GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Adam Gross has been magnet fishing since 2018.
"I was kayaking and I saw some metal like some old cash register under the water and I thought man I wonder how I could get some of this stuff," he said.
That inspired him to take up the hobby, which he says is a win-win for everyone because he sells the metal to a recycling center for cash and his good deed helps clean the river and make sure it's in good shape for both visitors and wildlife.
His powerful $300 magnet can pull a great deal of metal from the river. On Friday, a large piece of rebar was among his haul. He even says he's found a gun before. But he says finding a scooter in the river was no surprise.
"It was only a matter of time because they’re just so easy to pick up, and people are just parking them anywhere. So I just knew," she said.
Gross says he's found five of them in the river so far. He took to social media with a message.
"So people can see and be aware if you are going to use these, not park them by the river and not to park them by the bridges," he said.
More than 200 scooters were placed downtown in September as part of an 18-month pilot project. People use the Spin app to rent the scooters.
Gross was worried that people who use the scooters and leave them near the river may be saddled with fees if someone else ends up throwing the scooters into the water. However, in a call with 13 ON YOUR SIDE Friday, customer service representatives with Spin say that as long as you follow the rules and end your ride properly with the app, you won't be held liable if someone else does something bad with the scooter later.
Still, Gross says it's "disgusting" that people would throw the scooters in the Grand River.
"I don’t like it. It’s our river. It’s the reason why we are Grand Rapids. It’s just not right for them to be tossing them in," he said.
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