Whistle Creek: A Little Rant

Thursday, March 13, 2014

A Little Rant

When you are attached to something with an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis you are...? Hint.. it's the same thing as when your car is run over by a truck owned by the State of Ohio. If you didn't see last week's post, scroll down to look at the picture of the Subaru. Back? OK. Here's the strange tale of how things work in Ohio.There was never any question that the BASDT ( Big Ass State Dump Truck) merged into my car at 50 or 60 mph , took out the right side, pushed me and the dog down the road with amazing force and left us 75 feet down an embankment. The risk management person from ODOT assured me at the scene that they were" Self Insured " and all would be well. What I didn't understand is that meant "MYSELF" not " THEIR SELF " !!! Yes friends the State of Ohio accepts responsibility for the accident but my insurance company picks up the tab. Supposedly there is to be no impact on my claims history, we'll see. Remember Sovereign Immunity from school? This is it in action. The state will generously cover my deductible and any rental car days beyond the 30 my policy covers. Five minutes before my car sustained $ 9K in damage it was worth about $ 18K. Even if it is perfectly repaired, it will never be worth even $ 14K with that big an accident on the CarFax. I have been up and down the food chain on this and cannot get anyone to consider totaling my car or compensate me for the loss of value that I have to eat on this deal. They tell me I'm screwed, I tell them I'm pissed and nothing changes. So if you see you are about to get hit by a "BASDT" try to get out of the way. The only one who is going to get hurt is you and no one will make you whole again. Sometimes when no one is interested in making you happy you just have to decide to be happy anyway. I'm trying. be patient. Thanks for listening.

8 comments:

gzMarch 13, 2014 at 5:04 PM
Glad you're ok....Insurance companies can suck...last time I was bumped they tried to write my car off (for two scraped doors) ad had the cheek to say 50:50 liability when she drove into me!!!! I suppose I sinned by being in her way :/
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cookingwithgasMarch 13, 2014 at 5:15 PM
That sucks, really sucks. You should be angry as beck!!
No heck.
I'm truly sorry.
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Linda StarrMarch 13, 2014 at 6:37 PM
omg I am so sorry about your accident, $9 k and not totaled ? what year is your car? that is amazing and can they even put it back similar to it's previous running condition?
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June PerryMarch 13, 2014 at 7:59 PM
At least glad to hear that you're OK; but bummer about your car and monetary loss.
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Tracey BroomeMarch 14, 2014 at 8:12 AM
I once watched a BATT (big ass trash truck) run over my state provided trash can. I fought city hall for months trying to get them to pay for a replacement, they refused, I threatened to chain myself to the city hall steps in protest, they laughed..... I even refused to get a new one, taking my trash to the dump for months. With all my battling, no one cared, I only caused myself grief, I finally gave up and bought a new trash receptacle. As they say,. you can't fight City Hall. I am beginning to think you can't fight any form of government in this country! Sorry about that Subaru :(
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Lori BuffMarch 14, 2014 at 9:13 AM
Have you tried contacting every elected official you can? Sometimes the people that want your votes actually do work for you...sometimes.
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karenMarch 14, 2014 at 2:44 PM
So sorry this has happened to you, you don't deserve it. Next time a salt truck goes by we just won't wave like we always used to. This is bureaucracy for you. Once again, thanks for the gravel job.
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Michèle HastingsMarch 24, 2014 at 4:53 PM
That really sucks. I had a bad accident about 6 years. My trailblazer was totaled. Dealing with the insurance was as traumatic as the accident. Glad you are ok, and I hope things are settled expeditiously.
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Why Whistle Creek

Whistle Creek is near the area where my ancestors settled in East Tennessee. It is about 6 miles west of I-75 and 8 miles south of Jellico.At various times the land was claimed by England, France, Spain, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky,Tennessee, the Union,the Confederacy, and the Cherokee.My family was there around 1800 and possibly before.My brothers and I still own the top of the mountain and it is still very rough country. I named my studio Whistle Creek in memory of the Allens who scraped their living from the earth and managed to keep it for two hundred years.

Bricks,Bricks, Bricks

I have two loads of kiln brick at home and one more to go. Weather permitting I will get some help from my newly retired brother and haul the rest home next week. I'm still early in the planning stages for the kiln. I haven't decided yet whether to make the firebox perpendicular to the arch a la John Theis managama and groundhog kilns or to place it parallel to the axis of the arch. I do know that with #2 three inch arch brick It will be a 3"6" sprung arch on top of low walls with a sunken firebox. If i can find a saw that will cut 41/2" I can rip some of the arch brick to fill in the ends of the courses and use the arch brick on edge to make 9" thick walls. Any input appreciated.

The Pitcher and the Nun

Yesterday a couple of sweet elderly ladies came into my booth and fell in love with the pitcher from the last woodfiring. (See last Blog entry) They said they wanted to give it as a wedding gift, then they said the fatal words-" Do you take Mastercard? " I replied-" No, but I want this piece to go to a good home and I believe that if I send it home with you, you will send me a check." They agreed and we exchanged info. It turned out they were nuns.Instead of mailing me a check, they brought back a check and some homemade candy a couple of hours later.It was nice to make the sale, but even nicer to send out a little faith in mankind and have a good deed returned.

Ohio Slip

More Spring Fair Prep....

Today was spent loading a bisque kiln with pots I have been throwing the last few weeks.They are made with a really nice red clay that a friend sold me when I couldn't get earthen red at Highwater. I should be able to glaze Monday and fire the whole load again next week. This is the only clay that I fire in the electric kilns but it gives a look that a lot of people like and I can fire economically. This plus pots on hand and pots I have been glazing for the gas kiln should be plenty for spring fair so now I can concentrate on the booth.

Spring Fair

The main project of the week was to try to finish throwing a batch of red clay that I have been working on so I can get the pots fired and glazed for the big Spring Fair sale that the Clay Alliance is holding on May 2. This is the big annual sales event for the club and I am very happly to be included this year but I do feel a little pressure to up my game and have a booth that doesn't look like a yard sale. Once I get the pots fired, I will have to spend some time focusing on display space and building some nice shelving. The sale is 11 to 4 at the corner of Madison and Woodburn ( DeSales Corner) Just take 71 to Edwards rd., Edwards to Madison, Right on Madison and you will be there in a few minutes. You will have a great time and get to meet 40 of the best potters and ceramicists in the region. More info at http://www.clayalliance.org/.

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