I went to London on Sunday, to the Olympic Park Copper Box Arena, where my boyfriend and I and a few friends watched a basketball game (boyfriend is a big fan of the NBA and this is the closest we’ll get at the mo).

In passing, the game was really good fun. We, the crowd, did Mexican waves and all stomped our feet while shouting ‘DE-FENCE! DE-FENCE!’ and those were my favourite bits. There was always something going on and marketing peeps were there chucking free t-shirts into the crowd and running little competitions between quarters.

They had a dance comp. The camera went round the audience and whoever bust the best moves would win VIP passes to meet the players after the game. Keep in mind this is NOT the NBA (we were watching the London Lions) – but still fun for the kids, who were the primary winners of the VIP tickets.

One little boy, sitting close by in front of me, went absolutely crazy and danced his best moves with no inhibition. He deserved to win and he did, rightly, win. He was with his mum, dad and brother and they seemed like a sweet family – I was pleased for them and pointed out to my boyfriend how excited they were to receive the VIP passes.

However later, when we got up to leave I saw something that made my blood run cold and I’m sorry to say, completely changed my opinion of them. This ‘lovely’ family had left their rubbish completely strewn over the floor. Cans, sweet wrappers, plastic cups and nacho holders. Not that it would have made it much better (because it wouldn’t) but I noticed they hadn’t even piled everything together, it was just littered…everywhere and they walked over it to get out.

Now I really, really don’t understand why some people are so completely ignorant and obviously that arrogant they think it’s okay to leave all their shit for someone else to pick up. Why do they think they are so good, special, privileged (whatever) they can just leave their OWN rubbish, assuming some other poor schmuck will do their dirty work for them?

Littering at any time is a terrible offence and should be punishable by heavy fines and community service (if death is not an option). Side of the road fly tipping, the obligatory brown bag from McDonalds. Cans, bottles, receipts, nappies, crisp packets – all usually within a few yards of a bin (obviously).

And I see it all the times at places like this – the cinema, the theatre. Basically anywhere with a rows of seats. Apart from looking gross and lazy and pathetic, I think it’s the assumption that someone else will clear up YOUR mess that makes me feel so angry.

“oh well someone is paid to clean up” may be one person’s argument. Not an argument I’m afraid (but certainly says something about you as a person). Would you shit on the floor in a public toilet just because you know that eventually it’ll be cleaned up by the janitor? What about basic human decency? Doing the right thing?

What if the minimum wage cinema usher DIDN’T have to go round picking up your crap after the film had finished? What if they could just get their broom and anti-bac or whatever and get on with their job.

Not to mention about germs. It’s cold season. We’ve just had an international pandemic. The same people who leave their rubbish under their seats are probably the same people who berate others for not wearing a face mask in Tesco. Oh, but it’s fine for someone to pick up your saliva covered germ straw and your kid’s snotty tissue??

Neither is the excuse ‘there wasn’t a bin nearby’ an actual excuse. There is always a bin at SOME POINT and presumably you wouldn’t scrape your dinner plate onto the floor at home because there wasn’t a bin in your dining room? No, you’d walk into the kitchen to throw in the trash. That’s how it works in public places too and there are plenty of bins in cinemas, theatres and arenas. Some places even have ushers holding binbags out as you leave. They couldn’t make it any simpler, yet still, some people are above carrying an empty cup for thirty seconds.

Rant over, for now. But please – do pick up after yourself. To assume that someone else will, or should is disgraceful. Have the decency and the dignity to just complete that one simple act of disposing of your own rubbish. How hard can it be.