Caught Dumpers

[Red Baron]

My wife and I have been wondering for a week what the huge bags are outside my neighbor's house as we drive by 10 times each day. Lo & behold, I find 3 of them filling up my dumpster this morning; they're filled with insulation scraps.

Let me describe my dumpster because it's not like every other ordinary dumpster. No, this dumpster is a special dumpster because it has a large yellow and black impossible-not-to-see laminated sign right on the front:

PRIVATE DUMPSTER
Using this dumpster
for construction
materials is Theft of
Services!!!

So the doofuses (doofi?) were easy to identify what with their logo on their cargo trailer still parked at my neighbor's house. After I called him, the idiot showed up to pick them out of the dumpster, then called me to say: Yeah uh, that stuff wasn't mine but I took it anyway.

Yeah uh-huh.

 

[Waxman]

It's the lying and excuse making part that gets to me most.

If a person makes a mistake I much prefer if they admit it. Then all parties move on from there.

The excuse/lie may help the person's ego but it is a true copout and a "lower than a snake's belly" way to exist.

 

[bigleo48]

Red,

I would have had the dumpster tipped and them pay for it...Either that or call the cops.

I had some carnies in town working a fair and they dumped their blackwater tank from their RV at my wash (all on video). They paid $500 to have my system cleaned out.

The guy was very defiant at first, then when the cops showed up he softened a lot. The cops told him that I have a very elaborate video system and that I likely had him on video from many angles (which I did).

His wife then had him apologize to me. I did not accept his apology based on him lying and being defiant about it all after he was caught red handed.

He could have had his RV pumped out at the local city operated campground for $20. Don't think he'll try that again.

Big

 

[pitzerwm]

Red you must be getting old, I can't believe you just let him pick it up)

 

[lighthousecarwash]

Oh the trash. I have a huge log chain on my dumpster to keep idiots from dumping trash...but they just throw it next to the dumpster now. I have no problem digging through it and finding their name and address. Funny how they always dump something that has all their information on it. I call the cops and have them tell them to come and pick it up. I tell the officer if they give him any crap about it, then just write them a ticket.

Had a bunch of bags there one day and started digging through it. I was quite amazed at the cleanliness of the trash! I thought, hmm, these people are pretty clean and tidy. I still called the cops and in about 30 minutes this lady called me and told me how sorry she was. Her husband had left the trash there and she made him run right down and pick it up. She was really apologetic and I could tell that she was being sincere. She obviously wasn't trash like the other people that dump stuff there. First time I ever got a call from someone saying they were sorry though. Most of them just deny it all.

Lighthouse.

 

[Red Baron]

Red you must be getting old, I can't believe you just let him pick it up)

The contractor is working on my neighbor's house, or I might have been a little more harsh.

Also, a couple hours passed between the time I discovered who it was and the time I got in touch with him. I've learned to let a little time pass before I make a call or send out a letter, as often I calm down and decide to ignore it.

 

[Randy]

I can tell you guy’s stories for hours about the ones that I’ve caught dumping there household garbage at the car wash. Most of them lately have been members of the US military. They think it’s there God given right to be able to use my dumpster for free. I don’t even bother trying to contact them anymore I just call the Police and have them cited. I always file a restitution form so I can be compensated for getting rid of there garbage, I don’t give them the option of coming back to get there trash.

 

[Red Baron]

Making our usual early morning Starbucks run last weekend, which always includes a turn-around at Sudsy Springs Car Wash in S. Lubbock, we noticed someone left a kitchen countertop and 2 tires in Sudsy's bay.

What makes people think that it ok? You know, when someone does something like that, my mind goes to work over-imagining all the other nonsense they might be capable of doing, and I usually decide I don't want them at my car wash for any reason. It's kinda like the guy who leaves the foamy brush and wand in the middle of the floor when he leaves - if I gotta explain something fundamental like that to him, there is a lot of other things he doesn't get and I just don't want him around.

 

[pitzerwm]

Joe Mapes, a successful Texas car washer, was once asked in a speech how to get rid of the low life's hanging around the wash. His reply was "Raise your prices". IMO, being the most expensive operation in town has a lot of advantages.

 

[Washmee]

Joe Mapes, a successful Texas car washer, was once asked in a speech how to get rid of the low life's hanging around the wash. His reply was "Raise your prices". IMO, being the most expensive operation in town has a lot of advantages.

A number of years ago I raised the prices of my Detail packages by 50% or more. I was tired of trying to compete with some guy operating out of his garage with no overhead. It was the best move I ever made. I got rid of all the cheapo customers who thought that paying $100 for a complete detail was alot of $$$. Usually they were driving junk vehicles that no matter what we did, they were still not going to look good. Now I get calls all the time from customers who tell us they used our service because we were the most expensive and assumed that meant we do the best work. Raising the price also raised the level of customer. Now we cars that we can work with and make look great and I got rid of the people with unrealistic expectations. Truly a win-win situation.

 

[MEP001]

Joe Mapes, a successful Texas car washer, was once asked in a speech how to get rid of the low life's hanging around the wash. His reply was "Raise your prices". IMO, being the most expensive operation in town has a lot of advantages.

That reminds me of years ago when I took over running a wash for someone. It was still 50¢ when most others were at $1. I asked him several times if he'd mind raising it to 75¢, but he'd say no, that it'll run everyone off. After a while I just did it anyway, and not only did the income jump 30% overnight, there were a lot fewer messes being made. A couple years later when I said I wanted to raise it to $1 he practically jumped up and down saying "Do it!"

 

[Red Baron]

That reminds me of years ago when I took over running a wash for someone. It was still 50¢ when most others were at $1. I asked him several times if he'd mind raising it to 75¢, but he'd say no, that it'll run everyone off. After a while I just did it anyway, and not only did the income jump 30% overnight, there were a lot fewer messes being made. A couple years later when I said I wanted to raise it to $1 he practically jumped up and down saying "Do it!"

To suit various moods I have bounced my self serve prices from 40 seconds per $.25 to 31 seconds, where I am now. In all the years only 1 guy has said anything about it.

That's the nice thing about having my D&S meterboxes with the remote control - I can change my prices in 1 minute without opening the meterbox - just point the remote at the face and press the buttons.