how to get rid of a guy wire blocking my access to my backyard

[ray]

I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
where to point me to. What should I do?


--
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[k...@attt.bizz]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:45:02 +0000, ray
<caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote:

>I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
>city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
>is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
>company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
>owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
>where to point me to. What should I do?

What is it holding up? It should be fairly easy to track down who
owns the pole, or whatever. If they don't claim it, they probably
will, rather quickly, if it comes down. ;-)

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

On Apr 28, 7:55 pm, k...@attt.bizz wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:45:02 +0000, ray
>

There must be an easement and it should be recorded in the County
records. You may find out that you can't remove the guiy wire if it
is in the easement right of way.

[k...@attt.bizz]

I thought of the same thing, but the easement may just say that it's a
utility easement, rather than name the utility. They do share each
other's poles and it's hard to guess (they're usually marked, IME)
which utility owns the pole. You're right, though, there may be no
way to force them to do anything. OTOH, they might not want to make
enemies.

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

On Apr 28, 10:13 pm, k...@attt.bizz wrote:
> On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:51:59 -0700 (PDT), "hrhofm...@sbcglobal.net"

> enemies.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Yeah, especially if you suggest that there may be an accident/incident
as a result of their guy wire.

[Home Guy]

ray wrote:

> The problem is there is a guy wire that is blocking access to my

> yard. The electrical company came for inspection and said that it

> is not their. It is either owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these
> two companies but have no idea where to point me to. What should
> I do?

What you should have done is simply cut / remove the guy wire yourself.
Removal of wire is not unusual in the US these days - it's called urban
mining. Nobody could attribute it to you if you do it right.

But because you've already made a lot of noise by contacting everyone,
if you remove it yourself then someone will remember that you wanted it
gone and you're in trouble.

So you screwed yourself.

They won't remove it no matter how much you bug them because some
engineer at some point obviously wanted that guy wire there, and they
won't take it down now because it's an insurance / liability issue for
them if they do any work that can weaken or make their poles less
secure. Liability insurance governs all aspects of life in the US
today.

[Doug]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:45:02 +0000, ray

<caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote:

>I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
>city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
>is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
>company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
>owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
>where to point me to. What should I do?

Is the guy wire in an easement? If so, there isn't much you can do
about it as that's their right to do so. Sure you can plead your
case but that's laughable inside their walls.

[DerbyDad03]

ray <caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote:
> I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
> city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
> is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
> company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
> owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
> where to point me to. What should I do?
>

If whoever you spoke to at Verizon and Comcast couldn't help you, call back
and ask again. If that person can't help, escalate the call to a
supervisor. It took me a couple of calls to get the details of a pole
replacement project in my neighborhood, but I eventually got all the
details, including who owned the poles, what order the work of the three
companies would be done in and when I could expect the empty poles to be
removed.

Once you get to the right people, they should be more than willing to help
you out, at least as far as the details of the guy wire placement.

You may even find that they might be willing to move the guy wire. I
happened to be home when they dropped the new pole and they actually
dropped it about 5 feet from where they were going to when I nicely told
them that it was hard for me to open my car door if I parked next to it.

[Attila Iskander]

"ray" <caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote in message
news:5bdc9$517dc28e$45499b77$74...@news.flashnewsgroups.com...

>I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
> city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
> is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
> company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
> owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
> where to point me to. What should I do?
>

The pole should have markings to tell you who owns it. About 6-10 feet from
the ground.

Typically it would be (in descending order)
1) The power company
2) The original phone company
3) Rarely some new cable company.

If you have a state level public utility oversight agency, they would also
know.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Apr 29, 7:51 am, "Attila Iskander" <Attila.Iskan...@live.com>
wrote:
> "ray" <caedfaa9ed1216d60ef78a6f660f5f85_7...@example.com> wrote in message

He might try calling the local police. Poles get knocked over
by cars all the time so they must have some contact numbers that
they call to say, "This pole has been damaged...."

Or find a Verizon or Comcast truck that is doing work in the
area and ask them. If they come out to fix somebody's service
and find a damaged poll, they must know who to call.

