# Has anyone actually seen people picking up trash on the side of the freeway? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536 "2003-06-22T03:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/1 "2003-06-22T03:06:50Z")
People always joke about picking up trash as community service, we see it in the movies all the time, but I’ve never seen anyone actually doing it. I’m from Los Angeles, mind you, so I’ve spent a good quarter of my life rotting on the freeway. You? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/2 "2003-06-22T03:08:29Z")
Lotsa times. Usually civic or youth groups, but I’d wager they get a good share of their volunteers from people mandated to community service. Don’t expect them to be wearing prison orange or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/3 "2003-06-22T03:14:34Z")
Frequently. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/4 "2003-06-22T03:15:11Z")
Sure. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/5 "2003-06-22T03:22:13Z")
I saw some convicts picking up trash in I think Alabama not too long ago who were actually wearing striped prison suits. (At least they weren’t on a chain gang!) I often see guys picking up trash, both on local freeways and interstates. Doing their community service. It’s about the most common community service activity, from what I can gather. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/6 "2003-06-22T03:24:14Z")
Lots of times. In the L.A. area. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/7 "2003-06-22T03:25:03Z")
Oh. It’s just me then. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/8 "2003-06-22T03:26:45Z")
I’ve seen it along I-40 a few times. Didn’t pay much attention to who was actually doing it though. People wear a lot of orange around here so it’s not too easy to pick out the prisoners… gotta love that Vol pride. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/9 "2003-06-22T03:27:13Z")
I often see inmates in bright colors with big fat text on their clothes picking up trash, right behind the sheriff’s van. I got a kick out of seeing a blond, ponytailed kickass-looking female deputy in charge of a bunch of burly male convicts on the side of the highway the other day. I’ve been told that in some places they don’t let “average citizens” collect trash because it is too dangerous. Thus, the Adopt-a-Highway or whatever program in these areas is pure money, no community service. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/10 "2003-06-22T03:39:56Z")
I see it all the time - Dallas, TX is very clean compared to cities of comparable size. Very clean, yes indeed. But then there’s those pesky murders per capita statistics. And the HEAT! ---
**Author:** ![kohler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a183cd/32.png) [@kohler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kohler)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/11 "2003-06-22T03:41:16Z")
when i was younger (junior high-ish) we did a community service project picking up trash on the side of the freeway in a fairly low-traffic area. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/12 "2003-06-22T03:53:10Z")
Yes, I do quite often. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/13 "2003-06-22T03:54:15Z")
On I-10 out by Deming, there was quite often an older gentleman out on the side of the road picking up trash. I’d go out there weekly for about 6 months, and probably noticed him out at least five times. Slightly off-topic: I like the signs in Washington State that read “Litter and it will hurt.” ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/14 "2003-06-22T03:59:53Z")
N.C. has Adopt-a-Highway and the folks who sign up are fairly often out policing it. The sections that have not been adopted are cleaned up by prisoner detachments – with two guards, one at either end of the group of prisoners, both bearing shotguns. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/15 "2003-06-22T04:03:08Z")
Yeah, it’s just you. I’m from L.A. and spend a rediculous amount of time on the road. I see it quite often, especially on Saturdays, when them workin’ folks are trying to work off their community service hours. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/16 "2003-06-22T04:32:48Z")
I’ve actually seen a whole flock of schoolkids picking up trash from the side of what is now I-180, in Lycoming County. Also, there was that _Seinfeld_ episode, after Kramer robbed the lobster traps… ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/17 "2003-06-22T04:41:39Z")
Another vote for It’s Just You. I’m also from L.A. (currently exiled in Hooterville) and remember seeing people pick up trash on the freeways now and then. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/18 "2003-06-22T05:30:14Z")
I have done it myself, as part of the Adopt-a-Highway program. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/19 "2003-06-22T08:18:35Z")
A few years ago, some teenagers were doing their community service here in Las Vegas and cleaning up the trash on the I-15. A young woman who supposedly had been up all night and had smoked some weed during the course of the evening, fell asleep at the wheel of her van and killed 6 of those kids. It was big news in Las Vegas and the trial was the lead story for months. The young woman is currently doing a long prison stretch, but appealing the verdict. Due to this tragic accident, the State of Nevada has now forbidden anyone doing community service from cleaning trash on the freeways. The work is now done only by full time employees of the State of Nevada. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536/20 "2003-06-22T10:04:19Z")
Probably in NJ or PA. Repainted school bus parked by the side of the road, folks in dark blue uniforms on trash patrol. I don’t believe any of them had the spike like Yogi Bear always got. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-actually-seen-people-picking-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-freeway/183536.md?page=2)