I thought I would go for a walk tonight, as I do most nights, down the back lanes of the few streets in my area. I took photos of the usual suspect dumpsters. You know, the ones that seem to always be full. As I came toward the dumpsters that had been previously littered by bulky items coming from the boarded rental property, I was verbally acknowledged in a negative manner by the owner of that same boarded rental property. He wanted to know why I didn't have anything better to do. Then he opened his van to show me the stuff he had packed into the back of it. I wasn't really interested in his van, or what he put into it, and I told him the same. I was just taking pictures of dumpsters.
He continued to yell at me as I walked past his property and on to the next full dumpster. I stopped at the side of the lane, aimed my camera, and went to take a picture. But I could hear behind me a van starting up, and going into gear. I could hear the squeal of the tires as it came toward me in the lane. Then I jumped aside as the van raced past me. Geez. Who the heck does this guy think he is? I think he actually tried to hit me. What a maroon. What a moron. What a nin-com-poop.
Who the heck does he think he is. And why do you imagine he was so upset with me taking photos of the dumpsters. If he was doing nothing wrong, you would think he would not feel so threatened. If he felt he had every right to dump his crap in the back lane, he should not feel the need to run me down.
All I have to say is, what an ass. No, wait a minute, what a f*cking ass.
Who would have thought taking pictures of dumpsters would be so dangerous. I reported the incident to 311 so they can forward it on to the By-Laws department. I am not really sure if I should call the police about the issue. This guy was just a pr*ck. Maybe I will let 311 and By-Laws decide how to proceed with this particular landlord and his threatening behaviour.
glad you were Ok Rae sounds like he was giving you a bad scare but very dangerous as he could have hurt/killed you
ReplyDeleteYou should document this kind of behaviour by the landlord. This is certainly not unique. Landlords that rent to questionable tenants, and prefer to maintain the status quo of the neighbourhood usually have checkered pasts themselves.
ReplyDeleteYou should get information on this guy, where he works, his company, etc. Get together with the neighbours, and run the guy out of the area. This has worked in various cities in Canada and the US.
There are strength in numbers. People who are afraid to do anything on their own, will come out of the woodwork if there are several others taking action. You should also videotape all illegal activities (prostitutes in cars, drug deals, etc.)
Believe me. These people are very lazy, and not as intimidating as you think. They will simply get the impression that it is too much of a "heat score" to do business on your street. Post license plates of Johns and dealers on youtube or on your blog.
Rae, have you lived in the North End too long? Of course, you should call the police!!!! If he had done that on Portage Avenue, would you have not called? It was at best intimidation, at worst, attempted murder.
ReplyDeleteLast summer, my husband and I watched 6 guys run by our house with guns drawn and it took us a minute to pick up the phone and call the cops. You get so used to seeing the law broken in this neighbourhood it takes you a minute to react. If you called the police every time you saw something illegal you'd be on the phone all day.
You should at least fill out a report so that there is documentation if this continues.
By the way, they have a new technique now. They put the couches in front of the bin so the truck can't get to it. Now the city has to clear the stuff away before the garbage bin can be emptied. They did this in our backlane yesterday.
Pick up the phone!!!!!
This is pretty solid evidence as to how autobins simply don't work. The real question now is when will the City make a move to get rid of them and replace them with something that won't encourage illegal dumping?
ReplyDeleteSo, my husband just told me that he saw the van coming straight for me, he was going to grab me and pull me out of the way when the van swerved just before hitting me. Ouch. I guess I am calling the Police.
ReplyDeleteI should bloody well hope so! And don't take any crap from them either. There has to be paperwork. None of this " Well, if he does it again, call us" or " You should have called us right away". You have a right to file a report at any time.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're okay - let's make sure that by-laws has written that house up for every little infraction - if he thinks he's going to just tidy it up a bit and rent it out again, he's wrong! Plus lets hope the police have some words with him.
ReplyDelete@OMC - I don't think that the autobins are what encourage dumping, it's more that there is a perception that no one in the area will care. I am not a fan as such of the bins, but at least with that big of a receptacle much of the garbage (like smaller construction waste, small furniture) ends up contained. When (god forbid) we move to those easily-melted black plastic wheelie bins, all of that smaller stuff will just end up in the lanes, right alongside the couches and mattresses.
What Rae is doing will be one of the biggest deterrents to illegal dumping - she's showing people that someone DOES care, and they're not too happy about that.
@ Winnipeg Girl
ReplyDeleteThe impression I get from the autobins is that since they belong to no one and are large enough to accommodate a commercial-sized load, they practically invite this sort of dump-and-run behaviour.
Unfortunately, as long as the bins are there they will provide an easy out for a delivery guy with a load of waste who wants to avoid a trip to Brady Road.