Backwood Etiquette - opinions needed

[mikeathens]

With the wind and rain we had here yesterday, a 30" red oak fell across the road up the street from me. We have about 3 cars go by our house each day, so I was the first to find it at 10:00 am. Well, it was straight across the road, and there are 3 houses on our 2 mile stretch of road - the house it was near belongs to an absentee owner - she shows up about once a month.

Anyhow, the road was impassible, so I turned around and got my chainsaw, went back, and preceeded to saw the tree up so I could get by. The township normally cuts it into a couple logs and pushes them along the road. That would have been too heavy to move, so I cut the tree (what was across the road) into 18" sections. I didn't touch the rest of the tree that was off of the road. Since I had to move them anyhow, why not into the bed of my truck? I figured if I didn't take them, somone else would, plus, it was my labor to clear the road.

The question is: is it "stealing" to take that wood? It equaled a full load in my dakota. I don't know for sure, but I suspect that it would have either been picked up by the next person coming through, or it would have laid there and rotted. I should have asked, but there is no one around to ask. What does everyone think?

 

[chad3]

I'd keep it.

 

[dtabor]

I say no, you're fine taking it. If you'd have cut/taken that which was on the property on the side, then there may have been an issue but not the stuff that was in the road. Not sure the laws there but when the power companies drop/leave trees along their right of way here in VT, Ive called and they say that I have to ask the property owner even though its the power right of way.

 

[eernest4]

Backwood ediquate means that the guy with the biggest gun makes the rules. :lol:

You done right to take it. Now, go back and ask for the rest of the tree. You deserve it & the absentee landlord will be lucky to have you remove it for free.

Or, you could just take the tree & send her a bill for cutting it up & removing it & if she complains, offer to reduce the bill to 50 % off or less & have a quote from a tree service ready to bash her over the head with,just in case she don't realize what a favor you done her.

If you lived in waterbury ct, whatever ain't bolted down gets stolen & what is bolted down gets stolen too, because they come back with bolt cutters.

And if you say anything to them, they smash all your car windows for you.
Then the police come and arrest you, for harrasing the criminals.
Government corruption, no, not here, not if you know what's good for you.

Just another reason to sell & move to where you are.

 

[Shipper50]

I live in the boondocks and had the same thing happen to me. Tree fell across the road and my lady comes back after leaving for work and says the road is blocked by a tree. I get on my Arctic Cat with saw and cut the tree where it came across the fences and cleared the road. I put the pieces in my AC and came home. No one knows its me other than her and I.

I feel you did right and should keep the wood you cleared for your labor.

Shipper

 

[JimWalshin845]

Hey... you had to pick the rounds up..... if you didn't you could have been considered littering!

Possession... 9 tenths of the law!

 

[BrotherBart]

Leave your bill for cleaning up the absentee owner's mess on their front door.

 

[mikeathens]

Well, now I can sleep at night. Even if I'm wrong, when she comes a bitchin' that I took her wood, I can say that the Hearth.com forum members have spoken...and she's SOL.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Most people if they were there and you came along, would gladly have you take all the wood just for cleaning up the mess. If the landowner doesn't heat with wood, then no doubt they will be very thankful you have done what you did. Merry Christmas. Just don't burn that wood yet.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hey Mike, I just realized where you are from. I remember going through there last June with RAAM. Did you see any of the racers?

 

[Shane]

Personally I'd of taken the whole tree. You saved the landowner the city/county or the power company some duckets by moving it. I'd say you're entitled to it. Kind of like road kill, you have the first rights to it if you want it.

 

[mikeathens]

Well, the woman who's place it fell in front of has a sort of "vacation home" with no electric. I'm sure she heats with wood, but she is the type that likes to pay people to serve her. I guess I was thinking how pissed I would be if somone took a tree that fell along my road frontage - I have 1/4 mile of frontage. But then again, I'm home all of the time, and this is my homestead.

I thought of taking the whole thing, and then thought "OK, let's not get greedy". The next time I see her, if she doesn't keep the rest for herself, I'm going to ask about the rest of it.

Hey Mike, I just realized where you are from. I remember going through there last June with RAAM. Did you see any of the racers?

What the hell's RAAM? Roadbiking?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

http://raceacrossamerica.org/

RAAM is the annual Bicycle Race Across America. How about crossing the United States on a bike in a week?!! This year the route starts at Oceanside, CA and ends in Annapolis, MD. It has been ending in Atlantic City for quite a while but there was a change this year. btw, they choose the most mountainous and hilly ride they can find along the route. Last year there was over 100,000 feet of climbing to do on RAAM. Not sure about this year but we'll be missing Wolf Creek Pass. The route turns south at Pagosa Springs and goes into New Mexico before heading east again.

btw, there was a check station in Athens last year but don't remember if it was maned or not. What this race is like is a whole series of time trials.

Also, I am not a racer but I am the RV Captain for team Rans this year. Last year with Team Velokraft. The race has both solo riders and teams. Our guys also ride recumbent bikes rather than traditional DF bikes.