Cleanliness in the UK and the US

Hee Hee, I love it!  Can we get one installed in cars too to shout at the jerks who toss all that trash out their windows.  I've always wanted a paint ball cannon on my car to blast all those idiotic drivers who drive too fast, drive too slow, drive in the middle of the road, pull out in front of you, tail gate, etc etc.  Or one of those neon sign displays on the roof with appropriate messages (I leave that to your imagination)

Whenever I have one of those days where it seems every idiot driver is pulling out in front of me or slow or whatever, I always say "did I forget to turn off my idiot drivers welcome neon sign today?" lol

I love the paintball idea! Man, that would be so fun, especially in traffic.

Hee Hee, I love it!  Can we get one installed in cars too to shout at the jerks who toss all that trash out their windows.  I've always wanted a paint ball cannon on my car to blast all those idiotic drivers who drive too fast, drive too slow, drive in the middle of the road, pull out in front of you, tail gate, etc etc.  Or one of those neon sign displays on the roof with appropriate messages (I leave that to your imagination)

Have you given up the will to live?
I don't see a very long life if you start communicating with strange drivers with strange driving habits.

The most annoying one for me is the idiots that flick their *lit* ciggy out the window while they are driving . This in San Diego during one of the driest summers in years!! Actually, my sister had one fly through her open window into her lap.

I wonder if the respite in lice during various people's childhoods was due to fresh, new treatments...Now that the lil' buggers are resistant we're seeing more of them. I've heard bedbugs are on the upswing, too--and they were unheard of even a few years ago.

As far as general paranoia....Have you noticed how hard it is to find dishsoap or handsoap without 'antibacterial' whatever in it?? Every thing I've read about the stuff says it's at best pointless, at worst setting you up for a fungus or virus or resistant bacteria. Isn't soap and hot water good enough?

I was in Taco Bell in Barstow, California on Saturday on the way home and I was watching the employee preparing the food and he was wearing gloves and wiped off the food that had fallen on his work area onto the floor and then continued to make up tacos.
I can't think that there was anything wrong with this but it just looked disgusting to me.

It is easier to clean up if it is on the floor. 

We had someone coming through with a broom about every 15 minutes, but you cleaned your worktop when you were done with prep, or when you were switching between foods.  It might be a while if you are chopping enough lettuce for a Taco Bell.   

have you seen peoples yards in britain? they look really dirty and have alot of junk. it really looks more like a junkyard than a backyard. I have seen a lot of peoples yards from riding in trains. Just going from Heathrow to London, you will pass through a lot of yards, and people just put broken furniture, broken toys, etc all up in their yard.

Just going from Heathrow to London, you will pass through a lot of yards, and people just put broken furniture, broken toys, etc all up in their yard.

That totally never happens in America.  Nobody has toilets in their front yard collecting rain in the bowl, old cars up on cinderblocks or piles of rusting sheet metal leaning against the house.  Never.

Sorry, but I just don't see how dirty yards is a British thing.

It's not a British thing or an American thing.  I think people may have a tendency to notice it in gardens or balconies in the UK because there's less space to put things.  I've noticed a lot of very full back gardens on train journeys, but since I've lived in very small places, I guess I have the benefit of understanding how tough it can be unless you live very simply.

Moved from NY to London, and don't notice much of a difference, truth be told.  London smells better in the summer than NY does, that's for sure.  It just doesn't get as hot here. 

The dog poo issue is a bit of a problem.  My street by the time it's afternoon is littered with it here, like poo minefield.  At home people seemed better about picking it up. 

The dog poo issue is a bit of a problem.  My street by the time it's afternoon is littered with it here, like poo minefield.  At home people seemed better about picking it up. 

That was my main complaint about Finsbury Park.  It was a great neighborhood, with lots of restaurants and shops, the Parkland Walk, the park itself, and really convenient to get to the rest of London.  The only things I didn't like were the traffic noise on our road (I accepted this, because what are you gonna do), and the number of dog owners who didn't pick up after their dogs.

I think part of the litter problem in the greater London area is the lack of bins for security reasons.  When they removed a lot of bins from my city in the US after 9/11, the litter problem seemed to increase (this was probably mentioned in this thread, but old thread is old).  This probably doesn't help the dog poo situation either.

have you seen peoples yards in britain? they look really dirty and have alot of junk. it really looks more like a junkyard than a backyard. I have seen a lot of peoples yards from riding in trains. Just going from Heathrow to London, you will pass through a lot of yards, and people just put broken furniture, broken toys, etc all up in their yard.

I'd say this is a problem too.  Junky yards are certainly very common in some parts of the South in the US.  Especially clapped out old cars. (i'm just picking on the South because that's the only place i've spent any significant time in). 

I'd say this is a problem too.  Junky yards are certainly very common in some parts of the South in the US.  Especially clapped out old cars. (i'm just picking on the South because that's the only place i've spent any significant time in). 

Yup. I spent 4 years living in Louisiana, and old sofas, TVs, cars, washing machines and toilets were commonplace.

Yup. I spent 4 years living in Louisiana, and old sofas, TVs, cars, washing machines and toilets were commonplace.

Heck, if it weren't for that mattress in the backyard of the abandoned house on my block in Baltimore, the neighborhood call girl wouldn't have had anywhere to run her business! Whew!

(I guess I should include the neighborhood watch called the city to come clean that one up. I believe she later picked a new corner.)

Heck, if it weren't for that mattress in the backyard of the abandoned house on my block in Baltimore, the neighborhood call girl wouldn't have had anywhere to run her business! Whew!