Staff Blog
311 is a Joke
A South Philly resident called 311 to tell the proper authorities that there was a huge stinky pile of garbage at the corner of Wharton and Clarion streets. Some 68 hours later, it was still there. So they decided to make a video of the trash. Note to filmmaker: Shooting in the choppy, ominous style of Dateline — complete with spooky re-enactment-of-the-murder music — was a brilliant decision. However, further reporting would've been nice, since it's pretty obvious one of your neighbors either moved out or started a renovation project and dumped all that crap on a non-trash day. Also, the video's a bit too long. This is the Internet, by the time we get to minute two, we're expecting to see a human hand or a giant rat in there. Otherwise, I dig the video.
311 has been hit or miss for me. I called one morning to report a storm drain cover that was sitting on the sidewalk next to the drain it was supposed to cover and it was fixed (with new concrete, not just shoved back into place) by the time I got home from work that evening.
I’ve also called asking for the number to the PPD’s civil affairs unit, and after being on hold for 4 minutes, the guy who answered couldn’t understand that I didn’t want to be transferred, I wanted the number to give to somebody else. I then got hung up on.
My only experience with 311 was pretty good. I called to report that the storm drain on the corner of my block — right in front of a day-care center — had become unmoored, creating a hole right into the sewer. It was replaced, and with brand new concrete on the entire corner, the next day.
Maybe the policy on trash is to just let it sit till trash day?
the band?
311 is the best!! Very good city directory. The customer service is excellent. I had a ditch in my street it was fixed within a week.