"Uncovered trashcan" fine at 3AM during high winds.

[boywonder.livejournal.com]

So how hard up is the City of Somerville for cash? So hard-up, it appears, that they issued an "uncovered trashcan" ticket at 3:00AM (yes, that's right, in the middle of the night) DURING a storm in which Somerville was experiencing high winds and rain. You all remember the one from a few nights ago.

My dad/landlord got a ticket in the mail yesterday, including a photograph of a trashcan on the ground with the lid off on the side of the house. Normally, our trashcans are locked tight with their covers, except, apparently, when high winds and rain knock them over. We are going to appeal the ticket. I just think it is outrageous that this was even issued. Trashcans were down all over the neighborhood, as well as roof shingles everywhere, and small to medium branches on the sidewalks and streets, etc.

Did anyone else get this fine or know of anyone else who had? I mean, if the trashcans weren't picked up and it was, say, 11AM, there may be some merit to the ticket. But since it was issued during the middle of the night and during an ongoing storm, it seems really bizarre.

Comments

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

Can you actually see trash inside the barrels from the sidewalk? I usually don't slap a top on our cans unless they're loaded, so am I going to be in trouble for having a number of empty, uncovered cans?

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

Good point. I don't know as all my barrels, empty or not, have lids. Given their photo documentation methods, I assume that they would have to show trash in an uncovered bin. Spilled bins or trash outside of the bin are easy. I wonder to what extent they try to check other cases.