The things people throw away
Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 07:23
ThreadID:
68064
Views:
4197
Replies:
14
FollowUps:
14
This Thread has been Archived
Hairs & Fysh (NSW)
It amazes me what people throw away at camping grounds. I'm always on the look out for a freebie, or something I can fix.
Anyway Tuesday morning last week while having breakfast and a cuppa, i noticed the pile of rubbish next the
bins not far from where we were camped had got a little bigger overnight. It consisted of a card table, fold up
camp chairs, umbrella, you know that kinda crap. Stuff that has had something broken on it. Anyway there was a car battery amongst it all, so I take a walk with my
test light over to it,
well bugger me it shows some life. So I bring it
home with us.
Check the fluid levels, all is good, stick the charger on it and a few hours later it's fully charged and ready to go. It's a Century Marine Pro 500, nothing wrong with it. They retail for over $180.
Why would someone throw it out? Ok, fair enough they might not be able to charge it, but you could put it in a car for half an hour or so to put some charge back into it.
Anyway it's now become my new battery on the camper trailer. :)
I bet a lot of you guys have over the years have come across some stuff that has been given a second chance.
Reply By: Member - DOZER- Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 07:43
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 07:43
We were at
Menindee lakes in the
free camp area....just down stream from the
dam wall we spots a cd player which had rolled down the bank and was half in the water. I didnt flinch, but me mates off down the
embankment after it....
well a few fresh water shrimps later and a good airing out, the radio works, the cassette works, but the cd doesnt...its still playing on his back porch....
Andrew
AnswerID:
360649
Reply By: Member No 1- Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 08:34
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 08:34
mmm...now you need to put it under load
went thru this the other week...sons, suspect battery was put on the CTEK 2500 and after it showed fully charged stuck it back into sons car .....no start ??? yet it showed 13 something volts by the fluke before trying to start, but after that volts went to 10.2
?? tried it again, put it on CTEK and put it under load... same thing
volts went down to 10 again
AnswerID:
360657
Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 09:17
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 09:17
I'll defiantly be doing that before I install it on the camper.
Cheers.
FollowupID:
628441
Follow Up By: get outmore - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 11:09
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 11:09
yep a battery that cant start a vehicle can still show 12.3v
FollowupID:
628461
Reply By: Axel [ the real one ] - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 08:59
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 08:59
7-8 years ago on
Moreton Island came across a dumped piece of fake grass , 10x12ft ,still in good nick today ,goes back to Moreton every yr as an annex mat or under tent /swag ect ,
AnswerID:
360660
Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 14:56
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 14:56
Have a wander around the base of Uluru and be amazed at the amount of hats, sunglasses and other stuff that has fallen off the climbers. Could of started a second hand store when last there.
AnswerID:
360700
Reply By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 19:13
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 19:13
I'm surprised no-one has mentioned this...... but why do people throw things away when they're camping? We have seen this a couple of times and for the life of me I can't undersatnd it..... I mean, they've carried the chair/card table/battery out to the
camp area..... but then when it breaks, it gets tossed in the bin for the designated-
camp-area-cleaner-upperer to deal with. Rubbish
bins are there for general waste, no??? Yet there are those that think that the rubbish bin is actually the local tip or recycling centre.
If you carry it in, you should carry it
home and then dispose of it.
[End of rant]
On the other hand, your battery may not be up to starting an engine, but it still may power your
camp lighting...... good score!
:-))
Cheers
Brian
AnswerID:
360723
Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 19:52
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 19:52
Brian,
That's all I was going to use it for. To run a couple of fluro's
Nothing too serious. After dinner we turn off the fluro's and sit around by gas lantern. I also have a couple of solar charged LEDS for when the kids need to find clothes and things in the dark.
But your dead right about why can't people deal with their own rubbish. Just out the road there was a waste transfer station that all that stuff could go to.
One year we scored a blue 6m x4m tarp. Used it for a ground sheet under the tent, until we got the camper/tent, now I use 90% shade cloth.
The strangest thing I have come across was a sandpaper/emery wheels, one of those that you put in you drill. about the size of a 50 cent piece in diameter. I couldn't work out why the tent peg wouldn't go in straight, until I dug it out.
Got no idea how it would of got there.
FollowupID:
628513
Reply By: MartyB - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 20:08
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 20:08
Hi Jon,
I friend picked up a couple of batteries from a dump. He gave me one and I use it to start my old loader. This loader has a 64hp 4 cyl diesel engine and the battery still starts it fine. I have been using it for about 12 months now.
from Marty.
AnswerID:
360739
Reply By: Best Off Road - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 20:33
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 20:33
Jon,
I am shocked at the good food, I see some people that we have camped with, throw away.
Left over bacon and sauasages from breakfast make great cold meat, but I have seen it chucked in a fire. Left over Roasted Lamb left sitting out all night rather than be wrapped and put in the fridge.
It's not just the cost, people are starving on this planet and others can throw away perfectly good food?
Cheers,
Jim.
AnswerID:
360748
Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:27
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:27
I know Jim,
It disgusts me too. I don't believe people realize how
well off we are in this country.
FollowupID:
628556
Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Sunday, Apr 26, 2009 at 11:52
Sunday, Apr 26, 2009 at 11:52
Love to roast a bigger piece of pork so there is some left for cold next day. I have seen people
cook far more than it would be sensible to eat for a group and not act to save it. Waste.
FollowupID:
629376
Reply By: Member - Michael O (NSW) - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 21:31
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 21:31
I've still got a Casio digital watch I found underwater in the plunge pool at UDP Falls (now Gunlom) in
Kakadu in 1987.
