Fighting a Power Company

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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/3106783
Your dogs, your responsibility to make arraingments for them. Granted you own the place, but this makes it YOUR responsibility to create a yard for the dogs that still lets the workers do thier work. The power company has right of way for meter reading in the contract for service you signed.
Sorry if I sound abrasive, but going off just the facts YOU are at fault.
You don't get it...I agree that it is my responsibility to make their working environment easy or workable. That is not an issue. For 8 months my gate has not been an issue. I repeat...my entire family was home at the time...at anytime they could have knocked on the door and said..."hey your gate is not workable for me", or they could have skipped my house and given us a call...if there is an issue let me know and I will fix it...don't just tear it apart and then leave the pieces for me to pick up without notifying. You're not being abrasive...it's an opinion to which everyone is entitled. I've got thick skin you're going to have to come with more than that to earn the abrasive title
.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
I guess I just dont see your issue.
Your gate is too much of a liability to trust your for dogs safety given that you have people of questionable intellegence/consideration enter your yard. These people at times might enter when you are not home. This happens with an ongoing frequency.
So fix the gate to be as easy as possibly for these individuals. Do your best to decrease the risk to your home and extended family members from an unrelaible entrance/exit to the yard.
THEN pitch a fit with the power company.
Until you have corrected the gate situation, asking the power company for any sympathy or special treatment is out of line in my view. Nothing special about my house, or your house that should warrant special needs or accomodations.
 
tank a holic

tank a holic

Active Member
are you with AEP??
some company's offer a program where you read your own meter but usually those company's dont have "readers"
as for can you do anything to the person who "allegedly" (how bout it crimzy)
let the dogs out ..... no
Baha Men??

not to be a stick in the mud but from what I gather it might be easier and cheaper to fix the fence than buy a new smart meter or have it moved
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Originally Posted by tank a holic
http:///forum/post/3106917

not to be a stick in the mud but from what I gather it might be easier and cheaper to fix the fence than buy a new smart meter or have it moved

This makes about the most sense.
I'm also sure the meter reader doesn't want to bother or have anything to do with people and just get on their way. Should they have done a better job? yes
How many people do you know (be honest) that would try and shut the gate, have the hillbilly fixed gate not close properly cuz of some stuff laying on the ground after they opened it or not know really how it works.. and say screw it... their mess they can fix it... and then just keep on going to the next house. I'm not saying that's right.... but I bet a lot of people would do the same thing.
 
tank a holic

tank a holic

Active Member
coulda been too that the dogs got out while they were reading and left it open for them too get back?? %%
denied it as to not get in trouble

I worked for a municipal water department and we had trouble with dogs all the time -- bag of treats anyone?
im a dog lover and I'm not judging but my dog stays in my yard... no fence, chain or hillbilly gate-- that being said, if she does run off I kick her not the thing she was chasing
just sayin
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/3106755
Here is my set up. It's very hillbilly but it has worked for the past 8 months
. The gate closes within about 4" to the post it is supposed to connect to. I have a 4x4 wedged in that space with a single piece of rebar tie wire that keeps it in place (the wire is very pliable much like a twisty tie). On the back side of the gate I have the base of a bird feeder against it to prevent the dogs pushing the gate out. So, you have to move the base then undo a twisty and you are in. My entire family was home at the time...if she did not want to put it back together she could have knocked on the door and let someone know...then I could have done all this without having to be irrate, and could have politely come to a resolution. Basically the only 3 things I want to know. What are possible solutions? What can be done, if anything, when a power company changes your property without returning it to its original state? and what could be done had my dogs not been found?
My last electric bill was about double as well...that did not anger me though...I love my AC and will pay whatever it takes


You know you're a redneck...
You say the dogs weren't outside when the meter reader came by. That is probably why she didn't come knock on your door when she couldn't figure out how to close your hillbilly setup. Do you have a sign on the gate that says 'Beware Of Dogs"? These people aren't psychics or CSI members. Unless there were a bunch of 'poop bombs' all over the yard, she probably had no idea you had dogs. So she closed the gate as best she could, and moved on. I can pretty much bet if she had seen a dog, or realized dogs used the property, she would've knocked on the door to let someone know. Meter Readers can be compassionate sometimes.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Maybe I have no real gripe..dunno, where I come from you put stuff back the way you found it or you don't touch it, and if there is a problem you raise it to someones attention. Dogs or no dogs it's not the point. The dog situation compounded the problem, but the issue was laziness and or incompetency. You just don't re-arrange someones property and leave it because you couldn't figure it out. How moving a piece of concrete 6 inches and twisting a tie wire is confusing is beyond me. The previous 8 months of meter readers figured it out %%. Doesn't matter it's locked up for now and I will call monday to reach a resolution. I have a post up above describing why I cannot do a gate at the moment. It's common courtesy I am asking for...not special treatment, and they can shove their sympathy up there ..... that is not what I am looking for. I just can't lay back and accept that people can be lazy and inconsiderate, I will continue to raise a fuss over such issues. Maybe if more people did it would not be considered an acceptable norm.
Thanks for participating all
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Same could be said why be so lazy (first impression of walking up to it) and not get a real gate?
And as far as ease of doing it... you know how many people don't know how to check they're own oil? Just because you know how to do something simple doesn't mean the next person can ;)
I'm not picking on you.. just being devils advocate cuz I'm at work and family guy is beyond retarded for even me to watch.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3107423
Same could be said why be so lazy (first impression of walking up to it) and not get a real gate?
trust me, I get that bro. Funds are my issue, and the project will not be a simple one, it will require time, and I need an immediate answer until.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Just saying this, it is my opinion but...
I would be freaked out, especially in this day and age, if some guy came running up to me and yelling about this or that. Especially as a woman. You probably scared the heck out of her, and IMO, two wrongs don't make a right. Of course she denied it, what the heck would you have done to her if she admitted it? You make it sound like you were somewhat out of control. :(
Lazy and inconsiderate are big words to throw around...from reading your description, however, it could go both ways (as others above mentioned). She may have been lazy and inconsiderate in closing it...you were the same in how you responded. Sorry to be harsh, but running up to someone and yelling, and then taking it out on someone on the phone? Inconsiderate for sure.
Dang, man. I understand not having a lot of money. I have done a lot of jury-rigged things in my time. But that is the risk, often they don't hold up or seem logical when taken apart or even all that important. Maybe put up a sign if you know people have to come in, and need to both take apart this thing and watch for your dogs.
But IMO, your response was out of line. You can be angry without yelling at people. Not cool, IMO :( I would have been scared of you for sure. Definitely not the way to get the right attention for your concern, in my book. I hope maybe the story is exaggerated for the online readers :) and you weren't really yelling at her.
 
