A young Australian accidentally started 'a war' with his neighbors after breaking what he described as an unspoken 'garbage law'.
The young man moved to a house in Western Sydney and is still adjusting to the new system, having previously lived in apartments with communal bins.
He shared the details on Reddit, admitting that he had put a large (folded) cardboard box and a small bag of trash in the neighbor's empty trash bin because theirs was overflowing due to the holidays.
However, the act angered the elderly resident, who raised the 'crime' and now furiously guards her bins every week.
'I'm really confused why it's so wrong to just throw rubbish in someone else's red bin when they're not using it?' they wrote, seeking help from others.
'I understand that councils can be picky about mixing recyclables and organic material, but this is a regular red top bin.'
A young Australian has thanked Reddit for explaining suburban 'garbage etiquette' and why you shouldn't throw leftover rubbish in your neighbour's bin (stock image)
'I've been spoiled with using communal waste bins for most of my life while living in apartments, and now I'm learning to navigate this new world with three different colored bins that alternate in different places on the street on different evenings and weeks. out the door,” he says. began.
“I thought I was doing fine until tonight.”
At the time it was red waste night for the general waste collection, but the cardboard box and small bag of waste were left behind.
“So when I saw that my neighbors had their trash cans outside and a few of them were almost empty, I thought it made sense to use them,” the post continued.
'I broke the cardboard box, folded it up and put it in one of the almost empty bins and I tied my bag of waste and put it in another almost empty bin.
'The next thing I know, a grumpy old lady storms out and says I can't use her bin. I apologize and explain that I thought things would be fine as her tank was almost empty.”
The Australian admitted that they had decided to throw a large cardboard box and a small bag of rubbish into the neighbour's empty bin as theirs was overflowing due to the holidays. However, the act angered the elderly resident who tackled the 'crime' and now monitors her rubbish bins every week (stock image)
The neighbor explained that it is 'not okay' and how the cardboard box should go in the yellow trash bin.
The man then asked the neighbor if the bag of waste could be put in her waste bin.
'She says no and starts talking about council rates and I joked that she's not getting her money's worth if she only uses a quarter of her bin, but that didn't lighten the mood and now she's furious with me,' said the redditor.
“She now sits at her window and guards her garbage can, so I get the feeling that I have really violated a sacred rule of suburban garbage law.”
Hundreds joined the conversation and listed the waste rules to help the new resident.
Many say you should never throw “smelly” trash in your neighbor's trash can, such as diapers or food scraps.
One person said that if you throw rubbish in the neighbour's bin, make sure you don't get caught.
Another wrote: 'It sounds like she's overreacting a bit, but it's common to ask ahead of time.'
Someone else said: 'You have shown yourself to be a non-recycler, it will take years of gifted, baked Christmas goods to recover from this mistake.'
The original poster thanked Reddit for explaining that “bin etiquette” is “very personal.”
'There seem to be two main camps. The people who have no qualms about me putting a few things in their bin on trash night, while waiting for the room of course, and who would be weirded out and annoyed if I knocked on their door asking for permission,” the post continued .
'As long as I don't throw a pile of loose shrimp or smear dirty diapers on the lid.
“And then there are those who think that someone throwing folded cardboard into the half-empty bin on garbage night is as insulting and disturbing as me kicking their new puppy.
“I completely understand and from now on I will make sure I commit bin crime under the cover of darkness.”