybe it wasn't just your pride working here. Maybe it was a certain conviction on your part that you shouldn't validate such blindly crappish behavior. Personally, given my big mouth and somewhat sour disposition, I would have taken this as an opportunity to give him a small lecture and at the same time, try and soften him up a bit: "REALLY? Are you kidding? It's merely trash, I'm offering to unburden you a bit, maybe even make your job a little easier, and you're actually trying to make money off of it? Man, I can't believe I actually thought you might be cool! Guess I was wrong. That's so uncool." Sounds ridiculous, but guilt is a weapon employed my moms the world over and throughout history to great effect. Then, if he were to respond with some further dickishness, I'd proceed with Twiz's strategy. But the best position to get yourself into is him walking away from you and not vice versa. Basically, then, you're looking at a guy who is not only rejecting an opportunity to be nice for a sec, but who's also too dumb to make anything off of a piece of trash that he's going to have to deal with later anyway. In that case, he's a lost cause no matter how you look at it. :eek: |
Should've bargained.
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Or dove into the back of the truck and made a mad dash for the hills with the stinky frame
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Originally Posted by peripatetic
[color=darkgreen]Personally, given my big mouth and somewhat sour disposition, I would have taken this as an opportunity to give him a small lecture and at the same time, try and soften him up a bit: "REALLY? Are you kidding? It's merely trash, I'm offering to unburden you a bit, maybe even make your job a little easier, and you're actually trying to make money off of it? Man, I can't believe I actually thought you might be cool! Guess I was wrong. That's so uncool." Sounds ridiculous, but guilt is a weapon employed my moms the world over and throughout history to great effect.
The reality being, he wanted 5 bucks. It's reasonable. You expect something for free, at any moment, from a complete stranger, you, are unreasonable. Given that the original poster was mad because the driver wasn't nice, let me ask you something. Did you want customer service from a guy who picks up **** all day long? Are you that ****ing ********? |
Originally Posted by sanford_w/o_son
so i'm standing in the alley, ....
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
If I were the trashman in this case, had you said it to me, I would have hit the compress button. Well, no, I would have the bike in the CAB of the truck. But, in reality, I'd do what it takes to piss you off completely.
The reality being, he wanted 5 bucks. It's reasonable. You expect something for free, at any moment, from a complete stranger, you, are unreasonable. Given that the original poster was mad because the driver wasn't nice, let me ask you something. Did you want customer service from a guy who picks up **** all day long? Are you that ****ing ********? Chill out, Willy. The above is uncalled for. |
Originally Posted by lala
Chill out, Willy. The above is uncalled for.
And, while I think it was called for, I'll revamp what I said. To the poster: Did you consider it your right to receive customer service from a guy who picks up other people's refuse all day long? Are you mentally challenged, or do you honestly feel you have that right? |
the OP didn't talk about "rights" :rolleyes:, he just said he didn't respect the guys candor. he asked a simple question, the guy didn't budge, he was taken back, and then went about his business. i wouldn't have paid him either.
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Originally Posted by timmhaan
the OP didn't talk about "rights" :rolleyes:, he just said he didn't respect the guys candor. he asked a simple question, the guy didn't budge, he was taken back, and then went about his business. i wouldn't have paid him either.
Sometimes, the approach is everything. It is my assumption, and I could be wrong, that the approach was not done with the manner which is portrayed here. Certainly his demeanor toward the guy could be seen as not to friendly. Perhaps, we can look at it from the Trash collector's point of view.
Originally Posted by Trash Man
So there I am, in the alley, doing my rounds. The radio has been blaring all day and my back is killing me. The same person had a 40 pound can full of used cat litter and when you dump that @#$# you get @#$y dust all over yourself. Man, if I had only finished college. Anyway day is half done, I’m behind because every jerk in a SUV has cut me off only to double park. I’ll have to finish and possible not get over time. Add to that, I just got done arguing with some jerk who was mad because I won’t take 10 gallons of motor oil.. “no one will find out”. Sure sure.. I get fined for that ****. Some guy comes up to me yelling out loud, like I can’t here “Hey can I have that bike in the back of your truck”. Now, I can get fired for this, people climbing on my truck. He’s clean as whistle and I’m just about to go. But, hey, the guy want’s a bike, it’ll go to good use, maybe for his kid or something. So I tell him “sure, if you pay me..”. I’m late, and he looks at me like I’m some sort of freak. The guy looks like he’s got cash, and I didn’t bring lunch money today, and when jerk in the SUV swerved in front of me, my lunch got chucked on the floor so I’m starving. He looks at me like I’m some sort of used car salesmen trying to sell him a warranty. So I tell him I’m serious. He ask how much and I figure 5 bucks is fair. I’ve seen the bikes going for 25 – 50 in the stores, and it’s one of them old Schwinns like I used to want when I was a kid, not them cheasey new ones. He gives me that look like I should just let him rummage through the back. I’d get fired for letting people do that and I’m late. People.. don’t know about them sometimes. Figure that since I’m trash guy I should be happy they talk to me.
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ha ha
today is the best day EVER for the forums in a long time - mayo and WK in full effect. and that boston craigslist post. thanks guys! |
I would have at least offered to Roshambo for it.
Enjoy |
Originally Posted by William Karsten
You're right, he didn't. But the question remains, what did he expect from a guy who gets paid very a very average wage to do something that is A) Dangerous, B) Crappy C)At times laden with corruption?
I think you're kind of selling the garbage man short here. Just because a person deals in trash, one should not assume that they're going to be sour or resentful. I'd say postal workers are probably worse.
Originally Posted by williamkarsten
Sometimes, the approach is everything. It is my assumption, and I could be wrong, that the approach was not done with the manner which is portrayed here. Certainly his demeanor toward the guy could be seen as not to friendly. Perhaps, we can look at it from the Trash collector's point of view.
A simple greeting in advance of the OP's request probably wouldn't have hurt, and could have paid a nice dividend. But it didn't sound like he was playing the 'spoiled brat,' either. You're jumping to a lot of conclusions and reading a lot into this scenario that wasn't really related, WK. The above tirade sure seems disproportional to the OP. You're doing the equivalent of online bellowing. |
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