# Roadside debris ID - Metal strip **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 25, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598 "2023-05-25T20:27:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/1 "2023-05-25T20:27:27Z")
What are these strips of metal I keep seeing alongside the road? As shown, they are about seven inches long. There are usually only one or two of them, though there may be more. They are usually, but not always, near driveways. [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/vLTe0Rw.jpeg?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/yE1ucWG) ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/2 "2023-05-25T20:28:49Z")
Does it appear to be spring steel that bends back? Likely from a streetsweeper. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/3 "2023-05-25T20:33:04Z")
AKA lock picking tool pupae. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/4 "2023-05-25T20:43:20Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > Does it appear to be spring steel that bends back? Likely from a streetsweeper. It does, and that might be the answer. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/5 "2023-05-25T20:46:32Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > AKA lock picking tool Ahh, to be a teenager with a copy of the Anarchist’s Cookbook again… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/6 "2023-05-25T20:47:00Z")
Definitely from a street sweeper. Used to collect them on the way to school in the 1960s. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/7 "2023-05-26T19:56:51Z")
I used to make weapons for G.I. Joe from them. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/8 "2023-05-30T10:15:21Z")
such a steel strip is also used in windscreen wiper blades. So very similar. But they won’t be broken, they would just have fallen out of the blade. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/9 "2023-05-30T12:15:14Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > Likely from a streetsweeper. This. Do a google-images search, or a YouTube video search, and you’ll see them. The same bristles get used on machines for brushing snow off of city sidewalks in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![EnolaStraight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roadside-debris-id-metal-strip/984598/10 "2023-05-30T21:15:21Z")
The steel insert of a windshield wiper is typically Stainless Steel. it would make little sense to make a “rain repeller” out of something that rusts.