[KenWittlief]

when I was a teenager I road my bike around several blocks in my neighborhood, looking for bicycle parts. I built 3 or 4 complete bikes out of parts that people tossed by the curb. I might end up buying a seat or pedals or tires here and there, but I had a pretty good collection of bike parts by the time I was 14 or so.

As for dumpsters, there is an issue. They are always located on private property (they are never by the curb) and if a cop sees you back behind office buildings at 1AM they very often will stop to see what you are up to.

In many places it is illegal, mostly for one reason - people throw all kinds of dangerous things in dumpsters. If you get hurt, or if a dumpster falls on you then you know what will happen - someone will sue the company, or the dumpster service company on your behalf. That is one of the primary reasons why its illegal. If companies let you rummage through their dumpsters and you get hurt, then they are liable for your injuries.

BTW, it all balances out in the long run. I have put 3 or 4 perfectly good bicycles by the curb with a "FREE" sign on them over the last few years (just to make space in my garage)

they were all taken within an hour of being set free :^)

Over the years I have intercepted things the company I work for was going to throw out. I got 800 Akg headphone speaker assemblies (speaker and foam ring) that were used on studio headphones. I sold them on ebay for 1 to $2 each in boxes of ten.