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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Koi ()
Date: September 10, 2013 08:05PM

Anyone know why my grass has several lines of spray paint on it? I'm the only one on my street with these spray painted stripes. Shouldn't the county inform us if they plan to be doing work in my yard? If I mow the stripes will be gone. Wassupwitdat?

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Joe Schum ()
Date: September 10, 2013 08:08PM

If they are red, yellow and blue they are utility markings. Expect a visit from the cable company who will be only too happy to destroy your yard.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Koi ()
Date: September 10, 2013 08:31PM

Why my yard and no one else's? I don't even have cable.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: From Da Hood ()
Date: September 10, 2013 08:40PM

Most likely these are markings for Verizon Fios. The lines are on your yard, and they're probably going to cut through your hard to get the fiber optic cables buried. If you have a driveway and they want to pile drive the conduit for the cable under the driveway, demand that they rebuild your driveway. Don't accept any half-assed patch job as a driveway will most likely sink in the area where the cable was pushed through below it. Also, if you have an in-ground sprinkler system, watch those fools. The Messican guys who are digging the trenches will just try to duct tape the sprinkler line if the cut it with the shovel.

I'm serious about all these. I've watched these messes affect individual homeowners as well as community common areas, too.

S&N Communications is the contractor that's most likely doing the work as they have a big contract with Verizon for the work.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Curmudgeon ()
Date: September 10, 2013 08:54PM

anytime anybody is doing work anywhere near you, the utility guys come out and spray all over the place. if it's just your grass, be grateful. quite often they spray driveways, sidewalks, and streets, which never wears off. gotta love repaving your driveway and 2 weeks later some retard with an orange spray paint can walks through and fucks it up.

doesn't necessarily mean they're going to dig up your yard, although verizon is pretty bad about that. they all have easements to run util lines pretty much wherever they want, so it's not like you can deny permission or anything.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Past pissed ()
Date: September 10, 2013 09:07PM

Verizon contractor tore the shit out of my yard. I came home from work and the crew was having lunch in my front yard laying under a tree. I had to fight for months to try to get this back to the way it was before they trashed it. The contractor was a big prick and said he thought the yard looked fine to him. I guess having dirt and rocks on top of the grass instead of under it was his idea of fine.

They will wear you down with promises of repairs but unless you have the stamina and money to take them to court dont expect satisfaction. The county is well aware of the problems and are required to keep records of all complaints. I think they store the complaints in a trash dumpster because things are still as bad as ever.

I was told Verizon is a happy contributor to our local politicians.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 10, 2013 09:23PM

If it is really "your yard", nobody can dig anything at all without your permission. The colored lines mark where various supply lines are buried and they are typically painted by contractors for Miss Utility. Miss Utility is a non-profit organization created by Virinia utility companies principally to protect their underground equipment and facilities from being damaged by bozos with backhoes. You can reach MIss Utility with any questions simply by dialing 811. The paint that Miss Utility contractors use degrades and disappears within a couple of weeks on hardscape, less than that on lawn, mulch or bare soil.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: YMMV ()
Date: September 10, 2013 09:28PM

Past pissed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Verizon contractor tore the shit out of my yard.

We had asked Verizon not to dig in our yard while we were out of town, but they did anyway. But they did a very nice job -- faithfully followed the path we had laid out, did not damage any sensitive nearby shrubbery, and put the lawn back to perfect. A first-class job, all in all.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Captain joe ()
Date: September 10, 2013 09:39PM

The Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it is really "your yard", nobody can dig
> anything at all without your permission.

Wrong, try utility right of way laws, you might learn that "your yard" is not really your yard.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Real Deal. ()
Date: September 10, 2013 09:41PM

They can also come on your property and cut back trees they deem endanger overhead lines.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: yeah no ()
Date: September 10, 2013 10:09PM

Quote

If it is really "your yard", nobody can dig anything at all without your permission. The colored lines mark where various supply lines are buried and they are typically painted by contractors for Miss Utility. Miss Utility is a non-profit organization created by Virinia utility companies principally to protect their underground equipment and facilities from being damaged by bozos with backhoes. You can reach MIss Utility with any questions simply by dialing 811. The paint that Miss Utility contractors use degrades and disappears within a couple of weeks on hardscape, less than that on lawn, mulch or bare soil.

