Originally Posted by buggyone (Post 762861)

I would guess your homeowner policy would pay as well as your umbrella policy.
That is a guess. Contact the insurance company. However, this thread is about windows.

What would you teach your kids if they broke a window? Run?

Originally Posted by DougB (Post 762874)

Is there a statute of limitations on breaking a window? Just wondering, I busted one when I was ten and ran home without getting caught. Now y'all got me feeling all bad. Wonder if that little old lady still lives there.

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston (Post 762891)

No - but what if is my question> What if it led to MORE than a window. WHAT IF - I'd like an answer - what would you do? Would your ethics fly out the window?

What if, like me, the homeowner had a $1000 deductible and the bill came to over 1K. What would you do? Hmmm. Don't seem to get a straight answer from anyone as to what they would do. We've had this thread 20 times in the past 5 years and no one answers my question. Would you still pay the homeowner even if the bill came to a much higher than expected amount? Yes? No? If not why not?

And please don't answer with something like "Don't you have any ethics Russ?". I want to know what you would do - not what you expect me to do.

Thanks in advance for anyone honest enough to try an answer the real question.

Originally Posted by Pepperhead (Post 762895)

If it were I who hit the golf ball, I would initially feel morally responsible to pay for the damages. If however, the home owner acted like a jackass about it, I would exercise my legal right to blow it off. BTW, the home would have to be on the left side for me to hit it. I haven't sliced a ball in years, but a sneaky pull hook does slip its way into my game occasionally.

Originally Posted by rubicon (Post 762760)

Hi Cantwaitoarrive: This is an excellent time to insert the adage

"It depends on whose ox is being gored."

Beside which your comparison is incongruent. For one thing there is no legal relationship between a golfer and the homeowner who incurs damage.

As to ethics. Many of us know many golfers who often hit errant balls. They well know they are likely to hook or slice.

Ethics is involved in most of our decisions.

Finally there actually are some residents here who believe that people who buy on a golf course deserve what they get. I find this attitude mean spirited.

Personal Best Regards:

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston (Post 762899)

Honest answer but - What if the homeowner was nice but said the bill was 1k from some hidden damage? I think that's the real ethics question. Maybe say I'll pay for the window but nothing else? Then why even pay for the window? The homeowner still has unpaid for damage.

I find it very interesting to challenge the ethics of any situation.

Originally Posted by redwitch (Post 762918)

Russ, I don't play golf but I was taught that if something was damaged by your actions, you take responsibility, regardless whether the damage is $0.05 or $5,000. I may not be able to pay the owner the full bill at once but it would get paid.

I recently dinged a woman's car when the car door blew out of my hand. I could have easily walked away and she would have never known. I couldn't do that. The damage for this minor ding was $500 (a very large amount for my budget). It got paid.

Originally Posted by ajbrown (Post 762816)

<hearsay>

Let me say, I have no first hand knowledge, I share the story as it comes to me from a good friend who has played golf with the person telling the story. Maybe someone knows the person? I offer nothing else at this time....

My friend told me of a guy that told him <I know how that sounds :)>, he was being sued because his tee shot on number nine at Havana, Kenya hit a woman on a bicycle on the multi-modal. When he told me I said NO WAY, cannot be.....

Some time later (year+) he said you remember I told you about the guy being sued? I said yeah. My friend said, I saw him again and the insurance company had settled with the woman for quite a hefty sum. I still told him he was nuts but we are still good friends :laugh:

The person sued also adds that the day he hit her, he felt awful and went over the fence and asked if she was OK. She said she was fine, they laughed, they talked for a bit and then she rode off very friendly.... hmmmmmmm.

</hearsay>

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston (Post 762899)

Honest answer but - What if the homeowner was nice but said the bill was 1k from some hidden damage? I think that's the real ethics question. Maybe say I'll pay for the window but nothing else? Then why even pay for the window? The homeowner still has unpaid for damage.

I find it very interesting to challenge the ethics of any situation.

Originally Posted by TrudyM (Post 762932)

Just because an insurance company pays doesn't mean you were at fault.

A guy jumped infront of my car as I was making a slow left turn during a heavy rain storm and claimed I hit him. No rips to his pants or any sign of damage other than wet clothes. He was lying in the street in a way that did not support the claim and the police didn't believe him when called, as there was no scratch on my car or him. However Allstate paid him $5000 without even contacting me to get the facts and then doubled my rates. It was out and out fraud but no one gave a flying fart in space, it was easier to pay than to go to court, never mind that it just encourages people to sue for everything.

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston (Post 762924)

I appreciate the answer Red. But you were responsible legally for the unfortunate car damage.

But there are lots of times in life that your actions cause damage but that doesn't mean you always pay for the damages. The other example I use when this thread comes up repeatedly is this:

You are driving on a highway going the speed limit - you reach up to adjust your sunglasses and they fall into your lap - by instinct you hit your brake way too hard causing the guy behind you to slam his car into yours even though he was a reasonable and legal distance behind you - Yes your actions precipitated the accident but you're not responsible legally since you didn't hit the brake intentionally - I don't think you'd pay under this circumstance would you? Why would you pay for the golf ball damage which you are not legally bound to do?