I used to volunteer at an animal sanctuary that had some beautiful historic bridle paths nearby, popular with walkers and  horse riders alike.To reach it, one had to cross a very busy  fast road.I was returning one day from a dog walk, when to my horror I saw in the distance 2 large black dogs racing through the traffic. One bounced into the air as it hit a windscreen, traffic was swerving. I was running along calling the police. When I got closer and saw that it was not  dogs, but 2 huge tyres bouncing all over the place. Some cars were damaged, but luckily no one was hurt.

There were 2 passing spaces along the bridleways to allow the farmers and delivery men to use it. All the years I was there, these were used by fly-tippers, mostly tradesemen so it seemed. The tyres had fallen away and rolled downhill from a huge pyramid that many of us had reported numerous times to the council. I tried to count them one day, and it was well over 100.

The local tips were charging tradesmen £25 to drop off a typical load, and  it was this that was given as the reason why these pests dumped stuff. It was not just tradesmen.The area had some charming lanes, regularly strewn with burger cartons and plastic cups. I was once admiring a stunning vintage Bentley that drove past, the window opened and out came a pile of food packaging. I came out with some choice language, and got the finger in return.

Is it overthinking to surmise, as I do, that this is not just a symptom of lazy slobishness, but something deeply nasty within some individuals? Littering, fly-tipping, vandalism often involves  more effort from the perpetrators than simply behaving well would require. Why do people drive miles to sit on a beautiful beach or in a forest, only to leave rubbish behind to pollute the view and the environment? They could go and have their BBQ in the car park of an abandoned factory, but they want to sit somewhere nice.

To me these people take active pleasure in showing contempt for others. They are narcissists, who are fully aware of the unpleasantness and expense they cause.

This  blog/rant was triggered by a silly little thing. We have steps leading up to our house, and every year Spock paints them with non-slip red paint on a Sunday. He then puts a largish cardboard “Wet Paint” sign out. This morning, going to remove it, he found someone had torn it into tiny strips and pushed them through our letterbox. Why? It’s not clever or even funny. Years ago someone collected loads of garden gnomes overnight in our town. They were found, a long queue of them outside the public gent’s loo. Everyone found that amusing, and no damage was done.

I think I better stop now, before I start on the truly twisted people who “clean up” after their dog, then drape the plastic bags on fences and trees.It’s time for my medication.

Val

A Moodscope member.