That's an impressive amount of wrong for one paragraph. Miss utility paint has been on the sidewalks, driveways and streets in our neighborhood for 4 or 5 years and counting without dispersing.

Also please educate yourself regarding easements. You have no idea what you're talking about.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 10, 2013 10:59PM

Captain joe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wrong, try utility right of way laws, you might
> learn that "your yard" is not really your yard.

That would be called an easement. These are common enough, but they are spelled out in big letters when you purchase a property, since they mean that you do not actually own "your yard". If it really was "your yard" on the other hand and as was stipulated earlier, no one could come and dig on it without your permission.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 10, 2013 11:06PM

Real Deal. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They can also come on your property and cut back
> trees they deem endanger overhead lines.

That's an overhead easement, and it basically means you should plant nothing with a mature height of more than 20 feet within 15 feet of overhead lines and nothing with a mature height of more than 40 feet within 35 feet of overhead lines. It does not of course mean that anyone can come on your property and start digging.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 10, 2013 11:10PM

yeah no Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
Quote

If it is really "your yard", nobody can dig
> anything at all without your permission. The
> colored lines mark where various supply lines are
> buried and they are typically painted by
> contractors for Miss Utility. Miss Utility is a
> non-profit organization created by Virinia utility
> companies principally to protect their underground
> equipment and facilities from being damaged by
> bozos with backhoes. You can reach MIss Utility
> with any questions simply by dialing 811. The
> paint that Miss Utility contractors use degrades
> and disappears within a couple of weeks on
> hardscape, less than that on lawn, mulch or bare
> soil.
>
> That's an impressive amount of wrong for one
> paragraph. Miss utility paint has been on the
> sidewalks, driveways and streets in our
> neighborhood for 4 or 5 years and counting without
> dispersing.
>
> Also please educate yourself regarding easements.
> You have no idea what you're talking about.

Useless lying ignorant pinhead alert. Guy calling himself "yeah no". Totally misinformed nincompoop. Be on the lookout.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Joe L ()
Date: September 10, 2013 11:14PM

" It does not of course mean that anyone can come on your property and start digging."

A utility company performing work will notify you as a courtesy and leave contact cards but are not required to ask your permission. No one said that just anyone can come on your property and start digging but utility service is not just anyone. You really need to look up utility easements on private land.

Do you believe the gas company will cease repairing a leak in the lines in your yard because it is your yard and no one can come onto it.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: From Da Hood ()
Date: September 10, 2013 11:16PM

YMMV Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> We had asked Verizon not to dig in our yard while
> we were out of town, but they did anyway. But
> they did a very nice job -- faithfully followed
> the path we had laid out, did not damage any
> sensitive nearby shrubbery, and put the lawn back
> to perfect. A first-class job, all in all.


It seems you had a good experience. The "hacks" did cut the water lines in our community for the underground sprinklers and then used duct tape to fix their mess.

In the 2+ years that Verizon has been in my neighborhood, I haven't switched to Fios. It might be a good product, but I don't feel like giving them my business.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Fairfaxian ()
Date: September 11, 2013 08:30AM

Captain joe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Realist Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If it is really "your yard", nobody can dig
> > anything at all without your permission.
>
> Wrong, try utility right of way laws, you might
> learn that "your yard" is not really your yard.

It's still your yard. An easement is not a relinquishment of ownership, it is permission to use the land for a limited purpose.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: WingNut ()
Date: September 11, 2013 08:39AM

The red paint means there is pricey platinum wiring under the soil on your property.

Big pieces worth $100+ a foot.


Get that digging bar and get fucking paid bro!

_White_288.jpg


idontlikebeingrightaboutshitlikethisbutiam



Edited 21 time(s). Last edit at 5/31/1967 05:57AM by WingNut.

