Tuesday's Moral Dilemma

[Spyros]

Some guidance please...

A few days ago I was greeted by some enormous tractor tyre marks over the front of my plot and some crushed raspberry bushes. Not in the best of moods, I contacted the council rep for the allotments who told me that many plot holders had been making arrangements for the delivery of cow manure from a local supplier. He also told me there was nothing he could do as the deliveries were a private arrangement, but he was quite happy to give me the contact details of the guy opposite me who had taken that delivery.
I get on with this guy quite well, so I just asked him for the number of the supplier and contacted him to tell him what he had done and was he prepared to replace the bushes he had flattened?
The supplier's attitude seemed to be of complete disbelief and denial, like I had concocted some elaborate hoax involving six-inch deep tyre tracks. He's told me he'll call me back when he's gone to look at the damage himself (ie. 'go away and leave me alone') and the council rep has suddenly become uncontactable.
I didn't take up an allotment to have rows all the time but this seems just a little bit unreasonable. Any wise words of advice?

[Spyros]

[shirlton]

We had that happen to us when we had a plot years ago. We planted the raspberry canes at the front of the plot which was directly opposite the gate. Big mistake. A bloke forther up the drive had some muck delivered. When we showed him what had happened he apologised but that was all he did. Never even offered to replace the plants or help to dig the soil  with us. Some folks have just got no respect for others

[*pixie*]

Was it avoidable for the del driver to do this? Ie could he have delivered the stuff without crushing your plants? If not I think it was down to the plot owner to replace them, as it was his delivery, have you told him whats happened since you got the details?

I suppose its the priniciple more than anything but if I was that plot owner Id have been mortified and replaced them already!

[DaveM]

Our site has a   wide concrete road through it. it turns a 90 degree corner my plot is on that corner. Im allways geting tire marks across my plot. So I dug down in that area to make it quite a dip ( if i cant grow on it they cant drive on it)... sat urday this weekend I find large amounts of tire marks across the corner grrrr. Anyway later that day a woman came up to me to complain that her car had got stuck and it took 10 mins and 3 people to move it!! I listened to her complaint then told her to phone a mate of mine. "Why" she asked. "Hes a driving instructor" I replied

[mat]

I listened to her complaint then told her to phone a mate of mine. "Why" she asked. "Hes a driving instructor" I replied

;D This made me laugh.  What was her response?  I'd have loved to have seen her face  LOL

mat

[daileg]

i that was a fly on the wall moment LOL  :D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[thifasmom]

I listened to her complaint then told her to phone a mate of mine. "Why" she asked. "Hes a driving instructor" I replied

;D This made me laugh.  What was her response?  I'd have loved to have seen her face  LOL

mat

;D ;D ;D, pray tell what was her response ;D.

[DaveM]

I'm afraid it was a turn yer back and leave em standing there momment . i mean some people.

[Kea]

Great reply....yes what was the response?

[tonybloke]

Pukka, dave!! ;D ;D ;D

[lavenderlux]

Hi Spyros:
We had a similar thing happen on our site last week when  a contractor delivering fym to one of the plots drove over other plots leaving deep tyre marks.  Does your site have any rules which cover damage to another person's plot?  Ours does and its states if any delivery arranged by a plot holder causes damage to another plot, then the plot holder arranging the delivery is responsible for making good the damage.  The damage was reported to me (as field warden) by another plot holder who was nearby at the time and saw what happened, and I subsequently approached the plot holder who had arranged the delivery and asked him to make good the damage;  his response wasn't very polite (!) and he refused to repair the damage - but it was followed up by a letter quoting the relevant allotment rule and giving him seven days to make good the damage - and he has.   This particular supplier has caused damage on previous occasions but in those cases the plot holders who had damage caused to their plots put it right before reporting it.
We have another supplier of fym who comes regularly to our site and we've had no problems with damage from his deliveries.

[cornykev]

Classic Dave, ;D  Spyros you'll have to speak to the plot owner who ordered it.  ;D ;D ;D

[Spyros]

Cheers chaps...

Dave you have a Wildean way with a one liner - does the frock coat not get a bit muddy?

[PurpleHeather]

We have to have problems before we can lay down the laws.

Years ago, when we had neglected plots, the area was 'open plan' and it was quite common to spot tyre marks in places where vehicles had strayed. Unless witnessed, no one knew who had done the damage.

About 10 years ago we got a plague of rabbits and the only way to keep them off was to surround everywhere with wire netting. Each plot got fenced in.

Even though these fences are flimsy, we have noticed that people are careful to drive round them.

The point of the tale is, if you can erect a fence around the plot, and it could be a fruit cage and frame for peas or beans, if the land owner objects to fences. People do not like to drive across them.

[DaveM]

Ahhh Spyro indeed...talk to your allotment neighbour and remember.."Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."

[Kea]

Even though these fences are flimsy, we have noticed that people are careful to drive round them.

The point of the tale is, if you can erect a fence around the plot, and it could be a fruit cage and frame for peas or beans, if the land owner objects to fences. People do not like to drive across them.

Sometimes.... but in my case the farmer delivering a load of manure despite the wide open space the size of a football pitch in front of my allotment dumped the load on my fence. Crushing the fence and breaking fence posts!