A refuse collector has shared his 'brilliant' comeback to people who tell him to hurry up while he is completing his rounds. Being a binman is a physically gruelling job that is not helped by people interfering.
The Demands of the Job
Being a refuse collector is no walk in the park, as it is a physically taxing job that demands early morning starts throughout the year, regardless of the weather conditions. It might be freezing and chucking it down with rain, or it could be baking hot, yet refuse collectors still need to complete their job. As key workers, it is their duty to help ensure our communities are kept clean, tidy and hygienic.
Usually, binmen will gather and sort through household rubbish, dragging wheelie bins towards a massive lorry where they can be hoisted up and emptied. Once inside the vehicle, the waste is pulled along then crushed by a compactor blade to create room for more. Refuse workers also gather commercial and business waste, and there is a round for recycling as well.
Ashley's Online Presence
A man named Ashley, who posts online as The No1 Binman, has built up a substantial following after sharing tips and tricks of the trade with his audience. He offers insight into what items should never be put in recycling bins, what his pet peeves about the job are, and loads more.
In a recent clip shared on TikTok, he playfully revealed his typical response to people who want him to 'hurry up.' In the footage, he can be spotted sitting in the front seat of a van while dancing and lipsyncing to Belinda Carlisle's hit 1989 track, (We Want) The Same Thing. Specifically, the lyrics: 'We dream the same dream, we want the same thing; ooh. We dream the same dream, we want the same thing, ooh.'
Ashley gave further context through text written over the top of the footage. He added: 'When you want the binmen to hurry up. We always want to hurry up so we can go home!'
Reactions from Viewers
Fellow TikTok users were quick to share their reactions in the comments section. One viewer said: 'The happiest bin man [100%] wish he was on our round.' Another said: 'I just love u cheer me up' while a third simply commented: 'Brilliant.' Other viewers chose to express their views on Ashley's video through emojis alone.
Task and Finish System
Many councils operate a 'task and finish' system for waste collection, which allows workers to clock off once they have completed their routes while still receiving a full day's wages. Given that finishing a round typically takes around seven to eight hours, this approach can serve as a powerful incentive for workers to be both efficient and diligent. Nevertheless, the practice has sparked debate in certain areas, leading some councils to scrap it altogether, while others continue to permit it on the condition that workers maintain a consistently high standard of work.
