Excuse me- may I be of assistance sir?

[shortydog]

i consider my property private.i have this posted around the property line.
if somebody comes on my property uninvited, they will be asked to leave.
if they do not leave, they will be "escorted" off the property.
i will not hide in the bathroom and wait for the police to show up.
and if that is crime so be it.next time there would be nobody found to press charges.
i am not a sheep.i will and can protect myself.
there was a time when this was not a problem.but if people do not stand up for there basic right of self defence these are the insane things we can expect.
like pythons story, the hero should of just buried the POS and let it be that.
it is a shame you have to act like a crimanal just to protect youself from these POS's.

rant off.

 

[Bullrock]

Sm

Just curious...Would you have approached that vehicle if you were not armed??? IMHO the very fact that you were armed put you in a position where you might have had to use your weapon.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no eminent threat that you could see. So if the guy pulled on you, and you beat him, how are you going to justify the shooting. By appraoching him instead of calling the police it might seem as though you were looking for trouble... No?

 

[Edward429451]

Deja Vu'

This one takes me back. BTDT. I was in a crawlspace under a house and hear Hello, Police department, come on out here for a minute...

I'm a plumber, heater, air conditioning guy and have been in so many houses and the keys under the rock and go on in the crawlspace its open, and all that that its bound to happen to have the cops called once in awhile.

All professionals have their ducks in a row to show reason to be there. I have licenses, ID, and the name & address in the truck of where I'm supposed to be working. Am I offended to have someone check me out? The loss of time is frustrating but, nah, I know how it is, (and that you're all armed to the teeth when walking up on me! )

I've even been given the wrong address and 'go in the back window, its open' Luckily it was locked! Went back the next day and the homeowner says 'I'm not finishing my basement and never heard of XXXX' (I didn't tell him I was trying windows in the back yesterday!!) I did have his address on a job ticket in the truck though, which may have helped if I had been 'caught'. My contrator who subbed the work to me transposed two numbers of the address.

I can see where you did ok in your situation, but also see pythonguys point also. He was a scumbag and could have nailed you quick. Is he reaching for his ID or his Davis 380? How could you be sure before its too late? This is a prime example of a function better suited to the police. If he's a scumbag up to no good, you're safe. If he's on the level professional, it wouldn't take five minutes to sort it all out and go back to work.

 

[Bob F.]

sm: I think you "dun gud". Never showed steel, didn't try to stop him, asked politely when he tried to open YOUR door. Don't think the license was in range to see until the last few seconds and you had sense enough not to expose yourself. Good job. Good gut!

Stay safe.
Bob

 

[sm]

Well, we are getting feedback -huh?

Recall : This was approx 10am. I have had workpersons on property giving estimates, doing work. I have had Legit Utililty folks out and have indeed spoken of getting the trees trimmed that run b/t property lines. Comcast has been out to check on lines and folks stealing cable - Comcast is the one whom some months ago made a report about some cable supports that needed replacing after a storm- this work was done.

Using a Square, let us label starting with the upper left corner A and clockwise B, C and D to label the other corners. Viewing house from street the front door is b/t D and C.

The access under the house is b/t A and B , about 2 feet from the Corner of B.

I was standing ~ 30* off corner B into the yard about 20 steps ( 1 step = about a yard for my stride)

Fence runs parallel to line AB , and parallel to BC up to near corner C

I could have run into neighbors yard to the left as there is no fence. There is a storage bldg and such to use as cover. I also had the option to run back around Corner A to D then into front door.

The vehicle came up to approx 45* from corner B. I stepped it off today, 42 steps[ 42 yards] from corner B at that angle. This the closest I ever came to vehicle.

Since this turned out to be suspicious, I observed and reported.

Most of the workman have the office call and inform me the workman will be here at such a time, and give me their name. Some times the workman calls themselves.

Utilities "sometimes" give on the news that a crew will be out in certain areas, most often traffic reports, then again they sometimes tell folks neighborhoods. If I took a daily paper I'm told often these are somtimes noted as well. I have seen these in the Sunday paper.

I am in a Big city [ pop 190K or so last census].

When I lived in smaller towns of 4K or 17k , Local papers and notes tacked up at the market , Post Office, Drug Store let folks know. Communicated with folks.

One Sheriff used to use the inmates to clear trash, creeks, and do landscaping with non- violent offenders. So I shared a pond with 4 folks, wake up one morning 3 horses, with Deputies , with shotguns, making sure no white jump suits got lost in my backyard. Dogs went nuts.

