Bagged leaves-what’s the etiquette

This has bothered me for a while now, is it okay to take bagged leaves that are placed close to the curb, from other peoples yards without their permission? I usually have to wait and ask permission before picking the bags up, as I just feel weird about taking the leaves. So, what is the general accepted norm? Help?

The other question, please share the different ways / machines/ tools used to mulch leaves. Used to use mulching mower which is currently out of commission due to bent crank shaft. Saw a video of someone mulching with weed eater in a trash can. Planning on giving that a try.

Thank you all!

If they bag leaves and put them by the curb, they are waiting for the city to pick them up.  As far as I'm concerned, they already gave them away.  You are doing them a favor by removing them from their yard sooner.

I have the Toro leaf shredder, and I love it.  Here it is on Amazon (not an affiliate link)  Toro leaf blower/shredder on Amazon.

Yup, I figure they're put out there for the city to collect.  If I get them sooner, it saves the city some labor and they're less likely to kill the grass or get snowed on before they're picked up.  Unless the city composts them and sells them for a profit. Then I might be stealing....  Maybe checking with the city would give you an idea?  If you really want to ask permission, just do your scavenging on a sunny Saturday around noon.  Drive around and ask permission of the people who are actively raking and then come back to collect the bags as you can.

I know a guy who has a chipper/shredder just for processing leaf bags.  I just put them whole into my chicken winter greenhouse and they get broken down by the birds.  For my garden I use my grass catcher on the riding mower to chip and collect the leaves off my yard.  If I needed more leaves for the garden, I'd probably dump the leaf bags in a long line and mow them up.

We just got jumping worms in our area so I'm trying to not take leaf bags any more.  Which really sucks.  But when I did collect them, I'd only grab them from lawns that had weeds in them which I figured meant they were less likely to have gick in them.

I do have people bring me their bagged leaves. Most people are happy to have them used.

We’ve gotten a few confused looks picking up leaf bags, but most often people are incredibly grateful. Some have even come outside just to thank us. Especially when we pick them up after the city stops taking them. So I’d say generally, you’re doing folks a favor.
We have become a little picky about where we take them from and avoid lawns that look too perfect. If folks are outside raking, we just ask if they treat their lawn.

Heh ... I'm that guy with the trailer after I work the late shift collecting leaf bags at midnight.

I bought this machine a few years back, blows leaves and also vacuums and shreds. Anything with a metal impeller blade will last a while. Wet leaves clog... dry ones shred nicely.
https://www.amazon.ca/Toro-51619-Ultra-Blower-250mph/dp/B00SBPFREU/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=mulching+leaf+vac&qid=1577473932&sr=8-7