Councils landfilling bikes

^ what a total waste of some usefull stuff :(

when i was a kid so 15 / 20 years ago before H&S went nuts, I went to the tip and stripped 10 microwaves down for the magnets inside, on site with full consent of the guys running the place. now if i reach into a bin to push something away i get shouted at...

spent 5 mins at the tip couple months ago, saw a nice but slightly knackered Dahon in the bin, celestion hifi speakers, looked perfect and a massive marine fish tank. easily over £1k worth of usable stuff just in a few mins of being there.

could i take any of it home, could i fuck.

You just need to make friends with them. Trust me.

when i was a kid so 15 / 20 years ago before H&S went nuts, I went to the tip and stripped 10 microwaves down for the magnets inside, on site with full consent of the guys running the place. now if i reach into a bin to push something away i get shouted at...

Again, it's nothing to do with 'health and safety', and everything to do with privatisation.

Again, it's nothing to do with 'health and safety', and everything to do with privatisation.

Yes, someone somewhere has shares in that dump and you are scum stealing from the shareholders profits. Also we want to drive up profits 10% per year which isn't unreasonable or unsustainable...

High Wycombe tip has a massive shop where everything vaguely useful gets sold on for charity

In 18 months I've bough 8 demijohns, a massive winerack, plenty of books, a Dyson hoover (which tbf was crap and ended up back at the tip) and a cool Lobster objet d'art which has pride of place on my kitchen wall. They have loads of bikes but the usual poor quality Emmelle etc - I will prob pick up a BMX in a year or so to refurb fo rmy son though.

I've been known to go up there just for a browse without even the excuse of getting rid of any rubbish.

official response from Hackney head of waste stuff:

The process is that Environmental Enforcement Officers place a notice of removal on any bike (or what is left of it) that appears to have been abandoned, allowing seven days for its removal. When the allotted time is up, Waste Services is asked to remove the bike and they hold it for a further 28 days. Following this, the bikes go in with the general metal which is all recycled and the Council get the revenue from this.
None of the bikes or parts of them are of much reuse value which is probably why they have been abandoned. However, please rest assured that no bikes or bike parts (including tyres) go to landfill, all are recycled.

Sold to scrap metal dealers no doubt, a week's worth of bikes would add up to a decent weight.

None of the bikes or parts of them are of much reuse value which is probably why they have been abandoned.

Bullshit. Do they check? A working bike still has more value as a bike than it does as scrap. By recycling it you are simply destroying pretty much all the value that has been added by turning the raw materials into a complex machine.

In any case this only cover bikes that have been abandoned and doesn't cover bikes that might have been found in house clearances following someone's death etc.

I only asked about abandoned bikes so can't speak to house clearances etc, but yeah I agree that it is a shame to see them go to the smelter - I'll raise it with the cabinet member. Any suggestions as to how they could cheaply be assessed, or organizations who would be interested in picking them up (from Millfields, I guess?), if we can get them to put them aside? They are already held for 28 days so it might not be impossible to get them to let a bike fixing non-profit come in each month...

I only asked about abandoned bikes so can't speak to house clearances etc, but yeah I agree that it is a shame to see them go to the smelter - I'll raise it with the cabinet member. Any suggestions as to how they could cheaply be assessed, or organizations who would be interested in picking them up (from Millfields, I guess?), if we can get them to put them aside? They are already held for 28 days so it might not be impossible to get them to let a bike fixing non-profit come in each month...

www.ctc.org.uk/map-feature/squeaky-chains-southwark

They already obtain bikes via the plod, may be interested in this I guess. Not very local to Hackney, mind.

Some wag needs to make a meme:

Hetchins in council skip!
Obvious nice little earner is obvious

with a pic of Del Boy, natch

Any suggestions as to how they could cheaply be assessed

Get them to post it up in the "What is my xyz worth" thread?

http://www.lfgss.com/thread50502-34.html

...to see if there was a legal means to getting the bike after the period of notice was up.

