Minnesota License Number HWM 675

cross-posted to mn.general

I'm driving home this evening when a car pulls out in front of me without signaling. Okay, it happens all the time in the Phillips neighborhood, especially with the high immigrant population. I shrug it off, it's happened before and will happen again.

The white car proceeds up 26th Street going 25 mph for the next two blocks, a rather slow speed, but tolerable. I make note of the occupants of the vehicle - inside are 4 young American Africans, girls for sure in the back seat. These aren't immigrants, they are home grown. They look almost too young to have a drivers license let alone to be out on the streets alone. But that's another story.

Here's the irk:

They stop at the stop light on 26th St E and Bloomington Ave. They are first in line, I'm second. I see a bunch of wiggling going on and then the drivers door pops open and they throw their garbage out of the vehicle, right into the street! The door closes. The light changes and they sit there. One of the girls in the back turns and looks right at me - all eyes. I hit the horn and they make a more then quick left onto Bloomington and zoom zoom away.

Now in this neighborhood you don't confront anyone, especially the blacks since it's a high "black on anyone that gets in my way" crime area. So there the garbage sits, getting ready to be caught up in the wind and dispersed throughout the neighborhood.

So what options are there?

1. I could get out of the car and pick up their trash letting them know that it's all right for them to toss their trash, someone else will be there to pick up after them
2. I could get out of the car, pick up their trash and take it back to their vehicle requesting that they take it back and dispose of it in a responsible manner
3. I could get out of the car, go to their vehicle and ask them to pick up their trash since their mama obviously didn't teach them not to throw their trash on the ground
4. I could call the cops and report them as having littered - a $100 fine

Item 1 was probably the correct answer, but I didn't do it. I've a problem picking up after others - especially garbage where I don't know where it's been or how it's been contaminated. The street people broke me of that habit in my car port.

Item 2 or 3 could potentially get me killed... or as the movies are fond of doing now - get me arrested for making terroristic threats.

Item 4 would probably get no response - heh, they shoot folks in this neighborhood, beat them silly. The cops have more important things to do.

Item 4 was my choice of the day, and I'm glad that I called the police non-emergency number. What they did has a name - it's called illegal dumping. They gave me the number to call and report it (612-673-2895) and agreed that it was best not to confront them when it happened. I left a message for them to call and let me know what further information they need.

I feel better now, but wonder if anyone will follow up on any of this. It sure would be nice if they added human basics back into the grade-school curriculum again. You know what I'm talking about if you are 40+ and no doubt saw the movies - personal hygiene, where to throw your trash, civic responsibility, even how to treat a flag. This is the stuff we chuckled over when we were in grade school.