People Suck

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:55 pm

We've had incredibly high winds in my area today and this evening about a third of a large tree on the opposite side of my garden fence cracked off the tree and fell across my fence into my yard--half in my yard, half out. I have one of those white vinyl fences and there were large branches stuck in the fence, pushing it inward and I could see that if the winds kept up there was a very good chance the fence would collapse.

I called my condo management office emergency number to see if someone would come out and help me get the tree off the fence before it collapsed, but the guy said only things like gas leaks were considered emergencies.

I went out and started cutting off branches with my large pruners, and sawing some, trying to relieve the weight on my side of the fence. I worked for about an hour, then went on the other side of the fence and cut off everything I could off that side, but there were still large branches stuck in the fence itself, pushing inward, and there was no way I could get them out.

The whole time I was working on this, there must have been 10-15 people walk by to and from their condos and the carports. One guy even walked by me, went to his house and brought his dog out to the lawn on the other side of the fence from me--about five feet away. Not one of them said a word to me. Not one of them offered to help.

I was still really worried the fence would collapse, so I finally called my daughter and she and her fiance came right down with a power saw (I didn't know he had one or I'd have called them first) and helped me cut off 5-6 large branches and the three of us lifted the whole thing to the other side of the fence.

What's the matter with people today? Or was it my fault because I didn't ask?

Susan

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:18 pm

Yeah, rottenness seems to be on the rise among people. I was in a restaurant a while ago, and the assistant manager came by the table and took my sister aside and said insulting things about me to her.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:59 am

Walden wrote:I was in a restaurant a while ago, and the assistant manager came by the table and took my sister aside and said insulting things about me to her.

What? Is there more context to that story?

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:06 am

chrisoff wrote:

What? Is there more context to that story?

Yeah. I hadn't done anything. But then we left.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:12 am

Walden wrote:
chrisoff wrote:

What? Is there more context to that story?
Yeah. I hadn't done anything. But then we left.

So how bad were the insults? Sorry if I'm prying, I'm just astonished that a manager of a restaurant would do something so disgraceful. Was it a particularly post place?

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:29 am

Maybe he was blaming you for a bad ocarina.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:30 am

Susnfx - remember that study that found the larger the crowd ( or the more bystanders ) the less chance there is of an individual offereing to help?

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:50 am

Walden wrote:
chrisoff wrote:

What? Is there more context to that story?
Yeah. I hadn't done anything. But then we left.

My sympathies, man.

I've had this very thing happen.

It's something people don't understand the full impact of until they've experienced it.

What you have to try to remember is that you were NOT the one with the real problem.

--James

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:03 am

Perhaps when you live in an apartment that has management that doesn't care it just rubs off on the tenants. The only maintenance that is done in my apartment building is minimal and mostly done to prepare the apartment to rent.

The city has some interesting ways of policing the system too. Fire hazards are first responded to by evicting the tenants. Emergency work not taken care of? You can with hold rent in a separate account and all of that interest is yours to keep.

Don't get me wrong, I have seen apartments trashed by tenants, so I can understand both points of view, But it is rare that I have seen a property have management that communicated to the renters in a way that started a relationship that helped to keep an area clean, safe, and efficient.

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:16 am

It is not clear from the original post whether Sue is a condo renter or owner. It does not do to muddy the situation with renter woes until that is made clear.

I would also take issue with the built-in assumption that any of the neighbours was any better equipped to deal with the situation, or that any of them felt as strongly as Sue that the situation warranted immediate action. One of my favourite pithy sayings on a desk sign was an arrow pointing to the left and a legend that said, "Please take your problem to someone who gives a ......."

djm

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:43 am

I'm a homeowner. Whether or not the situation demanded immediate attention is beside the point to me...the majority of the people walking by were men in their 20s and 30s. They could plainly see me, a middle-aged woman, sawing off branches, dragging them to the fence and pushing them over to the other side (against a mighty wind that was blowing them back into my face). A polite offer of assistance would have been appreciated.

Walden, shall we order "People Suck" t-shirts??

Susan

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:18 am

susnfx wrote:I'm a homeowner. Whether or not the situation demanded immediate attention is beside the point to me...the majority of the people walking by were men in their 20s and 30s. They could plainly see me, a middle-aged woman, sawing off branches, dragging them to the fence and pushing them over to the other side (against a mighty wind that was blowing them back into my face). A polite offer of assistance would have been appreciated.

Walden, shall we order "People Suck" t-shirts??

Susan

I don't know what the rules are in Utah, but here, if branches from a neighbor's tree fall into your yard, it is your responsiblity to remove the brances, repair the fence, etc. It is NOT OK to throw the limbs across the fence back into your neighbor's yard, even though they came from a tree that was on her property. By an act of God the limbs were blown into your yard and you now own them.

Contrary to the human indictment of the title of this thread, I have found people, by and large, to be helpful. You may need to ask for assistance. Desire for assistance may not be conveyed by body language alone.

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:43 am

What are the legal ramifications if I try to help you, but you did NOT want to be helped? Can I be indicted/sued just for trying to help? Can I be kept out of my own home next door with a restraining order just because I misinterpreted your desires and tried to help you cut the branches?

djm

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:25 am

djm wrote:What are the legal ramifications if I try to help you, but you did NOT want to be helped? Can I be indicted/sued just for trying to help? Can I be kept out of my own home next door with a restraining order just because I misinterpreted your desires and tried to help you cut the branches?

djm

That's a little far-fetched. The possibility of someone helping without asking first is even more remote than someone asking in the first place.

Doug, I live in condo project. The tree is in the common area, not a neighbor's yard. The homeowner's association is responsible for landscaping, damage, etc. in common areas. They will come and take care of the tree (probably cutting the entire thing down--sadly, because it gave me a lot of privacy) and haul off all the branches. It would be silly for me to say, "I'll clean up the branches on my side of the fence (although I have no way to do that) and you clean up the branches on your side."

Susan

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:28 am

susnfx wrote:That's a little far-fetched. The possibility of someone helping without asking first is even more remote than someone asking in the first place.

True, but I try to look at all angles.

djm