Waxman
Super Moderator
Actually I offered some concrete money making ideas with zero sarcasm. Must be you.
Trash pickers...
- Thread starter starion
- Start date
Washmee
Fullservice Tunnel
One man's trash, is another man's treasure.
Bucksavage
Member
The comment below is a great idea.
"Put out separate bins for aluminum and throw a few cans in them. In most areas it's illegal to take items from marked recycling bins. He can be fined a lot more than he could ever hope to get from picking through your trash."
I ran into the police (figuratively) the other day when they found a drunk passed out on the property. They told me if I joined their "trespass program" or something like that, they could arrest somebody for being on the property without justification. They would not need to call me at all hours to ask if Joe Stumbling Drunk belongs on the property.
I received the form in the mail with stickers for the door in the front and back. See if your PD has something like that.
I think I know where you’re coming from on the cans and recyclables. I have a hard time passing up the aluminum and coins in the vacs. It’s like the stuff is calling you and you feel like you’re throwing money away if you leave it.
On the other hand I have had to just pass the “treasures up” because I had so much to do. I just ask myself if there is something I could be doing to increase my revenue (by more than .68 cents LOL) by a decent amount.
Waxman’s idea’s, whether stated with sarcasm or not were right on the money. I always ask successful people their opinion on how they reached their goals and guess what; they spend their time on the stuff that increases revenue.
That’s my 2 cents or .75 of a cent after taxes.
"Put out separate bins for aluminum and throw a few cans in them. In most areas it's illegal to take items from marked recycling bins. He can be fined a lot more than he could ever hope to get from picking through your trash."
I ran into the police (figuratively) the other day when they found a drunk passed out on the property. They told me if I joined their "trespass program" or something like that, they could arrest somebody for being on the property without justification. They would not need to call me at all hours to ask if Joe Stumbling Drunk belongs on the property.
I received the form in the mail with stickers for the door in the front and back. See if your PD has something like that.
I think I know where you’re coming from on the cans and recyclables. I have a hard time passing up the aluminum and coins in the vacs. It’s like the stuff is calling you and you feel like you’re throwing money away if you leave it.
On the other hand I have had to just pass the “treasures up” because I had so much to do. I just ask myself if there is something I could be doing to increase my revenue (by more than .68 cents LOL) by a decent amount.
Waxman’s idea’s, whether stated with sarcasm or not were right on the money. I always ask successful people their opinion on how they reached their goals and guess what; they spend their time on the stuff that increases revenue.
That’s my 2 cents or .75 of a cent after taxes.
Waxman
Super Moderator
Oops you got me. Wrong emoticon! No I was offering what I thought were helpful ideas. Eyerolls unintentional! Sorry.When I hover the cursor over the emoticon I see:
Is that just me?
(hows that)
keniniowa
Member
I've thought about doing this. The wash up the street has my favorite diver clean their vacs.
I'm leary of asking him to do anything, or giving him any direction for fear that if he ever gets hurt on my property all of the sudden he's an employee.
Maybe I worry too much.
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
You might ask your insurance agent, I did and I was covered.
After awhile I offered to pay him but he (John) was so thankful not to get yelled at or thrown off the property he said no.
Every month I would vacuum up between $50-100.
By the way John was a retired union auto worker (1980-1990's). Go figure.
pitzerwm
Active member
That is something that you need to think about. If you allow them on the property and or have them "do" something, then they could claim that you "hired" them. Then Labor & Industries among other agencies, could fine you, especially if he gets a cut that gets infected, or whatever.
I arranged a deal with a lady that wanted to clean out the vacs, She was an independent contractor in all legal terms, I paid her almost nothing, and she "owned the trash in the vac" It was all in writing.
I arranged a deal with a lady that wanted to clean out the vacs, She was an independent contractor in all legal terms, I paid her almost nothing, and she "owned the trash in the vac" It was all in writing.
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
Bill in retrospect you are right.
I should have done that, I guess I was lucky that nothing happened in the ten years he did this.
I should have done that, I guess I was lucky that nothing happened in the ten years he did this.
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
Waxman when I opened my first wash in the 70's I used all income coming in to pay the wash off as fast as possible.
Times where tough and the only money my wife and I had for vacation, if we could afford one, came from money found at the wash and vacuums trash over the year.
Today's business cycle is even worse.
Times where tough and the only money my wife and I had for vacation, if we could afford one, came from money found at the wash and vacuums trash over the year.
Today's business cycle is even worse.
cleaning up mud
Member
The worst thing about people that pick through trash, work on their cars, park in the bays and eat breakfast or lunch, is that the most of them just throw everything on the ground! I dont know about the rest of you but i am sick and tired of it! I ask them not to come back, it makes the whole place look bad for good customers!
Employees
It's your business to run, so you have the right to run it any way you want.
But, when I bought my wash, the former owners advised me not to dig through the garbage under any circumstances. Apparently they did this a few times looking for the identities of trash dumpers, and almost got stuck by discarded hypodermic needles that had been hidden in plastic bags. They decided the risk in the trash was greater than the potential reward.
Maybe this is car wash blasphemy as digging through the trash seems to be a rite of passage in this business .....
It's your business to run, so you have the right to run it any way you want.
But, when I bought my wash, the former owners advised me not to dig through the garbage under any circumstances. Apparently they did this a few times looking for the identities of trash dumpers, and almost got stuck by discarded hypodermic needles that had been hidden in plastic bags. They decided the risk in the trash was greater than the potential reward.
Maybe this is car wash blasphemy as digging through the trash seems to be a rite of passage in this business .....
Waxman
Super Moderator
It's no rite of passage for me.
I am better than that and make more money with 'higher' interests. Things like I said in the earlier post are all far more worthy of my time than rooting through garbage.
Have some pride!
I am better than that and make more money with 'higher' interests. Things like I said in the earlier post are all far more worthy of my time than rooting through garbage.
Have some pride!
Eric H
Well-known member
I did get stuck with a needle back on June '05. Being on HIV medication for a month is no fun
I was picking up a big pile of trash one of the trash pickers had left next to the trash can. I was grabbing big handfuls and felt a pinch on my middle finger and immediately knew what happened. That was not a fun morning I do still pull things out of the trash if I see something interesting. I am building a new shed right now using a Makita circular saw that I pulled out of a can last month, even had a new blade on it!
madscientist
Member
I think Starion's original post was misconstrued. You DO NOT have to dig through trash to find significant amounts of money, and sometimes useful items like tools, at your car wash. However, the people that do pick through your trash will get this stuff while they are picking through your trash. I don't think any of us go dumpster diving. Starion was upset for a couple of reasons, but not because his trash pickers were cutting into his hobby of dumpster diving. He was simply asking for advice about how to get rid of his trash pickers.
madscientist
Member
MEP1,
I'm glad you went through the effort to find that old post. It's a must read for all of us.
I'm glad you went through the effort to find that old post. It's a must read for all of us.
Bucksavage
Member
trash picking
Madscientist,
I agree his original post was taken for a wild ride. BUT, I personally have learned a great deal from this post, especially about the needle poke. This was probably one of the most helpful post (not profitable) but helpful in a potentially life saving way.
Madscientist,
I agree his original post was taken for a wild ride. BUT, I personally have learned a great deal from this post, especially about the needle poke. This was probably one of the most helpful post (not profitable) but helpful in a potentially life saving way.
