Scavenging?

[XmisterIS]

I have a carbon-fibre road bike, which I use for fitness and which I would never leave chained up anywhere!

I also have a clunky old town bike, which is about 30 years old, I picked it up on EBay for £40 and all the components apart from the drivetrain (thankfully) are shot to buggery!

The handlebars are those swept-back things (I can't get on with them!), the brake pads have nothing left on them at all the the cables are rusted to hell and back.

Now, I want to change the bars to some risers (e.g. BMX bars), and I obviously want to change the brake pads and cables. Rather than going to the shop and buying the new components, I have noticed a number of BSO type bikes chained to lampposts around portsmouth that have been there for ages and have half their components missing anyway.

There's one that I've noticed on the edge of an estate in Fratton which has been chained up to a railing for at least 6 weeks, it has no wheels, no chain and one of pedals is missing. What's the legality of me scavenging usable parts off it? E.g taking the handlebars, brake blocks and cables? (if they're not too rusted!).

 

[Arch]

Technically, I think, it's still theft, even when the bike is a wreck.

Morally, well, better the bits get used, than go into landfill. At least I think so. I've harvested tyres off the bikes that get junked on our work site (with permission from my boss) - they are often bent beyond hope by the yobs that nick them and we send them for scrap eventually. (I'm going to make belts out of the tyres, and they will go for sale to raise funds for the centre, as an example of creative recycling.)

My concern would be someone happening along as you worked - either someone official, or someone who felt like having a go at you... But who can you ask for permission? It's a tricky one.

 

[ASC1951]

Is it worth asking Plod? Or the Council, who have a general duty to tidy these things away?

 

[TheDoctor]

I don't really see where the question arises. It's not yours, so taking bits is theft.
Surely that's obvious?

 

[XmisterIS]

I don't really see where the question arises. It's not yours, so taking bits is theft.
Surely that's obvious?

Not so obvious as I first thought ... my thinking is that the original owner of the bike has clearly abandoned it - relinquished ownership of it, if you will ... so it kind of doesn't belong to anybody. Also, as Arch says, I'd rather use the usable bits on the bike than have them go to landfill.

I think the suggestion of asking the council is a good one, or I may go to my local amenity tip and see what I can get there - I'm guessing the guys who run it would let me loose with a spanner if I give them a few pounds!

 

[Arch]

Not so obvious as I first thought ... my thinking is that the original owner of the bike has clearly abandoned it - relinquished ownership of it, if you will ... so it kind of doesn't belong to anybody. Also, as Arch says, I'd rather use the usable bits on the bike than have them go to landfill.

I think the suggestion of asking the council is a good one, or I may go to my local amenity tip and see what I can get there - I'm guessing the guys who run it would let me loose with a spanner if I give them a few pounds!

That depends. It used to be the case, but I fear many tips are more restrictive these days - a combo of elf and safety and jobsworthness. You can but ask.

It's tricky. We have a bike recycling scheme in York that has managed to arrange to have any abandoned bikes (from the streets, and the station), or bikes sent to the tip - they then strip or do them up, if it's feasible. They have the clout to be able to arrange it, and they do a very good job of rescuing and passing on bikes. As a 'one man band', you may end up being brushed off or passed from pillar to post by the council. Again, worth a try.

As I said, morally, I'd prefer bits to be used. And once a bike is part stripped, it seems easy to help yourself. I guess the thing is, the first person who does it starts the rot - it's like how one broken window left unfixed leads to more being broken (with bikes, it's usually some lout jumping on a wheel). At some point the owner may have expected to come back and get a bike and found a wreck - that's not your fault, but you are joining in with the wrecking...

 

[XmisterIS]

I think my locak tip is pretty good - they'll let you have stuff if you ask! I got some decking there for £3. I guess I'll have to take what bikes I want away, strip them, and bring back the bits.

As for stripping a bike by the road-side, I would never go for anything that looked like there was any chance that anyone would be coming back for it! We're not talking about me helping myself to bits and bobs from someone's freshly cleaned pride and joy! I ain't no chav, now, innit! I have stopped and had a look at the bike in question - it is hardly even a bike anymore!

 

[andytheflyer]

Officially, at least, recovering materials from a civic amenity centre (CAC) (i.e. the tip) is totting, and it's illegal.....So, if you can divert from landfill what would otherwise be waste from the CAC that's fine, but don't expect the Environment Agency (who regulate waste) to be sympathetic - it's their job to prosecute, not improve the environment.....

 

[MacB]

Sunday afternoon at the tip is a good time, mine let me take off what I want on the spot. Most I've paid was £20 amd that was for a complete bike in working order.

 

[rich p]

Sunday afternoon at the tip is a good time, mine let me take off what I want on the spot. Most I've paid was £20 amd that was for a complete bike in working order.

That explains it

 

[Arch]

I think my locak tip is pretty good - they'll let you have stuff if you ask! I got some decking there for £3. I guess I'll have to take what bikes I want away, strip them, and bring back the bits.

As for stripping a bike by the road-side, I would never go for anything that looked like there was any chance that anyone would be coming back for it! We're not talking about me helping myself to bits and bobs from someone's freshly cleaned pride and joy! I ain't no chav, now, innit! I have stopped and had a look at the bike in question - it is hardly even a bike anymore!

gosh, no, I'm sure you wouldn't, but it's a tricky philosophical point, that's all.

Try the tip - sounds like you have a good one. If only they were all like that. I'd like to see them actually set up for people to go along and buy stuff - timber, scrap metal, bikes, furniture etc....

 

[longers]

If only they were all like that. I'd like to see them actually set up for people to go along and buy stuff - timber, scrap metal, bikes, furniture etc....

I agree, would this be so hard to set up and run?

There's so much useful stuff that just gets wanged with no thought to it being re-used

 

[Arch]

It would take space, and some staff who cared enough to see it ran smoothly. You need the space to lay stuff out, preferably roughly sorted into categories. Obviously really knackered stuff could still go into skips. Stuff could sit out for a week maybe, or a month (some stuff would suffer more from the weather), and then if no one wanted it, be junked.

There is a certain amount done already, but it depends on people bothering to donate, say, a wardrobe to the community furniture store, instead of just bunging it on the car and tipping it.

I hate seeing things go to waste, I have to curb my wombling instinct when I'm out on the recycling round, or I'd save every decent storage jar or biscuit tin I saw. And even this country's recycling is more wasteful than it need be - bottles shouldn't be smashed up, melted down and remade, they should be washed out and reused, like milk bottles. But the infrastructure isn't set up any more (used to be, think of the old deposit on pop bottles). It works in Sweden. But then in Sweden you also have a population happy to play their part - apparently you take your bottles to the supermarket and get a ticket for them that gives you money off your shopping.

 

[Slowgrind]

They'll love you.
In JAIL!

 

[longers]

If I lived closer then I'd use this place quite a lot.

This webpage gives links to what may or not may not be similar places near you.

thanks for the links Speicher.