Stupidity after work hours. Well I walked over to my machine this morning and looking at it as I get closer I notice something not right with the front window. I get closer and I found it to be shattered. I know it could not have been a rock thrown at it because of the front guard on it. I thought maybe someone shot it out with a BB gun but I did not find a hole. I was puzzled for a moment till I noticed these marks about 50 feet away in front of my machine. I put 2 and 2 together and came up with the answer. It was the one kid who thinks he is a operator and wants to become a union operator who shattered the window. He did it with one of the cars we received for scrap that still ran, he decided to do a few donuts in front of my machine and this this the end results. The best part is he was going to lie about the whole thing and not say a word till we told him all we have to do is look at the security camera tape from yesterday and it would tell us all we needed to know. The good part is the company is going to make him pay for the damage he done. It will cost him around $300 dollars for his little stunt. This just burns my ars because of the stupidity and this kid thinks he do what ever he wants cause he stays and helps the mechanic after we shut down for the day. Damn pull do!!!
That sucks. I'm surprised it's only $300 to replace it. Cheaper than a car windshield. You can really see the doughnuts in front of the hoe in the second picture you posted. Wow.
I would make him clean up every little chunk of glass out of that machine. I know what's going to happen the second you try to move the windsheild... get the broom. I'm glad that the newer equipment has the saftey glass for the two frony glasses, no more picking up glass jiblets for the next year
I to was surprised by the price. The company should make him buy the bullet proof window for it. It is $1,400 dollars. That would really teach him a lesson. Just looking at these pictures again makes my blood presser raise. It took some getting use to wearing ear plugs all day. :Banghead:beatsme
The idiot needs a mudhole stomped in his posterior!
Aw come on. He was just trying to have a little fun! Had to buy a new window for our 345 and it ran around $700.
Is there something you want to tell us Lashlander or were you just remembering you too were young once
That little punk, you should duct tape the little jerk to the boom of the excavator for the day and start working!
Ha Ha! I did step right into that one didn't I. I never was that much on spinning donuts and the like. The window got broke when it was closed for the night when it fell out of the track. I will admit however I once had a Plymouth Roadrunner with a 440 Six pack. Even though I rotated the first set of tires I put on it religiously I only got three thousand miles out of them.
Cause' you know driving cars in circles and kicking up rocks and breaking every machine window in the vicinity makes you a really good operator. Would have been better, get there and notice all of your work was done correctly. Why is it that some of these people seem so freaking stupid.
I've noticed lately agent much (not all) of the younger generation take pride in their ignorance. MTV Paris hilton, and any number of inumerable tv shows and celebrities have been teaching many of them for the past several years. more often than not most of them had the tv to babysit them, and we all see the crap that's on tv now. Personally I haven't had any tv service since i moved out of my mother's house, and i was 15 then. I'm 27 and have always been taught to take pride in good work and high standards, and when i was getting started in the real world the isiots I had to compete with didn't help my situation except I did good work and did what i said i would do. Not gonna write a book but that's my two cents.
the answer is quite simple,,because they are stupid! His father is probably the same.Never taught the brat about responsibility
I would grab his car, chain it up to a post, grab another chain and lash it up to the back end. Grab the ex and bring the little punk out and get him to explain why he did what he did. Any excuses his car starts getting stretched.... Would also make sure he would have to explain to the head foreman or company owner, why he shouldn't be fired straight away. He should pay for the damages, mechanic's time, and lost productivity of the machine.
He got off easy. Around here he would have been out the gate so damned fast it would have made his head spin. Luck that is all he did was break a window. Could have smashed the car up hurt himself good and than who would he have expected to pay to fix himself up?
Damn I guess some of ya'll don't remember being young. He was a kid being a kid. He should of owned up to it, but thats to even say he knew he broke the window out while doing the donuts. Which isn't very likely. Glad I don't work with any of you I still like to do donuts.
Apparently Lash remembers being young, everybody does stupid things in their lifetime, he paid for the window, I bet he won't/didn't (considering this thread sat for 3 1/2 years until someone dug it up to rag on the guy) do it again, if he does/did then it's a different story.
