What can I do about someone damaging my cars?

I'm really pissed. I keep some of my cars beside my house behind an 8 foot locked steel gate. The gas meter is inside here but this has never been a problem before for the gas man. Anyhow, last month the gas guy couldn't read the meter and told my wife he was going to climb over the wall and go around the back.

She wasn't watching him and when he came back he told her "I had a hard time getting to it because of the cars." She told me he was a big fat guy and the cars are parked close to the wall (I'm a big fat guy and have no trouble squeezing by them).

Anyhow, today I noticed that the roof of one of them did not look quite right so I went to check. "Someone", who was apparently a big fat **** walked on the roof of the car caving it in about 5-6 inches and creasing the back of the roof very badly.

After interrogating my kid as if I caught him with 10 lbs. of pot I'm pretty sure the ****ing gas man did this as he is the only person to go over there in the past month.

The car isn't restored but it is a 38,000 mile survivor that had a blown engine back in the 60's and sat in a garage until I got it. Not a speck of rust and was pretty decent until this happened.

What can I do about this? Has anything like this ever happened to you? Any advice is appreciated (other than dumb comments like "don't lock the gate"). I don't even know where to begin with this. Was he tresp***ing or since he told my wife he was going back there (he didn't say he was going to walk on top of my cars) is he free and clear?

I'd love to find this guys brand new SUV and stomp all over the roof (hey, it's just a piece of **** junk car just like he thought mine was).

 

Arm it with a toggle switch and a model t coil so when they touch the car before getting on top of it or rub against it it shocks them then shut the switch off when you want in.

 

Have you called the gas company,ask what their policy is on employee conduct? Buy a "BIG DOG"

 

I agree with 29Bowtie - make the call.

 

Well, You can always contact the local police and get a incident report. Then contact the utility company about it. I really dont think it will help you though. Dont get me wrong!! It ****s, and Im sorry to hear your car was damaged, but it was (by your admission) a month ago. First thing you have to do is prove it wasnt damaged BEFORE the guy came to read the meter...... if you do that successfully, then you have to prove it wasnt damaged AFTER he left. I just dont see you getting anywhere with it. Sadly, people stopped "manning-up" to their **** ups along time ago.
I dont know if its an option where you are, but here you can call or mail in your own meter readings (yeah, they trust us.... ) if you dont want a repeat of what happened.

 

I agree call the gas company

 

I plan on calling the gas company Monday but I want to make sure I can get at least one "heuvo" in the channel locks before I let em know I'm after them.

 

Utility companies are pretty good about taking care of things as far as customer relations go.

Go to the gas co, ask to talk to a supervisor.

He/she should fill out a claim report or refer you to someone who can.

Calling doesn't always work.
Your complaint may get lost in the shuffle - for many reasons - and for that reason you need to show up in person.

Goes without saying, even if they turn you down, remain calm and polite.

Next step would be small claims court to recover losses incurred due to the gas co. employee damaging your car.
Be sure and tell the supervisor that will be your next step.

Fwiw - they do have the right to enter your property for work pertaining to the gas line and meter as well as simply reading the meter.


Another fwiw is to make it easy for the gas co. employee to read the meter.

I built a board covered 6' tall by 8' wide steel framed gate at one of my houses and cut a view hole through it that lined up with the meter.
Didn't take long for the gas co. guy to catch on and once they do they enter a special requirements deal on their walk-around computer as to how to access the meter for reading.

34 years in the electric biz for what that's worth....

 

I agree with the dog idea, but I'd also make the call. I'd demand a supervisor out there to view the damage, and I'd also contact the local law enforcement - hope and pray you get a 'car guy' cop to help with your plight.

I'd contact the cops as soon as possible and have them do at least a police report on the incident. Then I'd make sure to either give the gas co. supervisor a copy or the report number to let them know you mean business. If the car has been sitting there for a long time, the gr*** beneath it (or lack thereof) will be somewhat of an indication that previous readers haven't had problems seeing it before then. I'd also look for and photo the roof for hoofprints of various fat guys. The supervisor could demand the guy come by, and then match up his hoofprint with the one on the car.

I wouldn't let this one go. I'd demand blood if at all possible.

 

Fiddysix is essentially correct in all respects...however, I would still make a formal complaint to the gas company with the details of what you believe to have happened (keeping in mind, to be fair, that you don't KNOW for certain...). Here, at least, you can request that that employee no longer be ***igned/allowed on your property.

Don't suppose he left footprints by any chance.....

Also, around here, the gas co. has certain rights in terms of access to the meters. If they CAN'T get to the meters, they can invoke certain procedures. These don't include jumping fences. OTOH, if it hasn't been a problem for them before...why was it this time? New employee? Why didn't he request an unlock? If the key wasn't available, why couldn't he reschedule a meter reading? Shouldn't be a problem....it's what they get paid to do...

 

call MR MONK
The meter co. has a record of the reading and who took it and when ..
ask for it so they could be blamed or eliminated

so the fat guy jumped the fence... really?
... no reading.... we would get an estimated bill here due to dog or snow pile .. and when read again any correction would be made..+ /- ????

home owners ins ?

sorry for the dents .. always a ***** to see good stuff wrecked
paperdog

 

Yep. Go see if there are shoe prints on the roof also and make sure to cover them up if there are. (evidence)

 

Meter readers are usually LAZY and will not go the effort that this guy apparently did. You can not prove that he did it and are prolly screwed, but call the utility co. If this happened last month the meter is ready to be read again DO SOMETHING NOW to prevent another problem, like lock the gate, put a sign up, or call in your meter reading.

 

Junk Car ??
"my Original Low Milage Valuable Antique Collector Vehicle!"

