Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

What have you found on the ground while riding?

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

What have you found on the ground while riding?

Old 05-01-16, 10:15 AM
  #251  
mr geeker
Day trip lover
 
mr geeker's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: capital city of iowa
Posts: 814

Bikes: '16 Giant Escape 3 (fair weather ride), Giant Quasar (work in progress), 2002 saturn vue (crap weather ride)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I see pop/soda/beer cans every day, but I don't pick up all of them... just some.
mr geeker is offline  
Old 05-01-16, 10:19 AM
  #252  
Cykilist2
Junior Member
 
Cykilist2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 115

Bikes: a cannondale & a trek

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Much change, pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters, and a 52% of a $10 bill. Have found digging tools, wrenches, and unfortunately things that stick in my tire like, staples, and nails.

And the other unfortunate thing: Trash from passing cars that don't seem to have a clue on what they're doing other than to use the Earth as their own personal garbage can.
Cykilist2 is offline  
Old 05-02-16, 05:03 AM
  #253  
rhm
multimodal commuter
 
rhm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852

Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...

Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times in 339 Posts
On Saturday, a long 9/16" Snap-on socket. I picked it up, but I prefer metric.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
rhm is offline  
Old 05-02-16, 11:30 AM
  #254  
youthcom
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 120
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I usually find small change, but recently in one day I found a nickel & a live .357 bullet. The bullet was sitting on a suburban curb & beat up from probably being run over several times, but was still otherwise intact. Gave it to someone into shooting to dispose of.
youthcom is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 10:28 AM
  #255  
GeneO 
Senior Member
 
GeneO's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: midwest
Posts: 2,528

Bikes: 2018 Roubaix Expert Di2, 2016 Diverge Expert X1

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 482 Post(s)
Liked 151 Times in 105 Posts
Last week a Lezyne mini hand pump exactly like the one I carry. Now I have a spare.
GeneO is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 12:46 PM
  #256  
rec
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 45

Bikes: allez, p21, raleigh sscx, rockhopper, sycip, centurion

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
A couple years ago while riding up a heavy car traffic hill in the middle of a local open space park, I came upon a big box of brand new home alarm equipment - control panels, window/door magnet sensors, wires, backup battery, manual, etc. Too much to carry in my backpack. Must have flown out of the bed of a contractor pickup truck. Stashed it in the bushes but it was gone next time I rode by.

Also, found a wallet in the middle of the street. Called the owner, she was very appreciative and gave me a starbucks gift card. Figured she put the wallet on top of the roof of the car, forgot about it and drove away. Many car drivers in my neighborhood are jerks to bicyclists so I made a point to tell her I found it because I commute by bike, hope that at least one stranger will discover that some bike riders are responsible people.
rec is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 12:58 PM
  #257  
rec
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 45

Bikes: allez, p21, raleigh sscx, rockhopper, sycip, centurion

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Also hand trucks, shovels, bbq's, big trash cans, crates of broccoli. These things have caused huge car traffic jams on major streets and intersections. When I clear the obstruction only a couple times have drivers said thanks to me. I hope at least some of the drivers noticed and won't try to run me over next time they see me or another bicyclist.
rec is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 01:09 PM
  #258  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,825

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4741 Post(s)
Liked 3,860 Times in 2,509 Posts
What have you found on the ground while riding?

Myself more than once. I have the scars to prove it.

Ben
79pmooney is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 01:13 PM
  #259  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,825

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4741 Post(s)
Liked 3,860 Times in 2,509 Posts
Originally Posted by youthcom
I usually find small change, but recently in one day I found a nickel & a live .357 bullet. The bullet was sitting on a suburban curb & beat up from probably being run over several times, but was still otherwise intact. Gave it to someone into shooting to dispose of.
I used to bring live bullets to the police station, but last time they wanted me to fill out a form. Put myself into their record bank to be drug up later when they need a suspect? For being a good citizen? No thanks.

