Will you get into a garbage truck for $200?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
March 5, 2009 9:23am CST
The day was bright and the birds were chirping. Next to this scene of beauty, a crowd was forming around a garbage truck. Yup, one of those vehicles carrying refuse stinky beyond words and if you are lucky, maggots and fleas as well.
A lady was yelling at the truck driver, insisting that he gets in to retrieve her lottery ticket. Apparently, she had thrown away her winning ticket by mistake. The crowd got larger and the commotion got louder. After all, who isn't excited when talking about a huge sum of money? And since the lady was clearly reluctant to search the garbage truck herself, one of those there offered to help. The prize money was $10 million and he said he will offer his effort for just $100k.
That lady turned around and said he was insane. She won only $200 so how can she pay him $100k to retrieve the ticket? Everyone there did a big BOO on her since given the noise she was making, everyone assumed she had won the top prize. But she retorted, "Isn't $200 MONEY?"
If it were you, would you go on a garbage truck adventure and search among the rubbish for $200? Do share your thoughts. 
PS.: This might have happened in real life but my source is a scene in a show I watched.
PS.: This might have happened in real life but my source is a scene in a show I watched.23 people like this
79 responses
@serena_wai (970)
• Malaysia
5 Mar 09
There were a few times I was driving behind a garbage truck, besides the flea and maggots, there is always stinky liquid dripping along the truck trail.
Imagine, you have to swim around the liquid, rotten veggie, baby's disposable & etc for a (non-guaranteed to be found) $200 ticket. Even if the ticket is found, will $200 be enough to buy detergent to clean your hand, nails leg, hair and every part of your body. Arr...can't imagine, i won't do that.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
6 Mar 09
Only slightly OT..I remember one of those candid camera shows a while back had this Gorgeous Model type come out from the Ladies room in a restaurant or someplace and asking guys to volunteer to retrieve a diamond earring she'd "accidentally" dropped in the toilet..most guys who volunteered actually did go in and get it out...then they decided to make it more interesting and poured some apple juice down there..(think about it..!) most still stepped up to do it!
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
7 Mar 09
Those poor guys must have felt obliged to pick up the diamond ring - they might not do it for a million dollars but here, their honor is at stake!
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
Oh yea, I forgot about the stinky liquid lol. That might be the ace of the collection. 
And yup, you are right. The ticket might not even be found.
And yup, you are right. The ticket might not even be found.1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
5 Mar 09
If I was the Driver,I'd have said "Sorry,no refunds!" But if SHE wanted to come by the depot and pick out her bag from the Landfill..be my guest!
Hypothetical question or not,who would throw out a lottery ticket before they checked it? Why would it be out for the garbage collectors (in the early morning?) having sat out all night(?) without someone,presumably banking on a win,realising it was gone? Maybe an identity thief would think it worthwhile going through trash for the returns possible from that activity,but $200 wouldn't be worth it for the clothes and shoes you'd be risking if not replacing afterwards!
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
6 Jan 10
Thinking it over,I'd wonder would the ticket have been tossed with the recycle waste,or the general kitchen waste,and if it had been bagged first? If it was with the unbagged general household waste,I'd say forget it..some nasty stuff gets dumped that way,pet waste,diapers,who knows what..You might take a chance on recycle waste day,but the refuse trucks around here (And,I assume,Elsewhere too) have hydraulic compactor mechanisms that get used as the back fills up,and AFAIK,the only way to get something back once they've gone through a cycle is to open the tailgate at the depot..so long as a recycle day load hadn't been compacted,you might take a chance on identifying "your" stuff! Thanks for Best Response!
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
5 Mar 09
Hell Polly where's your charm give the garbage guy a kiss and Ten bucks and ask him to get the ticket ha ha ha. Oh we do have fun here don't we?
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
5 Mar 09
I don't think trash is labeled, or is it? 
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
5 Mar 09
Maybe she would get in if it is really $10 million. 
