Transit doesn't want your trash

Posted by Ian Chiclo in Off The Wire
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You’re walking down the street and you’ve just finished a fine cup of coffee, life is rosy, the air smells good, now all you need is a place to ditch that damn cup. Well, if you pass a transit shelter, just keep on walking, buddy, those garbage cans are, apparently, for transit users only.

Affixed to garbage bins at bus shelters across the city, these signs popped up in the last couple of weeks. It’s hard to even write about the sheer preposterousness of them. Firstly, a garbage can anywhere on a public sidewalk is, as far as I can figure, designed to keep people from littering the streets with crap. So why does Calgary Transit, a division of City of Calgary, think your garbage isn’t their problem? How are these garbage cans different from the ones the City or business zones install? Now, I’d hazard a guess that these signs were actually installed by the company that sells advertising at bus shelters, but certainly Calgary Transit must have approved them before they were installed. Was there some issue where people were dumping their household trash at transit shelters? Is there a statute of limitations involved? If I rode the bus last Friday, am I still technically a Transit user?

Of course it’s hard not to be cynical about this, especially when thinking about enforcement. There’s been much discussion recently about the need to increase transit security and all the associated costs. Maybe we now have a better understanding about why — to keep those darn garbage bugs from throwing their trash in those bins.

It’s hard to actually pinpoint why these signs make my blood boil. Maybe it’s because they’re inherently exclusive to the general public, the same people who pay municipal taxes that fund Calgary Transit. It bothers me to the very core that we’re living in a city where on every other block there’s a bright red and white sign (Stampede colours!) saying “Don’t throw your trash in here!”


more in City     |     posted May 25th, 2010 at 3:32pm     

Comments: 17

Peter Hemminger wrote:

From what I heard, there was an issue with people dumping bags of household garbage at some transit stops around the city. I know it sounds totally ridiculous, and I can't remember where I saw it, but supposedly that's what was happening.

on May 25th, 2010 at 3:49pm Report Abuse

Lindsey Wallis wrote:

You know what this is? Garbage bigotry.

on May 25th, 2010 at 3:56pm Report Abuse

23skidoo wrote:

Maybe it makes your blood boil because you're told not to litter, and here you are being a good citizen by not littering, but you'd still be breaking the rules by using one of those bins.

The signs are there because people will dump household garbage, monopolizing the limited space in those small bins. Dog walkers will also put dog crap in the bin, creating a stinky situation two feet away from people waiting inside the shelter for their bus. Maybe it also makes your blood boil because you're not thinking of the perspective of people using the bus?

If you're walking down the street, presumably you're on your way somewhere. Hang on to your trash until you get there, or use one of the larger public trash cans if you're downtown.

PS: The word you want is "sheer". "Sheer preposterousness".

on May 25th, 2010 at 4:31pm Report Abuse

chiclo wrote:

I don't buy the household garbage excuse. That's a different issue. If that were the case a (small) "no dumping" sign would do, or how about a (small) sign that said "no household garbage."

Thanks for the shear/sheer catch 23skidoo, blood was boiling whilst typing.

on May 25th, 2010 at 4:50pm Report Abuse

Chivas wrote:

One thing: it is obviously a peel and stick sticker.

I wonder if the “installer”, put the non-stick backing in the garbage. It does say CUSTOMERS-not employees.
The whole thing is stupid, as if that sign would stop anybody.
Way to go Calgary Transit!

on May 25th, 2010 at 7:56pm Report Abuse

selina_jezebel wrote:

I have noticed the stickers as well and found them rather odd. I mean really, would a private business like Starbucks say "no, you can't put your Tim Horton's cup in the garbage"? Likely not.

A few times I have seen overflowing garbage bins at bus stations, which is, of course, smelly and disgusting while I wait for the bus (which is, of course, late).

Maybe it was one person dumping their personal garbage, maybe it was a hundred, either way it doesn't seem like they empty out the garbage bins very often. It also makes me wonder who is responsible for it? Does the City pick it up on the same day as they pick it up garbage in the rest of the neighborhood or is there dedicated CT sanitation dudes?

on May 25th, 2010 at 10:02pm Report Abuse

Jeremy Klaszus wrote:

Here's my take: I take the bus once in a while. That makes me a transit user. So if I see a bit of newspaper on the ground in my neighbourhood and want to get it off the street, I put it in the Calgary Transit bin. CT can stuff it — literally.

I'd like to see CT come after someone for throwing a bit of trash in those bins. Imagine the headlines: "MAN TRASHES LITTER, GETS FINED."

As for 23skidoo's suggestion to "hang on to your trash" until you arrive at your destination — what a novel way to get people to clean up the city! After all, everybody loves to stuff their pockets full of goopy garbage, right?

on May 26th, 2010 at 8:22am Report Abuse

paulhughes wrote:

That is some serious disconnect from community.

on May 26th, 2010 at 2:52pm Report Abuse

23skidoo wrote:

Most of you are missing my point that these garbage cans are small and provided as a convenience for those waiting for the bus. They fill up quickly. There is limited space for extra garbage.

Of course they're not going to fine you for throwing out your coffee cup. The sticker is a reminder. Lots of anger here for an Andy Rooney-level pet peeve story.

