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Call the cops or not?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by brettwatson, Jan 6, 2007.

  1. BitterYoungMatador2

    BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

    It's not worth calling the police. In most states it would be misdemeanor criminal mischief. Plus, cops hate ticky tack shit like this because it takes away from the real crimes going on.
     
  2. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    Get the estimate and have the father get the kid to pay for it. If they balk, call the police and have them file a report (if the kid spun out and went onto the lawn it could be wreckless driving in addition to criminal mischief). Then go to small claims court with the note and police report as evidence and get the money from them. Or skip small claims court and live with the knowledge that although they're not paying you, they're paying the cost in higher car insurance premiums.
     
  3. ifilus

    ifilus Well-Known Member

    Misdemeanor or not, the threat of calling the cops should be enough to scare the punk's father into paying for the lawn to be repaired the right way by pros.

    Why settle for a halfass job by a kid being forced to do the work as a punishment?
     
  4. Flying Headbutt

    Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

    Either way the punk ass kid should be paying for it. Show a little fucking respect for other people's shit.
     
  5. Lamar Mundane

    Lamar Mundane Member

    B/c then you have the pleasure of critiquing the kid's work and messing with his psyche. Psychologicaly destroy him and let his parents pick up the pieces.
     
  6. ifilus

    ifilus Well-Known Member

    I'd rather have a nice yard.
     
  7. Xsportschick

    Xsportschick Member

    If only...

    I agree with the majority of the posters here on making the best use of the cops's time and having the kid do the work.

    While the lawn is a superficial, though highly visible, effect, the questions to answer are:

    What long-term outcome are you looking for here?

    How would you expect to be approached if you were this kid's dad?

    What series of actions support respect for who you are without inviting anonymous future lawn jobs?

    imho, the initial satisfaction of calling the cops -- or even suggesting a blunt legal skirmish -- is outweighed by the long-term peace in your quiet suburban subdivision, not to trip into any metaphors...

    In any case, sorry about your lawn. Rotten way to start the year.
     
  8. The father manned up and told you what happened. Leave the cops out of it, get a couple professional estimates and let the father know how much it will cost to repair the damage to your yard. Leave it up to the father whether the kid pays for it (probably will). But you don't want the kid working on your yard. He's done enough damage there.
     
  9. shotglass

    shotglass Guest

    We don't always have to play bad cop. We just have some who think they must. ::)

    Don't call the police.
     
  10. DyePack

    DyePack New Member

    Dude, just go and turf their yard when they're gone.

    But don't leave a note.
     
  11. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    This reminds me of the part in Bubbler where the main character and her best friend were caught vandalizing a house and had to rake leaves one Saturday as restitution.
     
  12. brettwatson

    brettwatson Active Member

    Just got a little more info a couple hours ago.

    A neighbor saw the aftermath and added the following:

    -- It happened at 11:30 a.m., not p.m.
    -- The kid was alone, and immediately knocked on my front door to attempt to notify me about it.
    -- He was on his way out of the subdivision, but went immediately home after the incident. His parents were over shortly thereafter to check things out and returned a couple times in the interim to try and contact me.
    -- The neighbor (who is a friend) knows the family and speaks well of them. Says the parents are good people and the kid just got his license.
    -- My neighbor does not think it was intentional at all.

    Given all that, I think keeping the police out of it is the right way to go. I feel better knowing the kid was not showing off for his buds, and that it was just a typical young driver/driving badly incident.

    The suggestion about having the kid do the yard work gives me pause about having a neophyte do work that he is incapable of doing. Getting an estimate from a pro and making the family pay is what I would like to do. But I'll probably go the wimpy route and just see what I can ido n the spring on my own.
     
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