Homeowner Pulls Gun on Utility Worker trying to install new meter

[Guest President Fernatt]

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/82685573/

This lady means business!

[MattCary]

Interesting.

[Volzfan]

I'll bet there is more to come from that!

[DaveTN]

She should have been arrested and charged with felony assault; she’s a nutcase and has no business with a gun.

[peejman]

Ignorance at work. It's clear that the utility owns the meter, not the homeowner. If I were the worker, I'd file charges.

[Dolomite_supafly]

While not the same I had something happen that could have been real bad for a utility worker.

I was in our old house. I was taking a piss and saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked to see a scruffy looking guy jump our fence and run towards our house. I immediately ran outside and yelled at him as he was running away. I can't remember if I had a gun on me or not but it woud have been odd if I didn't. He stopped and I asked what he was doing on my property, He said reading the meter. I asked where his truck was as well as his uniform. He said he was contracted to read meters so he doesn't wear a uniform. I asked for his ID and he showed me. I then tore into him about jumping the fence. He said it was easier to jump the fence then to pull into our driveway. I told him he was lucky our 100 pound American Bulldog wasn't out otherwise he would have had a really bad day. He agreed from that point forward to come into our driveway when he needed to enter the property.

Step forward, we built our current house in 2003 and have been here ever since. The meter is on the side of the house so the people who read the meters have to come onto our property to read it. The same guy did it for a long time and he would just pull up, get out and read the meter. We have told him several times to honk the horn so we can make sure we don't accidentally let the dogs out while he is here. He never did, at least not until the "incident". My wife did not notice the guy had pulled onto our property. The dogs wanted to go out so she let them out. Then she heard yelling and screaming. Our small, 48 pound, pitbull was trying to make her way to him as he beat the ground with a stick to keep her at bay. Our 80+ pound boxer was our pitbull's cheering section. My wife went out to se what was going on and finally got the pitbull to back off. The guy seemed a bit upset. He told us to call and have a remote meter installed. A few phone calls later and we had our meter and the meter man doesn't come on our property any more.

Dolomite

[Raoul]

More than once I've challenged some poorly dressed individuals on my property. I always ask for ID. Really pisses them off.

[daddyo]

I see fault on both sides here.

The utility worker had no business touching the homeowner. That's a no-no. He should have either called his supervisor or left. The meter didn't have to be installed right then and there.

The homeowner had no business bringing her weapon into it. Her life was not being threatened.

I'd say that either one of them has cause to charge the other with assault.

Edited July 27, 2012 by DaddyO

[Mdunntn]

Dolomite you have KUB utilities correct? He should have been wearing a uniform and its against policy to jump a fence. I will say some people don't realize the pace meter readers must keep to get done on time, if you get overtime they get extremely irritated. I read meters for kub for over 15 months (contractor), and it was by far the worst job I have ever had.

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[Caster]

The meter thing is easily remedied. MID-TN Electric will install a meter with a radio transmitter for free. THey do it for free because they want everyone to have them It negates having so many meter readers. One meter reader need only drive through the neighborhood and let the computer gather signals. I have one. I also re-routed part of my fence so that my water meter is on the outside of the fence. Now there NEVER a reason for anyone to be in my yard unannounced.

[Jonnin]

ooo its 1950 and we pay people to actually go look at devices. Maybe someday in the far, far future we will be able to read them from afar without that..... I wonder....

[Caster]

ooo its 1950 and we pay people to actually go look at devices. Maybe someday in the far, far future we will be able to read them from afar without that..... I wonder....

I know right!??!?? Why ain't these things routed through the interwebz???

[Jonnin]

probably because hackers would have a very low bill each month.

If I had to read these things for a living I would be in a vehicle with a company logo on it and a uniform and approach any home openly. Creeping around is a good way to get into trouble.

[Caster]

The ones in this neighbor hood make a lot of noise when they move about. Pretty good idea actually.