When I'm right nobody remembers when I'm wrong nobody forgets, I too was young and dumb, and now I have wisdom on my side but still pretty dumb at times and attempt to relive my youth, the only difference is now I should know better and what I do is usually higher priced than when I was young. There was a road builder in my area back in the late 70's who built a paved road about 10 miles long and when he was done he went and bought a brand new sports car took it out with the road closed and ran her up to 135 miles per hour, they know, the trooper clocked him at that speed, was attempting to write him up for it when the builder threw him off the road, until 7 am the next morning the road still was his and not open to the public and the officer left, the guy at the time was in his 80's, he almost broadsided the trooper at the time when he rounded the corner where his squad car was turning around. After the smoke cleared it was later found out the trooper was doing the same thing and let it out his went 145 mph and was just turning around when the builder came up on him so fast he wet himself. So don't tell me anyone is too old to try stupid stunts from their youth, the older we get the less time we have to do the really stupid things we've always wanted to do before we're dead. I personally laughed when I saw the donuts on the photo and it brought back plenty of memories from not only my youth but also my kids's. They should have made him replace the window and cleaned up the mess and when the owner got around the corner and away from the kid, burst out laughing but not so he could ever see it or know it. I hope the kid never took up crime, he wouldn't make a good criminal by any means.
And then to have it stomped dry.
Well hopefully the young fella learnt a lesson, sometimes that is the only way to learn and thankfully it was not somebodies eye that got hit by a rock.
If he wants to be an operator so bad...after this stunt I'd ground him to just working with a bucket. By bucket I mean plastic toy bucket...
hahahah...i am really impressed from this child. no doubt he is genius. people learn from mistakes.
Yea we were all young once. But not all of us were stupid. I do agree that the company should give the young man a chance. Make him pay damages and keep him on. If he refuses to learn then get rid of him. Rick
I do, I do very well. My father was a fledging homebuilder when I was young and had a few houses vandalized by "kids being kids".:cool2 Broken windows, busted sheetrock, etc. I know what it means to go in and fix what "kids being kids" do and the costs associated with it. We didn't get to go on a vacation that year due to "kids being kids". Now I will prosecute any "kid being a kid" to the fullest extent of the law if I catch them "being kids" with my equipment or property. :cool2
Your right thats exactly the same thing. Some kid messing around doing donuts and accidentally breaking out a window. And some punks breaking out windows and putting holes in walls intentionally. Lighten up.
bloody hell guys , come on what if it was a kid playing ball and hit the window or something would it be the same? are you all trying to tell me you have never strayed? i would say at least he was not out drunk and speeding in the car or anything like that and hey if he paid for the window at least he showed he was willing to do that.
Gosh CM, first off, I"m not sure how much damage was done to the house, we weren't there, but to put everyone into the same view on every issue, might be somewhat short sided, this was one window and your comparing that to what? thousands of dollars of damage, this kid came back to the scene of the crime and those didn't, I'm not thinking its the exact same thing, sorry about the past, but if you want sympathy about a missed vacation, I only ever had one, growing up, I don't think your gonna get much sympathy from me on the missed vacation, the work it took to redo everything, yes. I try to look at each case and circumstances and be fair about the punishment, not execute someone for shoplifting the first time,all lessons in life are learned, most through experience and actually doing something bad or negative, if everyone is perfect, then what does anyone have to compare to, I always looked at everything can be used as a positive learning ordeal, I laughed about it, first off, because I did the same thing, and second, every one of my kids did too as they were growing up, along with all their friends. Someone a long time ago, gave me some advice, he gave me a break and told me he did it because someday I'd be faced with the same decision on others and to do the same for them, don't ruin their lives over or belittle them for a minor offense, teach them a lesson they'll take with them for life, and figure out how to do it with dignity and you've solved many problems, first one, they learned a lesson, second they were humbled by a kind gesture and third, you probably won't have problems with them ever again, and fourth, you learn forgiveness and what it truly means. It taken 30 plus years, but the old guy was right on everything he told me back then, just a thought to ponder over.
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.:cool2
Sympathy is the last thing I am looking at from you Randy...:cool2 Sorry but I hear that crap "kids being kids" all time to excuse the little hellions behavior and give an excuse for poor parenting. My rant might not be directly related to this story but I have had tens of thousands of dollars worth of vandalism over the years performed by "kids being kids" and nobody stepped up and claimed the damage. Numerous windshields and side glass broken, fire extinguishers sprayed into fuel tanks and cabs, lights broke out, etc, etc. One hit in 2006 cost me over $15,000. So if my view is "harsh" in some I eyes, I make no apologies. Sorry Randy but I didn't go around busting out windows in buildings and vandalizing equipment when I was a kid, so I can't use that as a laughable teaching moment. I know that's not what you meant and I am semi-hijacking the thread but it's just something that really gets under my skin. Apologize for the rant and the hijack but I have paid enough over the last 20 years for "kids being kids". Every time I get in my 420, I look out the cracked windshield from the last escapade of "kids being kids."
