The sounds of trash day in Echo Park

Flickr photo Theron Trowbridge

For our readers: We recently added an “Opinions” category to the website as a way to separate out our posts from our more, well, opinionated articles. This would be one of those…

Wednesdays are rough days for me. They are not nearly close enough to Fridays, and the heavy workloads usually make me want to start drinking during the week again. But mostly, they are exhuasting as I just don’t get enough sleep in the mornings. They wouldn’t be, except for the lovely sounds of our neighborhood trash trucks.

Now before you comment on this article saying, “Kelly, why do you hate city services?”, let’s be frank. I actually like having my garbage picked up and the streets swept clean for (even if the street sweeping is half-halfhearted and infrequent). But sometimes… sometimes you’re just not so into it.

Here’s why I, and those who live above the alley in an apartment complex can feel me, despise trash day: My street seems to be a main thoroughfare for trash pickup in our part of Echo Park. Dozens of trucks come by, and by around 8 or 9:00 am they’ve all done u-turns below our bedroom window – squeaky breaks piercing through our single-paned windows, “beep, beep, beep” with every reverse, loud diesel engines working hard against the steep hill. It’s like shrill bombs going off every few minutes outside the window (again, single-pane windows).

And the beeps are the worst – because there are so many trucks needed in our high-density neighborhood, they start by 6:00 am, if not a few minutes before. Earplugs always ready by my alarm clock, I typically catch a glance at how early it is when I’m shoving those things in. I keep thinking, there’s just no way these guys can be in Echo Park at 5:54 am, beep-beep-beeping and crashing the heavy plastic cans against the curbs. But they are – and they can.

A quick Google search reveals city noise ordinances allow garbage trucks and such services to operate between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 pm. So much for my letter-writing campaign to the LA Bureau of Sanitation.

So some day, hopefully, my dear trash truck drivers: fix those incredibly squeaky, shrill brakes, spray some WD-40 on those arm thingies that lift the cans up and down, and maybe lightly (or less forcefully) place the trash cans on the curb. Then maybe on a Wednesday, I’ll be cheery at work from a nice, uninterrupted night of sleep.

716 replies
« Older CommentsNewer Comments »
  1. himejiexpress says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and web stuff and this is really frustrating. A good site with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this website, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  2. caramudah says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually irritating. A good website with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  3. freehemorrhoids.com says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually annoying. A good web site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  4. indo islamic pedia says:

    Hey there. I found your blog by way of Google at the same time as looking for a related subject, your website came up. It appears to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  5. indoislamicpedia says:

    Hey there. I discovered your site by the use of Google at the same time as searching for a comparable subject, your site came up. It appears to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  6. stafa band says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good web site with exciting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  7. Waptrick says:

    Awesome write-up. I’m a regular visitor of your web site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  8. Wahib Irawan says:

    Awesome post. I’m a normal visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  9. scientific classification says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is really frustrating. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  10. definisi menurut para ahli says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good web site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  11. Walk In Cooler Repair says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really annoying. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  12. Bandar Slot Games Online says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and web stuff and this is really frustrating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  13. agen slot says:

    Awesome post. I am a regular visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  14. daftar sbobet online says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually irritating. A good web site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  15. daftar sbobet says:

    Hello there. I discovered your website by the use of Google while looking for a similar topic, your website got here up. It seems good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  16. sbobet mobile says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  17. agen bola online says:

    Hey there. I found your web site by the use of Google at the same time as searching for a similar matter, your site came up. It looks good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  18. daftar akun bola88 says:

    Hey there. I discovered your site by the use of Google whilst looking for a comparable matter, your web site got here up. It appears to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  19. login sbobet says:

    Awesome post. I am a regular visitor of your website and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a frequent visitor for a long time.

  20. login sbobet88 says:

    Hey there. I discovered your blog by the use of Google even as searching for a similar matter, your site got here up. It seems great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  21. harga hp xiaomi says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really annoying. A good web site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  22. cek tagihan listrik says:

    Hello there. I found your blog by way of Google whilst looking for a related topic, your website came up. It appears to be good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  23. daftar facebook says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a regular visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I’ll be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  24. daftar akun s128 says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and web stuff and this is really frustrating. A good website with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  25. s128 download says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually frustrating. A good web site with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  26. s128 live apk says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a normal visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I’ll be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  27. aplikasi s128 says:

    Hey there. I found your website by means of Google at the same time as searching for a related matter, your site came up. It looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  28. daftar s128 says:

    Awesome write-up. I’m a regular visitor of your website and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  29. daftar sabung ayam says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and web stuff and this is actually annoying. A good website with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  30. top up ovo says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and web stuff and this is actually annoying. A good web site with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  31. s128 live says:

    Hi there. I found your web site by means of Google while looking for a similar topic, your site got here up. It appears to be great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  32. agen s1288 says:

    Hello there. I discovered your website via Google whilst looking for a similar matter, your site came up. It looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  33. cek tagihan BPJS says:

    Hi there. I found your site by means of Google even as searching for a comparable topic, your site came up. It looks great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  34. s128 apk says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a normal visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a long time.

  35. aplikasi s128 says:

    Awesome post. I’m a normal visitor of your website and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  36. download s128 says:

    Hello there. I discovered your website via Google even as searching for a comparable matter, your website came up. It appears great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  37. download s128 apk says:

    Hello there. I found your site by way of Google while searching for a related matter, your site came up. It appears to be great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  38. pokermas99 says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really annoying. A good website with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

« Older CommentsNewer Comments »

Comments are closed.