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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
A strange thing happened on the way back from Athens, GA----
John Reed, Photographer
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Montgomery | AL | usa | Posted: 9:59 PM on 12.10.03 |
->> Bear with me on this, it gets interesting---After shooting the Auburn-Georgia game in Athens on 11-15, I gathered all of my gear and headed to the UGA Athletic Department van to take the Auburn Network staff back to the airport. I put my laptop (remember this) and my gear in the van. When we arrived at the FBO for our charter, I grabbed all of my gear (remember the laptop) and went to our chartered Cessna Caravan.
My laptop (you should know this by now) was in my hand from the van to the plane. I placed my cameras and glass in the aft baggage compartment and put my laptop case in the forward compartment on top of the Network cases. I then got in the plane and grabbed a beer to get over the ass-whipping I saw.
We had a very uneventful flight from Athens to Auburn - only 50 minutes. Had another beer or two. Landed in Auburn and got off the plane. The pilots quickly unloaded the baggage compartments. Guess what (you know) ?? No laptop!!!
Looked in the plane again--no computer. Called the FBO in Athens--no computer. Called the SID at UGA to search the van--no computer. Called my insurance agent on Tuesday and filed a claim. Got a check. Bought a new laptop - same as the old one - and kept on working.
Got a call on Monday, 12-11, from the Lee County (AL) Sherriff's dept. They asked me if I was missing a laptop computer. I said yes and was told "I've got good news and bad news--We've got your laptop, but it is trashed" Was told by the office that someone had found it "along" a road. I asked who had found it and was given his name.
I called the person who found it and asked where he had found my computer. He told me that he was taking a timber crew onto his property (outside Auburn) and the crew had found this blue bag with a computer in it. I asked him how far off the road this was and he told me "a good 600 yards--it looked like it fell from the sky" and I then asked him if there were any planes that flew over his land and he said "all of the time." Turns out his land is under the approach pattern to the Auburn airport.
Went to get my laptop last night--was really shocked. Will post pics tomorrow of what a laptop looks like when it falls out of an airplane (at 1,600 feet) near the Auburn airport. The only thing to survive was the cable lock.
Anyone else been so lucky?? The only thing that I lost were the shots of the game. |
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Mark J. Rebilas, Photographer
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 10:27 PM on 12.10.03 |
| ->> That's insane! It does bring an intriguing question to mind, say you have gear insured, it gets stolen, you file claim get check, buy new gear then the stolen gear is recovered in perfect condition. Do you have to pay the insurance money back or what? |
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John Reed, Photographer
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Montgomery | AL | usa | Posted: 10:34 PM on 12.10.03 |
| ->> Not only is it insane - I still can't believe it happened! In talking with the claims adjuster yesterday and telling her that someone had found the computer, she did ask if the computer was OK. In a perfect world, the computer would be turned over to the insurance company for them to re-sell as recovered property. In this case, all I have is a bunch of crushed plastic-- |
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Richard Orr, Photographer
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Longmeadow | MA | USA | Posted: 10:46 PM on 12.10.03 |
| ->> And I thought it was funny today watching a woman drive away after she placed her coffee on the roof of her car to adjust her kids seat. She left it there, and drove away. It almost made it to the end of the parking lot. I tried not to laugh. Honest to God, I did. |
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John Reed, Photographer
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Montgomery | AL | USA | Posted: 11:03 PM on 12.10.03 |
| ->> I must add that I was not the responsible party for closing the baggage compartment - I was just a passenger. Not only that, but on this plane, the baggage doors are hinged at the bottom and may have been open all the way back to Auburn. Guess I'm lucky that it did not fall out until near the Auburn airport. Can you imagine what may have happened if it departed the plane while we were at 6,000 plus feet over I-285 around Atlanta??? |
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Scott Bush, Photographer
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Clifton | NJ | USA | Posted: 11:12 PM on 12.10.03 |
->> seems like this belongs in the movie 'magnolia'.