Now we agree What your talking about isn't "kids being kids" its "punks being punks". I to would take action against them.
Poor parenting, wow, that's a loaded statement. If your wanting to know my pet peeve, its those that blame the parents for everything on every issue they can, because it makes them feel better and someone to put in the inferior role compared to themselves. As for solving anything, it generally doesn't, as for your vandalism, I'm not sure but to me, it would be a fault of yours to not figure out how to either prevent it or stop if from happening again. I've had vandalism in the past, we took measures to prevent it again and nowhere did I blame anyone for damaging my machines or property, sure I was upset, anyone would be, but then I figured out how it happened and made sure it didn't happen again. Just out of curiosity, if someone steals something out of your unlocked truck is it the parents fault of those that stole or yours for not locking your truck? Apparently everything of property damage is lumped into vandalism in your eye's, so that must mean, all the textbooks I was ever assigned in school, who the former students had written in or on, had bad parents then, huh? Every fender bender, scuffed car door in a parking lot, kids bicycle who ran into a neighbors car, tricycle who ran over the neighbors flower bed, every underage drinking party, every drunk driver by any age, anyone arrested for speeding, all the kids baseballs that went through a neighbors window, god what crappy parents those were to allow such a thing to happen. All the arguement in school, failed classes, assignments that didn't get turned in, all those are prime examples of lack of respect is that the same thing? all my tools that got broken over the years, or equipment that broke down while my kids ran it, I see, its not from learning, it was my fault as a parent, I didn't do the right thing and teach them how to properly operate it or have it properly maintained, this opens up a whole new window of blame I'd overlooked before, thanks for pointing it out to me. Those people hooked on drugs, with criminal records, revoked drivers license's, drunk driving charges, teen age drinking charges, those that I know vandalized something in their youth, were involved in an auto accident or fender bender, it must be the parents fault for doing a crappy job, and all these years I just thought it was called growing up and learning from one's mistakes, figuring out boundries, learning how to do things, becoming your own person, figuring out how each wanted to live their own lives, how to deal and handle peer pressure, learning how to get along in society and interact with others outside your family. So is there an age limit on blame, when they turn 18, 21, 30 or can we blame the parents forever, just how does this work anyhow? Don't forget George Washington, with good parents, he'd have never chopped down that cheery tree, too bad he did't go onto do something worthwhile with his life. I guess we'll agree to disagree on this issue and leave it at that. Well to sum it up, did I laugh, darn right I did, I also paid for everything I or my kids broke, next thing, if some of you can't handle this, send the kid that did this my way, I think I can handle it with tact and diplomacy and not blame his parents or call him a hoodlum, don't think that'll solve much anyhow, but then again, I'm just a parent and am probably wrong anyhow, and is it a teachable moment, yes, if you want to chose to do so, otherwise I could see where its might be better for some to blame the parents and leave teaching to others, who can handle it. Just an opinion, if yours differs, so be it.
