paden cash, post: 408456, member: 20 wrote: Most beat cops are more interested in getting everybody to "sit down and shut up" than they are with the concept of any legal principle.
Actually that applies to courts too...I always tell people if they really want to go to court about a boundary issue then they have to be prepared to go to the appellate level because lower courts deal in equity and appeals courts deal in law.
I carry copies of our right to entry statutes, i have on many occasions passed them out to hostile neighbors. I was on a private road digging up a common corner, when i was verbally delt with by a couple of pissed off neighbors, who objected to me chopping a hole in their asphalt road. fully understanding that the road was maintained by the home owners, I never the less recovered said corners with almost pin point precision, one owner who objected the loudest said that since he maintained the road out his own money he wasnt going to allow us to dig it up. I promptly walked back to the truck and grab my field book and asked him for his name and billing address. When he inquired why i needed such info, i told him that since the corner i was trying to recover was also his shared common corner, I wanted to besure to send him the bill for our services..... he got pissed and walked away and the flipped me the bird when i hollered at him " im gonna need that billing information sir"
JPH, post: 408438, member: 6636 wrote: Just met the biggest a$$-hole ever, in over 25 years of surveying.
We were on a power easement that went through this guy's back yard, (working for the power company). My co-worker went to knock on the door to tell the homeowner who we were and what we were doing. The guy pulled the curtain back, saw him, and then locked the door. Oh, well, we continued working.
The guy came out later with his little yappy dogs, saw us, and went crazy, "Get the F#*k off my property". Ok, told him what we were doing. He repeated his request. I said ok, and we just needed to get the rest of our equipment. He said, "No, get the F#*k off my property. I used to work for the #### Police Department. Get the F#*k out, or I'll call them".
I said, fine, but still needed to get my equipment. He then looped his dog leash around the nearest tree, and came right up to me, in my face, and repeated his request. I started weighing my options if he hit me, figuring it was about to happen. But he was all huff, and my co-worker had pretty much everything bundled up, and with a, "have a nice day", we headed out.
I had a lady come out when I was digging up a monument located at the corner of her property. I explained what we were doing and she left. I was down the street and the police pulled up and questioned me. I said I was surveying, at which point he replied did you tell her you were looking for Washington's Monument. It was really hard to keep a straight face when I explained what I had really said.
[USER=12074]@Prodigal Son[/USER]
do not be surprised when you receive a bill for repair of hole in road......;)
In the mid 80s our company received a bill for several hundred dollars for cutting a line to traverse along and threat of a lawsuit from a sitting 4 Star General and head of some private foundation (hedge fund) and my boss was head civilian at a government facility.
Politically, it scared him as a threat to his whole way of life and to me it just meant there was the same pissed off neighbor that tried the same thing when I was at another company 10 years prior when we cut the same line and the whole deal was dismissed with ignoring the General.
JPH, post: 408438, member: 6636 wrote: Just met the biggest a$$-hole ever, in over 25 years of surveying.
We were on a power easement that went through this guy's back yard, (working for the power company). My co-worker went to knock on the door to tell the homeowner who we were and what we were doing. The guy pulled the curtain back, saw him, and then locked the door. Oh, well, we continued working.
The guy came out later with his little yappy dogs, saw us, and went crazy, "Get the F#*k off my property". Ok, told him what we were doing. He repeated his request. I said ok, and we just needed to get the rest of our equipment. He said, "No, get the F#*k off my property. I used to work for the #### Police Department. Get the F#*k out, or I'll call them".
I said, fine, but still needed to get my equipment. He then looped his dog leash around the nearest tree, and came right up to me, in my face, and repeated his request. I started weighing my options if he hit me, figuring it was about to happen. But he was all huff, and my co-worker had pretty much everything bundled up, and with a, "have a nice day", we headed out.
With all due respect, I would have informed him of my right to be there and, as you have explained, what you are doing. His refusal to answer the door in spite of the fact that somebody was trying to make contact would be an indicator that there could be a problem.
When he threatened to call the cops, I would have politely offered to make the call and would have done so with him standing right there.
It seems to me that your entry could have been better managed on a PM level, whether through your company or through the utility company through a delivered leaflet.
Although the easement may grant you the right to be there the layman does not understand that. I have faced similar situations with confrontational land owners, informed them of my right of entry, then advised that I would leave.
Upon departure I would mail a certified return receipt letter to the property owner advising them when I would return, enclose a copy of the right of entry statute and follow up with a call to the local PD advising them of the situation in case their response is required to complete my work.
thebionicman, post: 408649, member: 8136 wrote: You best print that on kevlar if you intend to force the issue...
The way I approach it is to be calm. I don't just through the document in their face. Never needed kevlar or my CCW. Let them scream and be polite and explain. Then show them the paper if needed. Sometime I just walk away. Depends on the situation. But it helps to show that I have legal right.
Chris Bouffard, post: 408981, member: 12313 wrote: With all due respect, I would have informed him of my right to be there and, as you have explained, what you are doing. His refusal to answer the door in spite of the fact that somebody was trying to make contact would be an indicator that there could be a problem.
When he threatened to call the cops, I would have politely offered to make the call and would have done so with him standing right there.
It seems to me that your entry could have been better managed on a PM level, whether through your company or through the utility company through a delivered leaflet.
Although the easement may grant you the right to be there the layman does not understand that. I have faced similar situations with confrontational land owners, informed them of my right of entry, then advised that I would leave.
Upon departure I would mail a certified return receipt letter to the property owner advising them when I would return, enclose a copy of the right of entry statute and follow up with a call to the local PD advising them of the situation in case their response is required to complete my work.
I think you missed where I mentioned that advance notice was given by the power company. They sent letters, and gave contact information for people to let them know if they wanted advance notice. He must've not noticed, not cared, or didn't even read the letter.
As far as calling his bluff about getting the cops involved, I think it didn't make much sense to make a bad situation worse, just by quoting the law and asserting my right to be there. The client wouldn't have been too thrilled either. Any confrontation is bad PR for them, no matter how right we and they are.
IMO, always have an assistant present (like you did. You never want to be alone in a situation like this. Then have a plan in advance, have your assistant start videoing the confrontation, while you remain 100% perfectly calm. Your assistant should remain completely silent - not say a word. There are no laws against videoing someone assaulting you. Someone collecting video evidence 8 out of 10 times tends to calm people down. That's one of the reasons alll cops are wearing body cameras in Chicago and other police departments across the country now, to protect the cops, not the criminals.
Trouble with all those cameras is that they may catch me asking the cop who has pulled me over which donut shop in town is the best.
Holy Cow, post: 409246, member: 50 wrote: Trouble with all those cameras is that they may catch me asking the cop who has pulled me over which donut shop in town is the best.
I popped off with a "donut" joke in the throws of a traffic stop....once. I get the impression a sense of humor is not a requirement to join the force around here...
paden cash, post: 409262, member: 20 wrote: throws
Spelling police: throes
I wouldn't bother correcting most people but you maintain a high standard so thought I'd offer it.
Considering the tales we have heard from Paden's youth it is very possible that some "throws" may have been involved in the incident.