[Pat]

When you look at the tags, you might also see the word "contact". If
Verison owns it, others might have their name with the word contact
indicating they have wires on it, but they don't own it. (I.e., their
wires make contact with someone else's pole.)

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Apr 29, 8:45 am, Pat <p...@nospam.us> wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:51:21 -0500, "Attila Iskander"
>
>
>
>
>

> <Attila.Iskan...@live.com> wrote:
> >"ray" <caedfaa9ed1216d60ef78a6f660f5f85_7...@example.com> wrote in message

> wires make contact with someone else's pole.)  - Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

But you would think that if such an identifying tag were on
the poll, when the electric utility came out to inspect it, they
would have been able to tell him who's it was.

[Robert Macy]

On Apr 28, 5:45 pm, ray

<caedfaa9ed1216d60ef78a6f660f5f85_7...@example.com> wrote:
> I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
> city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
> is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
> company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
> owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
> where to point me to. What should I do?
>
> --

> posted fromhttp://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/how-to-get-rid-of-a-guy-wire...

> using  HomeOwnersHub's  Web, RSS and Social Media Interface
> to  home and garden related  groups

If your easement is for vehicles to pass, sounds like this guy wire
violates that easement and is therefore illegally placed.

Not sure I envision what's there, but sounds like trying to drive
under the triangle made by a tent wire. Should be possible to replace
with a 'dogleg' guy wire. I've see these configurations in tight
locations where a vehicle has to have clearance between the pole and
the wire's ground attachment. The idea is that the wire comes down at
similar angle to what is there now but instead of tied to ground is
tied to top of a short pole, essentially moving everything a bit up in
the air to provide clearance for a vehicle to go under everything
right next to the pole.

[Harry K]

He isn't clear but I think the pole is not on his property but in the
alley and the wire prevents vehicle access to his yard.

For someone who wanted help, he doesn't seem to want to answer any of
the posts.

Harry K

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

> Harry K- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

He could also call JULIE, they must have records of all wires below
ground and maybe also have info on poles, etc.

[micky]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:45:02 +0000, ray
<caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote:

>I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
>city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
>is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
>company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
>owned by Verizon or Comcast.

If it's owned by Verizon, it's simple. Sign up for Verizon wireless.

[George]

On 4/28/2013 8:45 PM, ray wrote:
> I am planning on turning my backyard into a parking pad as parking in the
> city has become really difficult. The problem is there is a guy wire that
> is blocking access to my yard. How do I get rid of it. The electrical
> company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
> owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
> where to point me to. What should I do?
>
>

It isn't that difficult. Each company that has something attached to the
pole will nail an attachment tag on the pole. You simply call, give them
that number and ask for someone to meet you. Just did it with Comcast
maybe six months ago.

[EXT]

"ray" <caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote in message
news:5bdc9$517dc28e$45499b77$74...@news.flashnewsgroups.com...

1. You don't talk to the customer service staff that answers the phone, you
go for the construction or engineering department.
2. They get requests all the time to move poles and guy wires when
construction projects are started, but it is normal for the requester to pay
for the change.
3. Most cities charge a tax on each pole, unless they own it, they should be
able to identify the owner, who they tax.
4. If you check with your local city/town you may find that you need a
permit for the parking pad, also for access to the street/laneway, without a
permit the pole owner may not want to make any changes.
5. The pole can be moved or the guy wire reconfigured to allow access if you
can convince or pay them to do it.

[Kurt Ullman]

In article <517ea817$0$59711$c3e8da3$66d3...@news.astraweb.com>,

"EXT" <noe...@reply.in.this.group> wrote:

>
> 1. You don't talk to the customer service staff that answers the phone, you
> go for the construction or engineering department.
> 2. They get requests all the time to move poles and guy wires when
> construction projects are started, but it is normal for the requester to pay
> for the change.
> 3. Most cities charge a tax on each pole, unless they own it, they should be
> able to identify the owner, who they tax.
> 4. If you check with your local city/town you may find that you need a
> permit for the parking pad, also for access to the street/laneway, without a
> permit the pole owner may not want to make any changes.
> 5. The pole can be moved or the guy wire reconfigured to allow access if you
> can convince or pay them to do it.

