Why do people cut off monitor cables?

[Oznog]

I noticed this the last couple of times the city did heavy trash day in the neighborhood. People put out monitors all the time. However, in all the monitors with fixed cables, the cable had been cut off. This was annoying because I needed a spare monitor. I managed to find 2 that had screw-on rather than fixed cables, one of them a 19" I think. They both work great!

I wondered if this was due to some urban legend about them strangling kids or something. However, I put out a monitor myself and noticed the next day that someone had cut off and taken the cable. It's not being done by the owners.

I guess it doesn't matter, but why would someone go to the trouble to cut off a monitor cable?? It would seem more trouble than it's worth to splice back together into a useful cable. And who would need dozens of them?

 

[mister_e]

i saw that often 'round here too. A guy passed along and cut EVERY power cord (TV, Monitor, Dryer, Oven) them to recycle them for the cop or to sale them back again for few bucks.

 

[zevon8]

I think people are just terrified that they may have tossed something perfectly useable, so they figure they will make it harder for someone to "take advantage" of their inability to fix it. When they know its a good unit, they are just being selfish.

The same people take the legs off of furniture to get it through doorways, then keep the legs so no-one can benefit from the item. The legs stay in a closet for a few years then get tossed. LOL

There are plenty of charities, womens shelters, thrift shops, SCPCA, Salvation Army, Goodwill, people who can't afford, etc, that would appreciate the merchandise. It would be nice if the stuff at least had a chance of being reused before becoming landfill.

OK rant mode off.

 

[ParkingLotLust]

I cut the cords off stuff because I will eventually use them. Power cords for power supplies, vga cords for adapters, etc.

 

[RODALCO]

power leads

I cut them off too,
just for spare leads which come in handy sometimes.
Otherwise for the copper, scrap copper with plastic still on it is now NZ$2 kilo, (US $1.30)
I admit that i go for a walk when it is inorganic trash day and always take a pair of pliers and a screwdriver with me, just in case i see something usefull.

 

[Oznog]

I've gone out early the day before and can say that at least half the volume of stuff put out there IS collected for reuse. I've seen pickups with wooden sides built up on the back driving up and down the street. Monitors, computers, tvs, fridges, furniture, recyclable metals, jacuzzi pumps, all this stuff gets well picked over.

I also grabbed a bagless upright vacuum. It works better than the vac I had, I like it!

 

[zevon8]

My rant is aimed at the people who damage stuff before they take it to the curb. If they no longer have a use for it, then just let it go.

I have done my share of curbside shopping and dumpster diving, its great fun.

Like I said, my beef is when useable items are puposely trashed by the disposer in the attitude of " if I can't use it, then no-one else can either."

 

[Grant Fleming]

It is quite common practise to cut the power cable off a faulty appliance one is disposing of. This is prevent people from simply using it and to indicate that it may not be safe! If the scavenger then decides to connect up a cable and plug to the appliance then any consequences become theirs.
Cheers,
Grant

 

[RODALCO]

Good point Grant.

Sometimes people just plug it in without thinking if the appliance was ok or safe to use.

 

[Klaus]

It is quite common practise to cut the power cable off a faulty appliance one is disposing of. This is prevent people from simply using it and to indicate that it may not be safe! If the scavenger then decides to connect up a cable and plug to the appliance then any consequences become theirs.
Cheers,
Grant

I never cut the whole cable off, just the mains plug on the end. It may save a kid finding the item, dragging it home and plugging it in without thinking what could happen if the item is faulty. At the university where I worked it was policy to cut the plug off anything faulty and dangerous, whoever ended up fixing it (if it was enconomical to do so) just fitted a new plug before putting the item back into service. I'm sure many a dumb student was saved by this policy, they seem to just ignore attached 'out of service' labels.
Klaus

 

[stevez]

I usually cut the power cords off anything that doesn't work as others do, to keep an unsuspecting person from getting hurt. If I think I can salvage some hookup wire I'll cut cables off as it is often easy to remove/save the multiple conductors.

 

[Overclocked]

I dont cut them off, I just take the whole thing! Microwaves, TVs, Monitors, Hell I even got a computer that still worked! Sadly, someone had robbed it of the ram and HDD