[Leica] tree at 1/15th

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Sony showed:
Subject: Re: [Leica] tree at 1/15th


Hi Sonny,
The crop created a completely amazing effect, quite beautiful actually.

Now you've on several occasions explained a wind effect of disaster and 
we've seen the results, well let me tell you ours this morning. ;-(

Victoria and area can be windy at times, no hurrican force but a good solid 
blow! Enough that one dosen't want to do the Mary Poppin's thing with an 
umbrella if you're outside.

Well about 7.30 am. a more than usual blow and I thought I should get my 20D 
and try some slow motion tree shots like Sonny. I went down stairs to the 
office to get the camera, there was a hell of a bang-crash and I bolted up 
stairs to the back doors.

Lo an behold the near 100 year old Oak tree had shed a major portion of 
oversized limbs and branches onto the neighbours house!!! Like OOPS! Sorry. 
Damage effect 10! The young fellow living their was sitting near the window 
that blew in and was covered with shards of glass. Fortuanately no injuries.

So I feel we've, you and I, have had sympathy pains so to speak. :-)

The out come at the moment? I don't have a clue because there's a pile of 
wind damaged homes around the city and trying to get advice from insurance 
people, apart the first insurance guy who said... "Oh it didn't come down on 
your house?"  "Well really it's an act of God wind storm,  therefore your 
neighbour will have to pay the cost of repair and all clean-up!"

Now I'm of mixed feelings, glad to hear that! But sick at heart because wind 
and God, whatever, it was my tree and shouldn't I or my insurance firm be 
responsible for the repair and clean-up costs? If not what the hell's the 
point of having insurance.

Which leaves me wondering, if everything came down on my home would the 
insurance company say... "oh dear me, an act of God! Surprise you pay for 
everything yourself!" :-(

Looks like I need to have some serious conversation with these guys before I 
too get stuck with some kind of shafting "it's an act of nature!"  You pay 
the bill! ;-(

ted