What about the nasties?

[Marc Montgomery]

Well, it is possible to come across a rattle snake, in an old junkyard in Ontario, but that is extremely rare, and although we have lots of snakes, some of which look fairly dangerous, the rattler is the only one to really worry about and even than, you have a better chance of winning a lottery than coming across or getting into trouble with one.

HOWEVER, when I was much younger, there were plenty of old junkyards (in Ontario)- you could root around in with lots of interesting stuff...but environmental laws have wiped most of them out.... now I hardly see any at all, and the ones i do know about, are almost all stocked with very recent stuff, and you're not allowed to wander around. (don't have too much experience cruising back roads of Qc looking for old junk, but do know that its kind of the same situation....a relative of ex-wife had a scrap yard about an hour north of Mtl, and there were several 50's era cars, all restorable, some easily..including a Hudson Hornet...then they were told to clean up... and all were crushed about 10 yrs ago) Also another yard about 10km from me, gone..property left with the reamins of the rickety office, and the front fence, with one forlorn M-37 and a couple other un-interesting wrecke sitting out front.. the M-37 good for a few parts I guess..but who even owns it now??

Also with higher prices for scrap metal these days, car crushers cruise the back roads and farms and also suck up interesting old vehicles.

In other words, the good old interesting junkyards of Ontario seem to have all pretty much disappeared with any still remaining likely to disappear soon.

The US- at least in some states- seems to have been less affected by environmental clean-up laws

Whats the situation in OZ?

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Marc

Those great old Junk Yards our youth are rapidly disappearing in the US as well. As in many places they are being closed for "environmental" reasons though I'm sure though in many cases the environmental reason is somebody else doesn't like looking at them.

Our town recently passed new zoning ordinances which we for environmental purposes to protect the water. In the process they prevented the opening of any new garages or gas stations in town, existing garages are grandfather. It wasn't noticed until after the public voted these new ordinances in private hobby garages or working on your own car had been banned.

Just in case someone thinks this is getting off the topic of "What about the nasties?" no it just adds a few of the two legged nasties to the discussion.

But seriously I'll restrict my comments to the animal's it might be considered a disparaging remark to the snakes to include some people to the catagory of Nasties.

Cheers Phil

[motto]

Nasties indeed Phil. The dictatorial creeps that bring in these restrictions are gradually moving you further and further from being the 'land of the free'.
On another forum a countryman of yours mentioned that in his town, garages cannot exceed 400 square feet in area.
It gives emphasis to the old saying that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. There are always those who would take it from us a little at a time. For our own good of course.
I much prefer the natural nasties, they are nowhere near as devious or treacherous.
A similar process is taking place here Marc as urbanisation and cleaning up pushes wrecking yards into oblivion. The costs of keeping a yard open with increasing land values and public liability insurance premiums plus the OH&S and environmental legislation has skyrocketed, Add to this pressure the scrap value of the accumulation therein and it's no wonder the decision is made to shut down the business and clear the yard.
When I think back on the many places we could wander around in the past cherry picking the contents I realise that they really were the good old days.
We had it good.

David