Complain about a product or service

Country Club Bowling Lanes

Danville, VA

John of Pounding Mill, VA, writes (5/4/01):
I bowled in the State tournament on 04/29/01 at the Country Club Lanes. During warm-up practice, the first ball I threw got caught in the ball return along with several other bowling balls. The ball return took a huge chunk out of the bowling ball across the track line. The ball is damaged and can't be used with 100% accuracy.

I had just purchased the Columbia Rock-on bowling ball from Mountaineer Lanes in Bluefield, WV on 04/26/01 to use in the state tournament on 04/28/01. The owner was aware of the damage the ball return did to my bowling ball. He said to see him after the tournament was over, which I did. I asked him to replace the ball. He said he wouldn't replace it, but would try to resurface it. I explained to him that the ball was just purchased and that the chunk was across the track line. I think that he should refund me the money I paid for the ball and the cost of having the ball drilled to fit my hand or replace the bowling ball.

It might be good p.r. for the bowling lanes to replace John's ball but it doesn't seem likely it's legally obligated to do so. There's an element of assumed risk in bowling, just like everything else. One of those risks is that the ball will get dinged and knicked by just such mishaps as John encountered. It's like the parking garage denting your car. If you're lucky, you might get them to repair the dent but it's not likely you'll get them to replace the whole car.

If John really wants to make an issue of it, he can sue the bowling lanes in Small Claims Court and take his chances in the alley of justice.

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