I live among the Jawas

[BJJ-Blue]

So bulk trash pick-up day is coming in my neighborhood. We put out a few things yesterday, even though pick-up isnt for a few days. Most of our neighbors are doing the same. We put out a few broken plastic containers, a Craftsman lawn bag that hooks to a mower, and a gas grill the previous tenants left. Let me tell you about the grill. It was nasty. Just nasty. God knows how long it had sat on the back porch. The gas controls and the ignition button were rusted almost solid (so I'm sure it didn't work), it was beaten up badly, and the grill surface was horrible. It had a rock-hard black material on it that was not coming off. I'd eat off my toilet seat before I ate of this.

So I come home today and the grill and lawn bag are gone, but the broken containers are still there. I ask my wife and her friend who is over if the City takes like the metal one day and the rest later or something. Her friend laughs and says, 'It got taken by "Jawas". They do this. They know when bulk pick up day is in neighborhoods and they sweep the streets a few days before pick up. You didn't notice your neighbors piles are smaller too? They're the same people who wake you up at the crack of dawn when you're having a garge sale so they get first shot at your junk. You didn't know this?' Sure enough, I go back out and the other neighbors piles are all smaller too!

Well I didn't know that. So am I being naive, or is this also news to you guys?

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Well I didn't know that. So am I being naive, or is this also news to you guys?

I'm gonna go with Naive.

In every Canadian city I've lived in, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" has been commonplace. Heck, some people even put (gently used) stuff out on the curb when it's NOT garbage day, knowing full well that someone will be happy to take it for themselves (most often passerby, rarely "professional Jawas".) This mainly happens with chairs, tables and the like, but I've seen BBQs and Bicycles curbed like that; so Garbage day Jawas seems normal to me - even the "professional" ones, but they're rarer than the opportunistic scavengers. I know my ex's town in upstate NY is the same way.

Maybe you live in a gated community or something, or maybe Texas is different

[MasterKiller]

People do it here. Heck, I took a neighbor's dog house he was throwing away, but I at least asked him first.

I've even put stuff out that the trash collectors won't take because I know someone will grab it for me, saving me a trip to the dump.

It seems a little intrusive, but I figure if I was throwing it out anyway, why not let someone else try to repurpose it/ recycle it.

[Brule]

Kinda common practise where i live. When there is bulk pick up there are always trucks out the night before looking for items they can sell for scrap metal. I put my old BBQ out last year and within the hour it was gone, but the non-metal crap was still there. They come by in pick ups and fit as much as possible in them, old fridges, stoves, bbq's etc...

[SimonM]

If you put it on the curb and somebody picks it up that's fine by them. Happens all the time over here...

Not even comment worthy really.

[Lee Chiang Po]

I'm gonna go with Naive.

Maybe you live in a gated community or something, or maybe Texas is different

No, it is done here too. In fact, I have built outbuildings and fences and such from material I have picked up the day before trash day. Before going to Home Depot or Lowes we just drive the streets first to see if it is not available at a better price. Small town, so we might even drive up the road to a bigger town.
Also, rather than drive to the dump I will put large items out a few days before trash day with a note describing it. Works or don't work. Someone will come along and snatch it up. I don't mind if someone can make use of something that I get rid of. I have even helped a man load up a washer and dryer. They were not working, but could easily be fixed for a few bucks. I just bought new ones for the wife.