Found a large Mac pry bar in a parking lot probably left behind by a trucker and I recently got a quarter inch impact and wanted a adapter for 3/8 sockets and found one at a intersection on the way home from work.
Probably half a dozen logging chains and tie straps, numerous assorted hand tools, a tow-truck chain with j-hook on one end and a "frame-eye tab" near the other, a crusty 10mm with a stuck slide, a Winchester .270, & a Ford truck chrome reverse wheel.
Kind of reminds me of a story from years ago. I used to go out cutting firewood every week. I had to drive through some ritzy neighborhood to get out of ours, where everyone had landscapers cut their grass. I got home one day and the wife tells me “Oh, I found your gas can laying in the street!” I told her I HAVE my gas can. She’s like “this is a red plastic one,just like you keep your mixed gas in for the saw.” I explained to her that everyone has their gas in a red plastic container these days. Not too funny I guess, unless you where there, but I can’t help but think of the landscaping guy spending an hour walking around wondering where his gas can went as he was cutting grass.
I used to drive a road sweeper for a local council on the early morning shift ( 2.30am - 11.00am). I picked up numerous tools on the main roads through town especially the roundabouts. Being slow moving I'd pull up, step out and pick up tools, boat trailer winches, you name it including passed out drunks. Some of the tools I'd take home, some I'd throw in the sweeper toolbox. One day the council workshop office sent a message to my superior that me and the other drivers were banned from walking through the workshop because tools that had gone missing had turned up in the truck toolboxes. This pissed me off no end because no one calls me a thief, especially behind my back. When I fronted the workshop manager about the accusations and pointed out where the tools were being found he had to admit I had a point and reversed the rule.
When I was about 17, a Genesee beer semi truck rolled over on the highway outside of town spilling cases of beer all over the place. The next day, after the fire dept had cleaned up the huge mess and the wreck was towed away, a buddy and I combed through the high grass/weeds along the highway and came out with over 10 cases of beer. Quite a score for a couple high school kids
This is a hilarious thread, because I have so many items to add being on the road for 40+ years & over 4 million accident free transporting miles! Many years ago back when Arco Graphite oil came out (late 70's I believe) I was driving a tow truck for a local company & a tractor trailer flipped over in the "Comedian Strip" we righted it & towed the remains back to the storage lot. I ended up with a bunch of that oil, not knowing how bad it really was...I used it in my OT Nova with all the chrome & paint on the engine.....That Sh1T leaked out of EVERY gasket & seal & it was hell cleaning it up! Another time I pulled off to take a Wizz & found a brand new set of crutches & an aluminum ramp (probably from someone who couldn't afford a car trailer & was using ramps instead of a drive in rear door) I still have that ramp & use it when I have to roll a dirt bike into the back of my pickup! The crutches I donated to a local org. God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
One day caught in stop and go traffic years ago, I was bored sitting still and spotted a 2 foot long Craftsman persuader screwdriver in the road, I hopped out an picked up, as we slowly moved along, I found several more tools. Good day stuck in traffic. Last year my Dad was traveling to Texas (snowbird) he hit something and right away pulled over as he had a flat tire. Changed it and sticking out of the tire was a Snap On 1/2" wrench. He added it to his tool box.
I've picked up a nice, steel-handle ballpein hammer from the roadside, a name-brand Vicegrip attached to my son's OT SUV front suspension, a quality O-ring pick from the vent between the hood and windshield of a friend's car as I stopped to talk with him in the NAPA parking lot, and the only Snap-on tool I have, a 10mm combination wrench. Still haven't figured out where that came from. It just magically appeared in my tool cabinet one day when my Pwrkraft 10mm combination wrench went missing.
