# Abandoned property **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856 "2021-06-08T17:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/21 "2021-06-08T23:08:20Z")
> [@Ranch\_Dip](#): > > Call the cops for dead grass? Seriously? I’d call the cops if someone abandoned a car on my property. My alternative would be to hotwire the car and move it elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/22 "2021-06-08T23:13:33Z")
I went down to take pictures of the layout, as access to the barn is the reason why I started it up and was figuring out the controls. I swear! My neighbor came over and told me the guy originally asked _him_ if they could leave it on his property. (His house is closer to our barn than ours is) He asked how much they’d pay a day, and the guy just walked away. I’m Mr Friendly compared to my neighbor. He’s 75 and still mountain bikes. ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/23 "2021-06-08T23:15:15Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’d call the cops if someone abandoned a car on my property. My alternative would be to hotwire the car and move it elsewhere. Also a civil matter. I would just have it towed. But then, I wouldn’t be messing around on equipment that did not belong to me, that I didn’t know how to operate properly. Nor would I hotwire anything. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/24 "2021-06-08T23:23:05Z")
> [@Ranch\_Dip](#): > > Nor would I hotwire anything. Not my preference, either, but hell if I’d pay for an abandoned car to be towed from my property. ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/25 "2021-06-08T23:27:57Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Not my preference, either, but hell if I’d pay for an abandoned car to be towed from my property. Why would it be billed to you? Isn’t it usually billed to the owner when they pick it up? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/26 "2021-06-08T23:55:38Z")
When I lived in an apartment eons ago I called a tow truck for a car in my parking space, which had a sign explaining the situation. If I called a tow company would they just come tow a car abandoned on my property no charge to me, hoping they’d be able to track down the owner? ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/27 "2021-06-09T02:44:19Z")
It depends on whether you’ve met whatever your jurisdiction requires in the way of signs or notice. If your city or state requires a sign of a certain size, for example, and you don’t have the sign, they likely won’t tow it to their yard at all unless the cops tell them to. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/28 "2021-06-09T02:55:59Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > I hate to be a pessimist but if you don’t get a bill from the company for damages caused to the equipment, I’ll be surprised. OP doesn’t say exactly what he did to the machinery. He did something that the operator recognized when he returned, such that the operator saw that OP had messed with the equipment. But nothing in this thread suggests that OP did any actual damage to the equipment. > [@kayaker](#): > > Their equipment that was left on my property without any written agreement and not picked up the day their representative said it would? Ah, the renowned Tholian punctuality! I doubt that any police or courts or anyone would be sympathetic to your case if they just left it there for such a short time. As for your demised lawn: I’m pretty sure that the grass will green up again fairly quickly. Relax. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/29 "2021-06-09T11:18:11Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > OP doesn’t say exactly what he did to the machinery. He did something that the operator recognized when he returned, such that the operator saw that OP had messed with the equipment. I (we) were sat in the seat and played around with the controls. My friend has a front end loader and was explaining how things work. I think the guy recognized something was up the way you would if you got into your car and the seat was out of position and the radio buttons were all changed. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/30 "2021-06-09T16:06:18Z")
> [@Ranch\_Dip](#): > > This is, at best a civil issue. Call the cops for dead grass? Seriously? Tresspass? When someone parked in my driveway, I called the police and they found the neighbor who had done it. The neighbor was extremely apologetic, saying he was sure we were away. Of course, the car had a licence; I assume this equipment doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/31 "2021-06-09T16:23:00Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Of course, the car had a licence; I assume this equipment doesn’t. Correct. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/32 "2021-06-09T16:36:42Z")
Hang a large "For Sale’ sign on it? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/33 "2021-06-09T16:51:12Z")
Heh. If they hadn’t picked it up I totally would have. ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/34 "2021-06-09T17:13:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I (we) were sat in the seat and played around with the controls. My friend has a front end loader and was explaining how things work. I think the point being, they could **say** you did anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/35 "2021-06-09T17:14:28Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Tresspass? They had permission to be there. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/36 "2021-06-09T17:17:48Z")
I think in this case the permission for access is implicitly granted by the state since this appears to be a right-of-way. The utility companies are allowed a lot of leeway in what they can do in the ROW. If they needed to do something like install a drainage pipe, they could just come in and start digging. They typically give notice to avoid any grumbling by the homeowner, but I believe that is just a courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/37 "2021-06-09T17:23:21Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > They typically give notice to avoid any grumbling by the homeowner, This was one of my gripes. There was no notice. When I left for work Friday they had four big trucks on our lane and they had to back out to let me out (dead end private lane). When I came home from work at 2:00 pm they had to move to let me in. I explained that I was dropping off my dogs, making a sandwich, then going to the store. They had to stop work to let me out and then back in. A little advance notice and I would have rearranged my schedule. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/38 "2021-06-09T18:39:55Z")
They had verbal permission to leave it there until Monday, it wasn’t a perpetual agreement. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/39 "2021-06-09T18:44:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@filmore](#): > > > > They typically give notice to avoid any grumbling by the homeowner, > > This was one of my gripes. There was no notice. When I left for work Friday they had four big trucks on our lane and they had to back out to let me out (dead end private lane). > > When I came home from work at 2:00 pm they had to move to let me in. I explained that I was dropping off my dogs, making a sandwich, then going to the store. They had to stop work to let me out and then back in. > > **A little advance notice and I would have rearranged my schedule**. - You mean coming and going every half hour so they would have to stop work to let you in and out? 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856/40 "2021-06-09T18:51:46Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > They had verbal permission to leave it there until Monday, it wasn’t a perpetual agreement. A few days is not “perpetual.” In my experience, cops don’t want to deal with trespassing issues. Years ago, my sister had an on again, off again, boyfriend. He did not live at our house. He was on the front porch, drunk at 2 am. I called the police to have him removed from the property because he wouldn’t leave. I was told by the cop that because we didn’t have a sign posted “No Trespassing.” He couldn’t do anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abandoned-property/943856.md?page=3)