Have we become so stupid?
By arianasmum
@arianasmum (223)
New Zealand
June 1, 2007 4:27pm CST
Some news been hammered on the radio etc lately is this Woman dies after power gets cut off.
All the attention is now on the power company they were told about the woman needing power for something that helps her breathe to keep her alive power company cuts off her power and she dies.
But are we that stupid that we belive they wont even if we dont keep paying the bill? What about blaming the person who was suppose to be paying the bill they new the situation so why did they let it get so far in arrears?
They would of got a final disconnection notice but didnt pay it then were they that stupid to think that the company wouldnt cut it off because of the woman's situation so didnt pay it and used the money for their own greed?
I feel they should be blammed not the power company what do you think?
2 people like this
4 responses
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
3 Jun 07
Let say someone has to do a certain operation to live , but the operation fee is a huge bomb ... so if you don't money , do you think you can live ? i doubt so ... lesson learned you cannot live without money
@arianasmum (223)
• New Zealand
7 Jun 07
thats so tru these days my father-in-law is needing a triple bypass but as he is working and getting the pension he has to pay for everything. Makes it so much harder on him.
@burtle (213)
• New Zealand
2 Jun 07
Its easy to blame the power company, however at the end of the day there are a number of contributing factors...
1/ She had lung and heart disease attributed to obesity
2/ Her condition had worsened recently, normally patients are not reliant on the oxygen machines and should be able to survive ok without it.
3/ Her teenage children were going to call an ambulance however she wanted them to sing her songs instead....
At the end of the day it is a very sad story, however I don't think blaming the poor guy that cut off the power is the way to go. Unfortunately it is now going to mean that cutting off the power will no longer be an option for power companies!
1 person likes this
@arianasmum (223)
• New Zealand
2 Jun 07
yep its a really good debate did the family do this did they do that?
I dont know all the answers cause the focus is on the power company at thats all you hear about im just saying that not all the blame goes to them and they were right but they werent wrong either.
@Bizziebod (3497)
•
3 Jun 07
I suppose this really depends on the circumstances surrounding it. I've not heard the news story so can't really give an informed response. However, that would not happen in the country that I live in because they can't cut you off for not paying your electric, water or gas as far as I'm aware. If this woman had a carer who was supposed to be paying the bills for her, then indeed it is that carers fault.
1 person likes this
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
1 Jun 07
I'm not sure where this happened, but in Massachusetts the utility companies can not shut off your service if you can show that you have a medical emergency. It doesn't matter how high the bill goes, or how long the emergency lasts, if the customer can prove it with doctor notes they must keep it on. There are agencies that will then help the person who can't pay the bill to get it paid, but sometimes those procedures can take quite awhile to get done.
1 person likes this
@arianasmum (223)
• New Zealand
1 Jun 07
yeah thanks its just been on the news again and its in new zealand with more info they were asked to produce a doctors note or certificat but didnt have one and the guy cutting off the power rang his head office and they told him to cut the power because they didnt have one.