About 18 years ago this Model A cowl was laying on the side of the at the intersection 2 miles up the road from the house I had to run home and swap the car for my truck and go back and get it. It had 80.00 marked on it so I figure that it was part of a load headed to the Portland swap meet as that was about when I found it. The latest find was the Cosco step ladder that is just right to get up in my boat with or to reach the top of my truck from. Years ago this scaffold was laying on the guard rail across from my mail box when I came home from work. That was pretty timely as I needed one for some projects. 10 ft long makes it pretty handy. I found the aluminum convoy truck ramp about 100 yards down from my mailbox one morning when I went out to get the mail. That thing would be nifty to build a bike trailer with to haul a motorcycle on. I spotted 2 log chains wrapped around the posts of a guard rail about 25 miles from the house one day on my way to get my wife to a medical appointment 60 miles away. On the way back several hours later I looped back to look and they were still there, 2 20 ft chains that I still have and use. I've lost track of the number of life vests I have picked up off the highway. A couple of them with the tag still on them from the store. Even the GMC emblem that I have in the middle of the tube grill in my 71 GMC was found as part of a broken grill off a late model laying about 20 ft from my mailbox. 2 hours later it was part of the grill and the grill had a fresh paint job to boot.
years ago when training for a marathon ,5am on road, about to run 20ks I found an envelope with $69 in it, another time found a box with adult sex toys , found a hand held Police sign on side of road where they held speed traps, must have put it down and driven off running in dark had to be careful of oncoming drivers who would try to run you down
I found a Dewalt tool belt/harness in the middle of an intersection a few months back, and a few other small unmemmorable things, but have been the witness to two epic times OTHERS have found something in the road. My wife and I were coming into Asheville to visit some friends, it had been a long drive and I was in 'slow cruise' mode when I took the exit. It was one I knew well, and dumps into a fairly busy road, simultaneously turning back into an on ramp within 60 yards. Besides, cars ahead were avoiding somthing i couldn't yet see... A young woman behind me in a small, late model car was in some sort of hurry and was on my bumper going onto the exit. As soon as the road opened up, she whipped out into traffic, waved her hands at me, then jammed back in front of me to take the on ramp. Too late did she see the 4" thick iron sewer grate that was laying in the road. BAM! At 45mph it stopped her in her tracks. My wife and I laughed the rest of our drive. The other time, we were on the interstate and a friend came up in conversation. A mile later, there he was, on the side of the road, driving in reverse, to get an abandoned red plastic gas can... What a guy....
In the early 80’s I Picked up a attractive young lady in St Cloud MN who was hitchhiking back to Minneapolis. She had been visiting her boyfriend who was incarcerated at the St Cloud correctional facility. She was lonely. Very lonely. Does that count?
When I first started working for the local municipal street dept., It was my job to mow and pick up trash along the roadway. We would find all kinds of tools and stuff. The weird thing was we would find $5,$10, $20 bills pretty often. It always blew my mind as to how careless people must be with money. A couple of years ago I moved over to the sanitation dept. You wouldn't believe the stuff the people throw away. I've carried home a 57 Chevy rear bumper, custom valve pans, old signs, clocks, tonka toys, and other neat stuff.........I like junk....
I also one time saw a whole top section of a big tool box laying in the road. By the time I turned around to get it some woman had it drug over to her car and was trying to figger out how to lift it. I guess I should have helped, but I drove on
I spotted a sledgehammer sitting in the middle of a busy intersection, as I was passing through the traffic stopped so I leant out and picked it up and threw it in the passenger seat. It has come in handy. I even used it yesterday.
My wife's brother found a smaller steel toolbx with drawers full of tools laying in a snow bank on the roadside about 10 years ago...He has no use for tools and asked me if I wanted any..I backed away and told him to place a found ad on Craigs List...He did, no one claimed the tools...A few years later I saw the toolbox in his filthy garage, tipped over, the tools spilled out and getting rusty on the wet floor....I then took what I wanted...
Have picked up a few hammers. Picked up a battery Black and Decker 3/8” drill, one of the first ones that came out, the battery was part of the handle. The charger plugged right into it. Luckily the charger and cord were wound up around it. Used that thing for years until the battery finally wouldn’t take a charge. Also picked up a 5 gallon Igloo water cooler and one of those rolling magnets like roofers use. Somebody wanted those, so they took them out of my carport.
I should start a thread on “Things I’ve pulled out of the dumpster at work”. I can’t believe what they toss. Next time we don’t get a raise, I’ll bring up all the perfectly good things they throw away.
I worked at a place like that. The president of the company would throw hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of stuff away a month no matter the condition
Yeah, the CEO doesn’t like clutter, if a tool gets dirty from non use, it gets tossed. I have some mighty fine tools from there!
While slowing for a red light I saw something in the turn lane. When I stopped it was right by the door so I got it
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