Off Topic Thoughts for those less fortunate

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
Ozzymac

Ozzymac

Well-Known Member
Sep 25, 2019
5,375
12,135
113
57
As an insurance loss adjuster i had to visit a fairly extensive bushfire site in South Australia today and it go me thinking that not only are there some people doing it tough everyday but there are others that would consider themselves fortunate who's worlds have been ripped apart by catastrophic events.

What i saw today left me speechless a number of times. 5 days out from Christmas out of control fires started as a result of a tree barnch falling onto power lines. This is the first major event in SA this season but there have been fires burning out of control in New South Wales and Queensland for over a month.

Seeing what these poor people have had to endure through no fault of their own really makes you realise how lucky you are sometimes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kittenmittons, goldfinger, Bank of England 2 and 9 others
Yes the poor climate change denying aussie pm had to curtail his jaunt to Hawaii to help the poor souls..help being weasel words and sage nodding of heads all round
 
  • Like
Reactions: safc-noggieland
Ozzymac said:
As an insurance loss adjuster i had to visit a fairly extensive bushfire site in South Australia today and it go me thinking that not only are there some people doing it tough everyday but there are others that would consider themselves fortunate who's worlds have been ripped apart by catastrophic events.

What i saw today left me speechless a number of times. 5 days out from Christmas out of control fires started as a result of a tree barnch falling onto power lines. This is the first major event in SA this season but there have been fires burning out of control in New South Wales and Queensland for over a month.

Seeing what these poor people have had to endure through no fault of their own really makes you realise how lucky you are sometimes.
Click to expand...
Terrible. I don't know what I would do in those circumstances.

Would the transmission line company be held liable for the fire damage in this case?
 
Not in this instance as the line was impacted by a falling tree branch and as such no party would ever be found negligent in court.
 
I was just wondering if the transmission company had a duty to clear trees from the electricity lines. The last house I lived in was near woodland with a transmission line through it and every 5 years the electricity company would come and clear trees back either side of the lines. Any tree that could fall onto the lines was cut down in size to stop any possibility of that happening.
 
Unfortunately with the searing heat and strong winds that we've had there would be no way of predicting it happening, even with tree pruning.

When Eucalypts dry out the limbs can fall for no reason and this one may not have even been in what would normally be considered close proximity.

The authorities will have looked at pruning schedules etc and if there was any negligence, yes, they may be liable but i doubt it will happen tbh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Draig
Even though I’m in Blighty at the moment there is a forest fire about a half hour drive from where I live. It’s a tragedy for all those affected. I’ve said time and again recently that I have a very privileged life compared to some so it’s my duty to help out if I can.
 
Just for perspective, this is a picture of the size of the area that the December fires have destroyed in Australia

You must log in or register to see images
 
Ozzymac said:
Just for perspective, this is a picture of the size of the area that the December fires have destroyed in Australia

You must log in or register to see images
Click to expand...
I knew it was bad but didn’t realise the scale of the devastation.
 
Satellite picture of smoke from the Australian fires covering NZ
You must log in or register to see images


You must log in or register to see images
 
I always thought that there was a good reason why we sent our convicts to Oz (apart from out of sight/out of mind).

Conditions were never deemed to be ideal, but they'd made their choices and had to live with them.

Seems fair to me.
 
The sins of the fathers...?
I doubt it seems fair to anyone else even if you buy into the myth of the entire country being progeny of convicts.
 
My comment had a double meaning.

Some were sent there and others thought it sensible to go there.

Either way, I must confess to not having much (if any) sympathy for their plight.

A certain phrase involving 'making your own bed' springs to mind.
 
Owld Feller said:
My comment had a double meaning.

Some were sent there and others thought it sensible to go there.

Either way, I must confess to not having much (if any) sympathy for their plight.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure we stopped sending convicts there 150 odd years ago, even you aren't that old!

The people there now are almost entirely born there (neither sent nor chosen). Not that it's relevant to whether they deserved to have their home destroyed, i assumed you were just being "controversial".
 
Owld Feller said:
My comment had a double meaning.

Some were sent there and others thought it sensible to go there.

Either way, I must confess to not having much (if any) sympathy for their plight.

A certain phrase involving 'making your own bed' springs to mind.
Click to expand...

Beggars belief. Hope to god nothing ever happens in the country you've chosen to live in.

For what it's worth, i didn't have a choice as a 7 year old to move to NZ and then at 12 move to Aus. Do i and my family fit into the "making your own bed" scenario?
 
Owld Feller said:
My comment had a double meaning.

Some were sent there and others thought it sensible to go there.

Either way, I must confess to not having much (if any) sympathy for their plight.

A certain phrase involving 'making your own bed' springs to mind.
Click to expand...
Just received a message from my sister that she needs to evacuate immediately. My brothers home is also in danger although not as much as my sisters.

I've bitten my tongue as well as i can in regards to your comments but quite frankly opinions like yours are ridiculous.

Have a new years **** off from me and if Thailand ever decide to kick out expats expect no sympathy from this neck of the woods.
 
I wouldn't want nor expect it from someone who appears to shun responsibility for their own decisions.

Moving to/staying in a country that has a bush fire season, then expects expressions of OTT sympathy when they are affected by an accepted/regular occurrence just doesn't sit well with me.

Individuals should, imho, just accept it, most definitely, can happen then insure against it affecting them and not whinge when it does.

Nor ignore the fact that the part electing a climate change denier has contributed to this season's fires being far worse than normal.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back