Jim Elbrecht wrote:


Aside:
The power distribution company DID come out and test the pole in my
backyard recently. They dug an access hole about 18" deep around it
and bored out a 1/2" plug of wood. I don't know what they did with
the plug - maybe sent it to a lab for testing - but they did nail an
aluminum plate about the size of a fifty-cent piece to the pole with
the test date on it.
-snip-
Never heard of that one. I'll bet in NY, some guy would come out and
eyeball it from the street and tell you to replace it.


Sounds like your power company uses the "Necessary Pole Management" system.
When the pole falls over, they replace it.

In my neighborhood, Houston, we had a hurricane four years ago (Hurricane
Yikes). The electrical distribution system was so dilapidated that four
million people were without power for up to ten days! Since then, the local
power distribution company has been beavering away to upgrade and rigorously
maintain the system. It seems like once a month, some tree-trimming truck
comes by whacks the bejesus out of everthing taller than a rose bush.