[She glances over her shoulder, considering that option... then turns back and smiles.]

Why not both?

[At least it'll be getting one fool off the street, and protect the street until whoever's using the cable picks it up again.]

As for the carpet, maybe two or three of those cheap rubber bath mats laid across? Surely those can't cost that much, and it'll spare us both the indignity of digging around in the trash.