History Main / GarbageHideout

Garbage cans also make perfect hideouts for more mundane reasons, like wanting to spy on someone. However, this hiding spot comes with the risk of trash being dumped on the person hiding inside, or worse-, getting tossed in the dump.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/SuskeEnWiske https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/garbage_hideout_75_smaller.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Jerom learns the risks of this trope]]

* ''Film/TheNeverendingStory''. Near the beginning of the film, Bastian [[StuffedIntoATrashCan is stuffed into a dumpster]] by three school bullies chasing him. At the end of the film, he rides on Falcor and chases the bullies, forcing them to seek shelter in the same dumpster.
* In both versions of ''Film/TheGetaway'', Doc and Carol jump into a dumpster to evade the police. It nearly gets them crushed by the compactor.
* ''Film/ScoobyDooTheMysteryBegins'': After the gang is expelled from school, they use disguises to continue investigating. Shaggy and Scooby go as walking trashcans. Of course, the vice principal ends up throwing trash into Shaggy's bin.

* ''WesternAnimation/LoudHouse'': In "Schooled", Lincoln hides in a trash can to avoid Lynn Jr., who has been promoted to hall monitor and enforces the school rules with iron fist.

* When Archie from ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' was told to clean the garage by his father, he disappeared with the father being angered that he'd disappear when chores are even suggested, and eventually finds Archie hiding in a trash can. Ironically, he found Archie when he himself planned on using the trash can to hide from his wife when she's suggesting he do some chores.

* "Series/DrakeAndJosh" : In the episode "Alien Invasion", Drake and Josh prank Megan into thinking there is alien activity by tampering with the equipment she's been using to pick it up. The two hide in trash cans to spy on her, adn hear her buying the prank, much to their pleasure. However, their dad Walter comes out to empty the trash and disposes it in Josh's can. Drake remains safe, though.

[[folder:Literature
* In the first ''[[Literature/TheTribe Tribe]]'' book, "Homeroom Headhunters", Spencer is being hunted by the tribe as part of his initiation. At one point during this, he hides in the garbage cans outside the school cafeteria.
[[/folder]]

* One episode of "Series/DrakeAndJosh" had the boys hiding in their garbage cans and of course their dad comes and dumps some garbage on Josh's head.

* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'': In the episode "Suspended", Harold finds that his suspension isn't fun like he had hoped, and in both boredom and desperation, tries to sneak back into school, at one point, hiding in a dumpster in the playground, only to have a janitor toss a barrel of spoiled, melted cheese into it.

* One episode of "Series/Drake&Josh" had the boys hiding in their garbage cans and of course their dad comes and dumps some garbage on Josh's head.

[[AC:RealLife]]
* There was a Darwin Award winner who tried to escape prison by hiding in the trash bags, unfortunately he ended up in the trash compactor.

!Examples

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC:ComicStrip]]

[[AC:FanWorks]]
* In ''{{Fanfic/Syngenesophobia}}'', in chapter 23, Lola is forced to hide in a trash can to avoid Lincoln seeing her.

[[AC:{{Films}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}''. In the episode "D.W. Blows the Whistle", Arthur and his friends stake out D.W., hoping to catch her in the act of doing something unsafe, so they can call her out on it, after she had been doing the same to them, much to their annoyance; Arthur himself is hiding in a trashcan as D.W. walks by, finds an ice cream cone dropped on the sidewalk, and ultimately drops it in the trashcan, before going on her way.
* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold''. In the episode "Suspended", Harold finds that his suspension isn't fun like he had hoped, and in both boredom and desperation, tries to sneak back into school, at one point, hiding in a dumpster in the playground, only to have a janitor toss a barrel of spoiled, melted cheese into it.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/garbage_hideout_75_smaller.png]]

* Used at least twice in ''ComicBook/SuskeEnWiske:

** The page image comes from "Tedere Tronica", where the same thing happens to Jerom when he's hiding in a trash can to keep an eye on Professor Barabas (who is being targeted by criminals because of a his latest invention).

* ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'' frequently uses this trope and it's cousin StuffedIntoATrashcan when it comes to Bailey and the Sarge:

* In ''Film/DiaryOfAWimpyKid: Dog Days'', Rodrick hides in a dumpster while he waits for Greg to sneak him into the club. He gets trash dumped on him when Greg takes too long and is not amused.

* There was a DarwinAward winner who tried to escape prison by hiding in the trash bags, unfortunately he ended up in the trash compactor

A trash can may be smell and full of [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin trash,]] but it's usually a good hideout in a pinch. Some characters on the lam take note of this, going inside a trash can or dumpster and hiding out. After all, it's probably less worse than whatever the person you're hiding from is planning to do to you.

A trash can may be smell and full of [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin trash,]] but it's usually a good hideout in a pinch. Some characters on the lam take note of this, going inside a trash can or dumpster and hiding out. This often results in trash being dumped on them, or worse- being tossed in the dump.

** In "Tedere Tronica", the same thing happens to Jerom when he's hiding in a trash can to keep an eye on Professor Barabas (who is being targeted by criminals because of a his latest invention).

** In "De Gouden Locomotief", Lambik has bought an original cowboy hat and wants to surprise Sidonia, so he hides in the trashcan in the backyarsd and tells Wiske to send Sidonia outside. Sidonia is peeling potatoes at the time, so she dumps the peels in the trashcan without even noticing Lambik is inside.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''. In the episode "Parent's Night", the gang spies on Spinelli at her house to try to get an idea of what her parents are actually like; Spinelli takes out the garbage for the evening, only to discover Mikey hiding in the garbage can, much to her aggravation.