Who's Got the Metres? - Winnipeg & Garbage, 2010 (by Margaret Ullrich)

They had their long term plans. Long term plans work, right?

They said it would work.

People who share a back lane have to place their garbage carts along one side of the lane. Same for the recycling cart. Oh, and if you have a large family you can get a second cart for your garbage.


Okay... let's picture a worse case scenario. Two large families back each other on the back lane. Three carts each house. Six carts.


The cart is about a metre wide. We're supposed to leave one metre clearance on both sides of the cart.

Okay...
That's 6 carts, .59 metre each = 3.54 metres
one metre on the end sides = 2 metres
one metre in between the carts = 5 metres
______________
total 10.54 metres


Our lots are 35 feet wide
35 feet x 12 = 420 inches
420 inches / 39 = 10 3/4 metres

By the way, we get snow. Lots of snow. We have to put it somewhere from roughly November to March. That takes up a few metres, too.

Hmmm...


Just to add to the fun, our garages or parking pads face the back lane. These garages or parking pads hold cars. That's right, there can be more than one driver per household.

Now, about the time we've been told to put the carts out, folks are a little busy. Driving out to get to work or to take the kids to school. Some folks do shift work and come home at odd hours.

In other words, the back lane isn't exactly just sitting there, unused, waiting for the new garbage trucks.

Hell, no. It's damn busy.

And, maybe, just maybe, folks are a little too busy to move a half dozen carts - that can't all fit to block one homeowner's garage or parking pad anyway - around to get in and out of their garages or parking pads. Any suggestions where they can put the carts, without blocking traffic, while they are coming and going?


The brochure says Now you're ready to roll!


Yeah, right.


Have a great day. How can you miss - you're in Winnipeg!