[Alpine]

Originally Posted by Gumby

What would you do if you caught your neighbour leaving "free" items outside your house?

Spoiler!

I live on a corner lot and was getting into my car to take my son to the skytrain station nearby and saw my neighbour a few houses down bring out an old hockey net and what appeared to be an old bbq cover and leave it on the street corner. Here's the gist of our conversation:

Me: Hey, are you just gonna leave that stuff there?
Neighbour: Yeah, so someone can take it.
M: That's just going to attract others to leave their junk there.
N: This area is public property you know?
M: Well then why can't you put it in front of your house?
N: Why don't you mind your own fucking business? (he was walking away going towards the alley)
M: (I gave him the finger)
N: (he came back towards me) Did you just finger me?
M: You're essentially saying the same to me!
N: Do you want me to fucking beat you in front of your son?

At this point, I was very close to actually fighting this dickhead. Maybe I could take him, maybe not (average middle-aged Asian guy, handyman-type profession), but with my teenage son in a 2v1 (we're both 6'1") there would be no way we would lose. Instead, my son told me to just go so we left.

I came back a few minutes later after dropping my son off and my neighbour was still near the alley and said "Don't worry [my name], the stuff will be gone in a few hours". I ignored him and went into the house.

Fortunately, a few hours later, someone did come and take the stuff away. Thinking back, what a stupid altercation to get into. Good thing we didn't actually fight!

It really depends on what they are throwing out and where they are putting it. All of my neighbours do this routinely and no one’s ever had an issue. But they are all respectful enough to just leave it at the curb outside of their home, not down the street or in some alley. Furniture, stuff their kids have outgrown, etc. I’ve even helped myself to a child’s sled before.