Write Down 500 Times And Then Read Aloud..

If You Can Not Convince Your Self Of The Value ..
Get An Appraisal To Get It Fixed!!

Take Pics Of The Scene
The Cars Roof
You Squeezing By The Car To Get Tothe Meter
The Obsticle Course

Talk To The Neighbors If You Dare(some Will Not Be Sympathetic)

Paperdog

 

Call the gas co. and they should honor fixing it. Everything is on record and no one else goes back there and your wife was there when it happened too. Either they will or make the fat-*** pay out of his pocket to fix the damage. KNUX!

 

Move the cars away from the gas meter, or move the gas meter to the other side of the wall.

 

Don't know how it is where you live but here I would not file a police report, having an non-running non-regestored vehical is against the law here in Albuquerque. Doesn't matter if it's visible or not. I don't want anyone, let alone a cop to know I have dead cars. Sorry abought your damage but I'd **** it up and just fix it. I'd also hope I wouldn't see that meter guy walking up mthe street also, I'd hate to go to jail for running him over.

 

I had problems with an ***hole meter reader who was really rude to my wife and never showed up when I was home. After the second time I called in a complaint. I also asked that that particular employee never be sent to my property. I was told that they'd make a note of the problem. I asked the manager to also make a note that if he did show up he'd be reading five digits and they would't be on any meter. I got a packed of cards to mail in the readings for a full year after that and have not seen that guy since.
I feel for you but the burden of proof is on you, and it sounds like it is going to be hard to prove after this much time with no witnesses. Is there any possibility of moving the meter outside the fence?

 

****.. I would call the gas company and demand the Supervisor or manger(make sure you, write names). ALso file the Police report. That should cover it. I am sure they will resolve something. BUt ****ty that your car got Some Riverdance action

-Alexis

 

This is what I am worried about. If I raise hell, Mr fatt*** will call "Building Services", which is El Paso's local car guy harr***er (this **** is why the cars are hidden behind an eight foot wall). I was thinking to call him first once I get the name of the meter reader and tell him the story and to expect a call from the guy.

I pretty much hate having cops around me for any reason (not that I'm breaking the law but I've yet to have one actually help me with a problem) and don't want them snooping around in my car stash just to find something to h***le me about.

I will talk to the gas company about this. I have a spare car for this one that I could cut the roof skin off of and put on this one, which I guess is easier than trying to unbend the one I have.

It ain't easy being a "car guy". Everyone likes to see them all "nice and shiny" but they have no respect for where they came from before they got fixed. El Paso only has one group of people who have much say and these are the real estate investor (aka "property pimps"). Every year they get worse and worse about old cars.

 

Sorry about the damage. I immediately looked at where you are from after seeing your use of the word "huevo". I'm in EP also. Hilarious. Hey, maybe this fat ******* broke a company policy by climbing over a fence and risking hurting himself. If that's the case, maybe you can get this peckerhead in some trouble. Good luck.

 

Well, here's what happened. I'm posting this so if something similar happens to you, you'll know what to do.

I called the gas company and after going through about 6 different people I got the supervisor of the meter readers and explained the story. I took some photos and emailed them to him and he came out and looked at the car. He told my wife that the accused lard*** told him that my wife said it was OK to walk on top of the cars and she told the supervisor she never said that (why would anyone say "just walk across the top of my car"?).

Apparently logic kicked in and he belived her because he told her he could not understand why the guy would walk on top of the cars either.

Anyhow, after a week of leaving voicemails I was getting fed up and about to call the cops (I figured I had them since the supervisor told my wife that the meter reader admitted walking on top of the car). I decided to leave one last voicemail and the guy called me back this morning to tell me to get an estimate to get it fixed, he'll get an estimate and then the gas company will pay to fix the roof (!!!).

I will believe it once the car is fixed but I am a bit surprized that they are going to make good on it.

Now I have to get the car out of the lot (it's in the very back behind a bunch of others that don't run) and figure out where to take it. Not sure where that will be but I guess I need to hit up the local gearheads to find out. Thanks for the suggestions everyone and I'll let you know of any updates.

PS: I'm pretty sure the peckerhead got in a lot of trouble over this!

 

those ***hole's at the power company around here used to climb over my gate and bend the **** out of it. finally had them loop a lock through mine for access and what happens: the ***hole that reads the meter was still climbing over the gate. next time had the old lady out there keeping his attention while i went out and removed all 4 valve stems from his truck! never happened again. hell now they read it via satelite: no more meter guy.

 

Stomping a mud hole in his *** then kicking it dry is the first thing to come to mind.

I'm not sure legaly where you live but here inmmurder central its still against the law for the meter guy to destroy property in order to read your meter.

 

Better jump on the wagon with an estimate while the trail is still hot. I can tell you I went to small claims court on a hit and run and knew the guys name and police cited him for no insurance and the court ruled in my favor and then told me that I would have to figure out where he worked or where his bank acount was to file a garnishment against him. I had no clue what to do to get the info so I was SOL on getting paid for the damage. So much for the court being any help!

 

Glad to here the gas co.appears to take this seriously.Sounds like the supervisor had some common sense. Good luck with the rest of the process.

 

Nice thing about this case is that it's the gas company. I know they aren't broke cuz I (and every other poor sod) sent them a whole ****load of money this winter!

Lets see how they do...

 

see if it will pop out from the inside ? before you go to war . good luck .

 

I worked for the gas and electric company for 37 years. Most meter readers are NOT lazy, if you had to keep up with them every day, you would soon find out. Just like the mailman, everybody things its so easy.
C9 was right, the utility companies will try to do right with their customers.