Around here you make your own luck for the most part. If you have much trouble....you usally bring it on yourself. If that kid wants to be an operator he should have spun the machine around with the counter weight catching the gravel
Every time somebody busted my windows out of my equipment or vandalized some other property of mine I didn't blame myself , I blame who did it. Short of posting a night watchman, there is only so much you can do in a suburban area. They go over or under the gates and fences, tried that too. Video cameras work OK but it's hard to get a clear enough facial picture to do anything with. Speak of a night watchman, I had to do that as well. I was building a 60 unit town home project back in the early 2000's and one morning my supervisor discovered where some kids during the night tried to burn down one of the units in a 6 unit building. The reason we and the sheriff detective could determine it was kids was because they set a pack of outlet covers on a saw horse and lit them on fire. Luckily, they didn't add enough "kindling" and the fire just smoldered. They also threw a small amount of gas down the stair well and lit it on fire. It scorched the stair treads and sheet rock but luckily it didn't catch. If it would have been real "arsonists" they would have succeeded. This was during the winter so the humidity was high and unit was damp. Cost about $2K to repaint the interior of the unit and 6 months of paying for a night watchman. If the Sheriff would have found the would be arsonists, yes I absolutely would have pressed charges. Either the kids were old enough to know better than to burn a building down or they were young enough not to know better and then the question is where were their parents? Either way its the sorry kids or the parents that are responsible, damn sure wasn't my fault. There have been so many instances over the years that I have no patience for this type of behavior. I lock down all my equipment at the end of the day - battery disconnects, pad locks on tanks and compartments, lock doors and install vandal screens if the machine has them. Also try to park it under an overhead light if one is available. If someone steals something out of my unlocked truck they are still a thief and it's still a crime, no matter who you blame.:cool2 We are so far apart on this topic that we'll just have to agree to disagree. :beatsme
I just read the last few posts in this thread with this expression on my face: :jawdrop Randy, I've read enough of your posts to know that you are an otherwise sane business owner, a man who has worked his ass off to build a business, and a man I respect. I was shocked to read what you wrote about it possibly being my fault if someone steals something out of my unlocked truck! I am sick to death of this culture of no one is responsible for his own actions. Just because the truck isn't locked, does that give a clear indication that everything in it is unwanted? I don't think anybody would argue that it does. So, you must be arguing that it is my responsibility, as the owner of the truck and it's contents, to protect some useless ----head from his own impulses, or criminal lifestyle, and it's consequences? Well ---- no, it ain't! If he wants to steal, there should be harsh penalties. On the parenting question: By the time I was let out unsupervised, I had been taught "that's not yours, leave it alone". That is a simple concept but way too many parents do fail to teach it. If my parents had found out that I had committed vandalism as a teenager, they would have paid for the damage, because everything I did was their responsibility, but I would have worked enough to pay for it several times over, and I would have had to go and apologize. I would not have been unsupervised again for quite a while. My son did get in a little trouble while living w/ his mother at the age of 14. I brought him to live with me, and for 6 months, if he wasn't in school he was w/ me. I can honestly say it was the most miserable I have ever been. However it was worth it. He is now a man I like and respect, and I am very proud of him. CM, I can tell you from bitter experience that even if you serve up the criminals on a silver platter, you'll be damn lucky if they get a slap on the wrist.
Can i say something guys I think it is a Weston idea to break windows and things , as everyday in china i see excavators sitting there in the streets unlocked no vandle covers or anything and i never see anyone bust a window on them or anything , but see i also wonder if it is because there is a seance of fear in china that if you get court doing something wrong they really do not just give you a slap on the wrist over here. Also i dont see any really gratify over here either like i used to see back in australia. thats just my 2 cents though
Mitch, I can see we were cut out of the same block. Yeah I know. I have copies of all the reports filed somewhere, all they were good for was to send to the Ins. Co. None of them went anywhere, not even the arson issue. Cops weren't interested in doing anything, just said file it on your insurance.
I agree with you Dozer boy nothing like a good donut, besides its not fun being the guy who broke the window. I rolled a hoe off a trailer once back window was just replaced, of course it fell out and broke. I was teased daily for a long time. Made me a better operator amd gave everyone something. To rattle my cage about. Now if they want it loaded in winter on a frozen deck they call me. Lol
