advice on dealing with a neighbor

[j]

Last night between the time I arrived home and the time my wife got home, somebody knock over my light post at the end of my driveway. Snapped it off at the base. There was a dent, bumper high where the perpetrator hit it. The thing is, although I didn't see it happen, I am convinced it was my Charlie Manson neighbor across the street. I say this because I have watched his lazy ass back out of his driveway time and time again and just barely miss my light. For some reason he finds it too strenuous to turn the steering wheel when backing out. On several occasions we have witnessed a beat up pick-up truck backing out and rolling toward our light while he struggles to get it into gear. There are 4 or 5 different vehicles leaving that yard on any given day...I haven't a clue what goes on over there.

Anyway...the question is...Do I confront him and ask him if he knows who hit it? Remember...this is the guy that burns huge piles of leaves out on the street edge, littering the yard with empty beer cans which will still be there come morning. He also has a huge Rotweiller that he lets roam the neighborhood shi**ng and pi**ing at will in whoever's yard he so chooses. In short....this family is very very strange, and I really don't trust the guy.

My wife asked this same question at work and they all told her I should confront the axe murderer.

[Amanzi]

Hey j.. is there anyway you can sneak a peak at his bumper??? Without getting eaten by the dog or worse

[j]

No paint left on the light post....if its the vehicle I think it is, its a huge diesel ram pick up with the big galvanized steel bumper. I'm guessing there won't be a mark.

I'm not scared of the dog....all you have to do is yell at a dog and they will turn and run the other way...but the thing is..I have no proof, and he hasn't come forward, so what do I have to gain?

My wife told me to just lay it at the end of his driveway to let him know we know he did it.

[Stephanie]

If you see him, I'd ask if he saw anyone hit your light pole and that's it.

The next thing that you should do is build a cement block in the same area as your light and perhaps add a light fixture or something decorative there - house number, etc. The next time the idiot backs out too far, he'll have all of the evidence that you will need.

[Miss Mary]

Good advice Steph and check first j. In our community, there's an ordinence against cemented mailbox posts or lamp posts. One township owner was fed up from teens knocking over his mailbox, time and time again. So he went to work building a cement block base, covering it with bricks to match his house. Planted flowers around it. It looked very nice! Trouble was the township got wind of this large mailbox post/pole and it had to come out. The owner fought it and I honestly don't recall whatever happened to that story. It all happened at least 5 years ago! Now when I see an eleborate cement contraption, I think - ought oh, that wil have to go.

As far as the neighbor goes, I'd act clueless too. Ask if he saw anything. See what he says. And go from there.

Mary

[Pburgh]

Hey j, his relatives live across the street from me!!!!!lol Real slobs!!!!

I'd follow Stephanie's advice. Did you ever think of putting a big, big boulder at the end of your lot. I love rocks in a landscape design and they would certainly be easy to install, look great and do a lot more damage to any vehicle that trespassed!!!!

[j]

Hey j, his relatives live across the street from me!!!!!lol Real slobs!!!!

I'd follow Stephanie's advice. Did you ever think of putting a big, big boulder at the end of your lot. I love rocks in a landscape design and they would certainly be easy to install, look great and do a lot more damage to any vehicle that trespassed!!!!

I think I like this suggestion best. I'm going to seriously consider this. I have the area around the "former" lightpost lanscaped, flowers and mulch. I could probably integrate a fender crunching boulder with no problem. *rubs hands together.

[Pburgh]

hah, hah, hah - revenge is sweet!!!!!ROTFLMBO

[Lindaloo]

I was going to suggest the same thing as Karan j. My Uncle in law kept taking out my mailbox with the boom of his wrecker. He would deny it over and over again. So, my husband put our mailbox on an old crankshaft from an 18 wheeler. The Uncle had to replace his boom on the wrecker because it was bent and he said it was because of our mailbox. LMAO!! My mailbox was never touched again.

[Stephanie]

[j]

here is a suggestion from a co-worker:

I still like my idea. Just say you think the wind blew your lamp post over and could you please help me fix it. Then, just stand back and let him do everything. He will call 10 of his buddies, and they will have a beer drinking lamp post fixing get together.

