Timberrrrrr!

CurlieQCarrie · 07-29-2005, 07:58 PM

So my brothers had a grrrreat idea for the past week. Cutting down the tree in the front yard. I'm not sure exactly why they wanted to, but Dad said they could....Mistake #1.

I was at a friend's house and came home. They had already started taking off some of the smaller branches. The biggest branch was still there. They had it all planned out. When my oldest brother was sawing into it, my middle brother would drive the truck that it was roped to, that way it would fall between the other tree and the house.

Didn't quite work out that way though. The branch cracked, and started falling towards the edge of the house. My nephew were sitting at the edge of the house, and all I saw was this HUGE branch coming right for us! My brother was screaming "oh NO!" So my nephew (who is 11) and I hauled butt to get out of the way. Luckily, we made it. The power lines are another story. It pulled the lines right out of the pole by the alley and totally bent to the pole on the house. Sparks went everywhere, and then there was a huge black puff of smoke. My mom went beserk, and was yelling at my brothers, even though it wasn't really their fault. The branch snapped, but they are just big dumb boys.

So now, we're without cable. The electricity is still on, but KPL can't come out until tomorrow morning to fix the poles. So hopefully *crosses fingers* our house doesn't burn down during the night.

I took some pics of the tree and pole to the house. Doesn't look half as scary as it does when it about to fall on top of you!

duge · 07-29-2005, 10:23 PM

Boys will be boys!!

queen · 07-29-2005, 10:27 PM

Even if you were just in the close proximity, with those power lines....oh my
gosh, you were all so very lucky...

Your limb was just a tad bit bigger than the one that got away from me...
gave me goosebumps just looking at your back yard....

so very lucky...

Queenie

Cspine · 07-30-2005, 02:07 AM

i like the wicked burn mark on the house

Surf_Sister · 07-30-2005, 02:25 AM

oh man, that's gonna be one good story to tell once everything gets fixed up.

just a thought, if the power cables did fall on you in your chair, would rubber tires and castors prevent a complete circuit, thereby protecting you from electrocution?
don't get me wrong, thought, i'm glad you're alright : )

Mike C · 07-30-2005, 07:36 AM

That burn mark on the house is dangerous and the electrical drop cable from the pole to your house will have to be completly replaced. You might get slapped with a nasty bill if the electric company claims you acted in negligence and caused damage by working near their lines without a town permit, or without their permission. Ditto that for the telephone/cable TV cables since they looked like they got wacked as well. Tree cutting companies aren´t insured for nothing. I was a lineman in the past and I know how absolute assh*les the companys legal department was when it came to similar incidents. We would go out to the work site, talk to the homeowner, ask what happened, write down everything on the work order and get the job done. If the homeowner says the tree fell down the wrong way when we were cutting it down, we wrote that down. If the homeowner says the tree fell on the wires after yesterdays storm, we wrote that down. The work orders get reviewed by accounting and if they have a chance at passing on the repair costs, they would try. Get the picture?

jimnms · 07-30-2005, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surf_Sister

just a thought, if the power cables did fall on you in your chair, would rubber tires and castors prevent a complete circuit, thereby protecting you from electrocution?

No, it's not the rubber wheels on your car that keeps you from being fried, it's the metal skin of the car that directs the shock around you. Electricity will always follow the path of least resistance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

You might get slapped with a nasty bill if the electric company claims you acted in negligence and caused damage by working near their lines without a town permit, or without their permission. Ditto that for the telephone/cable TV cables since they looked like they got wacked as well.

Hide all evidence that you were cutting the tree. Just say the tree limb fell on it's own.

CurlieQCarrie · 07-30-2005, 09:01 AM

Okay so it's 8 almost. KPL is on their way so I figured I should get one entry in before they cut all power off. The house didn't burn down, Thank God. And yea, we'll probably be left with a hefty bill...and I don't wanna sound cliche, but I am glad nobody got hurt. It could've been so much worse! I'll letcha know what they say.

And I think they'll see the almost-clean cut on the branch. Maybe I can fool 'em and say that the beaver that lives by the river did it.

Cspine · 07-30-2005, 01:42 PM

i'm glad yer house didn't burn!

surf sister, the chair douesn't protect you much if any.

Hunker · 07-30-2005, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duge

Boys will be boys!!