The law is a funny thing on this one. Have you ever considered what gives a council the right to remove a bike, and not you the right to remove a bike? Nothing. The same laws apply to both you and the council.

If you want to take a bike that is locked up, then there is no law stopping you, providing you are not intending to permanently deprive the owner of his bike, or damage his lock. So can you get round these laws? I reckon so.

Firstly, if there is an abandoned bike and you want to take it home for safekeeping, then I reckon if you tape a strong notice to the bike saying you intend to take it home and store it, and then when you take it, you leave a note on the bike rack saying that you have taken it and are storing it safely, with a contact number, the police will not be able to prosecute you for theft, and therefore will not arrest you. If the owner sees the note then he will contact you. If not, then after some period that you feel is reasonable you could use, sell or otherwise dispose of the bike.

The criminal damage on the lock is a bit more difficult but when I have criminally damaged padlocks in the past (I squat commercial property) I have generally said "sorry for damaging your lock but I have one just like it as a replacement" and offered it to the person, if and when they appear.

Theft is illegal and it means aiming to permanently deprive someone of something. Taking care of abandoned things is not illegal.

Charlie

The law is a funny thing on this one. Have you ever considered what gives a council the right to remove a bike, and not you the right to remove a bike? Nothing. The same laws apply to both you and the council.

Byelaws...

If you want to take a bike that is locked up, then there is no law stopping you, providing you are not intending to permanently deprive the owner of his bike, or damage his lock. So can you get round these laws? I reckon so.

Actually before you do that you can be done for going equipped, being a belm and a whole bunch of other charges.

Firstly, if there is an abandoned bike and you want to take it home for safekeeping, then I reckon if you tape a strong notice to the bike saying you intend to take it home and store it, and then when you take it, you leave a note on the bike rack saying that you have taken it and are storing it safely, with a contact number, the police will not be able to prosecute you for theft, and therefore will not arrest you. If the owner sees the note then he will contact you. If not, then after some period that you feel is reasonable you could use, sell or otherwise dispose of the bike.

"I reckon" that the bike was already stored on the rack and all the actions that you listed would be ignored as you are done for theft.

The criminal damage on the lock is a bit more difficult but when I have criminally damaged padlocks in the past (I squat commercial property) I have generally said "sorry for damaging your lock but I have one just like it as a replacement" and offered it to the person, if and when they appear.

Tresspassing, criminal damage, breaking and entering, the list kinda goes on and on with this one.

Theft is illegal and it means aiming to permanently deprive someone of something. Taking care of abandoned things is not illegal.

If it isn't yours then you have no legal right to declare it "abandoned" and even if it is abandoned then it's legally property of the crown or whoevers property it is on, which in a public space is not yours.

Yep Charl1e, you wouldn't come out of it well........ But damn it, your approach ought to be correct in a justified world.

BTW, trespassing is a civil claim for damages, not criminal and not enforceable by the police. Breaking and entering is not an offence in UK law. But as with so many things in life, myth and half truths.get in the way of legal facts.

I am right. I would happily remove and store abandonded bikes if I ever saw any decent ones.

Charlie

BTW, trespassing is a civil claim for damages, not criminal and not enforceable by the police. Breaking and entering is not an offence in UK law. But as with so many things in life, myth and half truths.get in the way of legal facts.

I am right. I would happily remove and store abandonded bikes if I ever saw any decent ones.

Charlie

Give cps a call and tell them about that myth...

www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/publicdisorder-_guidance_for_prosecutors_on_charging_public_order_and_otheroffences(august_2011)/

As I explained it isn't down to you to declare them abandoned...

Good idea would be to take photographs of yourself with said item and newspaper in hand (proof of date) and do it again throughout the course of 2 months then go to the cop shop and ask for them to come and watch you take it away.... Same thing as lost property m'lud. I'm sure the bench will agree you are doing everyone a favour.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/blog/2012/jul/02/finders-keep-regardless-value

#onecanonlydream