If you were mowing professionally then you'd probably get blamed. But as a homeowner hit a ball that the neighbor kid hit into your lawn, probably not.
The real head scratcher is why would you buy him a new ball ?
We hit probably 5 balls weekly mowing Ballfield's and Park's. Typically they deflect downward then go bouncing around.
I hit one perfect pitch it sailed 200 yards. Babe Ruth would have been proud.

 

If you were mowing professionally then you'd probably get blamed. But as a homeowner hit a ball that the neighbor kid hit into your lawn, probably not.
The real head scratcher is why would you buy him a new ball ?
We hit probably 5 balls weekly mowing Ballfield's and Park's. Typically they deflect downward then go bouncing around.
I hit one perfect pitch it sailed 200 yards. Babe Ruth would have been proud.

Thanks for the answer. I guess I just wanted to be nice when I gave them a baseball. Would have loved to have seen a video of the one you sent soaring.

 

One of my accounts gets wiffle balls in the yard all the time. I've destroyed a few, I just throw them back over the fence.

 

Wanna see something fly? Hit a lacross ball. Ive shot one of those probably 400 to 500ft and over a house when i worked at tge school. We have one account that the nieghbor kids always leave lacrosse balls in grass flap stays down alot on that one just in case.

 

I think the OP is being way too nice. These kids are throwing something into his yard that could potentially cause catastrophic property or bodily damage. The idea of buying them a new ball is completely backwards. The neighbors should be the ones paying restitution. Neighbors are 100% in the wrong and should be getting a stern talking to. No shot you should put up with that.

 

Are you serious? Or was that sarcasm? Sometimes I can’t tell, lol.

 

Honestly, the things people sit around and worry about, then get on the internet and ask about just blow my mind. It also goes to show how ridiculous things have gotten that anyone would have to be concerned over who is or isn’t liable in a case like this.

 

I want to say as an LCO, that’s a bit different.

Here’s a real situation from last year. Had a big client. Like 10 properties we serviced for him. One property had a creek cutting the property in two. We had to mow both sides. Nothing on the north side but grass and like a million trees to mow around. New neighbor moved into the house next to the grass lot. No fence around either. Neighbor had a huge backyard and like 3 young kids. Young couple. (Millennials) He is a lazy music minister at a church and almost never cuts his grass. So where did his kids play? Of course where we kept the grass mown. They would just absolutely leave everything in the yard I serviced. Toy cars, balls, jump ropes, sticks, power wheels…. And the parents would just go over there and play with the kids. I watched them leave the yard when I showed up to cut the grass.

Well, I had quite enough of picking up THEIR MESS and tossing it back into their yard. Like, I very loudly announced upon showing up to find them playing in the yard again that I was sick and f-ing tired of picking up their stuff. (And yes I did run over some toys at different times.)

Well, they called the property owner and talked with him. Of course he had no problem with them playing in his lot. After all, it wasn’t him cleaning up after them all the time. He then basically told me it was fine and to deal with it.

I dropped that joker this year over that, unpaid invoices and just general disregard to my company and time.

 

OP should not have bought the kids another baseball.

My kids are 10 & 5. Kids leave stuff out. It happens, with no ill intent.

But the kids should have been given the mangled ball, and a gentle lesson about the what-ifs should a mower toss a ball at 100 mph+ ...

The kids receiving the mangled ball helps teach them about responsibility. If they want to replace it, they should work for, and earn it, and hopefully keep better track of foul balls going forward.

 

OSHA's theoretical blade tip speed limit of 19000 ft/min is roughly equivalent to 215.9 mph.

 

As an LCO, you don't get to yell at parents or kids leaving messes in your customers property. You can certainly do that if it's your property. I've had situations where the neighbors bleed into my customers lawns and leave a mess. I don't yell at anybody, it's not my neighborhood and it's not my lawn. I just tell the owner, and throw an upcharge at them or tell them i'll mow around it. Anytime you are on somebody elses property and you yell at the neighbors for playing on their property, especially when they have permission, you are giving a bad name for your company. That's just my opinion.

I could never imagine yelling "hey i'm sick and f'in tired of you playing in the yard". Also not good to build up that type of animosity, it's best to approach the property owner and customer immediately, don't let it get yourself so worked up that you're just about to blow your top.

 

That's just my opinion.

Nobody cares.

could never imagine yelling "hey i'm sick and f'in tired of you playing in the yard"

Better reread the post there. It's widely known you don't read well. That's not what I said.

Like, I very loudly announced upon showing up to find them playing in the yard again that I was sick and f-ing tired of picking up their stuff.

 

Oh i wasnt quoting you. I never quoted you. I just gave an example of my own that relates.

Its not a professional way to go about things. We all get to share our opinions, im fine with it if you dont care but you would be best speaking for yourself. The ban hammer has hit you a half a dozen times on this forum. Surely we can make you a nicer member of this community at some point.

 

Ban hammer has hit you nearly as many times. Since I've been here it's been what 4 times now? Have you forgotten? None of us have.

 

I’ve run over baseballs, golf balls, you name it nothing has done more damage to my machines (yes more than one) than those about 16” long quadruple over dog chew ropes. Immediately burns through all of my belts by locking up my blades. It’s a $500 loss of production and fix if not more.

 

My favorite are hedge apples!

 

That’s a term I don’t believe I’ve ever heard.

 

osage orange would be the other term.

 

Neighbor parked their car in my yard.. Pretty sure it bent the blade when I hit it. It didn't go very far at all.

 

Amazing firewood. Hard on chains but can throw a split in the wood stove and it will bring up the fire temp drastically.

 

Amen. That stuff i cut the other day. Will be heating our house in 2025 or 26 probably

 

If you hit a baseball just right with a zero turn it will fly like hitting a home run.