What are your FREE roadside finds?

At this time of year that we express our gratitudes, I would like to say thanks to the dudes that have dropped their tools in the road and not bothered to come back for them.
I have stopped mainly to get foreign objects out of the road to prevent my, or others', tires from getting punctured.
In the pic are my free tool box additions...they have come in handy throughout the years!
What have you found on or near the road that was worth keeping/came in handy?!
(Pics not mandatory but appreciated)

 

I found a police baton long time ago while stuck in L.A. traffic. I spotted it in the center median while I was in the "fast lane". Traffic was just slow enough that I was able to open my door and grab it. A dude in the lane next to me nodded at me like "what did you get?" I showed him the baton and he gave me a thumbs up.
I still have it.

 

I found a 20ft gr. 80 3/8” chain on the side of the highway with one spread slip hook. You could tell that it had been hooked on the tip, causing it to spread. 2 new hooks and .

For tools, I once found a complete socket set with blow-molded case spread across the road and into a grassy ditch. All except the 1/4 drive 5/16” socket. I know, right? Unbelievable. All the 10mm sockets were there!!!

The downside is that it was my own set, I’d left it on my flatdeck while doing something on the truck, finished up, and off on a test drive... Weee...

 

Know how we all know this story is a lie?

 

PR-24

 

On the way to go wheeling while back in high school there was one of those old metal coolers all banged up on the side of the road.. Pulled over to snag it and was given the best surprise ever to find it had an ice cold 12 pack of Miller High Life inside .

 

Nothing major, junky knife that had been ran over a few times and a few gas containers over the years.
Now a buddy of mine found a nice Snap-On socket set once, pretty high dollar find.

 

I found 3800.00 on my way to work once in Santa Cruz Ca., I've actually found lots of money, I can see that shit @ 75 miles an hr.

 

Lots of bungie cords.

 

I’ve scored a 6’ ladder in decent shape. When I was younger my mom went on a bender where she claimed she was going to make a mobile out of gloves “she” found on the road.....guess who had to go out in traffic and retrieve the gloves. The mobile didnt happen until 10+ years later.
I’ve spotted a yak (kayak) in the bushes on the freeway but didn’t stop
I used to do lots of freeway driving so it was harder to spot, stop and retrieve items in or near the road. I usually refer to them as “ground scores” looking on the ground and find something, SCORE!!!

 

Wait!! That was mine!!

 

A like new German Made 6 foot 'Stabila' level. Score . . . still have it/use it.

 

It was a little scratched up but nothing too major. I figure it probably fell from a motorbike cop's belt. I never carried it in any of my cars after finding it. I'm not sure if it's something I can carry legally.

 

Probably not. Look at some videos and keep it home. If you know how to use it, it is a good weapon.

 

That's what I was thinking. I just looked for it thinking it was up in the attic but it wasn't. It might be in my garage. It will probably turn up again when I'm trying to find it.
I think I could use it effectively if I needed to.
EDIT: It's apparently legal in WA in an open carry situation.
http://weaponlaws.wikidot.com/state-baton-laws

 

I’m a highway worker so I’ve found quite a bit of good stuff.
A bed mat
A perfect yellow 5 gallon water cooler
A flat head shovel
Misc tools
10 dollars in 5 dollar bills
Numerous hand tools

once I was behind a car with a cooler on top not strapped down and when the car made a turn the cooler slid off. Car must not have noticed because they kept driving.
It was nice! A full size Coleman cooler. I still have it.

 

I'm still waiting for that armored truck door to pop open.

 

Haha dude it’s not unheard of! I’d finally get my supercharger!

 

Maybe we need a thread on what we’ve lost.

 

I often lose my mind when getting stuck in traffic.

 

LOL. That’s a great find.

My best roadside find was an almost brand new Stilleto cat’s paw. Some poor soul had recently paid $100 for that thing...

 

Aluminum step ladder, cooler, 2 1/2" to 2" reciever reducers, wrenches, hitches, gas cans. One time a brief case along the interstate. We were going the opposite way, saw the mile marker and came back later. I was excited and scared at the same time. I opened it outside away from the house and inside I found instructions to a fuel pump install. Woohoo what a let down.

 

I pulled over once for a large premium bag of dog food. My wife jumped out to get it and then started screaming because the bag began to move. My daughter was in the back screaming for me to go and leave my wife behind. Wife got back in and skunk popped of the bag. She won't let me stop for stuff in the road anymore.

She got even with me a while later. There was a turtle crossing the road. My wife thought it'd get squished so I got out and picked it up. I don't know if it was a snapper or what, but the damn thing started hissing at me and coming out of its shell (again, my daughter is in the back seat, screaming). I did my finest ultimate frisbee throw and flung it to the side of the road where it popped out of it's shell again and waddled into the brush. I could have lost a nipple.

 

Many years ago in the middle of my path, still have it, a fridge dolly

 

came across this one day and the pack rat in me had to have it.

 

Did Javier Bardem show up at your house looking for the large amount of $$$? Lol...
Found a full size extension ladder one time, pliers, screwdrivers...last find was a 20v Porter Cable drill...battery still had a charge to it.

 

I’m always afraid to stop for coolers...don’t want to be the one that finds the cooler full of body parts....