Throughout my life, the wheelie bin has become the typical container for discarding domestic waste. They are generally quite spacious, simple to maintain, and sufficiently sanitary. Their retrieval by city services is relatively straightforward and economical, requiring merely one garbage truck and one driver. On collection day, they are positioned along the curb, and the garbage truck’s mechanical arm lifts the bin and empties it before setting it back on the pavement.
I have endured a degenerative spinal and pelvic girdle orthopedic/neurological ailment for over thirty years. For approximately fifteen years, this has led to progressively greater difficulty in ambulation. By the start of last year, I could only walk about five hundred meters with hiking poles before needing a significant rest. In the fall, I experienced another substantial decline in my walking ability. On a good day, I can now cover ten meters unaided, though with a significant risk of falling. With my hiking poles or rollator, I can manage around fifty meters. Within my apartment, I utilize my rollator more than ninety percent of the time. For extended distances, I now rely on my dependable electric wheelchair. I do not have the strength for a conventional wheelchair.
My Mathematicus Mobile is quite swift, boasts a maximum speed of 6 kph, and can literally turn on a dime. I am very pleased with the increase in mobility it has afforded me. I can even take it on the bus, and the bus drivers have been accommodating and supportive. But now, back to the wheelie bins.
On trash collection day, the bins are positioned along the pavement. If the sidewalk is sufficiently wide, I can typically maneuver past with my wheelchair without issues. However, if the bins are scattered, which frequently occurs after the garbage truck driver returns them, I find it challenging to get by. I’ve learned to push them aside while navigating my wheelchair. The difficulties arise when sidewalks are narrow, as in the side-street where I reside. If the wheelie bins are placed on the sidewalk, there isn’t adequate room for me to pass. I am compelled to travel on the road. Just one of the minor inconveniences that one must endure when dealing with mobility impairment.