My husband and I got a new sofa so we put our old one, a perfectly fine couch, by the road so someone could pick it up for free. We live across from a skateboard park and the teenage guys who frequent the park are not exactly paragons of virtue...they came and got the couch and took it over to the park, we presumed, for their use. Which was fine with us. However, tonight when we got home, we found the couch BACK where it was, in front of our house by the road, but completely destroyed. The cushions are ripped apart; the inside is exposed...the couch is not usable now. We believe this was intentional rudeness on their part. What can we do about this?? We have no truck with which to haul the couch off to the dump...and the police say that if we can't prove who did this, there's nothing that can be done. I'm as mad as hell. This is the last straw with these jacka**es across the street. Any suggestions??
2006-10-09 15:25:06 · 14 answers · asked by peachy78 5 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
We live in a rented apartment house...we don't own the property. So our landlady is going to be P.O.'d too...
2006-10-09 15:26:30 · update #1
How about move.That's about it.Kids will be kids,you as an adult should have known better.I think you were glad they took it,so you wouldn't have to dispose of it.Your only angry now cause it's back in front of your house.
Let me ask you this ,what would you have done if know one picked it up and it sat there.It still would have been your responsibility to dispose of it.
Your right to be mad that they tore it up,but you were also aware that this skate park is there,and more importantly it was kids that took it from in front of your house.I mean what did you think they were going to do,they are kids.
Another thing,they probably didn't put it there to intentionally piss you off,they probably thought your trash guy would pick it up for you ,and that's why it was out there.
Or maybe they did,who knows.Point is, it's done and over with.So why get mad.It's not a total loss though,i bet you never put a piece of furniture out on the curb again.Which means you learned something from it.
Good luck
2006-10-09 15:43:56 · answer #1 · answered by seandebra17 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two wrongs don't make a right.
By leaving your cast-offs on the street, you are telling to the neighborhood that it's okay to leave junk on the road. In most cities, the streets are not subsitutes for a dump.
You should have called Goodwill, the Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul or some other charity to come pick up your sofa and they would sell it to one of their customers.
This is a costly lesson for you.
Call your city's trash hauling service and schedule a pickup.
It's going to cost you a haul-away fee.
2006-10-09 15:35:36 · answer #2 · answered by Tom-SJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can understand your frustration. A friend of mine went through something somewhat similar.
She was an avid gardener, and would buy those reflecting balls. Paint some pretty flowers on them and put them in among the flowers. Inevitably with 3 days, they were broken.
One day she bought a bowling ball at a garage sale, she painted it up real pretty and put it out in the flowers, figuring this one would not get broken. It didn't but she did notice a young man walking down the street, on crutches, his foot in a cast.
Back to your couch, take a saw and some wire cutters and break it up into smaller parts and dispose of it in the regular garbage pick up. I have resorted to that a few times.
2006-10-09 15:38:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, the furniture you INTENDED to be picked up by someone in need got to the wrong hands. I would be upset as well. They had no reason to be destructive like that- it renders the couch useless. How sad. I agree intentional rudeness, but since you set it out for the trash... they assumed you did not want it and probably thought you did not care what happened to it.
I would not set out "goodies" for the trash anymore. Try using FREECYCLE.org. They use a web site to post Free and still very usable items to someone who wants or needs that item. The person comes to pick it up. And you can choose who you want to give it to.
2006-10-09 15:37:16 · answer #4 · answered by rottymom02 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This will surprise you, but it will work. First, walk over to these teens and explain to them that your landlord turned off the heat or water or electricity until you remove that couch. Explain that your BABY is cold or burning up(I don't know where you live) and could they please help remove it. Offer free soda for their efforts. Don't at any time indicate that you know they did it. Being near tears will also help. Get back to me afterwards. I'll betcha anything that they get rid of it. It's great psychology to do it this way, these teens have brothers and sisters, and if they think they're helping protect an innocent baby and a helpless mother they will respond.
2006-10-10 01:36:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you're now stuck with getting rid of the couch yourself. Not sure if there's anything that you can do about it. It's unfortunate that kids act like that... Next time, I would suggest putting the item up on Craig's List - it's free, and it will ensure that you're "donated item" makes it into the hands of a worthwhile recipient.
2006-10-09 15:36:39 · answer #6 · answered by Kristin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get another item of furniture and put it on the lawn. Rig it with explosives and kablam your problem is now a very red fireworks show.
I'm guessing they've done other things so telling you to sell your stuff on ebay might not be the solution. So go with the first idea.
2006-10-09 15:29:45 · answer #7 · answered by najohodo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you put it by the curb across from a skate park and were surprised it was destroyed? you put it out as trash...so they trashed it.
call your local trash pick up and find out when the bulk pick up is AND schedule a pick up...
karma will take care of them and you have learned a lesson as well-if you want your hand-me-downs to go to someone who needs them contact a church or salvation army don't just put it on the curb.
2006-10-09 15:40:34 · answer #8 · answered by rwl_is_taken 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
tell them to suck your big toe!!! and dont' leave furniture out on the road anymore, just give it to the salvation army or something, so someone who actually needs it will use it. if you can't haul it off, put it in the give aways section of your local newspaper,and specify that someone has to come pick it up.
2006-10-09 15:34:22 · answer #9 · answered by *~HoNeYBeE~* 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel for you. We have skateboard punks in my neighborhood that like to steal bikes, disassemble them and then toss them in other people's yards. What's worse is that so much of my taxes pay for recreational stuff for kids and teens in my community. What a waste!
2006-10-09 15:38:07 · answer #10 · answered by Nels 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