adolson Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 As you probably know, my neighbor's house exploded and tons of broken glass was sent onto the street and all over my driveway. My wife is extremely angry and upset because we can't park our car in our driveway beside our house. She had the day off today and the rain took away all the snow, so she spent some time trying to pick up the glass. She got a bag full of larger pieces, but there is still lots more, and many small pieces. It will take many hours of work for us to pick it all up by hand, and by the weekend, who knows if it'll be buried in a foot or two of snow? Is this really our responsibility to clean it ourselves by hand or pay someone out of our own pockets to clean it up? Is that how it works? Is there any actual way to do this? This is the first time a house has blown up and shattered massive windows into our driveway, so I've not got much experience with this. Thanks for any advice.
irishfield Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 It's the home owner across the streets insurance companies responsibility.
danc Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 As for me, I'd use a broom. They sell them at hardware stores.
Nipfisher Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Walk around in your bare feet? Like Wayne said....if the other people had insurance they would be responsible. Whatever you do about the glass write it down and have any work you do witnessed. Keep receipts for any costs.
danc Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Walk around in your bare feet? Like Wayne said....if the other people had insurance they would be responsible. Whatever you do about the glass write it down and have any work you do witnessed. Keep receipts for any costs. Ridiculous. Is there 3 feet high glass in this driveway? Clean it up yourself and stop trying to cash in on someone elses misfurtune. If I lived closer I'd come and clean it up myself.
irishfield Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 If it's in the grass.. it needs to be vacuumed up.. but if it's on pavement.. what Dan said!
HTHM Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Ridiculous. Is there 3 feet high glass in this driveway? Clean it up yourself and stop trying to cash in on someone elses misfurtune. If I lived closer I'd come and clean it up myself. Dan, I disagree with the above sentiment, the glass on his driveway is not there through his fault, and as you probably know it is a PITA to clean up. I would suggest that a shop vac may be the best tool for the job. Yes I know that it is a small inconvenience compared to his neighbours current problem, but it is not his fault. To take the situation even further, if his house had burned as well due to his neighbours misfortune who's insurance would pay for that damage?
adolson Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Posted December 16, 2011 As for me, I'd use a broom. They sell them at hardware stores. Yeah, I don't know what magical fantasy land you live in, but brooms don't work that well on gravel driveways, much less gravel driveways that someone came and used a street sweeper on yesterday that was, I am guessing, supposed to sweep up the glass but instead thoroughly mixed it into the rest of my driveway. And the days prior to that, there was police tape sectioning off the exact portion of my driveway, as it was being treated as a crime scene. I am not trying to "cash in" here. Tell me how exactly I would benefit from having various sizes of glass all over my driveway cleaned up? Having my driveway back the way it was, is somehow going to make me rich? Why do you have to be so hostile towards me? This isn't the first time.
manitoubass2 Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) I'd bring it up with your neighbors Dana, then, as suggested, do your best to shop vac what you can. I had some party going teens break a bunch of beer bottles in my yard some time back. I have a big family, so it was important to be cleaned up ASAP. It took me and my girlfriend a good 3-4 hours to get most of it, and it was a major pain in the ass. Even then, we still found the odd piece here and there for a few weeks. But what else can you really do? and DanC is just jealous of that fish in your avatar. You know it's true Edited December 16, 2011 by manitoubass2
danc Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 I guess that I'm a little handier than you Dana. You have a camera. Show us a few pics of this mess that you can't handle by yourself.
Pikeslayer Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Yeah, I don't know what magical fantasy land you live in, but brooms don't work that well on gravel driveways, much less gravel driveways that someone came and used a street sweeper on yesterday that was, I am guessing, supposed to sweep up the glass but instead thoroughly mixed it into the rest of my driveway. And the days prior to that, there was police tape sectioning off the exact portion of my driveway, as it was being treated as a crime scene. I am not trying to "cash in" here. Tell me how exactly I would benefit from having various sizes of glass all over my driveway cleaned up? Having my driveway back the way it was, is somehow going to make me rich? Why do you have to be so hostile towards me? This isn't the first time. Dana, My wonderful wife works for a major insurance company. She say; " Call your insurance provider and ask them for guidance". They will be able to determine wether or not your neighbors property is insured. She also states that; "You are currently liable if anyone is injured on your property from broken glass". Forget the broom! Pick up the phone! Slayer
BillM Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 You'll be waiting a long time if you wait for your neighbours insurance company to clean it up... Do it yourself, then submit a claim for hours worked.
Pikeslayer Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) You'll be waiting a long time if you wait for your neighbours insurance company to clean it up... Do it yourself, then submit a claim for hours worked. You need to make a claim first and ask your insurance company if they will reimburse you. Edited December 16, 2011 by pikeslayer
BillM Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 You need to make a claim first and ask your insurance company if they will reimburse you. That works. I know I wouldn't wait long at all if there was glass littered across my property...