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
This brings to mind the $1 million for Fear Factor.
1 person likes this
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
5 Mar 09
No. There are too many diseases you can get from getting into a garbage truck...and $200 would not pay for medical help.
2 people like this
@littletinker (273)
•
6 Mar 09
What diseases can you get from climbing into a garbage truck?
1 person likes this
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
6 Mar 09
There is only one way to find out.
2 people like this
@mummymo (23706)
•
5 Mar 09
LOL I thought it was coming from your imagination too wizzy! If I were fit and able you are too right that I would have been in the garbage truck trying to find my ticket - I would have been wearing rubber gloves though! $200 is $200 after all. I would not however expect someone else to look for the ticket if I weren't prepared to do it myself! xxx
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
Oh yea, rubber gloves. Be prepared before you dive right in. 
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
6 Mar 09
For $200, no I wouldn't do it. For $400, which is the amount of money I need to go to D.C. right now to see my friends in April, I would consider it, but I think I have a special case, as even if I manage to fall into a garbage truck, which will be difficult as I have a disability and don't walk, I would also have to recruit other people to dig me out of the garbage truck. I don't think any of my assistants would be happy with this assignment. Plus, it would be really hard for me to get a full cleaning off, which you would need after falling into a garbage truck. I can't take a real shower unless I go to the Y. So even for my $400 I might have to reconsider.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
So there is a price tag for everything after all!
Hope you manage to get the $400 you need in time! 
Hope you manage to get the $400 you need in time! 
@mummyofthree (2715)
•
6 Mar 09
Hmmmm. Tough one. Over here $200 is around £100. I would love to say that I would just wave goodbye to the money. In fact I'd hope I wouldn't be stupid enough to throw away my ticket in the first place!!
But in the event that it actually happened to me.... And the little fact that I have no money
I think I would have a quiet word with the bin men and ask if I could have by bags back! If that meant climbing up and getting them myself.... 
so be it!
For the price of a few smelly and gut churning minutes retrieving my bags and a good old fashioned scrub in the bath... the two weeks of me and my kids eating like kings... I know which one I would go for!!
But in the event that it actually happened to me.... And the little fact that I have no money
I think I would have a quiet word with the bin men and ask if I could have by bags back! If that meant climbing up and getting them myself.... so be it!
For the price of a few smelly and gut churning minutes retrieving my bags and a good old fashioned scrub in the bath... the two weeks of me and my kids eating like kings... I know which one I would go for!!2 people like this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
6 Mar 09
Hi lordwarwizard! Oh no, as much as I wanted to retrieve my winning ticket if I am in the same situation, I still don't think I can. I would love to have my winning ticket so I can have my $200 but I do think that in doing so, I might end up getting some disease that can be caused by bacteria, fungi or whatever germs in that garbage truck carries around. Yikes! If it is the jackpot prize of millions, I won't have second thoughts. I could have the money to go and see the doctor and give me a general check up afterwards. LOL! 
Take care and have a great day!
lovelots..faith
Take care and have a great day!
lovelots..faith@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
Oh yes, all the possible exposure to diseases... no way for me too! 
1 person likes this
@sxrxnrr45601 (1171)
• United States
5 Mar 09
200 dollars buys alot of soap lol lol but yeah I would do it for sure!
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
Oh yes, 200 bucks can buy you some luxury shop you would usually not take a second look at. Ha!
@jshekhar (1562)
• India
6 Mar 09
I would NOT do that, for any amount of money you offer to me :)
I know I might sound stupid but the entire idea is so nauseating. I used to follow a t.v. reality show Roadies here in India and even there they make people do some nasty things in order to earn a few thousand rupees. I found that quite idiotic and I never wanted to go there. The same goes for this offer.
