# people throwing litter from cars: where can this be reported?



## dodo (10 Oct 2006)

people throwing litter from cars, where can this be reported


----------



## hotlips (10 Oct 2006)

*Re: people throwing litter from cars*



dodo said:


> people throwing litter from cars, where can this be reported


 
Phone the litter warden of the local county council and provide him or her with the car reg number and details of location and time of the offence.


----------



## Ron Burgundy (10 Oct 2006)

*Re: people throwing litter from cars*

be aware you must appear in court for a case to proceed


----------



## hotlips (10 Oct 2006)

*Re: people throwing litter from cars*



Ron Burgundy said:


> be aware you must appear in court for a case to proceed


 
That's only if the offender contests it. If he or she pays the $125 fine, then there is no need for the case to go to court.

The litter warden will ask you if you are prepared to appear in court if it comes to that.


----------



## Ron Burgundy (10 Oct 2006)

*Re: people throwing litter from cars*



hotlips said:


> That's only if the offender contests it. If he or she pays the $125 fine, then there is no need for the case to go to court.
> 
> The litter warden will ask you if you are prepared to appear in court if it comes to that.


 
thats good to hear, i am so sick of seeing fag butts being thrown from cars


----------



## michaelm (10 Oct 2006)

It is my contention that the people whom cause the vast majority of litter in this country are smokers, and the children of smokers.  I'm not suggesting that all smokers litter but rather that pretty much all litter is caused by smokers. (sorry, I seem to be dragging the thread into LOS territory)


----------



## tosullivan (10 Oct 2006)

*Re: people throwing litter from cars*



Ron Burgundy said:


> thats good to hear, i am so sick of seeing fag butts being thrown from cars


me too (cigarette ends aswell)


----------



## gianni (10 Oct 2006)

:d :d


----------



## liteweight (10 Oct 2006)

I drove behind a car last week and was horrified to see MacDonald cartons thrown out the window, followed shortly by drinks cartons, various chocolate bar wrappers. We flashed our lights at her but she merrily continued cleaning out her car until we turned off. I'm sorry I didn't takethe reg! I don't think it's fair to blame smokers. Some throw their fag ends out the window, others don't, just as some mothers throw childrens waste out the window and others wait to get home to put it in the bin.


----------



## hotlips (10 Oct 2006)

liteweight said:


> I drove behind a car last week and was horrified to see MacDonald cartons thrown out the window, followed shortly by drinks cartons, various chocolate bar wrappers. We flashed our lights at her but she merrily continued cleaning out her car until we turned off. I'm sorry I didn't takethe reg! I don't think it's fair to blame smokers. Some throw their fag ends out the window, others don't, just as some mothers throw childrens waste out the window and others wait to get home to put it in the bin.


 
Pity you didn't get the reg. I'd have no qualms about turning up in court to give evidence against someone like that. It's certainly not just smokers but I have to say, I think they are pretty bad. I've just walked by the bus stop outside my office and there must be several hundred cigarette butts on the path and about 20 discarded packets.


----------



## michaelm (11 Oct 2006)

liteweight said:


> I don't think it's fair to blame smokers. Some throw their fag ends out the window, others don't, just as some mothers throw childrens waste out the window and others wait to get home to put it in the bin.


lightweight, I'd contend that those littering mothers  are smokers; i.e. Litterers are a subset of smokers and their children.


----------



## liteweight (11 Oct 2006)

michaelm said:


> lightweight, I'd contend that those littering mothers  are smokers; i.e. Litterers are a subset of smokers and their children.



Now that has to be one of the worst generalisations I've heard yet!!


----------



## Molly (11 Oct 2006)

> vast majority of litter in this country are smokers, and *the children of smokers*


 
How in the name of God do you come to that conclusion ? what has the child of a smoker got to do with littering??????


----------



## purplealien (11 Oct 2006)

There should be smoking bins next to bus stops, restaurants etc and then there wouldn't be so many fag butts around the place. Chewing gum is worse than fag ends!


----------



## allendog (11 Oct 2006)

Agree with you re fag ends, litter, etc. unsightly.  Even walking along the canal-bank in a remote location in Co.Kildare, you'd come across all kinds of litter - cans, cartons, takeaways, bottles, plastic bags - left behind by youngsters shopping at the local Mace/Londis/takeaway, sharing the car and driving out to quiet places to mess about.
  One thing that strikes me - where do those types of litter originate?  The local shops and takeaways, of course.  If I'd be in control of the country, I'd insist on legislation where consumables (beverages, sweets, snacks, etc.) are sold - to be sold on the 'loose' (can't think of correct word). Those wishing to buy crisps, drinks, takeaways, would have to bring their own mug/bowl/dish (plastic, of course) of standard size - to be offered free by the manufacturers of beverages/snacks.  That would cut out disposable bags, cartons, cans.
  What do you think?   Up to the 1960s, kids would buy 'pop' in glass bottles and return 'empties' in exchange of pennies.  There need to some kind of incentive to discourage careless disposal of empty cans/cartons.

Allendog


----------



## RainyDay (11 Oct 2006)

I think I recall one judge insisting that the cigarette butt be produced in court in cases of prosecution for littering of fag ends. But it is certainly worth following up with the litter warden.

If you see persistent littering at a commercial premises (office, restaurant), the litter warden should certainly be able put pressure to stop this happening.


----------



## zag (12 Oct 2006)

I reported littering from a car previously - as above I had all the details and went straight to the station as it was on the route I was taking.  The response from the garda behind the counter in a large country town ? - "Ah, sure, that's not a local car, we wouldn't be able to find it, on your way now."