Rod Caster Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 If u see any more cleanup crews or insurance adjusters at the house, tell them to clean up your driveway at the same time ask for the policy number and state that you have "third party" damages. Get the claim number and insurance provider info and harass them and also tell your own insurance about it. If you wait too long, you'll have to rely on Dan's extremely handy tips on brooms and how to rub people the wrong way.
spooner_jr Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Your neighbour's insurance policy does not cover your property. The only way you would be able to recover your damages through him is if he is found negligent in some way, then his liability coverage would respond. Since it was his water heater that exploded, and I doubt you can prove it was due to his negligence, I don't think you'll be getting any help from his insurance company.
cynmar Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) Well , let's see, you said it was a gravel driveway? I doubt that a vacuum would work as you'd be trying to suck up your own gravel as well. I might suggest raking the gravel so the glass migrates down to the substrate and then getting a load of gravel to cover up the area that was affected. This is probably the quickest and easiest way to correct the problems. Doesn't get rid of the glass but takes it out of harms way, the edges should be abraded so it won't be sharp and it will be coverred up. Bill Edited December 16, 2011 by fishingBill
solopaddler Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 A couple of years back a massive pine on my neighbours property blew over in a huge wind storm. Fell into my backyard creating a ginormous ungodly mess. I started hacking it up the next morning and throwing the pieces into his backyard. That's when he came flying out of house furious asking me what I was doing LOL! "What do you think?" I say, "Just trying to help you out here!". He informed me that the cleanup was 100% my responsibility, unless any of our property was damaged which fortunately it wasn't. Considered "an act of God" by the insurance companies and the landowner is in no way liable for the cleanup. I confirmed this with a phone call to my insurance company. Needless to say I wasn't too happy. 90% of the tree was in my backyard and the prick never even offered to help me clean up the mess from his tree. Happened one day before we were slated to leave on a family vacation too.. Anyhow this situation with the glass may also be deemed "an act of God" as well and your responsibility to clean up. Regardless I wouldn't be waiting around for help, just get it done. A shop vac has been mentioned and I believe that's your best bet, especially if you're talking about a gravel driveway. The tool rental department at Home Depot will rent you an industrial sized shop vac for half a day. That'd most likely be your best bet. Good luck.
Skipper D Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 What ever happen to love thy neigbour , they were much simpler times my friends and thank God they still excist in my neigbour hood . Its sickning to see people that don't want to get along and are more content to see how much griff and money they can cause others . Great place to live your neibour hoods ..............Bull!
solopaddler Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 What ever happen to love thy neigbour , they were much simpler times my friends and thank God they still excist in my neigbour hood . Its sickning to see people that don't want to get along and are more content to see how much griff and money they can cause others . Great place to live your neibour hoods ..............Bull! Yeah I totally agree. We now live in a different neighborhood as we moved last year. It's been like night and day. We're friendly with all of our neighbours, many have become good friends. Great environment for the kids too, it's a small dead end street with no traffic and lots of other kids their own age to play with.
Grimace Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Get him back. After his house is rebuilt and cleaned up, blow up your house and get glass all over his driveway. That'll show the prick! I would try to clean it myself as dealing with the insurance companies will most likely be a nightmare. It sucks, but that's life.
Harrison Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) I am sure your neigbours have alot on their plate. I'd probably just clean it up the best I could for now. Edited December 16, 2011 by Harrison
lew Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 Your neighbor just lost his home and probably all his possessions only 2 weeks before Christmas. He's got an awful lot on his plate right about now and a bit of glass in your driveway may be the last thing on his mind. If it were me, I'd probably borrow DanC's broom and clean it up myself. Then I'd maybe go over and ask my neighbor if there was anything I could do to help HIM But that's just me.
smally21 Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 grimace - awesome - eye for an eye! gravel is inexpensive - someone suggested dumping a few yards and raking it around? good luck with the shop vac. might as well try to vaccuum flour out of sugar... this cleanup is not your responsibility, however there have been some good neighbour points mentioned.
mercman Posted December 16, 2011 Report Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) Let me tell you all a quick true event that happened to the Barb and i last thursday nite. On our way home from shopping, we were stopped at a light, waiting for it to turn green. We were rear ended, by a car approaching slowly from behind.Our car is less than a month old, and less than 2000 clicks. Barbs first reaction was to get extremely angry with the driver.Fortunately, i was first out of our car, and scanned the other car and driver.Barb got out next and was ready to start yelling, when i motioned to her to look at the car. Our car had a cracked bumper, but the others hood was folded up, and the radiator was leaking.Inside the car was a young woman sobbing uncontrollably, with a 6 month old baby in the back seat, and the front seat filled with christmas presents. We helped her pull over and stop her car, then invited her to bring her child, and sit with us in our car until the police and tow truck got there.The young woman appologized profusely, she took her attention away from driving for a split second to glance at her child, then panicked when she saw our tail lights, and hit the gas, instead of the brakes. The point is, accidents happen, and for most of us,anger is the first reaction to them. By barb and i showing compassion for this young woman, it turned her experience from one of trauma, to one of 'Lesson Learned'. Insurance is there to take care of the rest. Sorry if this is off topic Paul Edited December 16, 2011 by mercman
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