Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Approaching Litter Louts
Walking back from Sainsbury, along Green lanes just near stanhope Gardens, I saw yet another person throw something on the ground yet they were right by the litter bin by the bus stop. It was one piece of overt vandalism too many. I said to him why dont you pick that up and put it in the bin just there? he looked at me as if I was mad and walked off, ignoring me. I know his face, he works in one of the Turkish shops along there. I was incensed. I picked up the said empty coffee cup and followed him into a shop and said again, why dont you put it into a bin? why are you treating this place as a open dustbin. Nastily, he said get out of my way, it;s not your problem, it's mine. I retorted, it is my problem. I live here, I am sick of people dropping litter and not caring about it, why doesnt he take it with him. He pushed past me very annoyed as by now people were looking at him. That was the whole idea, to shame him for his action.
I said I would be reporting him. but to who? where? HOW do we deal with such people who dont care at all about making the place a mess, every day, every hour. The council could sweep those streets 20 times daily but the root of the problem is this attitude of, I dont care. I can do what I like. If can drop anything anywhere anytime.
I am on the verge now of making plans to leave Haringey, I am so sick of this constant rubbishing. I cant confront everyone, that would be a full time job and sooner or later I would get my head kicked in, arrested for harassment or locked up as mentally unstable. How do we get at this problem?
nice to see you all at HoL drinks the other evening.
I said I would be reporting him. but to who? where? HOW do we deal with such people who dont care at all about making the place a mess, every day, every hour. The council could sweep those streets 20 times daily but the root of the problem is this attitude of, I dont care. I can do what I like. If can drop anything anywhere anytime.
I am on the verge now of making plans to leave Haringey, I am so sick of this constant rubbishing. I cant confront everyone, that would be a full time job and sooner or later I would get my head kicked in, arrested for harassment or locked up as mentally unstable. How do we get at this problem?
nice to see you all at HoL drinks the other evening.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
If it was a flickr group more people could see it. Ummmm except the litter enforcement people working at the council.
I wonder how much their shiny but pointless new keep haringey tidy campaign is costing...
-
Permalink Reply by TTTH on
-
I think schools are partly to blame. I remember a "Keep Britain Tidy" campaign at my primary school and it has stuck. Perhaps Haringey Council need to roll this out if litter is a big problem for them. Also different cultures do not view litter as a problem because they expect someone else, someone more inferior than them will clean it up. It's arrogance, ignorance and selfishness. Haringey could also do with targeting areas such as Green Lanes, the shop owners, etc. to tell them that it won't be tolerated. If you have a good Councillor who can support you on this, you can channel that frustration in a constructive way, otherwise it will just get you down.
-
Permalink Reply by pamish on
-
A few times I've tried "Excuse me, you've dropped something." People think they have dropped something valuable and do at least stop. Sometimes they even pick it up. I had one triumphant moment when three oak-tree sized young men were walking toward me (I teach the like all day so they hold no particular fear for me.) One threw his empty takeaway box towards a bin but missed, and kept walking. I called him back, Oi, nice try but you missed, try again. He left his mates, came back and binned it, looking just a bit sheepish. And I congratulated him - we all won.
Why should something as trivial as litter be so soul-destroying? It's the thing about Seven Sisters (yes I am interloper here) that makes me want to leave too. But it does get swept up, so why so infuriating? It makes jobs. I guess it's knowing that I live among scuzzy people. Same as seeing their bins full of beer cans when there are green boxes all around. They just can't be arsed. But if I can, why can't they?
-
Permalink Reply by michael456red on
-
Well done Ruth! I think such people think their actions are invisible or something. I have challenged people for dropping litter many a time, and they usually respond with scant grace. One can only hope that the germ of awareness has been planted where it was sadly lacking before. Don't feel disheartened, you are not alone!
-
Permalink Reply by Ruth on
-
many thanks for the continuing responses which are all supportive and contain good ideas. Certainly I will carry on confronting people but yes, schools need to do something (I remember the Keep Britaing Tidy campaign) and the council need to do more than keep sweeping it all up (esp when so much of it can be recycled!) It is true that for some cultures, it;s just not an issue and shopkeepers do need to be targetted. I would rather go into a shop with a nice clean front rather than a litter strewn one. It makes sense all round. It's like hundreds of years ago when people threw out their rubbish and sewage into the street. I would like to speak to someone on the council about this. Any suggestions? cheers folks!
-
-
Most Councils have an "Envirocrime" dept. Cheesy term but covers graffiti, fly tipping, litter, etc. This might be a good place to start, although not sure what Haringey's term is. They should provide customer/ resident access on their website to make complaints of this sort. Once you locate the contact, include your local councillor in all correspondance. In my experience they seem to take your complaint more seriously. A good councillor will also work on your behalf to raise most important issues for the community at Council (Regeneration) Strategy meetings. This is my experience at Brent, so again unfamiliar with Haringey. You could also set up a support group on here, a bit like our Housing/ HMO group. I hope this helps.
-
Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
-
How about this, Colin? Along the lines you expect? Or have you some suggestions?
It would also be interesting to hear about Brent's Regeneration Strategy meetings.
-
-
Yes this appears to be it, "street cleaning". I would send in an email initially, see who bites and include your local councillor. Keep it friendly, but keep the pressure on. You might even be asked to contribute at future meetings.
Regen strategy meetings take place throughout the year at the Council and I think are just attended by senior management. Priorities are usually set just before the financial year (April) so now is a good time to lobby. Councils are always itching to get community input but often struggle with how to go about it. Harringayonline is an example I have quoted as the way forward in community engagement, but it doesn't work in deprived areas where the internet in not affordable yet. We are still putting up posters and door knocking the odd block with problems which is really frustrating. You don't even touch the sides of 7000 residents. I work for an NDC and they have board meetings consisting of a number of residents, as well as councillors, and senior management in Regeneration. I think Harringayonline are in a very powerful position to get themselves representation on the council's strategy meetings, if you haven't already. Making enquiries to the contact who bites at Haringey might lead you these strategy meetings.
-
Permalink Reply by Julie - WPRNW on
-
well done for forcing him to acknowledge his littering and letting him know you notice.
im in same position, sick of the littering and keen to move out of the area for this same pervasive attitude which seems not to be able to shift.
west green road is ghetto experience walking to the tube.
keen to hear what others suggest/think.
-
-
It's not right that that you have to feel like that. no one should but I also feel that walking along green lanes is becoming a struggle some times. I am going to try the council website as suggested but later on when I have time and clear in my mind what I want to say. Will mention HoL as well as the need for 're-education' programmes to try to get to the root of the problem. Can someone remind me of Councillors name?
all the best to everyone
-
-
Sorry to complicate things, Ruth, but three wards meet at the southern end of Green Lanes — Harringay, St Ann's and Seven Sisters. So there are nine possible councillors. You can find mugshots and contact details of all of them here. There's also a (not particularly easy to read) map with thin black lines showing the ward boundaries.
The nine include Claire Kober, leader of the Council; with Brian Haley and Nilgun Canver, "cabinet" councillors who share responsibility for the Environment. So you may want to write directly at least to these three. (But do copy-in the others.)
Please post your comments and helpful suggestions on HoL, as well. And browse the back pages of HoL for the many helpful ideas and observations made by members. (A special mention for Liz in her community volunteer role.)
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
