Why am I not shocked?

I took this picture early last week.

Three-day old pile of trash on the sidewalk

I walked by this pile of trash two days in a row before I had to stop and take a picture of it on the third morning on the way to work.

Same pile.

Sitting there for three days.

Getting bigger and bigger.

Stinkier and stinkier.

In a different area of the city, there was one day the trash was picked up (after sitting there for days) when there were so many flies still floating in the air that it was almost like walking through a spider web trying to get past the former trash pile area.

I really don't understand the old-school way of getting trash picked up in the city.

I know New Yorkers think they are the shit and all, but, this is ridiculous.  I think they think it is normal to have trashed bags piled on the side of the road.  It is all over the city - rich areas and poorer areas.

Perhaps they have never heard of trash cans and dumpsters.

I would not want to grab these nasty, rat-invested bags if I was a trash man.  I would demand the city to find some way to get bins or dumpsters or something that is more conducive to cleanliness.

In Da Lou, if you put your trash can out before sundown the day before they pick it up or leave it out for more than an evening after they pick up your can and empty it into a dumpster, you are cited and may eventually have to pay a fine.

Here, trash on the streets is so common that I was shocked when I came across a piece of sidewalk not ridden with old, hardened, black pieces of used gum.  (I often wonder if they are still pink or white underneath all of the street scum.)  I often wonder what color yellow the subway platforms really would be if they were power washed.

I wonder if those Febreeze commercials with the blindfolded people would work if they sprayed in some of the super stinky (think urine, body odor, funk, stale air, feces, and any other thing that smells really bad) areas of subway walkways and standing areas.  I wish I could just not breathe during my walk from the 2/3 trains to the L at 14th Street.  In the afternoon, I am going to start getting off at Union Square and walking the couple blocks up to the 14th Street entrance for the 2/3 since I will be able to breathe slightly cleaner air in the open.

There are many things I like about NYC, but the trash situation is on my hate list.

Yesterday, I saw an article that said that New York was the dirtiest city in the country.

If you have ever been in NYC three days ahead of trash pickup day, I am not sure why anyone should be shocked.