Last edit at 11/30/2015 01:37PM Last edit at 5/14/2015 03:52PM Last edit at 1/28/2014 05:57AM Last edit at 11/29/2015 01:10PM Last edit at 3/14/2011 11:52PM Last edit at 7/20/2012 04:07AM
Last edit at 6/29/2013 11:18PM Last edit at 3/19/2011 01:02PM Last edit at 3/26/2012 09:07PM



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2015 08:38AM by WingNut.


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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Miss Utility ()
Date: September 11, 2013 09:40AM

You can do a miss utility ticket search by street name and find out who requested the utility markings:

http://archive.va811.com/newtinweb/tktsrch.nas

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Protect your property ()
Date: September 11, 2013 09:51AM

Koi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why my yard and no one else's? I don't even have
> cable.


They have your property set up for the installation of the Central Hub Feeder Post. From the hub post, all other lines will be tied in, and this is the start.

FYI:

If the want to park a backhoe on your concrete driveway or sidewalk don't let them. They did this to my neighbors sidewalk and driveway and cracked them both. The put some tubed sealant on the cracks, but the water got under them and now they have shifted. Noe total replacement is needed. We have Fios, and he has a disaster. Good Luck.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:02AM

Joe L Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A utility company performing work will notify you
> as a courtesy and leave contact cards but are not
> required to ask your permission.

Then it isn't really "your yard", is it?

> No one said that just anyone can come on your property
> and start digging but utility service is not just anyone.
> You really need to look up utility easements on
> private land.

This is a very old school situation. Long ago settled law that you don't seem to know very much about. You haven't read -- or at least understood -- the thread either.

> Do you believe the gas company will cease
> repairing a leak in the lines in your yard because
> it is your yard and no one can come onto it.

Easements allow access of various sorts under various conditons. This is why they are not really "your yard". You have a significant need to get real here.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:17AM

Fairfaxian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's still your yard. An easement is not a
> relinquishment of ownership, it is permission to
> use the land for a limited purpose.

The term "your yard" implies an exclusivity of control that does mot exist in the case of easements. That is the very distinction that was being made through use of the term to begin with. The original complaint was over people having appeared out of the blue and painted lines all over what the poster took to be "his yard". That does not happen if it is really "your yard".

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Fairfaxian ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:30AM

The Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fairfaxian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It's still your yard. An easement is not a
> > relinquishment of ownership, it is permission
> to
> > use the land for a limited purpose.
>
> The term "your yard" implies an exclusivity of
> control that does mot exist in the case of
> easements. That is the very distinction that was
> being made through use of the term to begin with.
> The original complaint was over people having
> appeared out of the blue and painted lines all
> over what the poster took to be "his yard". That
> does not happen if it is really "your yard".

The term "your yard" implies only ownership. While ability to exclude is a - not "the," but "a" - defining characteristic of the bundle of rights of which ownership of real property is composed, the presence of an easement does not mean you don't own the property. It still is yours; you still (barring circumstances such as a life estate, which are fairly rare in modern days) own the land in fee simple absolute. The holder of the utility easement cannot convey any portion of your land. Their usage of your land is limited by the scope of the easement, which is narrow.

Legally, ownership of any kind of property comes with restrictions. You cannot install massive floodlights aimed at your neighbor's house. You cannot set booby-traps to maim or kill trespassers. You cannot run a meth lab out of your shed. That does not make your yard any less "yours."

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Verizon is gonna ass fuck you ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:52AM

Haha.... you're FUCKED! Most likely Verizon Fios. If youre the only one with spraypaint markings in your neighborhood, that means they are going to install a refirdgerator-sized relay box underground in your yard.

They will pay you a visit with a fucking massive bulldozer, dig a hole big enough to bury a dozen illegal immigrant workers and destroy the rest of your yard as they maneuver the bulldozer around.

Then they will leave you with a yard that needs about $500 worth of care to fix.

.
Attachments:
dozer.jpg

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: The Realist ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:56AM

Fairfaxian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The term "your yard" implies only ownership.