And so began a long history of disenchantment with the enforcement policies in this country.  I asked myself what was the point in reporting this type of thing if the response from the people on the ground was a shrug of the shoulders and making you feel like you were interrupting their coffee break.

Versions of this experience have been repeated over the years.

We *really* need some form of easily served 'citation' penalty like they have in the US.  I think that is the term - where it is blatantly obvious that you have a faulty light, you were driving dangerously, you were littering, behaving obnoxiously, etc . . . you take the penalty on the spot or you challenge it and take your chances in a court.  It is ridiculous that you can be stopped at a roadside check by the Gardai and drive through with no NCT, faulty lights, etc . . .

z


----------



## hotlips (12 Oct 2006)

zag said:


> I reported littering from a car previously - as above I had all the details and went straight to the station as it was on the route I was taking. The response from the garda behind the counter in a large country town ? - "Ah, sure, that's not a local car, we wouldn't be able to find it, on your way now."
> 
> And so began a long history of disenchantment with the enforcement policies in this country. I asked myself what was the point in reporting this type of thing if the response from the people on the ground was a shrug of the shoulders and making you feel like you were interrupting their coffee break.
> . .
> ...


 
Zag
That really is terrible. At a minimum, they should have provided you with the contact details of the local litter warden and told you to report it to him directly.  It's unbelievable that they don't do that. I have reported littering from cars to Dun Laoghaire Co.Co. several times now and the litter warden has taken it seriously and handled it competently every time. So, I'd definitely encourage you to do that next time.

(I also had a bad experience with the gardai recently. I reported a found dog and had the dog in the station with me. In fact the gardai even kept the dog there for about 20 mins before they phoned me to ask me to take it to a vet to be scanned for a chip. I then took the dog home. The owner called to the station later the very same day to report his lost dog and the gardai said they knew absolutely nothing about said dog and couldn't help him! )


----------



## Omega (12 Oct 2006)

Some local authorities have freephone litter lines for reporting litter offenses. I rang the office and they said that if the litterer contested the fine, it would go to court and if you had not left your contact details when making the complaint, then the case would be lost. However, I reckon that most people will pay up because they know they did it and are not sure who saw them or what evidence there is - e.g. a litter warden with photographic proof. I've made 2 such reports in the last 2 weeks (cigarette butts from cars) and will do it every time from now on. I'm sick of all the filthy litter everywhere; The country is a disgrace.


----------



## BlueSpud (21 Oct 2006)

Molly said:


> How in the name of God do you come to that conclusion ? what has the child of a smoker got to do with littering??????



The child sees the parent throwing "stuff" ouit the window and therefore it seems okay for them to throw "stuff" out the window..........


----------



## extopia (21 Oct 2006)

Assuming the smoker smokes in the car when their children are present. The type of person who does this would probably be beyond re-education where littering is concerned.


----------



## WaterWater (21 Oct 2006)

Driving back from the Stillorgan Industrial Estate today across the Luas line I notice that the houses that back on to that particular stretch of road, Lakelands I believe it is called, are just dumping their garden rubbish over the wall and on to the public area. Are litter wardens blind or what?


----------



## extopia (21 Oct 2006)

How do you know the rubbish comes from the houses there? Could be opportunistic dumping by "outsiders."


----------



## panathon (22 Oct 2006)

Dreadful thread, so smokers apparently are the only people in the country who litter!!!?? I am a smoker and wouldn't dream of throwing a fag butt out of the window of a car, much more a mcdonalds wrapper. So you report me to the cops for doing that if it was the case and make a case against me on what you claim you saw happen and have my number plate - prove it? I mean I could pick any car off the road and say the same.


----------



## Cowzer (22 Oct 2006)

extopia said:


> Assuming the smoker smokes in the car when their children are present. The type of person who does this would probably be beyond re-education where littering is concerned.


 
Good God! "Re-education"??? How's about you start with a plain old "education" sonny! Comical.


----------



## GeneralZod (22 Oct 2006)

Reeducation is an appropriate term in the context below where rehabilitation is required due to learned delinquent behaviour.



> The child sees the parent throwing "stuff" ouit the window and therefore it seems okay for them to throw "stuff" out the window..........


----------



## RainyDay (22 Oct 2006)

WaterWater said:


> Driving back from the Stillorgan Industrial Estate today across the Luas line I notice that the houses that back on to that particular stretch of road, Lakelands I believe it is called, are just dumping their garden rubbish over the wall and on to the public area. Are litter wardens blind or what?



Maybe they don't pass every particular stretch of road in their area - Have you given them a call to report this problem?


----------



## hotlips (22 Oct 2006)

panathon said:


> So you report me to the cops for doing that if it was the case and make a case against me on what you claim you saw happen and have my number plate - prove it? I mean I could pick any car off the road and say the same.


 
The witness appears in court and gives evidence. If someone wants to go to court and lie to say they saw someone littering for some strange reason, then I guess there's nothing to stop them.


----------



## Nosey Joe (22 Oct 2006)

Saw recently in a newspaper where a person who was going through Drogheda was spotted by the litter warden throwing I think a cig .butt out of car and was brought to court and fined €1000 and I think € 258 costs!


----------



## Cowzer (22 Oct 2006)

GeneralZod said:


> Reeducation is an appropriate term in the context below where rehabilitation is required due to learned delinquent behaviour.


 
You missed my point. I have nothing but contempt for creatures who throw rubbish out car windows, or anywhere else for that matter, it's just the previous poster's assumption that _all_ smokers are litterers that I found laughable. In my little book there's only one thing worse than a militant smoker.....a militant anti-smoker. Seeing as we're in to generalisations on this thread....militant anti-smokers = quite the dullest people on earth who generally seem allergic to smiling. Maybe it's the smoke in their eyes.


----------