Mitch, my insurance company states, I have to take precautionary measures to prevent theft, its written right in the policy, I know because I've gone down this route before many times, same as anything with my equipment, if I were to leave anything unlocked, I'd be partly if not more responsible for the theft, and have a lot of talking to do to ever get paid, so in the insurance companies eye's, yes in fact I am at fault, to what extent, only they would determine, this idea of that it's always "someone else's fault" isn't really how anyone's life works, you have to take some of the responsibility yourself, it sure isn't the thief's parents fault, no different than it isn't the parents fault for someone who'd vandalize anything either, its those that do the vandalizing plain and simple, if it makes you feel better to claim that, go fool yourself and keep it up, if I have repeated vandalism problems, first we sit down and figure out why, then take care of it, no matter the cost. If that's to hire a full time watchmen, or a crew of them, or to take stuff home every night or whatever, first off, my insurance company wouldn't leave me with much option. On the subject of destruction of property, weather its theft, vandalism or whatever, I'd have to do certain things, I'm not sure what insurance companies do or require in your area, apparently nothing, but around me, we have things called audits and onsite inspections, which are random and they can show up at any time, on any site, this first came as a surprise to me, I'd never had it done before, and I didn't know who did them either, but I've received many letters in the mail over the years to tell me either I was in compliance or not if not, I'd be cancelled in x number of days, yes it came as a shock and took some head scratching to figure out what I'd done wrong and many phone calls later to find out. "I have to take due precautions to prevent theft or vandalism" has always been the explaination, if they feel I routinely don't, they can and will cancel me at any time, I've also never had a claim with any of these insurance companies for vandalism or theft either, or any before these companies either, I'd either had someone come forward and pay the damages, those responsible got caught, or I just paid it out of pocket, anyway you look at it doesn't really matter, I'd never blamed the parents of those doing it, what a crock and excuse, nor those that did it personally either, I stood back, took inventory of why it happened and took action, if it was a personal vendetta, which in most cases it was, I figured out what I'd done to cause the problem, in most cases it was an underbid, or I got the job from someone else and they were upset, not some kid or punk or just some random thing, and given the oppertunity for the incident to happen, just like the insurance company had deemed or tried to get me to prevent. I"d have no idea just how you took my post, apparently not as it was intended, but on everything where vandalism was done as a kid myself, or by my kids, it was usually a case where it wasn't intended, just an outcome of messing around, I doubt since we're actually discussing this case, the kid probably realized he broke the window or ever intended it to happen, he was probably focusing on doing donuts and not that he'd kick up a rock, same as everything I'd ever done, going too fast slid off the road on wet conditions and took out a mailbox sort of thing, then go back hat in hand and fess up, pay the damages and apologize and move on with life, or get the phone call later on saying you know your kids were out tearing around on four wheelers in the hay field and spooked my cattle and now someone needs to put them back in and fix fence, so we go and take care of it, apologize and tell the truth, nobody knew your cattle were still in the pasture for the season, even though they weren't in your pasture tearing around, they should have known better. Where anyone came up with this notion of a "kid being a kid" translates into intentionally going around using rocks and breaking out windows in machines, or using sledge hammers and go at a machine, or stealing a machine or tools, I"d have no idea, I nor my kids ever did that, i really don't know of any that ever did, this case in point, the kid didn't unless the video showed he did, which was never stated, so I took it as not the case at all, he was just screwing around and an outcome he'd never intended came about, if he'd have known it, he'd have probably gone, oh ****, then panic, not come in the next day and be surprised, his first reaction probably was when confronted, what,,,,,,,,,, me,.............. how.................. and when reality sank it, then the oh **** factor kicked in,the beat red face, sweating, nervous, start shaking, etc, I'd personally liked to have been there to see that reaction, but since I'm a dad, get some more pleasure out of seeing a cocky kid getting caught red handed and not see it coming, but that's just me and a personal perk. I'd have no idea where CM translated anything on this thread into the 16k in damages to his own machines and those responsible were the results of poor parenting and how he's not responsible for anything, maybe not in his world, but in mine, let me state for the record, I'm always partly responsible for everything that happens to my propety whether I like it or not, so yes the unlocked vehicle is still partly my own fault, not just the thiefs, and I've also had to repair door locks so they did work and I could lock the doors, as per instructions from the insurance company, same as on my machines, and install theft deterrent measures as per instructions, along with in some locations, take everything home every night and the list is endless, but then again, I've not had problems either, so take it for what its worth, and by the way, blaming "someone else" never solved anything, neither does standing there stating, I did all I could, when in fact, that's never the case either, just an excuse to make yourself feel better. So Mitch, thanks for telling me my post was taken wrong and letting me know, if I didn't make it clear, please specify and we'll work on it some more, I certainly never meant to horrify anyone, but this is how the world works in my sector of it, if its different in yours please explain.
How anyone can compare a kid working for you doing a donut and taking out a window with someone vandalising a machine on purpose is beyond me.
Donuts good,broken window bad,lying immature. So the answer is simple. Buy some donuts, fix the window together (with him paying for the cost.)and take the time to address the real issues like lying,the real cost of donuts and what it takes to be a man.A final thought, it may be a waste of time but if we don't try with the young ones then it is our lack of character that is the real problem.