Since it was I who coined the term and put it in quote marks within the context of the initial posts in this thread, it means and implies exactly what I intended it to mean and imply and nothing else. Your other-worldly notions of what it might mean or imply are entirely extraneous, meaningless, and consequently irrelevant.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Verizon Guy ()
Date: September 11, 2013 11:41AM

Past pissed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Verizon contractor tore the shit out of my yard. I
> came home from work and the crew was having lunch
> in my front yard laying under a tree. I had to
> fight for months to try to get this back to the
> way it was before they trashed it. The contractor
> was a big prick and said he thought the yard
> looked fine to him. I guess having dirt and rocks
> on top of the grass instead of under it was his
> idea of fine.
>
> They will wear you down with promises of repairs
> but unless you have the stamina and money to take
> them to court dont expect satisfaction. The county
> is well aware of the problems and are required to
> keep records of all complaints. I think they store
> the complaints in a trash dumpster because things
> are still as bad as ever.
>
> I was told Verizon is a happy contributor to our
> local politicians.


I can tell you days worth of horror stories, where contractors have destroyed people's yards, damaged pipes, underground cables, vehicles, houses, etc.

One case that I recall in the Northeast involved an elderly lady who had lived in this home for several decades and had a flower garden she spent alot of time setting up, planting, etc. She even had prized flowers that were shown in the newspapers and magazines every year that she grew. Verizon came out to run some cable across several backyards including this lady's. Despite pleas for them to be careful, they ended up destroying her flower garden, damaging an underground septic tank in one of her neighbor's yards, and knocked over some trees in the common area (behind the properties) that resulted in one of the trees falling forward and striking a neighbor's house. Verizon was sued, and won the first set of cases, but lost when the cases were appealed.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Miss Utility ()
Date: September 11, 2013 12:42PM

Ask and you shall be informed:

Utility color codes are used to identify existing underground utilities in construction areas with the intent of protecting them from damage during excavation. This is done through flags or a special spray paint, neither of which will cause long-term harm to your lawn.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) Uniform Color Codes for temporary marking of underground utilities are listed below:

Red electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables

Orange telecommunication, alarm or signal lines, cables, or conduit

Yellow natural gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or other gaseous or flammable material

Green sewers and drain lines

Blue potable (drinkable) water

Purple reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines

White proposed excavation limits or route

Brown dog shit

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Curmudgeon ()
Date: September 11, 2013 02:33PM

Quote

Posted by: The Realist ():

entirely extraneous, meaningless, and consequently irrelevant.

kind of like your existence.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: easy does it ()
Date: September 11, 2013 02:40PM

The Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Captain joe Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Wrong, try utility right of way laws, you might
> > learn that "your yard" is not really your yard.
>
> That would be called an easement. These are
> common enough, but they are spelled out in big
> letters when you purchase a property, since they
> mean that you do not actually own "your yard". If
> it really was "your yard" on the other hand and as
> was stipulated earlier, no one could come and dig
> on it without your permission.

If you pull out the plat that your received when you bought your property, easements are clearly marked. I have a storm drain that runs across the yard underground, and it's marked on the plat. I think other utility easements are more common law - not marked, but there nonetheless. Is it 10 or 15' from the curb in a typical suburban community for power and cable? I think this may be called a right of way vs. an easement, and is controlled by VDOT. Sewer and water usually run down the middle of the street.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Zarnac, High Galactic Overlord ()
Date: September 11, 2013 04:43PM

Koi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone know why my grass has several lines of
> spray paint on it? I'm the only one on my street
> with these spray painted stripes. Shouldn't the
> county inform us if they plan to be doing work in
> my yard? If I mow the stripes will be gone.
> Wassupwitdat?


It was aliens. Your household has been marked for abduction. I hope you're ready for a probing.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Fairfaxian ()
Date: September 11, 2013 05:30PM

The Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fairfaxian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The term "your yard" implies only ownership.
>
> Since it was I who coined the term and put it in
> quote marks within the context of the initial
> posts in this thread, it means and implies exactly
> what I intended it to mean and imply and nothing
> else. Your other-worldly notions of what it might
> mean or imply are entirely extraneous,
> meaningless, and consequently irrelevant.

