Idiots like this hurt us all...
- Thread starter trafick
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I wonder what percentage of my homeowners insurance bill is due to fraud/stupidity that I am paying for.
pen
pen
The offending homeowner might not have fire insurance.
People rarely respond well to insults or threats, tact and diplomacy work much better. Perhaps trafick can talk to the fellow sympathetically and suggest that a good way to avoid dangerous chimney fires is to regularly clean or have the chimney cleaned. How about offering to lend the offender a chimney cleaning brush? When cleaning his own chimney, trafick could knock on the fellow's door and cheerfully say something like, "I'm cleaning my chimney today, why don't we do yours while I have the brushes out?"
Even if the brushes aren't the right size and such, it is an opportunity to encourage responsible behaviour. The other fellow might even choose to buy the right brush for his chimney. Perhaps he's just a cheapskate but after realizing brushes aren't expensive, will come around.
People rarely respond well to insults or threats, tact and diplomacy work much better. Perhaps trafick can talk to the fellow sympathetically and suggest that a good way to avoid dangerous chimney fires is to regularly clean or have the chimney cleaned. How about offering to lend the offender a chimney cleaning brush? When cleaning his own chimney, trafick could knock on the fellow's door and cheerfully say something like, "I'm cleaning my chimney today, why don't we do yours while I have the brushes out?"
Even if the brushes aren't the right size and such, it is an opportunity to encourage responsible behaviour. The other fellow might even choose to buy the right brush for his chimney. Perhaps he's just a cheapskate but after realizing brushes aren't expensive, will come around.
trafick said:
Two words: Job Security . . . at least for us in the fire service.
I learned a long time ago that some folks can be educated as to good, fire safe practices and after learning why something is dangerous and how a practice or habit can lead to something bad happening to them or a loved one they will attempt to modify that behavior.
I also learned a long time ago that some folks need a little friendly coersion by having a Fire Inspector or Marshal use the fear of fines, revoking permits, time in court, etc. and typically most, after learning why they need to change their habits, will do so . . . either to protect themselves or to avoid fines, time in court, loss of permits, etc.
And I also learned a long time ago that some folks will continue to exercise their right to be stupid and will do continue on their merry way regardless . . . but eventually everyone complies and comes around . . . of course they may lose their life and home in the process.
First idiot knocks on my door, asking for some frigging burning permit for my fireplace or any other darned thing, is going into the backyard, head first, right under the wood pile. Nobody will ever know where he went. After enough of them don't come back, they'll eventually stop coming.
Don't need any frigging permit, and I am not going to be getting one. Got enough darned laws they can't enforce, or remember, already.
Don't need any frigging permit, and I am not going to be getting one. Got enough darned laws they can't enforce, or remember, already.
billb3 said:
trafick said:
dunno trafik,
im just hopng the idiot isnt doing this with one of my stoves. BTW glad to see another local on the hearth , im over in madison heights.
harkening back to the thread we discussed a couple weeks ago about a fire claiming lives and some reporter saying that it was suspected that a woodstove caused the fire, i'll say it again , the woodstove doesnt "cause" the fire. improper operation of it caused the fire, as it has in the case of our misguided neighbor here. proper education is available lynchburg has fine fire departments that do great work. but you cant drill a hole in his thick head and pour in common sense. hopefully his house wont be on channel 13 one day. usually depends on the person, i have a neighbor who lives up the road who had a "sick" chimney, i could smell it when i drove by, didnt smell right, one day i caught him outside and stopped by and mentioned it to him in a friendly concerned way. introduced myself and explained my concern for his situation, we looked at his situation , i made some suggestions and his flue no longer has the "flu". he was happy for the helping hand and we've become friends. like i said , it depends on the person you are dealing with, some are open to assistance, some arent. usually the smarter ones end up happier in the end.
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