[Stephanie]

here is a suggestion from a co-worker:

I still like my idea. Just say you think the wind blew your lamp post over and could you please help me fix it. Then, just stand back and let him do everything. He will call 10 of his buddies, and they will have a beer drinking lamp post fixing get together.

He doesn't sound like someone that would help with anything!

[Skywatch_NC]

Sorry to hear about your light post, j...I wish you the best on dealing with your neighbor. I like that boulder idea, too!

Speaking of slob neighbors...here at the apt. complex I live at...seems like alot of the peeps are litterbugs...went to the complex laundry mat earlier and parked in a lot space...unbeknownst to me until I had parked there...was the appearance of a shattered beer bottle remains...fortunately they were small pieces so hopefully no damage to my fairly new tires. But the clods and slobs that tend to litter really frost my cookies at times!

Eric

[j]

I hear you Eric...I detest a litterer. Nothing worst than getting out of my car at a Wal Mart parking lot and stepping into a pile of sucked on cigarette butts.

[Brent]

:slime:

HAHA! I like that smiley.

[Stephanie]

So do I! hehehehe...

[coriolis]

I like the big rock at the end of the driveway. Just make sure it's on your property and not on the street right-of-way. If you have utility poles in front of you're house, that's a good guide. They are usually just inside the right-of-way. Mailboxes are often put in the ROW so that the mail deliverer can reach them from their vehicle. That may be why substantial bases are not allowed. Rig up a can of spray paint with a lever activator, so that if he backs into the mail box his truck will get sprayed. Or a catapult with a water balloon, or an air horn. Use your creativity.

I think that we're the slobs on our street. There's always kids here, bikes in the yard, yelling, dogs barking, the smell of dog poop in our back yard, grass in need of mowing, etc. Our neighbors on the one side are soooooo perfect in every way. I enjoy little things that annoy them - like a garden hose not wrapped up. A few weeds on the side of our house that faces them, playing with the dogs on the back porch in plain view when they are in their perfect pool, having a perfect barbeque with all their perfect friends. Mowing the grass out onto the street. Life's too short to be perfect. It becomes an end in itself and people hate you for it.

Oops, now what was I saying in that other thread about loving your neighbor? OK, I don't do all that stuff to annoy them. I'm just a slob.

[furluvcats]

I'd be a bit meaner and attach broken glass shards to a new cement wall...lol, J?K!

We've learned to be direct with people...Remember the Thrash/death metal band that used to practice next door? Brian went over there and told them it had to stop, suggested a barn for rent might be their answer...one of their moms negotiated a deal with Brian that the kids can practice 1 hr a day, every other day...Brian agreed. That same day, the band practiced two more hours, Brian walked over and told them they were through...and they stopped and are noe practicing elsewhere...

So, my advice is to be direct the guy, tell him someone saw him do it, and let him know that you are watching him....As for the dog, next time he's in your yard, pooing or peeing, open up your car door, invite the dog in, and take him for a little ride in the country...if that doesn't work, do as Jim Carrey did, and take your morning paper over to the guys yard, and squat....leave him a "little present" of your own...

*evil grin


I've got advice on how to handle satanic ex spouses too, if you need, j.....

[streetsoldier]

I'd employ technology...like installing a motion detector on the post, with an audible alarm remotely set off within your home.

This will give you specific real-time occurence, and if you're quick, you can witness the act in progress...which is more than enough evidence for a complaint to be filed with your local constabulary and insurance people.

[azskyman]

Unfortunately, you and your neighbor have to live together while we think up all the creative ideas from miles and miles away.

Without pointing fingers at him, I'd tell him you are going to re-install a new one and ask if he could back his car into the street like he sometimes does so you can see how much clearance it will need so he won't hit it. When he gets over to the place where the old post is...ask him to get out and take a look.

"Looks like I should move it over a few feet, doesn't it. Gosh, and now that your car is right here, looks like you might have been the one to accidentally take it out last time!! Hmmm..wonder how that could happen without you noticing???