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Recursion

(56,582 posts) Sun Aug 18, 2019, 06:36 AM Aug 2019

A vignette from my London trip

So my mother in law is visiting us in Paris, and we took her to London for her birthday. I had never ridden the train through the Chunnel before and it sounded like a good idea to do that before Boris Johnson has the thing imploded.

So I was looking for a place to throw our trash from lunch away and wound up walking the entire length of the station and halfway back without finding anything. I went to the Starbucks to ask for advice.

Me: Are there any trash cans in this station?

Barista 1 (with a look of genuine confusion): What?

Me: Trash cans

Barista 2: 'E wants to know if there's trash cans!

(Both laugh)

Me: Rubbish bins?

(Both laugh even harder as I slink off)

Barista 1: 'E's still carrying the rubbish!!!

Pro-tip: there are in fact no trash cans in UK train stations for security reasons. You leave your crap on a table and a janitor throws it away.

10 replies

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Highlight:

A vignette from my London trip (Original Post) Recursion Aug 2019 OP

In a world True Dough Aug 2019 #1

It's been like that since the bombing on 7/7/2005 LittleGirl Aug 2019 #2

Paris trash bins are like that as well. Nt a la izquierda Aug 2019 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author Recursion Aug 2019 #4

Yes, I've seen it there too. n/t LittleGirl Aug 2019 #5

Yeah. Sounds pretty much right Soph0571 Aug 2019 #6

This is incorrect Layzeebeaver Aug 2019 #7

Well, I can report St. Pancras has precisely zero of them (nt) Recursion Aug 2019 #8

Interesting story. I never thought about it, but I suppose it makes sense. smirkymonkey Aug 2019 #9

no trash cans in UK train stations for security reasons. elleng Aug 2019 #10

True Dough

(17,306 posts)

1. In a world

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Sun Aug 18, 2019, 08:07 AM

Aug 2019

where I witness so many people tossing "rubbish" out their windows, you're a stand-up guy, Recursion!

LittleGirl

(8,287 posts)

2. It's been like that since the bombing on 7/7/2005

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Sun Aug 18, 2019, 09:01 AM

Aug 2019

They removed all of the bins and put in clear plastic bags at airports since so that you can see what's inside.

a la izquierda

(11,795 posts)

3. Paris trash bins are like that as well. Nt

Reply to LittleGirl (Reply #2)

Sun Aug 18, 2019, 09:14 AM

Aug 2019

Response to a la izquierda (Reply #3)

Recursion This message was self-deleted by its author.

LittleGirl

(8,287 posts)

5. Yes, I've seen it there too. n/t

Reply to a la izquierda (Reply #3)

Sun Aug 18, 2019, 09:20 AM

Aug 2019

Soph0571

(9,685 posts)

6. Yeah. Sounds pretty much right

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Sun Aug 18, 2019, 09:31 AM

Aug 2019

All tourists fair game for playful mockery! Particularly American tourists!

Layzeebeaver

(1,624 posts)

7. This is incorrect

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Sun Aug 18, 2019, 09:39 AM

Aug 2019

There are rubbish bins.

They are not located all over each station. Typically there are one or two on each platform.

What has changed over the years is that they are not a typical bin, but rather a clear plastic bag suspended in a support ring attached to a pillar or a wall.

They are always located in a position that has clear CCTV coverage.

Paddington station for example has a series of these bins just left of the main exit.

The design of these bins is such that you cannot “hide” anything in them. Hence the clear plastic.