And yes, hold on to your garbage (why would it be goopy?). You held on to it on your way past the bus stop, keep holding on to it.

on May 26th, 2010 at 3:43pm Report Abuse

moons57 wrote:

I agree with Jeremy Klaszus. Quite often in my area, the transit users at my stop, leave newspapers on the bench (so not to harm their delicate bottoms as far as I can tell) and rarely do I see them throw that paper in the trash when they are getting on the bus. It then zooms all over the neighbourhood via wind gusts and ends up on someone’s lawn. So if we are going to be petty about trash ownership, let's also talk about how CT plans to take ownership for their customer’s trash that originates from their stops. It's all silly!

The bottom line is that no one enjoys having trash flying around our fair city, and discouraging people from being good citizens and putting it where it belongs is not the answer. Let's not let a few renegades ruin it for everyone.

on May 26th, 2010 at 3:59pm Report Abuse

chiclo wrote:

The City can choose to put out a sign that says, "Park closed from 11pm - 7am," or they can put out a sign that says, "Park open from 7am - 11pm."

on May 26th, 2010 at 4:29pm Report Abuse

Jeremy Klaszus wrote:

The garbage on the ground is often goopy because of rain. I live by a transit stop and like moons57, I always see flyers and newspapers lying around the neighbourhood. So if I pick up a pulpy mess from the sidewalk by the bus stop as I walk by, yes, I'm going to use the garbage can if there's room — sign or no sign. (I'm not talking about my own coffee cup here, I'm talking about trash that other people throw on the ground.)

For my part, I'm not angry about the CT sign — I just ignore it. I'm more angry at the dimwits who toss their Starbucks cups onto the grass for someone else to pick up.

And, mind you, I'm kind of ticked at Starbucks for giving everybody to-go cups, even people who are drinking their beverage in the store. More than once I've gone to Starbucks and asked for a to-stay mug — and they give me paper anyway. The request doesn't even register. (Yes, yes, I know — I should stop going there then. I know.)

If Starbucks and fast food joints quit churning out endless amounts of needless packaging, Calgarians would have one less reason to use those transit garbage bins and our streets would be a lot cleaner.

on May 26th, 2010 at 8:34pm Report Abuse

retroboy wrote:

I just got back from New York earlier this week and I saw these ridiculous signs at CT bus shelters. In Harlem they have signs on trashcans urging people not to place household garbage inside them (it carries a $100 fine)--that's a reasonable, acceptable compromise that Calgary Transit should have taken.

on May 27th, 2010 at 12:33pm Report Abuse

jnbanks88 wrote:

Who is getting paid to make decisions like this? Do they actually think that those stickers are going to prevent people from using transit garbage bins? It's most likely going to cause the reverse effect. People are going to use them more just out of spite.

on Jun 3rd, 2010 at 2:07pm Report Abuse

fluffypitbull wrote:

No. I'm not going to hold on to my garbage until I get wherever. This is stupid.
If they're going to put garbage cans out then they should be prepared to let people use them. Too small? Put out bigger ones.
Why would people be putting household garbage in these bins anyway? The bulk of these containers are in residential areas where people get once a week pick up?
The only reason I'd hold on to my garbage is if CT were stupid enough to take them away. Of course if they did that 99% of the people WOULDN'T BOTHER and there'd be papercups and little bags of doggy doo all over the street. Get real CT, this notion is devoid of all common sense!

on Jun 3rd, 2010 at 5:05pm Report Abuse

APS wrote:

Looking around the city it seems the trend is more so of people wanting to rid their cars / trucks / dwellings of trash in a hurry, either tossing it out their vehicle window, off the back of their tailgate or just throwing stuff out into the back alley.

Anyone ever seen a recliner / sofa / mattress / appliance dumped at the rear of a mall or near a business trash bin ? Prior to our recycling program being introduced, has anyone ever seen any non recyclables just dumped near the bins ?

Remember the story a while back of all the local dumbdumbs dumping unwanted items into all the Salvation Army bins and the Salvation Army then had to pay themselves to take it to the dump ? Too many times to mention I bet, but I have yet to see domestic items dumped in or near transit stops.

Individuals in the city need to take ownership of what they purchase and how they dispose of it. End of story.

Wow, it's really great to see that time and money is being spent on brainstorming up these signs and concepts, having these signs made in a print shop and then sticking them up everywhere. Many of Calgary's other bylaws are rarely enforced, so how are they thinking this new program will help ease the non tranist trash issue ? They should have just made these stickers flesh colored to look like a bandaid as that is all this really is.

Curious if the guy in front of me on 14th street that threw his half eaten apple out his car window last week saw the new signs or gave it any thought about what bin he is supposed to dispose of his apple ?

on Jun 7th, 2010 at 4:03pm Report Abuse

mahkwi wrote:

I think that the point is being missed.
By the system.

I have never seen a worse display of refuse, or refusing to accept rubbish than here. Why does this city make it so difficult to do

Anything to improve it?

Always behind, and forever to be a 25 million dollar bridge

on Jun 11th, 2010 at 12:24am Report Abuse


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