Man Tired Of People Smashing His Pumpkins Fills Them With Concrete, Resulting In One Recked Car, Confused Teen, And Angry Mom
Many folks are quite proud of their artful pumpkin carvings, showing them off on their doorsteps as a hallmark of Halloween festivities. However, not everyone appreciates these displays of creativity. For some, the thrill lies not in creation but in destruction.
For the past four Halloweens, OP had been plagued by the unwelcome attentions of pumpkin smashers. On the Halloween of 2021, when one of OP's pumpkins fell victim to a drive-by squashing, OP decided they had had enough.
Their retaliation was innovative: they chose a large pumpkin and filled it with concrete. This makeshift gargoyle was then placed in the usual spot where OP's pumpkins had graced previous Halloweens.
On the night of Halloween 2022, once the trick-or-treating had ceased, OP waited in their house, poised for the return of the pumpkin assailant. But the hours passed with no sign of the habitual vandal.
OP surmised that the culprit might have moved away and decided to turn in for the night. However, in the wee hours of the morning, around 4:30, OP was jolted awake by a cacophonous crash.
Peering out of the window, they saw a car flipped onto its side, one wheel completely detached. Despite the commotion, OP shut their window and decided to deal with it in the morning.
With the dawn, the mystery was revealed. The vandal's mother came knocking on OP's door, explaining that her 17-year-old son had wrecked his car due to the unsuspecting pumpkin.
OP's response was both sympathetic and stern: "I'm sorry that happened, but he shouldn't be smashing other people's property just for his enjoyment." Read the full story below:
OP asks:
For the past four Halloweens, OP had been plagued by the unwelcome attentions of pumpkin smasher. Their retaliation was innovative: they chose a large pumpkin and filled it with concrete.
In the wee hours of the morning, around 4:30, OP was jolted awake by a cacophonous crash.
Completely justified but might cause legal trouble
"It's not a booby trap, it's a simple weight to deter theft."
"Nobody calls a stone lion or a statue a booby trap."
"If the kid is injured, that's on him"
People even use road cones
"He was driving through your property "
The kid made his choice
While many enjoy the innocent fun of Halloween, pranks that involve the destruction of property can lead to unexpected and serious consequences. It's important to be aware of both the rights and responsibilities that come with property ownership.
Even though the pumpkin was on OP's property, the decision to fill it with concrete had significant ramifications. While OP was within their rights to protect their property, the concrete-filled pumpkin inadvertently became a road hazard.
Furthermore, the potential legal implications of not offering help in the event of an accident should be considered. In certain jurisdictions, the principle of the duty to rescue might apply. This is the legal expectation for a person to provide assistance to someone in danger, especially if it can be done without risking oneself.
OP's choice to close the window and ignore the incident could potentially be viewed as an evasion of this responsibility, though this would largely depend on local laws and regulations. However, it should be noted that the responsibility falls heavily on the vandal in this situation, as their actions led to the accident.
The overarching lesson here is that actions have consequences, and pranks that involve the destruction of property can quickly turn from harmless fun to serious trouble. This Halloween saga serves as a reminder that respect for other people's property is not just a matter of ethics but also a legal obligation.