This is going to sound harsher then I intend it to, But you don't live in the real world. While there are exclusion to the rule it is largely the parents fault when the children act out. Does that mean their bad parents? No, but they raised then giving them the values they have. Like lack of respect of other peoples property. Lack of empathy and only thinking of yourself. You want to blame yourself good for you that make you part of the problem IMO. Here lock your door at times just gets your window broken out to find there isn't anything worth stealing. We had a road builder that was having there batteries, alternators, wiring, starters stolen off their equipment(cranes) in a bad part of town. Started locking the doors. Locks got broken and doors got bent. Used special bolts that took special tools to remove. Bots got cut off. Started wedding things onto the equipment. They ended up smashing alt. and starters just to pull the copper out of them. But I'm sure thats there fault..right?
Kid hitting a ball or spinning donuts in a parking lot isn't trying to deliberately break anything. Kid throwing a rock through a window is. You make the first pay damages so that they learn to think things through, the other you charge! Poor parenting? I've seen a lot of kids who had good, hard working parents who did thier best to teach thier kids right from wrong and still had kids in trouble with the law. Then you got guys like my BIL, single dad with custody, who thought the chruch was going to teach my nephew right from wrong. If the BIL had spent more time at home with his kid instead of chasing skirts maybe he wouldn't have had to spend so much time in a court room over the last year. Rick
This took a full circle, wow. My shop been broke into 5 times its the cost of business. In todays world and most company add this into there business cost. A kid breaking a window by accident is under things happen. Just like hitting that deer on the way to work when you wasn't. Speeding. Insurance companys by insurance for insurance companys. They keep cost under control insurance doesn't. Go up. Any kid wanting to learn this business and be good will have failure first. We need young people. To learn and if it cost a window. Or two so what. Who's going to replace us old guys. I say insurance. Co. Can eat my dust while turning donuts
Dozerboy, after the first incident, the insurance company would be called, and someone would show up to assess the situation, give recommendations and I'd have to do as they say. I can't argue with you on installing extra measures sometimes does little good, just that if I don't take those actions, I wouldn't get paid for that damage without a lot of hassle, if it kept up, and the insurance company couldn't figure out how to stop or prevent it, which at this point in time, has never been the case yet, I'm not sure what they'd do or require, I've never asked that question, nobody else at any seminar over the years has asked it either. I never used to take heed of much they said up until I got the first cancellation notice in the mail, and the first manditory insurance seminar workshop I had to attend. Now my state also requires by law to have insurance on my vehicles, and most of my customers require me to carry insurance on my business, so until changes are made in policy, I need the insurance to remain in business, period. If they deem I do certain things that make little sense, they in turn get what they want, is it legal, I'm not sure, exactly, does it cover every situation and every circumstance, probably not, but the first requirement they have is locking everything up that they have coverage written on, its pretty simple, or else. I used to resist going to the insurance meetings and update meetings, but after the first few, I've come full circle and now view things in a far different way, every new person there for the fist time has the mentality of I've done what I can, its someone else's fault, not mine, after a few update meetings, they come to view it completely different, a more proactive approach to the problem and prevention approach instead of a how they used to view it. If your state doesn't require this, fine, if your insurance companies don't either, great for you, but since my unreal world does, I guess I'll keep doing what keeps me in business, and thefts and vandalism to about zero, you'll have to worry about how everyone's kids are raised and how bad society is a a whole, I'll keep figuring out how to prevent things, not how to fix things after the fact, and oh by the way, I think I can handle locking my truck doors as well, and have been told how to prevent someone from breaking into something to find out there's nothing worth stealing, it was covered in a seminar I had to attend, never had issues since either, didn't do me much good to blame anyone else either, that didn't solve the problem, education did though. I think I'll continue living in my world, it has far less issues of theft, vandalism, insurance claims, property damage and when I did have some, I've got people to assist to help solve the problem which in turn helps to lower my insurance costs even more, through lower premiums due to few or no claims, its also been over 20 years since I've had an vandalism or property damage either, I"m thinking education helped, since others around me have had always had issues, is my day coming, probably, but I know for a fact, my older thinking, like some still have it would have been far worse all these years. Just an observation to ponder over.
