As a customer, how would you have handled this?

[aurelemsrealm]

After work the other night, I decided to swing by the local Krystal to get my favorite Krystal combo because I was not in the mood to mess with cooking or hunting for a quick bite at home. It was after midnight by the time I got there, so the dining room was closed. I expected that even though I would have preferred to dine in so I wouldn't have to worry about finding a trash can later or carting it home. Yes, given my feelings about lazy slobs who don't pick up after themselves in public, I'm very conscientious about picking up after myself in public and throwing my trash away.

So, I go through the drive-thru. I've just learned that it's best to always check my order before I leave the parking lot to make sure I have everything and that my order is right. I've been through too many angry return trips to the local McDonald's restaurants to get my orders corrected. Our local McDonald's franchises have truly horrible customer service, but that's another story. So, I pull into one of the parking spaces on the perimeter of Krystal's parking lot. It was all okay, so I was getting ready to back out. There were a couple of cars also parked along the perimeter. For some reason, this middle-aged couple in one of the other cars just caught my attention. I don't really know how or why. Anyway, the guy was just staring at me. Then, I noticed it. He had their bag full of trash poised and ready to throw out the window. Even though I wouldn't be the one to clean it up, it still pissed me off remembering all those times I've had to sweep up parking lots at my jobs. I now realized why this f-ing jerk was staring at me. He thought I was watching him, but I really hadn't been paying attention until that moment.

I could see him squirming around not to look obvious, but he kept staring at me. So, just because I could and it seemed the most appropriate response, I flipped him the bird. Like I said, it wasn't going to put a damper on my night since I didn't work there, and I was going home from my job for the night. Even so, it just pissed me off -- another sucky customer who makes these fast food employees even more tempted to tamper with the food out of spite. So, he handed the bag off to his passenger, and she tossed it out the passenger side. I guess they thought I wouldn't notice it that way, but I'm not stupid. As soon as they backed out, I saw the bag laying right beside the space where they had been parked.

I did write down the vehicle description and license plate with the thoughts of reporting it to their manager. Then, I thought that it probably wouldn't do any good. Besides, only the drive-thru was open, and I wouldn't be willing to wait in line again just to relay the information. So, I went home instead and ate my dinner. After all, I'm a firm believer that it's best to just mind my own business in most instances that don't directly concern me.

[mariamousie1]

I'm not sure what I would have done. It makes me mad to see people do that though. Darn litterers. My town is just covered with garbage, especially downtown and it really makes me mad. The first thing that came to mind is pick it up and throw it out myself, but you never know about other people's garbage. I'd have to wash my hands right away.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I would have reported it to the litter hotline (which I don't know what it is off the top of my head). I think they send citations for stuff like that.

And yeah, I probably would have flipped them the finger, too.

EDIT: Found it: http://www.azdot.gov/highways/adoptahwy/HotLine.asp

[BookstoreEscapee]

I wouldn't give the finger (I just don't do that, well, rarely, anyway, and usually it's when I'm joking around with friends) but I'd probably stare back for a few seconds...just to make the point that yes, I did know what he was trying to do and yes, I think he's an ass.

[JustaCashier]

I don't think you did anything wrong, in the sense what you did was not evil, or in my opinion unethical. At the point you flipped him off, it was pretty obvious what his intentions were.

But, now, I have to do the lecture thingie like a cop would do if you had come across a guy armed with 2 Uzis, a sword, and a bomb strapped to his body, and he was physically holding and old lady, an infant, and a cute stray kitty hostage and you, unarmed, rushed the guy and tackled him, and disabled him, thus allowing for the escape of his hostages, and........where was I now? Oh, yeah.......lecture thingie..... You never know if the assmunch would have been armed, or even hopped out of his car and smashed your window out and punched you.

I, too, hate littering with a passion. I often feel guilty that I don't pick up other people's litter, but I find litter gross, and never know what might be hidden in tha bag. A druggie's needles? Some greasy/sticky/slimy crap that will get all over my hands and I won't have a place to wash before I hop on the bus?

I remember one time, long ago, when I still had my one and only car ever, a '67 VW Beetle with factory sunroof. I was driving along one day, munching on a burger, and reached over to the passenger seat for a napkin. The air current from the open sunroof caught a few of the napkins, and they went flying through the opening.

If I hadn't been belted in, I probably would have gone out through the roof myself, after them. As it was, I was very embarrassed at what the other drivers must have been thinking, "Look at that A-Hole! Littering!!" I tried to make exaggerated movements, as if to show I was trying to keep them from flyimg out, but that was probably mistaken for actually throwing them out.

Speaking of litter, and fast foods, McDonalds for years, had the slogan on their bags etc "Please Put Litter in its Place"

Now, I've always thought that was cool that they did that, and even though I knew what they meant, I couldn't help but think from the first time I read that back in the '60's or '70's or whenever, that litter was the stuff you find already on the ground, it's just a bag, or cup, or whatever until it's either littered, or properly tossed in a garbage can.

Anyone else ever thought about it that way?