Here in the big city they sometimes do not even warn of water work, just get up and no water.

Next time some personin back yard, I will access that situation and deal with it as I see fit. There is not always a one size fits all.

Part of my sharing was to get folks to think about this , their property and some of the methods use to gain info and access by BGs.

Feedback - good or bad is good. We all learn.

Steve

 

[spacemanspiff]

well if you're gonna get all math-y on us i'll just take my marbles and go play in my sandbox.

 

[jonathon]

you lost all your marbles in his sandbox long ago..

 

[USP45usp]

I don't know if this is law in Oregon or just common sense with the utilities/cable companys but all employees of such groups have to have a marked vehicle, a badge that is showing, and will have on a "uniform" of some type that is well recongized by the people.

Also, if they have to enter your yard, for any reason, they must first contact the home owner. If the home owner is not in then they, if not an emergency or just checking out the water/electric meter must go away until the home owner can be contacted.

Any deviation from the above rules can, and will, result in a trespassing charge and termination from employment.

Since all meters have to be out in the open and easy to get to (not under houses, in the back of houses, but in plain view of anyone), anyone here that is "pulling on a locked door to get under the house and claiming to be from a utility company", is not who they say.

Wayne

 

[wayneinFL]

Not around here. FPL meter reader just walks in the backyard and looks at the meter on the back of the house, although they do less of that as time goes on. They try to use binoculars. Lake Worth utility does this and just "guesses" if they can't see the meter. I've had surveyors walk into the backyard before. Plenty of trades service people walk up and try doors, as a plumber mentioned in a previous post.

Our company (telephone contractor) never had company shirts or company vehicles until a few years ago. And we only get 2 shirts a year, so I still find myself walking into backyards in a tshirt and shorts. I have I.D. somewhere, but it's a company no one has heard of, it's not BellSouth I.D.

I still think if I saw someone in my yard I'd just ask who they were. 99% of the time I would suspect they were the exterminator or cable guy at the wrong address. As far as getting a gun when I go out there- I'm usually armed anyway.

 

[Edward429451]

Meters are commonly in the back of houses here in CO, or along the side. Almost never in the front unless its in a pit for water only. Our meter readers usually have yellow polo shirts on. More easily recognized by the contraption they carry. No badges or visible ID.

Not all utility companies are true utility companies either, meaning the providing source of your utilitys. We have a couple companies in town who bill themselves as utilities companies with a play of words, but are in actuality service companies.

 

[USP45usp]

I think the reason that they changed the meters from the back to the front is due to people either locked their gates or had big dogs in the yard (or both).

My place, if the meter was in the back they can't even go behind the house because there is no road and they would be in a marsh land not to also mention that they would have to jump the gates and fences to get there.

Wayne

 

[Edward429451]

I think you're right Wayne. My GS dog gave a meterman quite a scare awhile back. He was chained up and couldn't get close enough to him but with a big dog bearing down on you in full snarl, you don't see the chain.

Now we get a nice recorded message a few days before meterman day saying they care about the safety of our pet so have him inside on suchnsuch date for the meterman.

Heck, when I was a kid they used to have the meters in the house and the meterman would tap & walk right in "Meterman!!". Mom was downstairs doing laundry and didn't hear him and the GS dog had him on the floor when she came up.

 

[dasmi]

Now we get a nice recorded message a few days before meterman day saying they care about the safety of our pet so have him inside on suchnsuch date for the meterman.

Right, the safety of your pet. What they really mean is "we don't want our meterman to get torn in two, so will you please keep your assault dog inside?"

 

[Edward429451]

I took it as a warning that he might get sprayed with OC if the guy was scared of him. At least I hope thats all they'd do. Not sure how'd I react if a meterman shot my dog in my yard. Reflexes may get the better of me.

Doubt it would come to that. One tennis shoe on the driveway and he goes nuts and alerts us. I do try to keep him inside on meterday but a dogs gotta go outside a few times a day regardless. Metermen have no set times to come. So far so good.

 

[USP45usp]

If the utilities trust you some will allow you to call in your meter and then come once a quarter or some even twice a year and ensure that you were reading it correctly. That is something that can be asked. Also, many times (they do it here) they will take the reading for about two years and then just average it out and then come once a year to check it in person. If it's above their average estimates then your bill will raise a little bit (they won't put it all on at once) and then check it normally (the people may have gotten an HVAC system, new freezer, etc.. that can raise the electric consumption).

Personally I think that the poster did fine.

Wayne