found something on the side of the road

**mike1** · 10-13-2016, 01:09 PM

i was wandering if it is legal to pick up something on the side of the road? its not very far from the edge of the shoulder its in the grass is that considered public domain? or if i pick it up and carry it home am i gona get arrested? i mean its not like its in someones yard or anything. i walk by and pick up cans all the time but i didnt know if this was different?

**hobo finds** · 10-13-2016, 01:15 PM

I think if you pick it up its fine, but don't pick it up and than think this is no good I don't want it and put it back down. If it is trash then take it away and dispose of it.

**mike1** · 10-13-2016, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by hobo finds

I think if you pick it up its fine, but don't pick it up and than think this is no good I don't want it and put it back down. If it is trash then take it away and dispose of it.

yeah if nothing else i can give it to the steel guy lol.

**aph** · 10-13-2016, 02:30 PM

Probably depends on your state law.
I am pretty sure in California it is considered abandoned property as long as it is not on private land.
Even the stuff people leave OUTSIDE donation trailers and containers is technically considered abandoned property.

**submarinepainter** · 10-13-2016, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by aph

Probably depends on your state law.
I am pretty sure in California it is considered abandoned property as long as it is not on private land.
Even the stuff people leave OUTSIDE donation trailers and containers is technically considered abandoned property.

I think donating is a wonderful thing but I hate those who dump a friggin couch at a clothing drop box.

**billygoat** · 10-13-2016, 06:39 PM

First of all, we are not attorneys so we can't advise you on the legality of the matter. Secondly, you should familiarize yourself with the trash and recycling laws pertaining to your city/town and your county, You can usually get a good start by checking their websites. In the county where I live, taking anything placed at the curb for trash pickup or recycling is considered scavenging and is illegal.

Also, don't assume that any part of someone else's property is considered to be in the public domain. Back in my curb shopping days, if I had any doubt I would simply pass on the item.

**AdmiralAluminum** · 10-13-2016, 07:06 PM

BOOM! The Goat has spoken! #SecondWhatHeSaid

**Repurposer** · 10-13-2016, 10:33 PM

The highway department has no problem with people stopping (pulling off the roadway far enough to not create a hazard) to pick up things on the side of the road. I have a friend who is an ADOT road crew supervisor. The ones who actually do the roadway clean up. He said he loves it when people help them dispose of debris. Saves them the trouble of picking it up. We drag race and have traveled all over. I could have made a killing from picking up every Coleman AC plastic cover I saw on the side of the roadway. Once while stopping to check a tire there was a plastic box like the kind people strap to their rooftops when traveling. It was just laying upside down off Highway 95 headed to Vegas near Searchlight. It had all kinds of camping equipment in it along with some nice folding chairs. No identification of any kind. We moved it closer to the side of the road so it could be seen. I was hoping the owner would back track and maybe retrieve it. On our return trip it was gone. Just did not feel right taking it. But any other stuff you find according to my buddy is fair game on Arizona's interstates and very much appreciated if you do remove it.

**t00nces2** · 10-14-2016, 12:29 AM

If it is a Tesla you are talking about on the side of the road, I think it may be trouble...

**nutpie** · 12-10-2016, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by billygoat

First of all, we are not attorneys so we can't advise you on the legality of the matter. Secondly, you should familiarize yourself with the trash and recycling laws pertaining to your city/town and your county, You can usually get a good start by checking their websites. In the county where I live, taking anything placed at the curb for trash pickup or recycling is considered scavenging and is illegal.

Also, don't assume that any part of someone else's property is considered to be in the public domain. Back in my curb shopping days, if I had any doubt I would simply pass on the item.

"When in doubt, leave it out" (of the back of the truck)

**street_sweeper** · 12-11-2016, 12:28 AM

A friend of mine once told me make sure it's lost before you find it.

**scrappinlife** · 12-11-2016, 10:43 AM

So how about this scenario.....I passed by about 600 feet of aluminum power lines that was left behind from about 5 weeks ago. This is line that was knocked down by fallen trees from the recent hurricane. This is the only line that I've seen in the area. It appears to be abandoned. What's everybody thoughts on this?

**scrappinlife** · 12-11-2016, 10:46 AM

FYI....I have by business on file at the scrap yard, so they're used to be bringing in high voltage wire from house demos thar we do....Exe....the line from the pole to the house that disconnected before demo.

**nutpie** · 12-11-2016, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by scrappinlife

FYI....I have by business on file at the scrap yard, so they're used to be bringing in high voltage wire from house demos thar we do....Exe....the line from the pole to the house that disconnected before demo.