Ben
79pmooney is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 01:51 PM
  #260  
deapee
Ride On!
 
deapee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 971

Bikes: Allez DSW SL Sprint | Fuji Cross

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 227 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I found a nice multitool but I left it because it had been run over by what appeared to be a bus. It was definitely for bikes though because I could see the hex pieces and the chain tool as I rode by it...
deapee is offline  
Old 05-05-16, 01:55 PM
  #261  
KD5NRH
Senior Member
 
KD5NRH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Stephenville TX
Posts: 3,697

Bikes: 2010 Trek 7100

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 697 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Forgot about one a couple weeks ago; on the 75mph section of my commute, (still trying...now I can bomb the hill at 34 on a really good day) just before I turn in at work, a passing pickup lost a box of assorted high end kitchenware. Since it was a bit misty that day and I had hi-viz on already, I parked the bike and ran out there to help them collect the stuff that ended up in the travel lanes. Looked like only a couple hundred worth of stuff got run over before we could gather it up.

It's impressive how flat an 18 wheeler can make what was probably a 12qt heavy stainless pot. Could have folded it a couple times and mailed it as a letter after that.
KD5NRH is offline  
Old 05-06-16, 03:16 AM
  #262  
rec
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 45

Bikes: allez, p21, raleigh sscx, rockhopper, sycip, centurion

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Been fun reading this thread from the start, and now got a place to share my discoveries.

- the dl of HI friend in FL is an amazing story, the odds are astounding.

Starting to remember a few more over many years of riding around:

Free bikes that I've ghost ridden home or to work.

Glad to see others are picking up nails, garbage and other sharp objects in the street, too; don't feel as much of a weirdo now.

A long time ago, just gotten semi permiable hard contact lenses and while I was riding to school my eyes dried out and one of my expensive lenses flew out of my eye. This was on a really busy street. Was late to class so I didn't stop. Eight hours later I returned to the area to look for it and after only a couple minutes I found it on the shoulder. Lucky to see such a small clear thing, and it didn't get run over or stepped on. Turns out I have weird eyes, was able to exchange them for a different size that fit my eyes better.

A couple times i've saved a mama and baby ducklings from wandering into the street. Hard to keep an eye on all of them while trying not to get run over myself. One of those times a fellow bike commuter has helped me corral them and we now always wave hello in our opposite directions. The other time a cute cyclist had just started talking to me but she rode away when the walk signal turned on, I've never seen her again, boo hoo.
rec is offline  
Old 05-06-16, 06:54 AM
  #263  
ItsJustMe
Señior Member
 
ItsJustMe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 13,749

Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 446 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 7 Posts
Since I started riding the route that all the roadie take, I've cleaned up 3 of their discarded tubes. Apparently they can't spare the weight to carry a tube to a trash can.
__________________
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
ItsJustMe is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 06:59 PM
  #264  
conquest46
Senior Member
 
conquest46's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Denver, Co,
Posts: 58

Bikes: trek 330, Pinarello, Kabul, fuji del Rey, France. sport

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Found this today.
conquest46 is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 07:07 PM
  #265  
Trevtassie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,936

Bikes: A steel framed 26" off road tourer from a manufacturer who thinks they are cool. Giant Anthem. Trek 720 Multiroad pub bike. 10 kids bikes all under 20". Assorted waifs and unfinished projects.

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1188 Post(s)
Liked 1,154 Times in 640 Posts
Originally Posted by rhm
On Saturday, a long 9/16" Snap-on socket. I picked it up, but I prefer metric.
9/16" is an exact fit for 14mm...
Trevtassie is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 07:16 PM
  #266  
Trevtassie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,936

Bikes: A steel framed 26" off road tourer from a manufacturer who thinks they are cool. Giant Anthem. Trek 720 Multiroad pub bike. 10 kids bikes all under 20". Assorted waifs and unfinished projects.

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1188 Post(s)
Liked 1,154 Times in 640 Posts
I found a 6ft Step Ladder. Been in the drain for a while. Came back in the car and picked it up. Nice ladder after some replacement rivets for the ones that popped as it bounced off the road.
In my car I found 20kg of locally caught fresh sushi grade tuna up the road from a fish wholesalers. It wholesales for at least $40 a kg. Obviously the previous owner had left it on the roof and driven off. Since it was for a restaurant they couldn't do anything with it as the cold chain was broken. Mmmm, tuna steaks for weeks.
Trevtassie is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 07:21 PM
  #267  
rhm
multimodal commuter
 
rhm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852

Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...

Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times in 339 Posts
Originally Posted by Trevtassie
9/16" is an exact fit for 14mm...
Doh! okay, yes, forgive me, thanks, I'm a little slow on the uptake. But I did take it with me, so... is good.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
rhm is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 11:15 PM
  #268  
destro713
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 165

Bikes: Frankenstein 1980 (?) Takara 1x7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I found a Vacuvin wine stopper plug once, which matched the ones I had. Never worked up the courage to put it in a bottle, though, because the outside was mottled with black oil stains that would not come out.
destro713 is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 06:39 AM
  #269  
RidingMatthew
Let's Ride!
 
RidingMatthew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Triad, NC USA
Posts: 2,569

Bikes: --2010 Jamis 650b1-- 2016 Cervelo R2-- 2018 Salsa Journeyman 650B

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 327 Post(s)
Liked 37 Times in 24 Posts
rode past a pocket knife last week because it was raining and cold. my buddy rode up and picked it up.
RidingMatthew is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 07:06 AM
  #270  
ItsJustMe
Señior Member
 
ItsJustMe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 13,749

Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 446 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 7 Posts
It's an interesting (and somewhat obvious) fact that the tool sizes that you are most likely to lose are the ones that you use the most (since the ones you don't use stay nice and safe in the box). But the converse of that is that as cyclists who pick stuff up from the street, they're also the ones you're most likely to find on the street, giving a counter to the loss statistic.

I have an abundance of 7/16, 1/2" and 14mm sockets and wrenches. I'm not sure if any of them are ones I actually bought. Lots of them have surface rust on them from sitting by the side of the road for weeks.
__________________
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
ItsJustMe is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 02:12 PM
  #271  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,361 Times in 1,380 Posts
This morning, there was a dead rat on the bike path. I see these too often. Not that I like live rats any better, and I see those, too.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 03:01 PM
  #272  
KD5NRH
Senior Member
 
KD5NRH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Stephenville TX
Posts: 3,697

Bikes: 2010 Trek 7100

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 697 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by RidingMatthew
rode past a pocket knife last week because it was raining and cold. my buddy rode up and picked it up.
Somebody needs to develop a riding scoop tool. I passed up a Zippo that looked fine twice because it was in the middle of a long gentle downhill, near a light that was green those days. Didn't want to blow what momentum I had since there's a short rise right after. By the third day when I caught the red light, it had been run over by something really heavy.
I'm thinking a collapsible handle, spring loaded for quick deployment, on something similar to a stand-up dustpan, but made from mesh so it doesn't become a wind scoop.

Or maybe I need one of those shop cleanup magnet bars mounted under the BB...but the first ride with it I'd be dragging a couple hundred pounds of random crap up the last hill.
KD5NRH is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 03:02 PM
  #273  
KD5NRH
Senior Member
 
KD5NRH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Stephenville TX
Posts: 3,697

Bikes: 2010 Trek 7100

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 697 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
This morning, there was a dead rat on the bike path. I see these too often. Not that I like live rats any better, and I see those, too.
Haven't seen the friendly ferret a couple blocks from me in a while. Wondering if he got run over or the owners figured out a way to keep him from escaping.
KD5NRH is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 03:07 PM
  #274  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,361 Times in 1,380 Posts
Oh and yesterday there was a snake in the middle of the rode. It was writhing and trying to break its body free from the surface where part of it had been squashed by a car. I felt a little bad for it.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 03:12 PM
  #275  
RubeRad
Keepin it Wheel
 
RubeRad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,238

Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Liked 3,399 Times in 2,510 Posts
Yeah, that's rough. What would a mercy killing take? Riding over the skull?

I have a couple times encountered rattlesnakes while trail riding, always managed to stop in time and circumspectly go around (note: some really high percentage of rattlesnake bites, like 80-90% are on the HAND, i.e. from morons messing with rattlesnakes -- you avoid them and they'll happily avoid you).

I have a friend that says he sees rattlesnakes all the time, he just rides right over them, thump thump. They can only strike when coiled, when they're stretched out across a trail they don't have time to react to an oncoming bike.

I wonder though, that must destroy a bunch of ribs, and does it end up killing the snake, or can they survive?
RubeRad is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.