Yards cannot buy construction equipment if you own it?

I was a little upset today and I didn't know I did anything wrong but got an attitude from the yard guy.

I have been helping my aunt clean up my uncles stuff, he has dementia now and she has sold off some of his yard/garden equipment and given me a TON of it. She has given me many many mowers and accessories to the riders, etc. he used to own a lawn mower shop. Well, he also had a lot of other toys, one being a backhoe which had been sold a while back.

We have found many items he hid in the woods of their property (not being in his right mind and we can't figure out why he did that) but I digress. We found a bucket to the backhoe.

With scrapping taking up basically 6/7 days of my week I just didn't want to try and sell it and have to find the time to try and make time to meet up with someone. plus, its so heavy I can't leave it in my truck and burn gas with the weight and how can I load it in my truck if everyone else is at work by myself?


I asked the yard guy if I could sell it from there - they can easily move it with their forklifts if someone bought it. And I figure I could give him a cut. Better than scrap value right? Lots of farmers come around that area that might need a bucket.

Well, next thing I knew he is sighting laws to me and what not and copping an attitude and I felt like an ass. I said I knew about the burnt copper laws and the railroad laws but didn't know there was a backhoe law. He said it falls under construction equipment. I said even if you own it yourself?

So, it stayed in my truck and I figured I would have to take the time to try and sell it myself after all. But I stewed and stewed all the way back home for the next load and almost didn't take it in because I was so upset.

I took the next load in and I did kind of yell at him when I got there. I told him, I'm giving you tons of steel for 4 years now every week and other stuff and I didn't do anything wrong by asking because I didn't know and I didn't do it on purpose.

Maybe the yards need to post a list of items they do not buy for the average joe like me who might not know every single law for every item.

I'll say it again. Thieves ruin stuff for the rest of us. If there weren't thieves stealing construction equipment, then they would not have to pass laws about it.

I hear where your coming from Parrot, but still no need for the yard to treat a long term customer like NA like that. I mean copping an attitude/yelling/whatever? Dude coulda explained things in a better fashion. How do you know if you don't ask ya know?

A simple, "I'm sorry we can't take that, here's why" woulda sufficed. She knows now an won't ask again I'm sure, not to mention think twice of using that yard. An I agree, yards should be made to put up signs of stuff they can't legally buy. If they don't they have no business yelling at someone, an I mean getting all huffy/attitude/yelling/etc, not explaining like a rational person. If I hadn't joined this forum, I'd never have known about certain things being a no no at yards, as they don't post that stuff. I mean hell, even my local PO lists what you can't ship. Airports list what you can't bring on a plane, or have in your luggage, etc.

Thieves do ruin it for all of us, but still no reason to be a giant butt head over a simple question. My yard did that to me, we'd be exchanging words to.

Sorry ya had to deal with that NA. Perhaps it's time he got a new attitude. Pun included free of charge.