Roadside Jack

[JohnP3616]

I was making a run into town this morning and there was a 20 ton hydraulic jack sitting on the shoulder of the road. It looks pretty new, no rust, paint is in good shape. It works without a load, but I haven’t tested it with a load so no clue if it actually works. I might have to go to YouTube University to learn how to repair this thing, but I’m kinda stoked.

 

[tradosaurus]

Maybe put it back since someone could have been using it to repair a flat and forgot it.

 

[JohnP3616]

That’s a good thought, but it’s a very busy road. If I didn’t get it someone else would in a matter of minutes. I would gladly return it to its owner if there was a way.

 

[paulsharvey]

That’s a good thought, but it’s a very busy road. If I didn’t get it someone else would in a matter of minutes. I would gladly return it to its owner if there was a way.

That's what I refer to as "redneck santa", and I have zero issue picking it up. It would be different if you saw it fall off a truck, or if it was a wallet with an ID, or similar.

 

[paulsharvey]

I found a low profile aluminum jack, and I did look for repair kit. Not that seriously, cause the rams are so poorly chromed they corrode and eat o-rings.

 

[rontaki]

Maybe it was left there by Ray Charles' chauffeur?

 

[Torvy]

It's maybe just me, but I'm not taking someone else's stuff. I don't care if some other guy might take it.

 

[rontaki]

I found a really nice wrench on the side of the road the other day. Good thing I can run faster than the guy that was fixing his car!

Just kidding. . .

 

[bigtiller]

Two times I have found a locking wagon hitch pin within a few feet of my mailbox. Both times I leaned it up against the mailbox post in plain view for ~ 10 days.

They're mine now, but you can reclaim them if you can describe them.

 

[Runner]

It's maybe just me, but I'm not taking someone else's stuff. I don't care if some other guy might take it.

That raises a good ethical question. What about that stepladder laying in the middle of the freeway that's been run over 50 times and is a road hazard - do we need to leave that there because the owner might come back and get it?

Crowbar laying in the road - could tear up a tire or bodywork if hit, could bounce up, go though a windshield and take out a person.

That jack could have slid off the back of a flatbed and bounced off someone's hood. If it's not "in the road" but on the shoulder, might get hit by the mowers and tear up their equipment or get thrown out and hit someone. Maybe it was left by mistake, and the owner will be back for it in 5 minutes. Or, maybe the owner will have completely forgotten about it until the next time he needs it, two years later.

Is it someone else's property? Well technically yes it was, but at some point doesn't it become abandoned?

 

[WinterDeere]

That raises a good ethical question. What about that stepladder laying in the middle of the freeway that's been run over 50 times and is a road hazard - do we need to leave that there because the owner might come back and get it?

Crowbar laying in the road - could tear up a tire or bodywork if hit, could bounce up, go though a windshield and take out a person.

A crowbar, I'd just take. No one is coming back for that. But a ladder or jack, I'd put to the side of the road where the owner might be able to come find it.

Oddly, the thing I've found on the road more than any other object, is fire extinguishers. Usually pretty damaged from falling off a utility or work truck, I just drop them at the back door of the local fire company. I figure they'll find their way to repair (if even possible) and a good home, through that route.

 

[JohnP3616]

Several years ago I was going from Houston to Dallas and stopped at a rest stop. On the access road back to I45 there was a woman’s purse laying on the shoulder. We stopped and got it. We called numerous times and left messages. On about the third day we finally got a call back and returned it to the owner, cash, cards and everything. She was afraid to call back for some reason. Like I said, if there was a way this jack could be returned to its owner I would happily do so, but there isn’t so I will give it a good home.

 

[paulsharvey]

If someone dropped something, that they knew about and wanted, they would have picked it up themselves.

I make a couple exceptions; anything of major value, and debris from a fatal accident. Now, of coarse if I know who dropped it, that's different.

Technically, through work, the answer is "litter" is thrown away; anything of value removed is to be retained for 1 week, and disposed of.

 

[Torvy]

Y'all do your own morality. This wasn't in the middle of the road. If it was, move it off of the road.

