Originally Posted by
Unreasonable
Which I'm thinking is what the OP did. Had you not seen him, but taken it and left a note saying "If this was your bike, I have it. Here's my number:", he could call and get it back. I don't see this as theft at all...
Now, if it wasn't his, but truly was abandoned, you'd leave the note, never get a call, and have a bike. How is this bad?
It was pretty poor judgement of the guy to leave the bike where it was, on a street that he well knows (as a recycler himself) has awesome bulk-day and other trash-day pickings, if he's anything of a regular. The bike was on the curb, laying flat on the ground, wheels hanging down into the shoulder. In front of a house that was for sale... everything points to trash pickup bike.
As my experience shows, though, without real thoughtfulness, one can accidentally be stealing. Bikes that look to be "parked" at residential or other public areas should be totally hands off, I think.
At any rate, I still feel like a bit of a jerk for almost driving off with the guy's bike!