I just read some old posts about the meter reader. I got a sick feeling in my gut when reading some of the reply. I am a meter reader... I have an idea what might have happened. Often times when reading a route some meters are in basements. We rely on info in our HHU (hand held unit) that tells us where our next meter is , right side, back, basement enter front door, and so on. Info is vary reliable, at least everywhere I have worked, it has to be. If we need to knock it says knock first. The problem is once in a while the accounts are not in order in our HHU and the MR may have been new or a temp and never read that route before and simply went to the wrong house. I have done it myself many many times. Its part of the job, hopefully we dont leave bloody. I always try to be as loud and visible as possible but i still scare people everyday when i walk in there back yard or I am outside there garage door when they open it. I have scared dogs and they have scared me at the same time, gonna happin when you go to 278 accounts every day, but till safer than when I'm doing collections, people get pissed when you turn off the power!!!!