Cruising for Free Junk

[AIT]

It's spring clean up day in Johnston, which means they'll pick up most bulky items with our regular trash that we haul to the curb. Right now there's a bunch of furniture and big old toys on the curb in our neighborhood. I think someone is throwing out an old porta-potty.

Since yesterday afternoon, we've had strangers cruising our cul-de-sac on a regular basis, looking for free stuff to pick up. I think it's a little creepy to have strangers looking for stuff to take out of my front yard, but as long as they put it to good use it's okay. My biggest complaint is last year someone took something from our curb, and wound up scattering trash around my yard that didn't get picked up because it wasn't neatly piled at the curb. That, and once somebody dumped something on our curb to have it picked up.

I put a couple of old dressers with broken drawers on the curb yesterday. At least five people stopped and got out of their cars to look at them before someone hauled one of them away. At least they were neat doing it, and didn't leave anything else in its place.

 

[CyGal]

Earlier this year we had trash sitting in peoples yards for nearly a half mile for at least a week. Our next door neighbors were doing some serious spring cleaning and had 20-30 trashbags sitting on their curb on Saturday night. By Sunday morning half of those bags had been ripped open and trash thrown about, and by Monday (garbage day) the rest of the bags had been opened. I was suprised to see the guys who came by in the 2nd garbage truck actually pick up most of the trash that was lying on the ground.

 

[keepngoal]

Becareful... don't leave things in your yard or even outside, against your house. They may take liberty and pick those things up too.

Most of the time, they seem to scavenge for scrap metals and other things that can be sold to recyclers.

However, I have heard of golf clubs, standing upright in the driveway and near the house disappearing from scavengers to kids toys that were in the yard or near the house.

-keep.

 

[josier]

I had somebody actually leave an old cabinet on top of my pile. Never seen that.

 

[Cycloin]

Sunday the neighbor across the street had an old recliner out front. I lost count after 15 people stopped, sat in it, and drove away. Watching this ranks up their with disc golf and fishing for fun things to do while drinking beer.

 

[bos]

Ray Peterson: I've never seen that. I've never seen anybody drive their garbage down to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick. I-I've never seen that.

 

[BryceC]

Does nobody else remember the dumpster divers in Ames that would cruise around to the apartment buildings after moving day? There were heaps of people doing that.

 

[The_Architect]

This happens every year around this time, especially in West Des Moines. All the east-siders drive around with trailers and get as much junk as possible.

 

[bos]

Sometimes you can find some good stuff. There are items people are too lazy to fix that dont take much effort and are still in great condition.

Before I left Ames, I had a tv that had a broken power switch that I didnt want to move. It was an old console style tv. I left by the stairwell and within an hour it was gone.

 

[AIT]

Sometimes you can find some good stuff. There are items people are too lazy to fix that dont take much effort and are still in great condition.

Before I left Ames, I had a tv that had a broken power switch that I didnt want to move. It was an old console style tv. I left by the stairwell and within an hour it was gone.

I remember students throwing away tons of perfectly good stuff that they couldn't or didn't want to move. I'm pretty sure I took a roll of carpet from someone on its way to the dumpster one year.

 

[TxCycloneFan]

When I was living in South Austin, we put our crap out for "Large Item Pickup" and those same folks would cruise around looking at our junk.

One day, two fine young White Trash types pulled up and looked through our trash. One yelled to the other through her 4 teeth, "This ain't nothin' but a bunch of junk!"

I have never felt so low....

 

[MidwestZest]

got a really nice loveseat like this once. I still have it. I swear, the only thing wrong with it was that it was missing a leg. That's it. $5 later, I had a new loveseat :smile:

 

[Wingback]

My neighbor left his wife at the curb last week. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her there for a couple of days now. I guess it must have been somebody cruising for free junk!

 

[bos]

My neighbor left his wife at the curb last week. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her there for a couple of days now. I guess it must have been somebody cruising for free junk!

One mans junk is another mans pleasure?

 

[dmclone]

I love it. Got rid of a 10 year old VCR, a steel post, and some peg board all within 1 hour. I'd rather see it go to someone that can use it than throw it in the trash.

Speaking of trash, I have a big complaint.

The metro waste authority pisses me off.

I go there a couple of weeks ago(Bondurant) on a Saturday and they are closed. The web site doesn't say anything about only working every other weekend.
Metro Waste Authority : Facilities

Address1105 Prairie Drive SWBondurant, Iowa 50035Phone: 515-967-5512Reset Map to Location HoursTuesday - Friday: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.Holiday Hours


So the next Tuesday I decide to take off a half day. I get to Bondurant around 11:30. They look to be open so I drive up. A guy walks out and says "you're about an hour early so if you want me to take this stuff we'll need $10". I just said f'it and pay the $10. What a joke. This was my fault because it mentioned it on the web site but what kind of service only is open from 1-5?

 

[dosry5]

Ray Peterson: I've never seen that. I've never seen anybody drive their garbage down to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick. I-I've never seen that.

I just DVR'd that movie this week! Best Tom Hanks movie ever.

 

[Wingback]

One mans junk is another mans pleasure?

Hmm...'one man's junk is another man's pleasure.' Kinda has an interesting ring to it, if you know what I mean. I think I overheard some guy talking about his fifth marriage say something like that once.

 

[RyCy04]

Ray Peterson: I've never seen that. I've never seen anybody drive their garbage down to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick. I-I've never seen that.

Get out of my yard lamo!!

 

[bos]

I just DVR'd that movie this week! Best Tom Hanks movie ever.

Get out of my yard lamo!!

Fantastic movie. Cult classic.

 

[Cyclonepride]

This is how I got rid of two washing machines that had crapped out. I just sat them out a few days in advance, and they were gone instantly. Saved me the price of the disposal tags.