Discover the genius hack one resident used to handle a neighbor's 'selfish' trash day behavior!

Navigating neighbourhood etiquette can sometimes be as tricky as a game of chess, especially when it comes to the weekly ritual of bin day. For many of us in the over-60s community, ensuring our bins are collected without a hitch is a small but significant part of maintaining our household routine. However, what happens when a neighbour's actions throw a spanner in the works?


This was the dilemma faced by a South Australian woman, who found herself at her wit's end due to her neighbour's 'inconsiderate' parking habits on bin day. Every week, like clockwork, her neighbour would park his car right outside her property, obstructing access to her wheelie bin and preventing the garbage truck from emptying it. The frustration of having to contact the council repeatedly to rearrange collection was growing tiresome.


compressed-bin.jpeg
The woman placed a no parking sticker on her bin to remind neighbours to avoid parking nearby. Image Credits: TikTok/Hormone Humor


But as they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and it was this ongoing issue that led the woman to discover a simple yet effective solution. After seeking advice, she was introduced to a 'No Parking' bin sticker by the City of West Torrens Council. These stickers, while advisory and not legally enforceable, serve as a polite reminder to fellow residents to keep the space in front of wheelie bins clear on collection day.


The woman eagerly applied the sticker to her bin, and to her relief, it seemed to do the trick. In a follow-up TikTok video, she reported a significant improvement, with only one subsequent incident where a car parked in front of her bin, but it was moved later that night.

The 'No Parking' bin sticker initiative was first introduced by the City of West Torrens Council back in 2018 as a community-focused solution to a common problem. Since then, it has been helping residents across Adelaide's western suburbs. In the previous year alone, 86 stickers were distributed to locals, and already in 2024, 51 stickers have been issued to those in need.

The council's stance is clear: bins should be placed at least one meter away from parked cars to ensure safe and efficient collection. While the waste contractors will do their best to empty all bins, even those obstructed by vehicles, there are times when access is simply not possible. In such cases, residents are encouraged to report a missed bin collection either by phone or through an online form, and the contractor will return to handle the job.


This story has sparked a debate among Aussies, with opinions divided. Some social media users have pointed out that there seemed to be enough space between the car and the bin in the video, suggesting that the neighbour was parked legally and not at fault. Others have shifted the blame to the council, arguing that it's the truck driver's responsibility to manoeuvre around any obstacles to collect the bins.

However, the consensus among many is that a little consideration goes a long way. The 'No Parking' bin sticker is a testament to the power of a simple, polite request in maintaining harmony on our streets. It's a reminder that sometimes, the solutions to our daily grievances can be straightforward and community-driven.

For our readers, have you encountered similar issues on bin day? What creative solutions have you come up with to ensure your bins are collected without any problems? Share your stories and tips in the comments below – your advice could very well be the perfect solution for someone else in our Seniors Discount Club community!

Key Takeaways

  • A South Australian woman has found a simple solution to prevent her neighbour from parking in a spot blocking access to her wheelie bin on collection day, which consists of using a 'No Parking' bin sticker.
  • The City of West Torrens Council in Adelaide provides these stickers that are advisory in nature but are not enforceable by law; they are meant to deter such inconsiderate parking.
  • The woman, frustrated by her neighbour's actions which she believes to be intentional, has had to call council to rearrange bin collection when her bin was not emptied due to being blocked.
  • Despite mixed reactions from the public, with some blaming the council or suggesting other solutions, the council has stated that bins should be placed at least one metre away from cars to be collected safely and that their waste contractor will endeavour to empty all bins even if access is incomplete, with options to report missed collections.
And remember, if you're facing persistent issues with bin collection due to inconsiderate parking, reach out to your local council to inquire about 'No Parking' bin stickers or other measures they may have in place. After all, it's these small victories that keep our neighbourhoods friendly and functional.
 
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Ahh the cost....I'll be buggered .... I'll just put my bin in front of his car... eventually he will get the messenger....
I would dump it at the offender's front door. A former neighbour tried a similar stunt with our paid council "hard rubbish" collection. He dumped numerous huge black garbage bags on top of our street side pile.

He made one fatal mistake. An envelope with his name and address was in one of the bags.

So about 100kgs of rubbish was emptied out at his front door.

Never happened again!
 
I have a slightly different problem. Yes, I have had cars parked in front of my house, necessitating my moving my bins, but I also have someone regularly dumping their rubbish in my bins, AND in the wrong bins too - e.g. plastic in the "paper" recycling bin and cardboard (lots of it!) in my general rubbish - should they impose fines for incorrect material allocation I'd be the one being fined! Also, there is a risk of my bins being damaged or contaminated if they don't wrap up their "deposits".

I now have to put my bins out in the morning (the council's only solution!), which is fine now, though necessitates my getting up early that morning, but what happens if I've had a late night/early morning and sleep in?
No parking stickers will help, regardless of the cost.
 
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Reactions: Abby2
I have a slightly different problem. Yes, I have had cars parked in front of my house, necessitating my moving my bins, but I also have someone regularly dumping their rubbish in my bins, AND in the wrong bins too - e.g. plastic in the "paper" recycling bin and cardboard (lots of it!) in my general rubbish - should they impose fines for incorrect material allocation I'd be the one being fined! Also, there is a risk of my bins being damaged or contaminated if they don't wrap up their "deposits".

I now have to put my bins out in the morning (the council's only solution!), which is fine now, though necessitates my getting up early that morning, but what happens if I've had a late night/early morning and sleep in?
No parking stickers will help, regardless of the cost.
write a note stating DO NOT PUT YOUR RUBBISH HERE on a piece of cardboard, then encapsulate it in a freezer bag and tape it on the top of each of your bins, Simple.
 
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Reactions: Abby2
I have a slightly different problem. Yes, I have had cars parked in front of my house, necessitating my moving my bins, but I also have someone regularly dumping their rubbish in my bins, AND in the wrong bins too - e.g. plastic in the "paper" recycling bin and cardboard (lots of it!) in my general rubbish - should they impose fines for incorrect material allocation I'd be the one being fined! Also, there is a risk of my bins being damaged or contaminated if they don't wrap up their "deposits".

I now have to put my bins out in the morning (the council's only solution!), which is fine now, though necessitates my getting up early that morning, but what happens if I've had a late night/early morning and sleep in?
No parking stickers will help, regardless of the cost.
I'd be putting up security lights with cameras to catch that very unpleasant neighbour that is doing that
 
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Reactions: IAN3005
I'd be putting up security lights with cameras to catch that very unpleasant neighbour that is doing that
Good thinking #99... irrefutable evidence.
I sometimes have excess recyclable stuff but I have the common courtesy to ask my neighbour if I can use their bin....
 
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Reactions: deni67 and Abby2
Between our two next door neighbours we have an agreement that we can use each others' bins for overflows. We also bring each others' bins in each week. It works well for us helping each other out as neighbours with respect.
 
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Reactions: deni67
We have the same problem, from around 8.30am every week day the school run people park up and down our road on both sides, besides the noise they make their cars sometimes obstruct our bins, some even park straight across the driveway obstructing us from getting in and out.
Our solution was for my partner to go out there and ask them to move their cars, politely of course, works everytime but common sense should tell them not to park there in the first place.
 

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