STUPID UTILITY GUY-vent

On Saturday morning I saw an AT&T service truck park in front of my house. I didn't think twice about it. About 3 hours later I went to let my dog outside and found my gate wide open. We ALWAYS leave the gate closed, so thank God I just so happen to look at it before letting her out! Then I look down and I see footprints in the snow leading back behind my garage. So, because I was home by myself, I checked on the boys (they were sleeping), threw on my coat and followed the footprints. I found the AT&T utility guy on a ladder in my backyard working on some lines. He didn't even have the courtesy to tell me he was going into my backyard, let alone close the gate behind himself. So, naturally, I yelled at him, telling him that he was lucky I hadn't let my dog out. What does he say in response to this, "I didn't know you had a dog." What the **** does it matter if I have a dog or not. You shouldn't just let yourself into someone's backyard without asking permission first! So he says that he was told not to bother anyone and that he would be done in 10 minutes. Oh- I forgot the best part of it all--- I DON'T EVEN HAVE AT&T!!!! What were they doing in my backyard you ask? I still have no idea. I called the company to complain and they asked ME why the guy was in my backyard. I couldn't stand out there and talk to him because I had the boys in the house by themselves, so I didn't get the chance to ask him. But, it was legitimately an AT&T truck, so, no worries there. But isn't that against the law? Isn't that considered trespassing? I realize that it would have been different if he would have at least knocked on the door, and whether or not I answered would have been my own decision, but, he didn't even do that. I don't consider it bothering me if you are asking permission to go into my backyard. HOW RUDE!
Thanks for letting me vent. I just couldn't imagine what would have happened if my dog had gotten out. By the time I realized she was gone, loaded the boys up in the car and went to look for her she would have been long gone. Or she could have attacked that guy because she didn't know him and he was on her property. Pure stupidity!

 

On Saturday morning I saw an AT&T service truck park in front of my house. I didn't think twice about it. About 3 hours later I went to let my dog outside and found my gate wide open. We ALWAYS leave the gate closed, so thank God I just so happen to look at it before letting her out! Then I look down and I see footprints in the snow leading back behind my garage. So, because I was home by myself, I checked on the boys (they were sleeping), threw on my coat and followed the footprints. I found the AT&T utility guy on a ladder in my backyard working on some lines. He didn't even have the courtesy to tell me he was going into my backyard, let alone close the gate behind himself. So, naturally, I yelled at him, telling him that he was lucky I hadn't let my dog out. What does he say in response to this, "I didn't know you had a dog." What the **** does it matter if I have a dog or not. You shouldn't just let yourself into someone's backyard without asking permission first! So he says that he was told not to bother anyone and that he would be done in 10 minutes. Oh- I forgot the best part of it all--- I DON'T EVEN HAVE AT&T!!!! What were they doing in my backyard you ask? I still have no idea. I called the company to complain and they asked ME why the guy was in my backyard. I couldn't stand out there and talk to him because I had the boys in the house by themselves, so I didn't get the chance to ask him. But, it was legitimately an AT&T truck, so, no worries there. But isn't that against the law? Isn't that considered trespassing? I realize that it would have been different if he would have at least knocked on the door, and whether or not I answered would have been my own decision, but, he didn't even do that. I don't consider it bothering me if you are asking permission to go into my backyard. HOW RUDE!
Thanks for letting me vent. I just couldn't imagine what would have happened if my dog had gotten out. By the time I realized she was gone, loaded the boys up in the car and went to look for her she would have been long gone. Or she could have attacked that guy because she didn't know him and he was on her property. Pure stupidity!

 

I would have been upset about that myself. And to think if your dog was outside and he bit the man then it would have been your fault. I know my dog does some stupid things when strangers come around and I am sure my dog would have bitten the man. I alwas make sure my dog is in the house if I know someome is coming. I live on 10 acres out in the country so I don't get that many people stopping by. I don't know much about the law of trespassing but you would think they would have to tell you that someone is coming out to fix something.
maybe you should have let the dog out. Maybe he would think twice about entering someones back yard without asking.

