Since trashing lying around everywhere is displeasing to most human societies our race as spend a lot of time developing means of ensuring that trash is disposed of in an orderly manner. Apparently New York has a slightly different view and prefers to punish the people living their for being sanitary:
Darbe Pitofsky, 83, said she was on her way for a cup of coffee around 6:30 a.m. on June 25 when she threw a brown bag filled with old papers in a city litter basket near her apartment on East 71st Street.
[…]
She said the worker demanded a form of identification and threatened to “put her away” if she didn’t comply.
Pitofsky said it took the worker 25 minutes to write the summons and when she complained that it would cost her $100, she said he threatened to make it $300.
See in New York a trash can isn’t actually a trash can. The nanny state there has seen fit to make certain trash cans fit for only household trash while others are fit for household or business trash. What’s the difference? I haven’t a clue because I’m a logical human being and therefore have a hard time understanding the justifications given by politicians for the stupid shit they enact.
I’m sure somebody reading this is thinking that the lady could have just avoided the fine if she had followed the rules. True. But I do find it interesting that she faces a lower maximum fine for outright littering than throwing “household or business trash” into a pedestrian-only trash can:
8. Except for any violation of subparagraph one of paragraph b or paragraph c of subdivision seven of this section by a person using or operating a motor vehicle, or any violation of subparagraph two of paragraph b of subdivision seven of this section, or any violation of paragraph d of subdivision seven of this section, the violation of any provision of this section shall constitute an offense punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not to exceed ten days or both.
So if you have refuse that you wish to dispose of and it qualifies as “household or business trash” it’s actually in your best interest to throw it on the ground and walk away. If caught littering the maximum fine is $250.00 while disposing of trash in the wrong type of bin apparently holds a maximum find of $300.00. Brilliant move New York, encourage littering by fining people for putting trash in the wrong types of trash bins.