Personally I would not touch it. Im sure the power company for a long tome has been dealing with metal theft. You could try calling them and asking, but I bet the answer will be a no. But no, no railroad, no power company, no water district. There will be other scrap for you to get, there is always other scrap to get. When in doubt, leave it out.

**manjelle** · 12-12-2016, 02:11 PM

am I the only one wondering what it was that he picked up, or did I just miss the post where he said what it was.

**Scrappah** · 12-13-2016, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by scrappinlife

So how about this scenario.....I passed by about 600 feet of aluminum power lines that was left behind from about 5 weeks ago. This is line that was knocked down by fallen trees from the recent hurricane. This is the only line that I've seen in the area. It appears to be abandoned. What's everybody thoughts on this?

Just an opinion:

Put yourself in their place: You're a line worker. A storm recently hit and you've got lines down all over the place. You're probably pulling a lot of overtime. The priority is to get this job done and get to the next one as soon as possible.

Bringing old line back to the shop for recycling isn't even remotely important.

I've heard that the wires and poles are considered hazardous waste and that the line workers are encouraged to leave it in place rather than drag it back to the shop to be properly disposed of. Don't know if there's any truth to it or not though. It might be that it's just one of those things.

Still leaves you in the grey area of what's kool and what isn't though. If it really is a Hazmat you're probably just as well off to leave it alone though.

**eesakiwi** · 12-14-2016, 03:26 AM

Some of that power company cable is particular to certain company's only, or industry's.
In reality some of it cannot and will never get into personal ownership. If somebody walks in with some and says its theirs, its been stolen in the eyes of the law.
Since there can be some sort of reward for information regarding its recovery or reprecussions if its ever discovered higher up in the scrap chain, some cable scrap is verboten.

I was given some of this stuff, some short sections, about 5 x 3foot long once by a guy so I could clean it down and sell it.

I couldn't get all the plastic off and decided to sell it 'as is' with the outer sheath removed. It was Aluminium.

I got told later on by the guy who gave it to me "all hell broke loose 5 minutes after you left, the boss saw it, realised what it was and they had to run around and hide it in case somebody who knew what it was came in and saw it".

Turns out the guy who gave it to me had been given it by somebody connected to the same scrapyard, who knew they couldn't buy/sell it, and gave it to him to remove the plastic and sell it.
He tried, gave up, and passed the task on to me.....

It was offcuts found on the side of a worksite somewhere. Cleaned down it was unrecognisable, with the plastic on it it was identifiable.
Someone told me last week about finding stuff on the side of the road. "If its not yours, its not yours....."

**alloy2** · 12-14-2016, 03:49 PM

Somethings found on the roadside are justifiably lawfully kept.

One late evening coming back to Penticton a large lump was laying on the side of the road and had not yet become hamburger, the lump turned out to be a nice bit of road kill without any noticeable body damage.

I tossed the animal into the back of my truck, the next morning presented myself to the fish and game authorities explaining how I came to be in possession of a protected species to which I wished to purchase a permit giving me ;legal possession.

Once the permit is in hand you can show this to any taxidermist who in turn will photocopy the permit before proceeding with his preservation work. Should you decide to sell or auction the animal the permit must follow to prove legal ownership.

On this occasion I donated the animal to the fish and game folks who now have it in their back office collection, my generosity garnered me a tour of the facility.

They were pleased to have a near perfect badger for their collection.

My previous road kill find was a Great Horned Owl, a kill I witnessed as it happened.

This time taking the back roads from Penticton over the mountains over to Hedley when Becky and i came across the Great Horned Owl sitting peacefully on an old stump. We stopped to get a better look when all of a sudden a Great Gray Owl swoops down grabbing the great horned by its talons.

As the larger bird flew over where we were standing taking all this in, the Great Gray lost its grip dropping the Great Horned at my feet, I picked the bird up only to see the life from its eyes flicker out. The bird died with no visible damage, I kept the owl then obtained a permit from fish and game the following day.

I had taken the owl to a taxidermist to have it mounted, it was to be a gift for Becky but she left for the east before the bird had been completed so I abandoned the bird as I had no specific interest in owning a stuffed owl.

**emy** · 03-14-2017, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by mike1

i was wandering if it is legal to pick up something on the side of the road? its not very far from the edge of the shoulder its in the grass is that considered public domain? or if i pick it up and carry it home am i gona get arrested? i mean its not like its in someones yard or anything. i walk by and pick up cans all the time but i didnt know if this was different?

Its similar to seeing a dollar lying by the roadside. You cannot take it nor donate to someone.

**DakotaRog** · 03-14-2017, 09:43 PM

Its similar to seeing a dollar lying by the roadside. You cannot take it nor donate to someone.

What.....?????

found something on the side of the road

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