There is one other thing to check. From personal experience, there are
times when the guy wire goes off of the easement. You might be able to
convince them to move it since it is technically not there legally.
--
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late
to work within the system, but too early to shoot
the bastards."-- Claire Wolfe

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per ray:

> How do I get rid of it. The electrical
>company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
>owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
>where to point me to. What should I do?

When I had a Comcast cable break as I was driving under it - and it
damaged some property on top of the vehicle - I spent awhile trying to
get in touch with somebody from Comcast before I gave up and just filed
a small claims court action against them.

That worked like magic and they were perfectly reasonable. Never had
to go to court or anything - but the claim went into their system and
navigated itself to the right decision maker and it was downhill from
there on.
--
Pete Cresswell

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

Did what was on top of the vehicle cause the cable break or was it
purely coincidental?

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per hrho...@sbcglobal.net:

>Did what was on top of the vehicle cause the cable break or was it
>purely coincidental?

High wind day. Cable was probably 25 feet up there when it broke and
just sort of layed itself across my vehicle. Fortunately, I was going
very slowly at the time.
--
Pete Cresswell

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:33:13 -0700 (PDT), "hrho...@sbcglobal.net"
<hrho...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:



>
>Did what was on top of the vehicle cause the cable break or was it
>purely coincidental?

If it was less than 14', it would not matter. Some years ago our
company truck took out a power line to another building. The electric
company send us a bill for the damage. I, in turn, sent them a bill
for damages to the trailer (rather minor) and explained it was a wire
that drooped below proper level. They paid.

[George]

On 4/29/2013 2:05 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per ray:
>> How do I get rid of it. The electrical
>> company came for inspection and said that it is not their. It is either
>> owned by Verizon or Comcast. Called these two companies but have no idea
>> where to point me to. What should I do?
>
> When I had a Comcast cable break as I was driving under it - and it
> damaged some property on top of the vehicle - I spent awhile trying to
> get in touch with somebody from Comcast before I gave up and just filed
> a small claims court action against them.

My friend said he heard car horns and saw cars going slow in front of
his house. The cable going to their house ran from their house across
the street to a mid-span attachment on the cable carrier cable and then
to the tap near the pole. The mid-span attachment broke so the cable was
hanging in the street at windshield level.

He called Comcast and they politely informed him they would be there
next Monday between noon and 5. It was late evening so he was likely
speaking to someone offshore who could only offer that solution. So he
called 911 to report the issue with the cable. Multiple fire trucks and
equipment showed up. A little later a Comcast truck showed up and
repaired the mid-span attachment. Next day my friend got a call from the
local Comcast office construction superintendent apologizing for the
event. He said 911 had contact info for them but their after hours call
center didn't. My friend asked and the guy said the reason he was
calling was because the city told them to call. He also said Comcast got
dinged for sending out the firetrucks and other equipment.

[George]

A good friend of mine was on the Interstate in PA early morning and hit
some ice. He hit the guardrail and did just enough damage that he
couldn't drive the car.

Not long after he received a bill for the "damages he caused" to
electrical utility equipment. He returned to the site and his cars paint
was still on the guard rail so he knew he was in the right spot. He
carefully combed the area for any evidence of electrical equipment or
any soil that had been disturbed and found none.

He wrote a letter back to the utility requesting the type(s) of
equipment that were damaged and where they were located. He went through
a chain of mailings before he received a mailing informing him that the
matter was closed.


As an aside a mutual friend who works for an agency said there were
similar reports from others. Apparently the utility would mine the
states accident database and send out bills for damage just because they
could. He said he didn't know how far it would be pursued. So if the
utility owned the right politicians that could be never.

[Tekkie®]

ray posted for all of us...

And I know how to SNIP

Usually ** the pole has some kind of marker on it
with the owner and pole number for purposes of
restoration and payment in case of accident or
rent to other utilities. Most - but not all - are
owned by the electric utility.

--
Tekkie

[gen...@internet.com]

How do you know the wire is a guy? Does it have a dick and balls?
It could be a gal wire, but then it would have boobs!