I could've killed that little punk with the skateboard.... (Read 974 times)

So I was out for an easy run today and basically towards the end of it I was running through a small condo neighborhood. There was this punk little brat (you know, the kind with the jeans tighter than a woman's, long circus -like hair scrambling out from under his hat, all in black, maybe a chain or two hanging from the waistband, and carrying a skateboard) He was busy chugging the last of his bottled drink when I was approaching him from behind. I moved to the other side of the road because I felt awkward, and just as I was coming up equal to him, he finished the drink and proceeded to just throw it to the side of the road. Then he heard me coming, we locked eyes for a moment and I started to disapprovingly shake my head at him littering. However, even though I was cursing him in my head, and telling myself to do something about it, I didn't. I dont know why, I just didnt, and now I am mad at myself My husband is famous for yelling out "Excuse me, you seemed to have dropped something." to people who litter, which eventhough may come across as a little bit D***-ish, the point still gets across. So I was wanting to do that to the kid SOOO badly, but again I didnt. Then, I wanted to turn around while I was still in his line of view and go back and pick up his bottle and throw it away myself so he could see me, but again I didnt. Basically, I CAN"T STAND people who litter, it is TOTALLY unnecessary. The next time I go back that way, I will find that bottle and throw it out properly (just to make myself feel better). Anyone else ever see anything like this and actually do something about it? Hope I didnt come across as a total environment freak. I'm only a little bit of a freak about it

It might be good that you didn't say anything; it's one thing for a grown man to tell a punk off, but a lone lady ... I think you did the right thing. He'll get what's coming to him somehow. (When that kid comes looking for a job, you'll remember. ) What gets me is cigarette butts. They're prolific along some curb lines. It's disgusting. People throw them out of cars during dry season - I wish so bad for the ability to throw them back at them! Our county recently banned smoking on public beaches - Yeah! I remember when my older daughter was about 9 months old, playing in the sand - she dug up a butt and put it to her mouth... GRRR!

I'm not an evironmentalist by any means, probably more of a neat freak, but when people just throw garbage on the ground it really gets my irish up. Pigs! It makes you wonder how they were brought up and what their homes must look like. To me putting trash were it belongs is just being considerate of others.

I agree with you! I can not stand when people litter. My 5 year old always says " Look Mom, Someone is RUDE, they threw their trash on the ground". I love it. What is the best is when she does it and they hear her! I find the person usually goes and picks up their trash then! I would be embarrassed if I heard a five year old say that about me. I think I taught her right! That is a close call on whether or not to say something to the kid ,just do to the fact that you don't know what that kid will do!

Caution! bratty remark to follow: Littering sucks. But so does associating long haired kids who dress funny and ride skateboards in public places with garbage. There are plenty of "punk brats" who do much greater damage to the environment through the ordinary effects of their ordinary lives. signed, The Dirty Hippie

It's usually a bad idea for a lone, young woman to confront a teenage male child. It's not worth getting stabbed over an empty Powerade bottle. :O

Continuation of brattiness to follow: Right. Because kids with skateboards dressed in black stab folks over an empty Powerade bottle. I dunno. I understand that she was "just describing." But it was a powerful description that raised my own different sort of indignation. Enough already. Or too much, already, from me. I'll go back in my hole and quit being so grouchy.

Argh!! That is one of my biggest pet peeves. Driving home everyday through the city I see people winging all kinds of crap out of their windows. It just blows my mind that people can be so short sighted and have such a lack of social conscious. I have stood up to a litterer only once - I used to mentor an "at risk" 8 year old girl at an inner city school. Some days I used to drive her and her siblings home after our program was finished. One day her sister tossed a cookie wrapper on the ground and I said (in a joking manner) "Hey! Pick that up, do you really want this city to be any filthier?" Her response to me was that she didn't want to junk up my car with it. That kinda impressed me but I was also baffled - a. she was being respectful of my property, but b. since when can you not hang on to a wrapper until you get home?? So there you have it - I have the courage to stand up to 8 year olds, but really no one else. In your case I probably would've done the same thing.

I never confront people for littering though it ticks me off like you wouldn't believe. Picking up that bottle would have done a lot to put a doubt into that kid's mind about littering. As a runner, I know where trash cans are all along many of the routes I run. As I get close to them, I'll pick up trash along the way and toss it in. I love it when people see me doing this, doesn't embarrass me and maybe it will put the idea into other people's heads that it's not good to litter and it IS OK to pick up trash.