Tipping Garbage Man - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

C-Life · 12-31-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

My dad always use to leave a case of beer the pickup before Christmas. But they use to take extra for him all the time so it worked out.

Yep I've heard of people doing this. If you leave a huge piece of wood or something of that nature, something you don't think they would take, leave a case of beer and a note, chances are they'll take it.

Hack&Lube · 12-31-2009, 12:28 PM

Now that a lot of the garbage is automated with the new bins in some areas, the guy just drives up and presses a button.

Shazam · 12-31-2009, 12:34 PM

When I was a young lad, I was bicycling down in the Lynnwood area when I got a flat. I randomly went to a house and rang the doorbell. It turned out that the guy was a garbageman. He was very nice to me and drove me back home. He also offered me juice from a juice container that he drank from. I thought that was sorta gross, but then I realized he was a garbageman and so from his point of view it was probably pretty low on the gross scale.

ken0042 · 12-31-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rerun

Seriously? I've never tipped the garbage man in my life. Its not like they're working for minimum wage like waiters/waitresses or the newspaper boy.

The time I would think I would tip them is if they have save me from doing a dump run. Technically they aren't supposed to take more than X number of bags (5 I think) and nothing over a certain weight (once again, I think 40 pounds.)

There's been a couple of times I have 8 bags plus a couple of garbage pails full of junk; and I wondered if I would be better off giving the garbage men the $10 instead of loading up the truck.

metallicat · 12-31-2009, 01:11 PM

As a city worker (not a garbageman), no they don't need tips.

I can see/understand tipping a mailman or newspaper delivery guy, but not a civil servant like a garbageman.

MoneyGuy · 12-31-2009, 01:21 PM

Tip your financial planner. We appreciate it.

Barnes · 12-31-2009, 01:30 PM

Garbage men were replaced with robots like 3 years ago.

Now, you only have to tip the flyer guy and phone book guy.

Tyler · 12-31-2009, 01:54 PM

As a former garbageman for the city of Calgary, tips were always nice to receive (especially around Christmas time).

Usually we had the same beat each week - which means that we did the same homes every time, year round.

Remember folks - there is NO bag limit in the city of Calgary, so yeah, we took those 20 bags of yours a couple months back with no complaints.

I was only making $15 an hour when I was on the beat, and none of these guys are rich by any means.

Not saying any of you have to feel pressured to tip, but these guys are still manually tossing bags - unlike some other cities where all the garbage is put into black bins and done with an automated arm.

The garbagemen in this city are salt of the earth people, and usually suffer quite the tolls on their bodies by the time they're ready to retire.

4X4 · 12-31-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler

As a former garbageman for the city of Calgary, tips were always nice to receive around Christmas time.

Usually we had the same beat each week - which means that we did the same homes every time.

Remember folks - there is NO bag limit in the city of Calgary, so yeah, we took those 20 bags of yours a couple months back with no complaints.

I was only making $15 an hour when I was on the beat, and none of these guys are rich by any means.

What was it like trying to pick up chicks and telling them that you were a garbageman?

Tyler · 12-31-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

What was it like trying to pick up chicks and telling them that you were a garbageman?

I did it every summer while I was going to university, so it wasn't like it was my career choice.

I got 'does it stink?' a lot, though.. haha.

JustAnotherGuy · 12-31-2009, 02:53 PM

I noticed the neighbor lady give the garbage man two bottles of something this year. So I guess she tips them. I can see tipping them if you are small town and actually know the people. But these days they are just some random people doing a job. Getting paid quite well for it.

Hack&Lube · 12-31-2009, 03:14 PM

With all the guys leaving beers...
What if your garbage man is... mormon or muslim or a recovering alcoholic?

Also, what kind of beer do you leave? Is it okay to give them co-op gold?

C-Life · 12-31-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

With all the guys leaving beers...
What if your garbage man is... mormon or muslim or a recovering alcoholic?

Also, what kind of beer do you leave? Is it okay to give them co-op gold?

Nah... make it Canadian or Kokanee Blue.

Something commonly drank.

algernon · 12-31-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

The time I would think I would tip them is if they have save me from doing a dump run. Technically they aren't supposed to take more than X number of bags (5 I think) and nothing over a certain weight (once again, I think 40 pounds.)

There's been a couple of times I have 8 bags plus a couple of garbage pails full of junk; and I wondered if I would be better off giving the garbage men the $10 instead of loading up the truck.

This is why I should be tipping my Garbage men. I often bag up the reno junk from my house in contractor bags. Sometimes they are a little heavy, or numerous, but they take them pretty much every time. I've literally saved hundreds because of those guys.

I've left a few very light bags at small jobs in Mount Royal, and those guys turned their noses up at the site of contractor bags. Moral of the story...Rich people should be making dump runs, I guess.

I will look into a gift card for the dude in the New Year.

Torture · 12-31-2009, 04:34 PM

lol....tipping a bag of empties. Priceless.

Nage Waza · 12-31-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torture

lol....tipping a bag of empties. Priceless.

I wasn't sure what to do! I thought they may take the bag and add it to a stockpile they have...I was wrong. What did you tip? Trying something is better than trying nothing.

HOOT · 12-31-2009, 05:14 PM

Next time I order a pizza I'm going to give the kid a bag full of empty cans.

troutman · 12-31-2009, 05:25 PM

Do you even get the same garbage man from week to week?

Tyler · 12-31-2009, 05:43 PM

I understand some of you won't like this, but for those who are interested in tipping your garbageman:

- the typical tip for us was $20.00 or a bottle of wine/case of beer
- DON'T leave money on top of your garbage cans. They're easy pickings for early morning dog walkers
- i'd recommend hand delivering coupons/cash, and maybe leaving the beer/wine, etc out of harms way, but easily visible and noticeable that its not garbage
- from September - April you will typically have the same garbageman. They hire seasonal workers in the late spring/early summer, and sometimes these new guys take over routes for those on holiday/vacation.

Like a few people have said, for instances (like home renos/moving out) when you SHOULD otherwise be going to the dump, and you leave it on the curb and the garbageman still takes it, you're being a nice guy by tipping.

We don't have a bag limit in Calgary, and most of these guys are good enough to throw it all away for you if you package it correctly and save you a trip to the dump that will end up costing you

Redliner · 12-31-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

Next time I order a pizza I'm going to give the kid a bag full of empty cans.

I wonder if the bouncer will accept a bag of empties next time I go clubbing and don't want to wait in line?

"But dude, there must be like, 25 bucks worth in there!"