Submitted by snuffy_tentpeg t3_zxdx3y in Pennsylvania

Like the title says, piles of road salt are beginning to appear where road maintenance crews idle on the side of the road. Some of these piles are significant.

Does your township or municipality collect this excess salt for re-use?

Do you think it unethical to shovel some into a pail for personal use?

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Comments

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boomerinvest t1_j1zovnd wrote

Don’t think it unethical at all. It’s been my experience from the many I’ve seen is they just sit there. So now when I see one I scoop it into a 5gal bucket and use it here at home on the corners so people don’t have to climb over piles or risk falling on ice while trying to cross.

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newworldman1070 t1_j1zpcev wrote

Penndot uses salt where you live?

Our roads here in the northern tier looked like they hadn’t been touched at all on Christmas Day, but it hadn’t snowed since Friday.

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Matt-33-205 t1_j1zq9rx wrote

I really really wish they would use non corrosive anti-skid. The salt they use is the devil, destroys vehicles and bridges. Take all of it.

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artificialavocado t1_j1zrm4j wrote

It depends my understanding is PennDot actually uses a heavy brine solution now opposed to regular rock salt. What you borough does probably varies but I’m pretty salt dispensers can be turned on and off from the cab as well as the amount of salt being put down adjusted. You would think the drivers would turn it off if they are going to be idling for more than just a minute. It’s wasteful but rock salt is pretty cheap stuff.

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AFD_0 t1_j20ji1l wrote

Not sure what they used before, but in my younger days when I used to buy cars that were at least a decade old or older, I don't remember the rust ever being as bad as it is on cars now.

My last new car had a corrosion warranty and the manual specifically stated not to use any underbody coatings (never had it on my used cars), and within two years the heat shields all corroded out around their mounts and the license plate bracket rusted and snapped. After another year, an external pump corroded to the point it wouldn't hold pressure. Had the same pump replaced twice and those both rusted out after 3 years. Wheels corroded, sub-floor panels all rusted, lower door rusted.. all within a decade of daily driving and regular underbody car washes.

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carrigan_quinn t1_j20mn53 wrote

Why are you so purposefully obtuse?

Nobody is talking about breaking into PennDOT to steal shit, so comparing it to breaking into a bank is disingenuous on its face.

Sounds like you're upset Scranton is two and a half hours from the free salt in Chester County.

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carrigan_quinn t1_j20phxz wrote

I don't think OP meant legit piles, as in multiple feet tall.

They're referring to how some salt piles up under the salt dispenser when they idle the trucks in a parking spot. Think maybe six inches high at most.

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schmeillionaire t1_j218m09 wrote

The internationals used by Penn DOT can only idle for so long then the truck itself shuts off after several minutes just a fun tidbit.

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ScienceWasLove t1_j21kr65 wrote

Usually the salt piles occur while they are trying to make sure the spreader is on/working before they drive off.

I live on a mountain near a park where they stage the truck before salting.

I often drive my own plow truck up there w/ a shovel in attempt to collect the “free” salt and put it in my salt spreader for my driveway.

I don’t think anyone would care if you do the same, as the employees will never be able to shovel it back into their giant dump trucks.

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JAK3CAL t1_j21u7y8 wrote

Usually run out with my shaker and scoop some for dinner 😋

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ktappe t1_j22vwtz wrote

Using it is far better than letting it go to waste or continue to be an obstruction.

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coasterkyle18 t1_j232lc8 wrote

I just purchased a brand new car a year ago and during winter months I try to wash it once a week because the salt builds up so fast. I wonder if this is even gonna help though considering what you just said. So maybe all my troubles are for nothing.

It's a Honda after all, so the body will probably go before the engine anyway. That's what usually happens with Hondas.

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newgmoleio t1_j23n62k wrote

Townships or municipalities don’t have the manpower to recover lost salt. I would, and have shoveled some into a bucket for personal use. They used to leave a giant pile of it by my mailbox every year I don’t know why. Maybe it’s where they started the salting machine on the truck.

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BasvoyD t1_j242xpl wrote

Sounds like free salt to me! Pick some up, why pay for it. Win win!

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