that is totally crazy! all the thoughts about what could have happened and headlines ('Man killed by falling Laptop, that fell from 6,000 ft'). i wonder if any other passengers lost anything else. i guess its better a laptop than your camera bag.
along richards line, I saw someone the other day drive away as the gas nozzle was still in the car. |
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Nick Doan, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Scottsdale | AZ | USA | Posted: 12:09 AM on 12.11.03 |
->> John,
You should talk to the other guys who were on the plane with you and see if they lost anything. Then, if I were you, I would contact the airline and let them know what you think happened. Not locking down luggage is pretty inexcusable in my opinion... |
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Vasha Hunt, Photographer
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Opelika | AL | USA | Posted: 12:19 AM on 12.11.03 |
->> John,
This story gets more and more facinating - at least you know you weren't responsible, so we'll have to stop teasing you about loosing it.
Missed you at the game tonight!
Vasha |
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Dave Chidley, Photographer
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London | Ontario | Canada | Posted: 12:26 AM on 12.11.03 |
| ->> Gives new meaning to the term Computer Crash. |
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John Reed, Photographer
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Montgomery | AL | USA | Posted: 10:16 AM on 12.11.03 |
| ->> Just updated my member page with pics of my laptop. |
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Rob Bonow, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Ithaca | NY | USA | Posted: 10:36 AM on 12.11.03 |
| ->> I'm impressed that it held its general form; I was expecting some shots of unrecognizable computer goo. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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Amherst | MA | USA | Posted: 11:17 AM on 12.11.03 |
| ->> .........sooooooooo........can they recover the harddrive? |
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Gary Brittain, Photographer
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Roanoke | VA | USA | Posted: 11:24 AM on 12.11.03 |
->> John,
It does not look too bad. Nothing that a little duct tape and super glue wouldn't fix. |
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John Reed, Photographer
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Montgomery | AL | USA | Posted: 11:24 AM on 12.11.03 |
| ->> Haven't had time to think about that yet, but I plan on trying. The bottom of the case shattered, but the hard drive looks like it may be recoverable. I hope so. If I can't find anyone local, I may have to research some older posts on the board. |
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Neil Brake, Photographer
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Nashville | TN | USA | Posted: 12:59 PM on 12.11.03 |
->> Speedy,
Fess up you just wanted a new lap-top and threw this one off the plane. That is a wild story, lucky some hunter in Auburn didn't take a shot at it as it was falling out of the sky. Hope to see you soon here in Music City USA. Stay away from my lap-top. |
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Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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Knoxville | TN | USA | Posted: 12:41 AM on 12.13.03 |
->> War Eagle,
I thought you'd learn from your mistake and finally get a titanium laptop from apple... I mean, what were you thinking??? If you'd had the G4 in the first place, the thing would have been fine... AND you'd have all the images from the game... Some guys have the best excuses about why they missed THE shot at the game. But to trash a laptop like that to try to protect an already sordid reputation... It's a disgrace to the entire War Eagle community... C'mon man, everybody knows friends don't let friends use PC's.... rockytopboy... |
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Jason Nix, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Auburn | AL | United States | Posted: 1:49 AM on 12.13.03 |
| ->> I agree with Pat. the G4 is definately the better choice on a computer, what photojournalist doesn't use a Mac. JR sucks it had to happen to you, and especially after that Georgia game, i got 2 good shots, and they were both of Campbell being a jackass and trying to scramble! |
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Hassel Weems, Photographer
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Locust Grove (Atanta) | GA | USA | Posted: 3:08 AM on 12.13.03 |
->> I was waiting for a Mac user to say a Powerbook would have survived the fall...
It actually survived the fall, but a bunch of Auburn students found it in the woods and couldn't get it to pick up rasslin', so they got their girlfriends to sit on it.
Sorry - just a dig from a poor guy whose father-mother-brother-sister-in-law all have degrees from Auburn. You have to take the shot when it presents itself. |
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