Well, first of all, you didn't coin the term. People have used the term "your yard" for as long as private property and yards have existed. It has a plain and everyday meaning - "the yard that belongs to you." "Belongs" means ownership. Legal ownership means title, particularly title held in fee simple. QED, what actually is irrelevant is your alternative definition of the term.

Your logic - "Your yard means a yard free and unencumbered from all easements, which is why the presence of an easement means the yard is not your yard" - is nothing more than begging the question. I could use the same logic to argue that the sky was green, so long as I demanded that everyone use my new definition of green.

You sound like you'd get along well with Carroll's Humpty-Dumpty.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Sothby3rd ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:54PM

Are you sure that your neighborhood was not built above a major gas pipeline?
When someone calls in a leak, they start digging everywhere trying to locate it.
They sent everyone in our neighborhood a flyer saying it was sent due to our proximity to a national gas supply pipeline. I have been looking around the neighborhood to see where it traverses near our house with no luck finding anything. However, on a walk a few blocks away one day I smelled gas in an area where there is a patch of woods. They just built a kiddy academy right across the street from this location, do not know if they actually fixed or found the leak there yet. Guess we'll see???

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: James ()
Date: September 11, 2013 10:56PM

Koi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone know why my grass has several lines of
> spray paint on it? I'm the only one on my street
> with these spray painted stripes. Shouldn't the
> county inform us if they plan to be doing work in
> my yard? If I mow the stripes will be gone.
> Wassupwitdat?


My God have you been living in a cave for 30 years? Miss Utility and now her successors have come around for years marking utility lines.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: Hungry Boy ()
Date: September 11, 2013 11:52PM

Fairfaxian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Realist Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Fairfaxian Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The term "your yard" implies only ownership.
> >
> > Since it was I who coined the term and put it
> in
> > quote marks within the context of the initial
> > posts in this thread, it means and implies
> exactly
> > what I intended it to mean and imply and
> nothing
> > else. Your other-worldly notions of what it
> might
> > mean or imply are entirely extraneous,
> > meaningless, and consequently irrelevant.
>
> Well, first of all, you didn't coin the term.
> People have used the term "your yard" for as long
> as private property and yards have existed. It
> has a plain and everyday meaning - "the yard that
> belongs to you." "Belongs" means ownership.
> Legal ownership means title, particularly title
> held in fee simple. QED, what actually is
> irrelevant is your alternative definition of the
> term.
>
> Your logic - "Your yard means a yard free and
> unencumbered from all easements, which is why the
> presence of an easement means the yard is not your
> yard" - is nothing more than begging the question.
> I could use the same logic to argue that the sky
> was green, so long as I demanded that everyone use
> my new definition of green.
>
> You sound like you'd get along well with Carroll's
> Humpty-Dumpty.


Hahaha +1 Fairfaxian. You put that jackass in their place well.

Now git off "my yard!!!" lol.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: lrane ()
Date: July 23, 2014 05:39PM

I'm very concern about orange spray paint in my yard. I called Verizon , Comcast,and Delmarva no one is taking responsibility for the paint. I dont know who eles to call besides the police. With all these home explosion it concerns me. Any advise.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: JustSoYouKnow ()
Date: July 23, 2014 07:32PM

lrane Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm very concern about orange spray paint in my
> yard. I called Verizon , Comcast,and Delmarva no
> one is taking responsibility for the paint. I dont
> know who eles to call besides the police. With all
> these home explosion it concerns me. Any advise.


None of them sprayed. Miss Utility did: http://va811.com/

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: este es mi calle ()
Date: July 24, 2014 07:53AM

Could you make out the letters MS and the number 13?
Perhaps you should look into a neighborhood that has lots of white folks.

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Re: Who spray painted my grass?
Posted by: How ()
Date: August 20, 2016 10:38AM

I see the markings in my yard, again. A few years ago Verizon and S&N Cable came through and bored under driveway. Promised no harm and would be fine. Of course it was for the first year, then as you said the driveway sank and crack. Has anyone been successful in making them repave, not repair, their driveway?

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