It used to be like that in Germany - there were regular collections of large items of rubbish (i.e. furniture, washing machines, fridges etc.) every three months, and most students and unemployed (and a lot of others...) furnished their flats from that. Now, for whatever reason, they've changed the system (come to think of it, they probably wanted to save money): If you have a large item to get rid of, and you can't take it to the dump yourself, you have to ring the council, tell them exactly what you have, they give you a date on which you have to put in on the street, and it then belongs to the council and it's a crime to take it away, in the dark or during the day!!! Ridiculous, or what?hay331 wrote:I have a sister who lives in Amsterdam and it is quite"normal" to take things off the street that have been put out for collection, it doesn't have to be done in the dead of night!
In the past, I often lived without washing machine for months on end. I must admit that in my present job I couldn't do without it - although we do have one at work which I could use. I get quite grubby on a daily basis (muck etc), and I hate wearing waterproofs all day (too sweaty inside).
And yes, I know exactly what a problem it is to make people understand that you can "just sit there and think", or, in fact, read a book, or do some knitting, or mending (instead of buying new stuff); that the lack of time they all complain about is due mainly to the hours they "have to" spend in front of the telly, and that they could easily cook proper meals, and even make their own bread, if they chucked that box out...
The few good things that are on are usually at a time when I'm in bed, anyway.
All you non-licence payers: How do you deal with the authorities?
I've given up telling them that I don't have TV. I did that once, in writing, as they request - but then I thought that's nonsense: Why do I have to spend time (for writing) and money (for the paper and stamp) on telling them that I don't want to buy their product? Nobody else of all those companies sending me advertising brochures expect this. Imagine me having to tell the British meat board or whatever on an annual basis, in wiriting, that due to the fact that I am a vegetarian I will not require any of their services this year thank you very much? But TV seems to be almost regarded as life's essential like water.
I have offered to pay a fee for using the radio (in Germany you have to pay extra for that), but they declined. I have also read of somebody who sends them a cheque every year for about 20% of the total fee (which is, I believe, regarded the amount spent on the radio programmes), and he keeps getting it returned, because they have no way of processing it. Tough luck...
Ina
