Take Some Responsibility!

A classic episode of Winnipeg-slackerness took place last Wednesday when I looked out the window from my work (onto busy Pembina Hwy) and spotted a woman pulling pieces of wood off the road (the centre lane of three) and hauling them onto the boulevard with the help of a teenage bystander. After figuring out what was going on, I realized it was a desk or wooden bookcase that fell off the back of a truck. I glanced south down Pembina and saw a middle-age man running back towards the Subway restaurant with his pick-up truck stopped on the side of the road. He ran close enough to see whatever fell out of his truck was unsalvagable, he then turned around and ran back to his truck...he never returned to pick up his load! This begs the question, who's responsible for his mess? The back door of the pick-up truck was clearly open and I doubt he had the shelf tied down properly. Sure, people make mistakes and screw up, but how about taking some responsibility! The debris, as of Saturday night was still piled on the boulevard and I wouldn't be surprised if it's still there come Spring with months of snowfall covering it up.

I've noticed in the last few years how people don't take responsibility for their messes, and it seems no one wants to go out of their way to clean up after other people, rightfully. A trend that has been happening the last few Autumn's is the act of sweeping all their leaves onto the street, no need for a rake anymore, just use your leaf blower to blow it on someone else's lawn or on the curb. I've also seen garage bags full of leaves (and garage) left and abandoned at bus stops and public boulevards. Along Kenaston and McGillivray, often I see full bags dumped into the ditches or the side of the road, what the hell? Can you imagine the increased mess if the city decides to charge for garbage pick-up or limit the amount of garbage you can throw away. My place of work has a dumpster paid for by the owners that seems to be a dumping ground for the neighborhood contractors. Many times our dumpster has been full when it's been filled up by unauthorized idiots that will throw out drywall, sinks, plumbing, windows, televisions, stoves and concrete. The BFI company refused, on at least a couple of instances, to empty the dumpster with slabs of concrete inside.

I don't want to sound like some civic do-gooder, but can't people take at least a little responsibility for their own crap? Come on!
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