Mike

[Giggle Goose]

So, he handed the bag off to his passenger, and she tossed it out the passenger side. I guess they thought I wouldn't notice it that way, but I'm not stupid.

Yeah, way to be slick about it, dude.

I would have just glared at them. It would be nice if you could report it to the manager and all, but nothing would really help except to change the attitude of these people.

I was surprised he actually looked guilty, though. I had one similar encounter where the litterer seemed to be proud of it. Outside a gas station this girl a few years younger than me took the wrapper off a popsicle and just threw it on the ground when there was a trash can only a few feet away. I was in my car staring her down and she just screamed "f*#$ you, b&*%@." But she was walking and I was in a car so I just rolled my eyes and drove off. I hope one day she goes to jail and has to pick garbage up off the side of the road.

[blas]

Here is what you should have done....

Taken the bag of trash, opened it (with gloves on, of course!) and looked for a receipt or paperwork with his name and address on it.

Pack it all up and UPS it to his home address, with a note attached saying "You left this in the Krystal's parking lot!"

Trust me, it's worth the money to UPS something like that back to an asshole like that.

That's what my dad did when some jerkoff from out of state threw a bag of trash out the window onto the highway back in the day.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I remember one time, long ago, when I still had my one and only car ever, a '67 VW Beetle with factory sunroof. I was driving along one day, munching on a burger, and reached over to the passenger seat for a napkin. The air current from the open sunroof caught a few of the napkins, and they went flying through the opening.

Would that make your car a ... litterbug?


sorry i'll go now.

[justZu]

I think I would have sat and stared at him until he felt guilty and drove away. If he dumped his garbage anyway, I might have picked it up, made a note of his license plates and asked <a cop I know> to run the plates and give me the litterbug's home address. Then I would've mailed his garbage back to him.

I know this is probably just wishful thinking, but it would be a great thing to do.

[Pagan]

I was walking back from Sunflower one day down this little side-street in-between there and another store. Well, there's a line of big pine trees there that's shady in the early afternoon and people will park there and eat their lunch in their cars. Well, one day, this "lady" tossed her bag out the window. I was walking by and just in the right mood. I picked it up and held it out to her and said, "Oh, here, you dropped this." Oooh, she was not a happy camper.

Sorry, bitch, but even though you probably don't live in this part of town, I do and would appreciate it if you would keep your trash on your side of town. We've got enough without you adding to it.

What gets me is these are usually the same people bitching about all the trash all over the place!

[fma_fanatic]

While I can understand your not appreciating litter bugs, what use did flipping the bird have, other than to antagonize the offending party? In this day and age, you don't know who has a gun, who's going to lose it and come after you.

It was a juvenile move on your part. So was dumping their litter.

[JustaCashier]

Would that make your car a ... litterbug?

Why yes, yes it would!

Mike

[aurelemsrealm]

Flipping the bird may not have been the most prudent or useful response, but it got the point across in a way they'd understand. I'm not saying that it was right or wrong, that was just my frame of mind after working the previous 9 hours.

I realize what some of you are saying about not knowing what kind of psychos such random strangers might be. I seem to have a knack for detecting trouble of that nature. It could always prove faulty someday, but I didn't have that vibe of being in a dangerous situation. Plus, I had only parked long enough to check my order, so I didn't even bother to shut the car off. It was only as I was getting ready to leave for home myself that they caught my attention. I guess I had that feeling of being watched to see if I was watching, but didn't realize it since the guy was staring at me as soon as I looked at them. That was a bit strange for me because I try to seem intentionally oblivious to what everyone else is doing in hopes that they'll continue on their way so I can go about my own business. I guess the fact that they caught my attention by staring at me was one of my points in posting this. Maybe I'm going crazy, but I've been having a lot of strange experiences like that here lately at work and outside of work. All I know is that I'm much happier when everyone lets me pretend to live in my fantasy world and do my own thing.

[Ryooshi]

Ah, I've actually been in that position before. Normally I'd do something close to what Pagan does, though if they're 'done with it' I will tend to pick it up and say in one of those clear carrying voices 'Oops! You missed! Here, I'll throw that in the trash for you.' People get pretty embarassed.
Granted, if the can was quite a distance away, I would hand it back and direct them to the can.


Oh, and Hi, I've been a lurker for quite a while, I just don't really post much...

[queenbb]

i remember the whole put litter in its place mc donalds campaign, alot of the outlets here still have it on their trash cans, as well as alot of ones which are drivers side hight for just such an occasion.

i have never been one for littering ever, i would rather trash up my car than litter.

anyway about the flipping off, i probably wouldnt have done it, all because of what happend to my mom one day long ago.

she was driving and some jerk went around her, and cut her off (2 way street with dotted yellow for passing if need be) she flips him off, he stops gets out of the car, pulls down his pants and starts flipping his genitals around in front of her.

of course me i would have just drove off but i guess my mom was too in shock to move her car, she said she just sat there embarrased, lucky for her he didnt try to come to her car or anything, just exposed him self and drove off.

when she comes home she holds small mini meeting with me and my sister asking us to not flip people off because she realized that she could have been in a much worse situation than just getting a little show.