Glad no one was hurt. Years back Dad and I were cutting down a tree and it was leaning toward the house. I climbed up the tree and tied a rope at the top and tied the other end to the truck so as I cut the tree Dad would pull the tree with the truck away from the house. The tree fell right in the back of the truck. I will never forget the OMG look in my Dads eyes as it was falling. We did our math after that.

07-29-2005, 10:27 PM	#3
queen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Garden on the Green, Indiana Posts: 1,109	CQC,,,,sure brings back memories... Even if you were just in the close proximity, with those power lines....oh my gosh, you were all so very lucky... Your limb was just a tad bit bigger than the one that got away from me... gave me goosebumps just looking at your back yard.... so very lucky... Queenie __________________ Your life is what you make it, and only you have that choice!

07-30-2005, 02:07 AM	#4
Cspine Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,265	i like the wicked burn mark on the house __________________ Death and taxes

07-30-2005, 07:36 AM	#6
Mike C Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deutschland Posts: 4,894	That burn mark on the house is dangerous and the electrical drop cable from the pole to your house will have to be completly replaced. You might get slapped with a nasty bill if the electric company claims you acted in negligence and caused damage by working near their lines without a town permit, or without their permission. Ditto that for the telephone/cable TV cables since they looked like they got wacked as well. Tree cutting companies aren´t insured for nothing. I was a lineman in the past and I know how absolute asshles the companys legal department was when it came to similar incidents. We would go out to the work site, talk to the homeowner, ask what happened, write down everything on the work order and get the job done. If the homeowner says the tree fell down the wrong way when we were cutting it down, we wrote that down. If the homeowner says the tree fell on the wires after yesterdays storm, we wrote that down. The work orders get reviewed by accounting and if they have a chance at passing on the repair costs, they would try. Get the picture? __________________ "So I have stayed as I am, without regret, seperated from the normal human condition." Guy Sajer Last edited by Mike C; 07-30-2005 at 08:03 AM.*

07-30-2005, 09:01 AM	#8
CurlieQCarrie Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,430	Okay so it's 8 almost. KPL is on their way so I figured I should get one entry in before they cut all power off. The house didn't burn down, Thank God. And yea, we'll probably be left with a hefty bill...and I don't wanna sound cliche, but I am glad nobody got hurt. It could've been so much worse! I'll letcha know what they say. And I think they'll see the almost-clean cut on the branch. Maybe I can fool 'em and say that the beaver that lives by the river did it. __________________ If there is light it will find you --Charles Bukowski

07-30-2005, 01:42 PM	#9
Cspine Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,265	i'm glad yer house didn't burn! surf sister, the chair douesn't protect you much if any. __________________ Death and taxes

07-29-2005, 07:58 PM	#1
CurlieQCarrie Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,430	Timberrrrrr! So my brothers had a grrrreat idea for the past week. Cutting down the tree in the front yard. I'm not sure exactly why they wanted to, but Dad said they could....Mistake #1. I was at a friend's house and came home. They had already started taking off some of the smaller branches. The biggest branch was still there. They had it all planned out. When my oldest brother was sawing into it, my middle brother would drive the truck that it was roped to, that way it would fall between the other tree and the house. Didn't quite work out that way though. The branch cracked, and started falling towards the edge of the house. My nephew were sitting at the edge of the house, and all I saw was this HUGE branch coming right for us! My brother was screaming "oh NO!" So my nephew (who is 11) and I hauled butt to get out of the way. Luckily, we made it. The power lines are another story. It pulled the lines right out of the pole by the alley and totally bent to the pole on the house. Sparks went everywhere, and then there was a huge black puff of smoke. My mom went beserk, and was yelling at my brothers, even though it wasn't really their fault. The branch snapped, but they are just big dumb boys. So now, we're without cable. The electricity is still on, but KPL can't come out until tomorrow morning to fix the poles. So hopefully crosses fingers our house doesn't burn down during the night. I took some pics of the tree and pole to the house. Doesn't look half as scary as it does when it about to fall on top of you! __________________ If there is light it will find you --Charles Bukowski Last edited by CurlieQCarrie; 12-18-2008 at 12:23 AM.

07-29-2005, 10:23 PM	#2
duge Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,446	Boys will be boys!!

07-30-2005, 02:25 AM	#5
Surf_Sister Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North America Posts: 397	oh man, that's gonna be one good story to tell once everything gets fixed up. just a thought, if the power cables did fall on you in your chair, would rubber tires and castors prevent a complete circuit, thereby protecting you from electrocution? don't get me wrong, thought, i'm glad you're alright : )

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