2 people like this
@beachstarz (1092)
• United States
5 Mar 09
Good morning lordwarwizard! I don't think I would likely get into a garbage truck
for $200 , but I guess it depends on how much you need the money . If I had no money to feed my family or buy much needed medicine , then I might do it .
It would also depend on when the trash was picked up with the ticket .
That ticket could be at the bottom of the pile , then I would have to say
Heck No ! not for all the tea in China , ha !
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
5 Mar 09
Morning to you, beachstarz.
Good point... how desperate are we?
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
7 Mar 09
Yup, it's a big case by case basis thingy.
1 person likes this
@Jezebella (1446)
• United States
6 Mar 09
I agree if I didn't have money to feed my family or get medication that is needed, it might climb in and search for it, especially if they just picked up my garbage then it would probably still be on top or something.
@Liu1979chang (21)
• China
6 Mar 09
greed poured in not only from the lottery host,but others who attend in searching.
i think they`re also another rubbish.
2 people like this
@irishfury187 (375)
• United States
6 Mar 09
depends on how long the ticket had been in the truck, if the truck had only picked up a couple houses trash after getting the trash with the ticket I would, I'd wear long sleeves and pants, a ski mask, goggles, a doctors mask, some gloves, and some boots. But if it had several houses trash on top that would make it harder so I'd forget about it, and mylot about it, make about 3 cents over 200 dollars lost...but I dont see myself being foolish enough to throw away a winner.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
But you will never know... sometimes you *just* end up misplacing something very important. *horror*
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
6 Mar 09
Your story is fiction...
In real life...
The chances of her having put the lottery ticket in the garbage... and just realising it as the garbage truck comes along... would be one in a million.
Most people wrap their garbage in plastic bags these days.
So you don't have to go through the garbage.
You only need to find your bag.
The garbage man works for the council.
He is not authorised to stop his work to search the truck.
Nor can he ask for money to search the truck.
At best he would let the lady get her bag out of the truck if she can recognise it.
But for $200 only... nobody would make a big fuss about it.
It is just bad luck for the lady.
But she made the mistake... and can only blame herself.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
I beg to differ. I don't think it is that unlikely to dump a winning ticket. Sometimes when you are so excited, you start to get nervous and do things without realizing. And by the time you realize, your winning ticket might indeed has been dumped.
@mummyofthree (2715)
•
6 Mar 09
No it isn't that unlikely! If anyone could do it it would be me! I have thrown away somevery odd things in the past!
And as for making a fuss.... If you and your kids have nothing.... then $200 would seem like a million dollars!
With the economy the way it is today, people at the poorer end of the spectrum do not have the luxury of throwing away that kind of money.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
14 Mar 09
10 million,yes.
$200,no.even beyond maggots there could be all kinds of wonderfully pointy
things in there.it would cost half that just to see a doctor if something happened.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
14 Mar 09
yea,pretty muchi've lost my sense of smell in large part,so stink wouldn't be an issue.
i'd be thinking my mom could use that money.
i've lost my sense of smell in large part,so stink wouldn't be an issue.
i'd be thinking my mom could use that money.1 person likes this
@4mymak (1793)
• Malaysia
6 Mar 09
if it was my own money.. i think i would..
especially since money is very 'tight' nowadays..
but i would request for the 'proper equipments' like heavy duty gloves, gas-mask -
something like a 'space-suit' would be very suitable..
but if it was for someone else, who was very careless and threw away her money (winning ticket) - no, thank you!..
if i was there.. i would boo at her myself..
if she cared so much about the money - she should go and get it herself!!..
but if it was for someone else, who was very careless and threw away her money (winning ticket) - no, thank you!..
if i was there.. i would boo at her myself..
if she cared so much about the money - she should go and get it herself!!..2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
6 Mar 09
Lol, you've got to find those equipment yourself. Remember it's your ticket.
@forslahiri (1042)
• India
5 Mar 09
Hi,
I'll better Repent (for my callosness),but not go....
=Lahiri,Kolkata,India.