You don't know when or if someone is coming back for it.

Stealing is wrong. Justify it however you need to.

If you really feel the need to get it off of the roadside turn it in to the police and they can hold it and follow the legal process in your area for abandoned goods.

 

[sandman2234]

I found a purse, not enough identifying information to drop it by someone's house, so it went to the Police Station.
I found a 1" impact laying in the middle of the street, grabbed it and took it back to the tire shop that was located down the side road from where I found it. (We couldn't just turn around in a semi-truck).
A tarp laying on the shoulder of I-59 near Ft Payne, Al. I got it home and unrolled it. Called the company whose name is painted on the tarp. They wouldn't come get it, wanted me to bring it to them. I don't live too far off the beaten path and see their trucks from time to time. That tarp is still here.
Found a brand new lumber tarp with no markings. I sold that and gave the money to my Daughter as spending money on Her senior class trip. (They worked and saved for 4 years to go to Hawaii on their senior trip) Everybody's trip got paid for but spending money was needed.
A ladder, no markings came home, a ladder with a company's name got a call but they told me to keep it because liability wouldn't allow them to use a ladder that had fallen off a vehicle. (Not a scratch on it , fell off on a round ramp right into the grass)
Cresent wrench 15", no markings came home.
More than I can remember, lol... just a few examples.
David from jax

 

[dodge man]

Finding something with no identity I have no problem with someone picking it up.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I lost a full bag of hockey equipment once, it slid off the truck bed ( I had no tailgate)... I got home (1.8 miles away) raced back and nothing... ho man I was devastated, I thought my season was over and I only had myself to blame. I was playing competitive hockey back then, it was all brand new equipment and I am far from being rich... the next day I called the local radio station and I gave them my information (its all I could do)... A few hours later I got a call, turned out a local truck driver picked it up, he also called the radio station then called me. He admitted that nobody in his family played hockey that's the reason he returned it, a pretty honest things to say but I still gave him the stinky eye for it because it was dishonest way to think but again I only would have myself to blame because it was my fault ....

Despite that it's hard to know if the person even know if they lost it or not and if they ever will return to see if they can find it or not many people simply say ''ho well its gone now''. When is a local road or a local area and you have a place to post it and do the right thing that's great but when that is not possible I get it, the way I see it is if its not me it will be someone else but I get it, its not fun.... and remember if it's you, you only have yourself to blame plus its a lesson learn, next time secure it or take a second look to make sure you don't forget anything at lease this case it was only a Jack and not a hockey bag containing thousand of dollars worth of equipment.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've picked things off the road and returned them, and other things with no markings I've kept. One day I returned 3 (full) medical O2 tanks with the company name attached, apparently the delivery driver had forgotten to close his doors. A coworker said I was foolish; "you wouldn't give away a hundred dollar bill would you?"
I would if I knew who it belonged to.
One thing which bugs me more than it probably should; when I call somebody and say that I found something of theirs worth several hundred dollars and want to return it, it would be nice of them to say "Thank you."

 

[sandman2234]

I've picked things off the road and returned them, and other things with no markings I've kept. One day I returned 3 (full) medical O2 tanks with the company name attached, apparently the delivery driver had forgotten to close his doors. A coworker said I was foolish; "you wouldn't give away a hundred dollar bill would you?"
I would if I knew who it belonged to.
One thing which bugs me more than it probably should; when I call somebody and say that I found something of theirs worth several hundred dollars and want to return it, it would be nice of them to say "Thank you."

I kind of like a "thanks", but not required. I would give you a thanks, after I pick myself up off the floor, because I can't remember ever getting something back I lost!
David from jax

 

[Jstpssng]

I kind of like a "thanks", but not required. I would give you a thanks, after I pick myself up off the floor, because I can't remember ever getting something back I lost!
David from jax

I heard the same thing from a trapper years ago, when I returned a couple of 280 Conibears which had fallen out of his pack.
I admit I was rather disappointed when I found the tags bearing his name on it. The same disappointment I felt years later when I found an envelope containing $50 cash... and the withdrawal slip showing the owner's name and bank.