[Mdunntn]

There are new meters that read themselves. Places like Georgia no longer have meter readers. I will be getting my meters turned into.offsite reads now that I no longer read them. LCUB is starting to turn all of their meters to this. KUB as far as I know doesn't have any interest yet but I'm sure eventually. Put the meter on the front of your house facing the street, and I would never have to get out of the truck. With binoculars I could read around 50-60 yards.

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Edited July 27, 2012 by Mdunntn

[peejman]

The ones in this neighbor hood make a lot of noise when they move about. Pretty good idea actually.

The one in my neighborhood has a bicycle in the back of his truck. He parks the truck and rides the bike from house to house.

[Mdunntn]

Appalachian utilities ride mopeds lol

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[Clod Stomper]

KUB recently installed a transmitter type meter on ours. Poor meter readers couldn't figure out how to unlock the combination padlock on the gate to get into the yard even though they have the combo.

I was glad to have it. I don't like strangers in my yard. One guy missed the meter and was wandering around the backyard. I nearly pulled on him because he startled me. I was in my basement and saw a strange man pass by my basement door.

Transmitting meter = no meter readers in the yard. I say

Will

Edit: Next house will be off the grid completely.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Clod Stomper

[vontar]

I know right!??!?? Why ain't these things routed through the interwebz???

I believe some are run thought Power Line internet. My parents like on the TN/KY border and get their electric from KY. I forget which company. Anyways a few years ago they installed new meters on everyone in the area that automatically report back. Mom's has a blinking light on it. Before they installed this everyone in the area as I grew up, read their own meters and sent in the number with payment for the previous month and they came by and checked them about every 2 years in person. I suspect it is power line internet that sends the signal back but I can't be 100 percent sure. I know there is no cell phone service or cell phone internet in the area. It is not connected to the phone line either. I was hoping it was a step toward power line internet for rural area's as I can't get high speed internet for my parents. Hughset is not a solution in my opinion.

[JayC]

She should have been arrested and charged with felony assault; she’s a nutcase and has no business with a gun.

I don't know, after watching the news report, it seems she only got her gun after he was told he was trespassing, and put his hands on her. The property looks to be legally posted, and clearly indicates she did not consent to the 'smart' meter being installed.

While the electric company (in this case may very well be a government agency) may own the meter, it's attached to her property... Sounds like if they want physical access to her property that is a civil matter and doesn't allow them to violate no trespassing laws (which in Texas aren't a joking matter), let them go to a judge and get a court order for access...

There is no public safety issue in this case, they didn't have a right to trespass and possible assault this woman when they were asked to leave.

[Mdunntn]

Sounds like they were installing a smart meter because of access issues to her property. It may be her property but the utilities company was not trespassing.

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[JayC]

Sounds like they were installing a smart meter because of access issues to her property. It may be her property but the utilities company was not trespassing.

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I disagree, just because you toss a shovel onto my property, doesn't give you the right to come onto my property against my wishes and take the shovel back. My property is still my property, if you leave something on my property, and I deny you access, that is a civil matter for you to take up with the courts. It doesn't give you the right to come onto my property anyhow, lay hands on me when I attempt to stop you...

The power company has plenty of things they can legally do, if denied access... 1. cut off the power, 2. go to court and get an order giving them access to remove their property, 3. refuse service until the owner agrees to give them access they need.

You *might* have a case if the meter posed a threat to the public, but that isn't the case, if the meter gets changed out today or 5 years from now, doesn't really matter... just some company (which is at the very least a government backed monopoly, if not a government owned agency) wants to make a change... They don't have the right to trespass against the wishes of the homeowner just because they want to.

[TMF]

You *might* have a case if the meter posed a threat to the public, but that isn't the case, if the meter gets changed out today or 5 years from now, doesn't really matter... just some company (which is at the very least a government backed monopoly, if not a government owned agency) wants to make a change... They don't have the right to trespass against the wishes of the homeowner just because they want to.

Right, the meter man should have left at the request of the homeowner, reported it to higher and turned off their electricity. They can enjoy all the freedom they want in a dark, unairconditioned home.