A BIC water heater found on Valencia Street (2007).

"BIC" is a phrase that's often written on large curbside items. It stands for "bulky item collection," which is a service that's provided through Norcal Waste Systems, the company that provides waste management services for the city. So, that means you can just grab their stuff because if you don't grab it then it's just headed to the dump.

The BIC system started in the late '90s. If you want a bulky item collected, call up Norcal and ask them to pick up your stuff. You can do it twice a year, for up to five items at a time, if you pay for your garbage (or get your landlord to arrange it for you).