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Author Topic: How to make picking up the lot at a drive-in faster Robert L. Fischer Expert Film Handler Posts: 145 From: Montreal, Quebec Registered: May 2004 posted 06-01-2005 02:47 AM                    Any suggestions? I'm doing the janitor job at our drive-in for extra cash, but time will be limited. All I've done so far is walk through the lot with a trashbag and although it's not too bad, it's a little tiring on the back and slow. Someone suggested putting a nail in the end of a handle, but it doesn't seem like it'd be much faster.  |  IP: Logged Dieter Depypere Master Film Handler Posts: 343 From: Deutsch-Wagram, Lower Austria, Austria Registered: May 2005 posted 06-01-2005 03:09 AM                     First of all: I hope I did understand correctly what you meant (I am AUstrian you know). Try dividing the lot (if a parking lot is meant) into squares (all should be about the same size but not too big!) and pick these up one after the other. Make sure to start at the far end and work your way to the other end - otherwise you'll run criss-cross and waste valuable time. I use this method to clean up a room/mow the grass/whatever when the room/lawn is not rectangle. Hope I could help you but please(!) tell me if I misunderstood something.  |  IP: Logged Robert L. Fischer Expert Film Handler Posts: 145 From: Montreal, Quebec Registered: May 2004 posted 06-01-2005 03:18 AM                    Yeah, the lot at the drive-in theater would be where the cars are parked facing the screen.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-01-2005 06:23 AM                     Use a leaf blower.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 06-01-2005 08:20 AM                        Brings back memories! 1. Don't do it on an empty lot at night (rats). 2. Wear disposable gloves (e.g. when you find used condoms). 3. A leaf blower/vacuum is a good idea for the smaller debris. 4. If you can afford it and have a paved lot, a "Billy Goat" or similar vacuum machine might work well: http://www.parish-supply.com/billy_goat_sv50.htm http://www.nhlawn.com/billy-goat/lawn-vacuum.htm quote: SV Pro Series Quiet Vac Our newest quiet vacuum with revolutionary bagging system. Billy Goat's newest vacuum SV50 Quiet Vac features incredibly strong suction, bagging versatility, and whisper quiet operation that revolutionizes outdoor vacuums and solves hundreds of cleaning problems. This amazing vacuum is equally suited for picking up parking lot litter, Autumn litter & leaves  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-01-2005 09:23 AM                     Make announcements before and after the show to the effect of: "Local health dept. regulations prohibit the throwing of trash on the ground as it attracts rodents" "Trash cans are located outside the snack bar for your convenience" "Outside food and drinks are prohibited"  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-01-2005 10:20 AM                     Hand out small plastic bags at the ticket booth (T-Shirt Bags) and tell customers it's their trash bag. Local drive-in here does that and cut way back on the amount of trash in the lot.  |  IP: Logged Robert Golding Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Sutter, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 06-01-2005 06:56 PM                     First things first, try and get your manager to give out t-shirt bags at the boxoffice for trash. These are those little plastic bags the put your groceries in, can get them at Sams Club, Costco, etc. We started that 8 years ago and two of us can clean the lot in less than 1hr after doing $2000 in the snackbar. It really works!  |  IP: Logged Bruce Hansen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 847 From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-01-2005 07:20 PM                     Also, make sure there are plenty of trash cans around. People will tend to put stuff in a trash can, if they can EASILY find one. If they can't EASILY find a trash can, the trash will be on the ground.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-01-2005 07:21 PM                     The public works department in Erie (my hometown) has a couple of these that they drive around during public festivals, etc. We call them Snuffleupagus Mobiles.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-02-2005 12:31 PM                     My trash guy uses a handtruck and puts a trashcan on it. He secures it with a bungee cord. He puts about 15bags on the handle of the can and gets a pick up grabber and starts walking. He keeps a broom and dustpan with him as he picks up garbage. It usually takes him about 3 hours to pick up the lot and an hour to clean up the bags from the lot.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-02-2005 12:42 PM                     3 hours? Damn, thats a long time! Maybe your guy should take some of the tips posted above.  |  IP: Logged Wayne Keyser Master Film Handler Posts: 272 From: Arlington, Virginia, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 06-02-2005 09:59 PM                     "It doesn't have to be like work if you make a game out of it... Ready now? Everybody sing: "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down..." [Dodges thrown bricks...]  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-03-2005 01:12 AM                       Everyone's pretty much suggested every trick I always knew, except: quote: John Pytlak 1. Don't do it on an empty lot at night (rats). Gotta disagree on this one. First, if the lot's empty, it doesn't need picking up. Secondly... depends on your location. We had skunks. Like anything, you just gotta watch out. Plus, picking up at night is a sight easier (and cooler) than in the daytime.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-03-2005 03:43 AM                     This is where I started in this crazy career: being a projectionist at a drive-in for 7yrs. After the snakbar had closed down and toward the last hour of the night, me and the rampboy (when I was inbetween reels, just made my changeover and loaded up the other machine) head out to the yard and picked up the big stuff with broom handles that had a couple of long nails driven in the end and with the head of the nails were cut off and the end ground off to a point - to pick up the big stuff into the two garbage cans that we wheeled around strapped to a couple of freight dollies. (yes, you could find some interesting "artifacts" lying on that yard...and even some moolah that had fallen out of the patron's pockets..LOL) On busy nights towards the end of the night, the two of us had a decent system down were we had that yard pretty well cleaned up in the last hour of the night (still had to run back in the booth to do my changeovers though, and I could hear the reel end ding bell chime out in the yard), and then the day guy only took less than a hour to finish up the yard. Our yard was just a gravel yard-not the fancy paved variety. -Monte  |  IP: Logged

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