The state of Commercial street and surrounding areas.

[Malcolm]

Generally speaking Shetland is a fairly clean place, that is intil you look down at your feet and see white dots of varying sizes, That my friends is CHEWING GUM !

 

It is everywhere, No it isn't a pattern built ionto the paving slabs, It is chewy, Dirty filthy Mucky Sticky chewing gum.

 

Now one would hope that users of this nasty stuff do not spit it out on the floors at home, so why oh why spit it out onto the street?

 

It is pure out and out filth and those that spit it out should be forced to clean it up!

[Ghostrider]

Just be thankful its not nice steaming piles of dog excrement, like the street always used to host in number....maybe still does, I'm so rarely there now I wouldn't really know.

 

Especially nice when someone hadn't seen it, and tread it for several steps in one direction or another, not only did you have to avoid the original pile, you had to dodge all the smaller dropped-off-shoe scraps for the next few yards too.

[Fjool]

Now one would hope that users of this nasty stuff do not spit it out on the floors at home, so why oh why spit it out onto the street?

 

I must confess that I accidentally did exactly this whilst running to catch a bus. I coughed and lost the chewing gum and have been feeling bad about not going back for it, but it was dark and I doubted I would spot it amongst all the other pieces anyway... and I was wearing cloth gloves. In the rain. All the same, I'm sorry I dropped it and didn't collect it.

 

Littering with chewing gum is bad but, I think, mostly accidental. It's sticky and icky and it is less likely to be retrieved for being small, too.

[Malcolm]

^^ ^^

 

There would seem to be a couple of hundred accidents just outside Don Leslies shop door then.

[Fjool]

Once a place has gum on the pavement, though, it is a case of 'monkey see, monkey do' and further pieces will appear more readily.

[KOYAANISQATSI]

it is a case of 'monkey see, monkey do' and further pieces will appear more readily.

 

A growing trend:

 

http://popdirt.com/britney-spears-spits-her-gum-at-paparazzi/11156/

 

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1004/algwinehousehorizontalxm7.jpg

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/06/29/2008-06-29_amy_winehouse_punches_fan_spits_gum_at_g.html

 

 

There really is no need, there is a plentiful supply of small childrens heads or old ladys backs for easy disposal, why be so thoughtless as to spit it on the street.

[Ghostrider]

What happened to the "instant freeze 'em, blast 'em off" machine the SIC spent, probably an obscene sum of funds on, a few years back, that was going to be the be all and end all of gum splattered streets?

[JustMe]

What happened to the "instant freeze 'em, blast 'em off" machine the SIC spent, probably an obscene sum of funds on, a few years back, that was going to be the be all and end all of gum splattered streets?

Yes indeed it would be good to know about that. Meanwhile I must take issue with Malcolm's description of chewing gum as "this nasty stuff". Pleasant taste, mouth freshening and with some dental benefits all apply to chewing gum but not "nasty stuff". Well not until it is on the ground rather than in the bins.

[tarotangel]

As much as I like chewing gum myself it really does annoy me the amount that ends up on the pavement/street. It's not that hard to put it in a bin rather than the ground.

 

I used to work in Taylors and we always had some job taking it off the floor, never mind the pavement.

 

I'd be very interested to hear what happened with the machine that the SIC has/had got. I'm sure I've seen it in action a couple of years ago but not heard/seen anything about it since.

[Twerto]

should be put in the stocks at the market cross where everyone can spit chewing gum at them if caught.

[soljey]

should be put in the stocks at the market cross where everyone can spit chewing gum at them if caught.

 

Then who would clean up all the chewing gum around the stocks?

[Twerto]

have them stood in an empty paddling pool, and if anyone misses the pool that have to pick it up themselves or face going in the stocks themselves

[MJ]

i still like the idea of coating the roads with the stuff. It's so hard wearing it'd sort out the road surfacing problems.

Chewing gum walls are quite creative and have been effective in some areas. Unfortunately can't post photos from phone.

[tarotangel]

The Chewing gum walls sound interesting. How do they work no heard o then afore.

[Pooks]

Have a look at the Wikipedia page here about Bubblegum Alley.

 

Basically a wall is designated for people to stick their chewing gum to. Because it evolves over time then people are more likely to use it.