lil.guppy

lil.guppy

Active Member
Dude call the company up but dont yell at the guy on the phone he had nothing to do with it.
Ask to speek with a rep or supervisor and explain it to them and they will take care of the situation. But geez going through legal stuff? Come on give me a break. Im so tired of people now days always trying to find some way to sue someone or get something out of a situation. Have a little compassion for someone that might have made a mistake and realize that the meter is in your back yard and work with them on it.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3107462
Just saying this, it is my opinion but...
I would be freaked out, especially in this day and age, if some guy came running up to me and yelling about this or that. Especially as a woman. You probably scared the heck out of her, and IMO, two wrongs don't make a right. Of course she denied it, what the heck would you have done to her if she admitted it? You make it sound like you were somewhat out of control. :(
Lazy and inconsiderate are big words to throw around...from reading your description, however, it could go both ways (as others above mentioned). She may have been lazy and inconsiderate in closing it...you were the same in how you responded. Sorry to be harsh, but running up to someone and yelling, and then taking it out on someone on the phone? Inconsiderate for sure.
Dang, man. I understand not having a lot of money. I have done a lot of jury-rigged things in my time. But that is the risk, often they don't hold up or seem logical when taken apart or even all that important. Maybe put up a sign if you know people have to come in, and need to both take apart this thing and watch for your dogs.
But IMO, your response was out of line. You can be angry without yelling at people. Not cool, IMO :( I would have been scared of you for sure. Definitely not the way to get the right attention for your concern, in my book. I hope maybe the story is exaggerated for the online readers :) and you weren't really yelling at her.
No not exagerating. I have a very short stick when it comes to my family or home. She actually handled it very well. Not saying it was right, but I wasn't looking for cool points (here or there), was looking for the culprit. Just sharing a day in the life. Thanks for your opinion
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by lil.guppy
http:///forum/post/3107466
Dude call the company up but dont yell at the guy on the phone he had nothing to do with it.
Ask to speek with a rep or supervisor and explain it to them and they will take care of the situation. But geez going through legal stuff? Come on give me a break. Im so tired of people now days always trying to find some way to sue someone or get something out of a situation. Have a little compassion for someone that might have made a mistake and realize that the meter is in your back yard and work with them on it.
When did I say I was going to sue? Had my dogs been lost I would be looking into legal action, but this was not the case. I was asking about law to see if they had a legal obligation in regards to my gate and or if a hypothetical situation occured...not to actually sue anyone. The conversation is alot easier if you can say "by law you have to do x,y,z". I did ask for a supervisor to call me back...and I would have been more then willing to work with them had they informed me there was a problem...did you read my posts?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I think she means - don't yell at the guy on the phone, just say there was an incident, and ask to speak with a supervisor. Don't yell at him and in the course of that then ask to speak with a supervisor. Believe me, he KNEW that a supervisor was going to have to get involved as soon as he realized you were angry. Problem is, did you reach the point, in their mind, of being abusive. Which gets you special treatment, and not in a good way :(
But the reality is these days a lot of people do want to sue over things like this or even less :(
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/3106749
Yes I have thought of this...
two problems at the moment
1. funds
2. the space that the gate is in is very small, and the current posts have adjusted over time in manner non-conducive for a working gate, so I would have to dig out the old to get the new in. Not to say it can't be done, but for me time is not always so readily available. Given time this is what I will do.
Is this a wooden gate or a chain link fence? If it's wooden, what exactly is the cost? Two 8" 4 X 4 posts are about $8/each at Home Depot. Two bags of Quickcrete (the red bags) are another $5/ea. A post hole digger is about $20. Unless your existing gate is completely rotted out, that can be re-used. I replaced my gate last year, even rebuilding the gate itself and new hinge hardware, for under $60. Took me about 4 hours start to finish. Owning my own business, and having two high school aged kids with their extracirricular activities, I can say free time is a luxury. But I can still do the 'honey-doos' early mornings Saturday or Sunday. It's just simple time management for me.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3107513
Is this a wooden gate or a chain link fence? If it's wooden, what exactly is the cost? Two 8" 4 X 4 posts are about $8/each at Home Depot. Two bags of Quickcrete (the red bags) are another $5/ea. A post hole digger is about $20. Unless your existing gate is completely rotted out, that can be re-used. I replaced my gate last year, even rebuilding the gate itself and new hinge hardware, for under $60. Took me about 4 hours start to finish. Owning my own business, and having two high school aged kids with their extracirricular activities, I can say free time is a luxury. But I can still do the 'honey-doos' early mornings Saturday or Sunday. It's just simple time management for me.
I remember the days that I cound not afford an $8 piece of lumber

Thank God for duck tape...
 
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