 

That's ridiculous, I hope he got in trouble for that! Maybe you could buy a lock and a "beware of dog" sign. Then it would be entirely his fault if he got bitten!

 

If he was working on the utility lines, there is probably an easement that allows him to work there, regardless of whose property it is., and the lines run wheter or not you get those services--and if you had gone out 1/2 hour later, you would never have known. As long as I know it was a legit service man, it wouldn't bother me--I would rather them do the job than bug me.

BTW, I was home once and heard banging on my roof. About 1/2 hour later I went outside, and it was workmen send over by my developer to replace shingles that had blown away!

 

Argggghhh I hear your frustration. I've had the same issue. We have two dogs and a fenced yard and we've had workers come into our backyard to fix the deck, and the Chemlawn man comes once a month to treat the lawn, and they never close the gate behind them. I let the dogs out without realizing the gate is open, and we've had the dogs run away several times. It's a common courtesy to close a gate behind you when you're at someone else's house and some people are so ignorant.

 

Sorry to hear about the gate, he definitely should have closed it behind him.

If he had come and knocked on the door would it have made the dog bark and potentially wake up the babies? My children learned to sleep through the dogs (there were 3 dogs and 2 children in the office on a daily basis) but I do remember how much I treasured when they were both sleeping at the same time at 4 months. I think I would have preferred he did his work without bothering us than risking ending naptime earlier than necessary.

 

I have a dog and I have a fence. Common courtesy would tell you if you open a closed gate and go into a yard, then you should close it behind you - that's whether you are a meter man, utility guy, or just someone coming to visit. My dog can be a biter and has bitten before. She stays inside and will only bite if she feels threatened or cornered or is in a protecting mode - otherwise she will attempt to avoid confrontation, but the one thing I can be assured of is if someone entered her yard and she was inside, I would know the minute they walked through the gate. She would see this person as an intruder and would act accordingly That dog can hear a flea crawl. When my husband turns the corner to come home from work, she hears him two blocks away. I would have just opened the door and needless to say the utility guy wouldn't have been coming down from that ladder anytime soon - she'd have treed him and stayed put. That gate could have stayed open - she'd be at the bottom rung of the ladder trying to crawl up. Now if I had gone to the door and allowed the man in she would have been perfectly content, but him entering on his own she would have felt she was protecting her family.

Even if there is a utility right of way, the man had to cross private property to reach it. He should have notified you and if you hadn't answered the door, AT&T could have called you. They should have access to contact information when it requires them to go through private property to get to a right of way. The man himself could have been in danger from you - if you hadn't seen his truck and simply saw a man in your backyard - well I'll leave that unsaid, but if you felt the need to protect your children - he could have been in danger. We have a power line easement that goes through a corner of our property and anytime they need to trim a tree or come through they call us a week or so in advance and then they come to the door and check again when they get here. That's the way it should be done.

 

I agree completely! That's the weirdest part! The lady from AT&T said that there was no reason he should have been in my yard. She said that for him to go to a job site, he would have to have an address and obviously he didn't have mine. He could have done the same exact thing to the line from either my next door neighbors backyard or even the people that live directly beind me. There was no reason for him to be in my yard.
Chances are, my dog would have knocked over his ladder trying to get to him because he was a stranger, rather than her running away. She has never bit anyone before, but, she is very protective of her family. I have never seen her reaction to a stranger on her property without me or my husband there, but, I wouldn't be suprised if she tried to get him.
My mom works for DTE (our energy company) and she said that when they need to get into someones yard they have to either knock on the door, or if there is a downed power line and it's an emergency, they have to yell as loud as they can that they are entering the property. So, there has to be some kind of regulations for it.
If it ever happens again we are going to have major problems.

 

I'm guessing that the BB gun works just as well on utility men as it does on squirrels.

 

quote:
Even if there is a utility right of way, the man had to cross private property to reach it.


Not necessarily. Many utility easements run from the road out to wherever they do work to avoid questions regarding access.

Honestly, he probably should have made his prescence known as a common courtesy...but I don't think it was a legal issue. That said, he should've shut the gate.