UPDATE- Fresh hell: son involved in golf cart accident, what do I do?

[Jodell88]

OK, got details:

He backed into a utility pole, and the transformer at the top of the pole fell off (!!!!!!!), taking the lines with it. There was little to no damage to the cart.

At most, we'd be liable for the electrical repairs, but HOW THE HELL DO THOSE THINGS FALL OFF OF POLES WHEN THEY'RE BUMPED???!!! HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!!!

:|

Improperly installed/rust/wear and tear?

Glad your kid is alright.

 

[Printer Bandit]

Sell the kid to cover costs

 

[Grooveriding]

You've got a wild one on your hands. GL

 

[Fritzo]

Bump for updates

 

[highland145]

I can take my add off of Craigslist to sell him for organ harvesting now.

Still gotta pay for college or your retirement.

 

[IronWing]

"Honest officer, I didn't steal this transformer, it just fell into my golf cart."

 

[UncleWai]

Your son needs an old fashion ass whooping.

 

[Fritzo]

Your son needs an old fashion ass whooping.

From what I can tell, this was a legitimate accident. He was put into a situation he didn't know how to handle and it caused some damage. I'd be pissed if he was screwing around to being a doofus, but none of that seemed to be the case here (for once).

 

[highland145]

Your son needs an old fashion ass whooping.

Why?

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

sounds like it worked out in the end. i'm sure your kid learned his lesson already.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

*relief* I can take my add off of Craigslist to sell him for organ harvesting now.

It's just a matter of time. Sell the organs now BEFORE something worse happens.

 

[Braznor]

Save on fireworks this july.

Tell him he already had his share with the sparks.

 

[edro]

Wow... I would have needed a new pair of underwear if I witnessed one of those 13kv transformers falling on top of me.

I concur... that transformer should not fall off from any pole base contact... even a car at 55mph.

 

[CraKaJaX]

From what I can tell, this was a legitimate accident. He was put into a situation he didn't know how to handle and it caused some damage. I'd be pissed if he was screwing around to being a doofus, but none of that seemed to be the case here (for once).

Tell him he needs to sack up and tell his friend to fuck off if he doesn't feel comfortable doing such a thing as backing a vehicle down a driveway when he has little-to-no experience doing so. Seriously, a lot of the accidents that are investigated at work are because of someone not saying something because they think they'll get looked at funny. Such a dumb excuse, especially when some of these accidents end in fatalities.

 

[Ns1]

He was put into a situation he didn't know how to handle and it caused some damage.

"I've never driven something before, maybe you should do it"
or
"I have vision problems, maybe you should do it"

 

[MarkXIX]

This is about as good an outcome as you could have hoped for. Lucky you!

 

[Ken g6]

The power company came out and determined the transformer was not secured properly to the pole.

Still gotta pay for college or your retirement.

Hm, sounds like maybe it's time for you to sue the power company.

 

[highland145]

Hm, sounds like maybe it's time for you to sue the power company.

Emotional trauma. For your son and you. We can be witnesses.:awe:

 

[TheGardener]

You need to call the law offices of
Dewey, Cheatem & Howe



Tell 'em I sent you, so I can get referral credit.

 

[Naeeldar]

Hmm sounds like you might want to wait a few years once he hits 16 before letting him test for his permit. How the hell do you back a golf cart up into a telephone pole?

 

[Blanky]

Why hasn't OP called his insurance agent yet?

 

[Gerle]

My conscience wouldn't let me offer some sort of compensation however.

I'd think it would be the other way around?

 

[twinrider1]

Yea, I'm thinking the power company has their fingers crossed that this just goes away.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Utility poles have a habit of jumping in front of vehicles out of no where.

Worse even is homes, buildings and mountains - big as hell, but quick bastards they are.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

My first winter in Wisconsin I was driving during a bad snow storm on a road I wasn't familiar with (bad combo yeah). The snow had fallen enough at that point that the road wasn't visible any longer, and the snow had filled the shoulders of the road. At some point I unfortunately found the edge of the shoulder, and due to the slipperiness, my car was thrown around in a 180, and I slid down the hill into a Utility pole. The only damage ended up being to my car (the pole anchor ended up turning my trunk into a crumple zone), and the plastic broken off the pole anchor. A police car rolled by about 5 minutes after my accident and found me, filled a report, and got a tow truck that pulled me off the anchor (my rear bumper's plastics were cracked and holding on to it), where I proceeded about my day (I needed new tail lights and a new trunk, but the car was perfectly fine, still driving it today).

Anyways, the point is that either way, 6 months later, in the summer, my Insurance company calls me and tells me that the City I lived in had sent them a $5,000 bill for pole inspection. They said not to worry about any of it, because it was far too late to be sending any bills, and there was nothing in the police report justifying that cost (the policeman even noted in his report that there didn't appear to be any damage to the pole aside from the plastic covering the pole anchor).

Anyways, my only point is that if the police were involved, chances are your insurance will eventually be notified and asked to foot the bill.