[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Cantwaittoarrive

..... This has nothing to do with morals or ethics. It would only have something to do with morals or ethics if it was done intentionally.

I'm trying to follow your logic. Any unintentional act is OK? Is it ethical and moral to hit a car in a parking lot and take off, because it's an accident?

[Mikeod]

Then, there is this story. Yikes.

Man pleads guilty to shooting golfer who hit home | US National Headlines | Comcast

[DonH57]

Wow. What a story. Had the shooter had a better aim would bring a whole new meaning to " taking a drop ". Glad to hear he is ok.

[steve0010]

Originally Posted by Cantwaittoarrive

IF you read the following you will see that most courts have held that the golfer is not responsible for errant shots that hit houses or cars driving by on the road.

http://www.willamette.edu/wucl/pdf/s.../scoffield.pdf

you need to reread the conclusion , that is not what it say, you are able to recover most of the time, better reread the case law!

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Different - if you damage a car in the parking lot you ARE responsible. We've already established that on a golf course you are not.

I've used this argument many times but here it goes again. Let's say that you have tons of ethics and you hit a ball into a window. You approach the owner and say "I know I'm not obligated but my upbringing was so righteous that I need to offer to pay for the damages". The owner says "You are a fine upstanding man and I appreciate the offer. I will take you up on it." "No problem" you say. Then the owner says "that will be $2000". You say "WHAT?". The owner says "Well it's $150 for the window but the ball also knocked down and broke and antique vase by the window".

Now you, being so righteous with such great ethics and upbringing say ?????.

This scenario is not outrageous. The point is that you should pay for things that you are responsible for. Anything beyond that and you now have to put a price on how much your ethics mean to you. What instead of 2K it was 20K or.... Where is your limit?

Very thought provoking, Russ.

Now, say you are at this same house as a guest at a party. You inadvertently hit this valuable antique vase with your elbow, knock it to the floor and destroy it.

The homeowner has not taken the special "valuable articles" supplement to his homeowner's insurance.

1. What is your legal obligation to pay for the damage?

2. What is your moral obligation to pay for the damage?

3. What would you actually offer to do about the damage?

4. Would your answer be different if the vase was in a bedroom and there were no witnesses when you broke it and you could get out without being discovered as the guilty party?

(The "you" is rhetorical; I don't question what you, personally, would do, but what a hypothetical person should do.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by red tail

well I always wondered if the insurance would cover a golf ball through my window. I live on hacienda golf course and last week a guy hit a ball that went through my window and into another room breaking the window and destroyed the blind. my wife caught the guy as he was driving away and asked him if he was going to make it right. he said no but she could contact his insurance agent at state farm. she did and today they called and said absolutely no! I chose to live on a golf course so I assume the responsibility. so now I know!!!
im a golfer so I sorta agree with it but I still don't like it.

I had the exact opposite result with State Farm. I broke a window and State farm said no problem and paid for a new window.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

I had the exact opposite result with State Farm. I broke a window and State farm said no problem and paid for a new window.

Did you break your own window or somebody else's? What were the circumstances--what sport, and under what conditions?

This wasn't a problem with random non-fault damages happening to your car or house in MI. There would be $100 deductible (none for a windshield). But we were told by our insurance co. here in FL that there is not a $100 deductible for random acts against your car or house.