If I may add a comment, there is a VERY big difference between what one is legally liable for, liable for through their insurance companies, and what one is morally responsible for. Randy is right about insurance liability, but I disagree with the idea that an insurance contract has anything to do with right and wrong. The kids are 100% responsible for damage they do. Period. Doesn't matter if the gate was unlocked or their parents never hugged them. Now, if we want to go deeper, yes, I would say that most of the problems with our young people are due to an inexcusable lack of good parenting in the West. I do not know a single person who was raised by good parents in a proper way that ended up living a life characterized by irresponsibility. After all, "Train a child up in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." We all have bad phases, but the trajectory of a person's life is very heavily tied to how they were raised. That being said, their actions are 100% their own fault. A kid who throws a rock at a machine or lights construction materials on fire is 100% responsible for his actions whether accidental or intentional. If its an accident, they owe the owner an apology and offer to make it right. If they fail to do that, it becomes a willful act plain and simple. Prosecuting by any available means in reasonable proportion to the damage done is the best thing you can do for a kid like that. Being arrested and tried for vandalism may be the first time some of these kids were actually held to a standard of right and wrong. I work with high school students building robots after school, and I can say for a fact that when we have to give a kid a stern talking to for horsing around it, very sadly, is usually one of the first times in their lives that an older man firmly but fairly held them accountable because he cared about their future. Its sad, but true. Interesting discussion.
I don't know what kind of deductible the guys in business are paying but I bet it's pretty high. So insurance may not cover or cover all of a broken window. I think that the kid will learn more by making him pay for it. He may have to make payments but it's still something he will remember. If you make the kid understand that his other option is talking to the cops he may even realize that you did him a favor. That could turn him into a good loyal employee. Rick
the same thing happen to me....... i was the one doing donuts and i broke my dads friends backhoe windshield needless to say it was fixed before any one found out lol and when you 16 that felt like i was buying a house cash. of course i had to come clean though
I was born in 1961 some things my Father taught me.....just a few... children should be seen and not heard (not saying its right. Just saying) The age of reason is age seven.....just saying Ever notice how kids now interrupt adults conversing or talk over them? Where they your grand kids or children? Did you miss a teaching moment or rebuke them? No you let it go.....I see it every where all the time. they blurt rite over their parents and the parents say nothing. one of Dads sayings was... " If you don't learn on your own the world will teach you" And I don't think he meant in a "nice way" "Be too smart to get in trouble" I knew he didn't mean sly etc. "Life (the world is serious business" not frivolous " it's not good enough to know right from wrong" Yo have to know what makes it right and what makes it wrong. You can't run away from home 7 but once... we will still have you over for dinner on Sunday
Hockey soccer football. ..... ? Sports are one of the important things in life? Watching someone else "play"? No he never taught me that.
Ha ha ha ha ha I think this is really funny for crying out loud he is a kid was probably having a great time till he broke the window.Im thinking that some of u have forgotten wat it's like to b young. Buy all means make the kid pay and give him a good ribbing if handled correctly this could b a good learning curve 4 the young lad. He who has never made a mistake has never done anything. Who among all of us has never done anything stupid cut the kid some slack. Ime not saying let him off scot free in fact the direct opposite is needed but I really don't think the kid intended to break thins intentionally. The right person could turn this into a positive think about it. Here is a story 2 back my theory I was 14 and grandpa used to let me drive an old Holden ute to footy practice the back way.1 night with my team mates egging me on I dropped the clutch in reverse and spun the wheels I backed in to a street sign probably the only kid in Australia that's got wip lash from backing into something. I went home and said nothing because there was no damage to the ute it was a toner about an hour later the local Sargent rocked up and knocked on the door obvisualy I had to come clean. My punishment was that there were about 6 street sigens leaning over in the whole town and I had to fix them all at my own expense I had to make payments on the materials dig the holes by hand ect and cut split posts 4 a day to pay 4 the fuel. The result was I have never backed into anything since.those old fellers might not have been perfect but they had there ways and u learned. Now days I consider the incident to b quite comical and the Sargent to b my friend.
Yair . . . Cam85 . Good story. Some of the old blokes seemed tough but they taught some basic lessons. I have mentioned on here about a young bloke who got an apprenticeship at a welding shop in a fair sized country town . . . but was told he had to cut his shoulder length hair or else. Never happened. It went on for about three weeks nothing said and he thought it was forgotten and just an idle threat. Then one morning Smithy (18 stone and ugly) scruffed him and cut his hair off with a four pound hammer on the anvil . . . then handed him the keys of his brand new Tojo and twenty bucks and told him to go down the street and get a proper haircut and bring back some pies for smoko. Lesson learned. Cheers
There is an article in today's Duluth News Tribune about a DWI arrest on a larger Cat excavator.
Here is a link to it. http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/content/proctor-man-charged-dwi-excavator-escapade