Also a huge enamel cup perfect for long hot coffees, found floating in
Geikie Gorge many years ago.
My last is a great little tomahawk I found jagged in a tree in the
Flinders Ranges in 1991.
AnswerID:
360767
Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:40
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:40
Hi Michael,
It amazes me how long the batteries in watches and calculator lasted from 20 odd years ago. Yet these days they will only last some two years or so. I've a three year old Stainless Workman's watch that is on it's second battery, yet Fysh as a Cassio calculator that she used in High school over 25 years ago that still works fine, It gets used every day.
Thanks for reminding me, A Tomahawk is something I have to get for my bag of goodies. Handy little tool to have.
FollowupID:
628558
Reply By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 22:27
Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 22:27
My favourite score ....
A 100l Thermos esky deliberately left leaning against a NPWS "take out your litter" whatever, sign ... It was near new and only needed new hinges. They were too lazy to pack it in their trayback .... amazing.
Ohhh ... and BTW .... If anybody can accurately describe their lost tent peg ..............................
I have three buckets full of them .... LOL
AnswerID:
360786
Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:23
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:23
I reckon some parks must go through a few sets of mower blades after holiday periods from left behind tent pegs.
FollowupID:
628555
Follow Up By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:55
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:55
OzTroopy replied:
Ohhh ... and BTW .... If anybody can accurately describe their lost tent peg ..............................
Errrr.... it's metal, about 12 inches (300mm) long, a little bit rusty and it's curved at one end about 45 degrees......
;-))
Cheers
Brian
FollowupID:
628559
Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 17:15
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 17:15
Good onya Brian .....
That tent peg of yours ...
metal ... OK.
rusty .... Yes.
12" ...... got one pretty close to that.
45' curve ... does it angle left or right ... ????
LOL
FollowupID:
628639
Follow Up By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 06:51
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 06:51
Errrrrr....... Left!!
Cheers
Brian
FollowupID:
628739
Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 11:34
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 11:34
baaaahaaahaaaa
Nice try ......
They're ALL
mine now ....
Always carry some spares and some do get recycled to any nearby campers that didnt
check their gear properly when loading for holidays tho ...
I just wish more people would "lose" those 18" 25mm angle ones ... LOL
FollowupID:
628785
Reply By: Mad Cowz (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:26
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 06:26
I threw away a
camp chair once, maybe one of you guys with a mig and other stuff might have fixed my $9 chair.
I was at the
home of an eo member when another eo member (name rhymes with juicy) sat on it and broke it.
I'd have paid $9 to see it again, reckon it would have been funny to see when it gave way!!!
MC
AnswerID:
360812
Follow Up By: Best Off Road - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 07:22
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 07:22
What's happened to that old goat? I haven't seen sight nor sound of him in ages.
FollowupID:
628562
Follow Up By: Mad Cowz (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 14:13
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 14:13
He turned up at my place a few weeks ago saying he was delivering furniture over the uhf, I thought WTF??? He was giving little miss imi bonzarelli driving lessons too at the time.
He is still living and breathing, or was at the time, I never received nor asked for confirmation that he made it
home!!!
MC
FollowupID:
628617
Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 11:14
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 11:14
About 20 km west of
Lake Mackay on the
Lake Mackay track, before you reach the
bore, there are two near new vehicles sitting in the sun, waiting to be rescued by someone with a jerry can of diesel and some jumper leads. One is a Troopy, and the other a Nissan of some recent type.
Lake Mackay Track
AnswerID:
360859
Reply By: Member - Matt M (ACT) - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 09:55
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 09:55
I was living in a flat in
Sydney once and we had an old fridge that was completely stuffed. Lugged it down the stairs and out the front for Council collection day. By the time we had gone back inside to have a coffee and come out with the next load, someone had helped themselves to it.
No problems there, but we woke up the next morning (after Council collection) to find that they had obviously got it
home, realised it was stuffed and then kindly delivered it back to the nature strip!
Had to lug it back upstairs where it sat until the next collection day.
Once you knock it off, it yours I reckon.
Matt.
AnswerID:
361048
Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 10:05
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 10:05
Hi Matt,
Some are unbelievable, they returned it,The bloody hide of them.
Some People are strange.
FollowupID:
628773
Reply By: MobiCondo - Sunday, Apr 26, 2009 at 12:10
Sunday, Apr 26, 2009 at 12:10
Highway Hardware is also such a good place to visit!
Lots of tools, timber and odds and sods which have been handy.
In fact some lucky dude would have got my best axe from the
Birdsville 'track' in july 2004. It loosened from the trailer bracket / clamp between
Birdsville and Clifton Hills! So we also donate, even if unwillingly!
Mind you the 65mm Tek screw (it was one of the ones used to build those lovely shelters out that way) so we assume from a Parks ute on the
Mereenie Loop and a 4" nail gun nail from a water crossing below
Wujal Wujal south of
Cooktown were not so welcome in the tyres!
Last freeby was a soccer ball between
Mutawintji and the turn off to
White Cliffs last Dec.
Win some lose some - Mobi
AnswerID:
361635
Reply By: Member - Mary W NW VIC - Monday, Apr 27, 2009 at 20:32
Monday, Apr 27, 2009 at 20:32
Whilst on the Tanami last year a smoko stop revealed at the side of the track a small 6" pair of Wilkinson Sword scissors.Keep them in the dash tray and use them a lot.Great little keepsake of a memorable trip
AnswerID:
361945