Nasty neighbor, venting to try and control my temper

[snapppyd]

Just to be safe you might consider a federal freedom of information act request once you have his name. Information from the FBI or CIA might prove useful.

I don't know if you are serious, but your post made me laugh out loud (literally). The FBI or CIA? Really?
Just asking.

 

[wvjules]

I would continue on with my routine as normal. Crazy shouldn't win.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I don't know if you are serious, but your post made me laugh out loud (literally). The FBI or CIA? Really?
Just asking.

I figured sarcasm or joke. I could be wrong. And then I figured, finally somebody validating my feelings and encouraging me to do what I really want to do. Maybe I don't have to delete the whole thread and run away.

 

[minkydog]

But mostly yeah, just avoid, avoid, avoid. No sense provoking.

I can't recommend this enough! This man sounds certifiably crazy--do not engage! Don't even make eye contact. If he or his wife speaks to you, ignore and keep on walking.

We have a crazy neighbor next door. He hated my old standard poodle. One time he opened my gate, let the dog out, and then called to complain that my "vicious dog" was roaming the neighborhood. After that, I put a padlock on my gate! He threatened to kill my dog many times, to the point that I couldn't even allow my dog to be unsupervised in my own fenced in back yard. I had to walk the perimeter every day to check for traps and contraband food. He called the police several times and hid in my bushes to spy on us. He told the police that our dog had an "animalistic" bark--I don't know how the cop kept a straight face. After the cop told him to go home, stay home, and mind his own business or he would be arrested for trespass, the neighbor resorted to name calling and flipping us the bird. Ho hum...

Just stay away from this family. I know it seems wrong that they should make you change *your* ways, but nothing good will come from interacting with them. As they say on Lost in Space: "Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!"

 

[ols386]

I think sometimes we have to pick and choose our battles in life.

This is one battle (or whatever you want to call it), that I would not choose to have.

 

[IndyRnRfan]

The way I understand it, the land that the sidewalk is on and the grass area that extends to the curb are actually counted as part of the homeowner's property, but the city or county has a easement on his (or anyone's) property for the sidewalk right of way. I think in my neighborhood, it's ten feet from the curb onto my property that can be used. We have a sidewalk about two feet in. We do maintain the land (and sidewalk) as it belongs to us.

You said the same thing I did. You are taxed on that property but it belongs to the city. Just like it is your responsibility to clear the sidewalk off when it snows but it's the cities responsibility to fix any problems associated with the sidewalk. She can walk on that sidewalk all she wants, it isn't the homeowners property, it is public property.

 

[Hrhpd]

You said the same thing I did. You are taxed on that property but it belongs to the city. Just like it is your responsibility to clear the sidewalk off when it snows but it's the cities responsibility to fix any problems associated with the sidewalk. She can walk on that sidewalk all she wants, it isn't the homeowners property, it is public property.

I thought the whole problem started when her dogs crapped on his piece of land next to the sidewalk, not that she was just walking by??? She probably would not have had any problems if she had just walked on by and not allowed the dogs to defecate on his property.

Yesterday I had to walk past. My dog pooped on the scrubby weed and dirt area next to the street. This is public land. I picked it up promptly and started to walk. He came up to me and said he wouldn't let dogs walk there. He puts tons of chemicals on there to kill weeds. (there are tons of weeds there so I guess not working) Something smelled really bad and I told him that and said I try to avoid treated areas, he should label it.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I thought the whole problem started when her dogs crapped on his piece of land next to the sidewalk, not that she was just walking by??? She probably would not have had any problems if she had just walked on by and not allowed the dogs to defecate on his property.

Considered public land. Dogs are allowed to poop there. People are allowed to walk there. The police officer asked him if I cleaned it up right away and he said yes. So the officer said, public land, what is the problem ? He told the man repeatedly that it is public land in a very busy place. Lots of people will be walking their dogs by there and some of them will poop. They can't do anything unless somebody doesn't clean up after themselves and then if they see it happen they can write a ticket.

 

[IndyRnRfan]

I thought the whole problem started when her dogs crapped on his piece of land next to the sidewalk, not that she was just walking by??? She probably would not have had any problems if she had just walked on by and not allowed the dogs to defecate on his property.

It's not his piece of land. Your actual property ends where the sidewalk begins. You have to take care of it but it is public property. Don't you love how govt works.

Let's say there is a parade on this street. People can put lawn chairs and what not anywhere they want from the sidewalk to curb and he can't do anything about it. Once someone steps onto the yard between sidewalk and dwelling, then that's trespassing technically and he can complain legally.

 

[Hrhpd]

It's not his piece of land. Your actual property ends where the sidewalk begins. You have to take care of it but it is public property. Don't you love how govt works.

Let's say there is a parade on this street. People can put lawn chairs and what not anywhere they want from the sidewalk to curb and he can't do anything about it. Once someone steps onto the yard between sidewalk and dwelling, then that's trespassing technically and he can complain legally.

It really must be a frustrating thing, being that it is your responsibility to take care of it, but the neighbor can use it as a doggy potty or somebody can put lawn chairs on it, ruining what you are trying to do. Yup, love how gov't works.

Although, where I live, those strips are viewed as somebody's property since they maintain it just like their yard. It is viewed the same as allowing your pet to defecate on somebody's front lawn. Must be regional.

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

Hindsight is 20/20, but this clown was looking for exactly the reaction he got, unfortunately. Guys like that live to pick fights with people. I think it's absolute baloney that the advice the cops gave you was "avoid walking down a public sidewalk" but if that's all it takes to keep the douchelord happy then I'd just do it. Knowing he's waiting for the chance to jump down your throat would make it that much sweeter when you don't give him the opportunity.

(I do not miss living down the shore. At all. Crazy begets crazy when you don't have neighbors ten months out of the year. Sheesh.)

 

[okeydokey]

Considered public land. Dogs are allowed to poop there. People are allowed to walk there. The police officer asked him if I cleaned it up right away and he said yes. So the officer said, public land, what is the problem ? He told the man repeatedly that it is public land in a very busy place. Lots of people will be walking their dogs by there and some of them will poop. They can't do anything unless somebody doesn't clean up after themselves and then if they see it happen they can write a ticket.

You might have the right to let your dog poop there, but isn't safety and sanity more important than exercising your rights in this case? I would walk your dog past his house, but not stop for pooping any longer.

 

[Tiggeroo]

this strip is not maintained. It is rocks, weeds and dirt. But I honestly didn't plan on my dog pooping there. And I don't normally walk there. There was a crowd on the other side of the street where we usually go and I crossed over so I wouldn't bring my dogs through a large family group with bikes, a wheelchair and kids. I planned on going across the street and right back into my regular route where there are no homes. I really don't like to make trouble with anybody. He has been at war with the city (I was told today by a friend who is also a neighbor) over this strip of land, among other things. He put up yellow tape and said he was growing grass but there was no evidence. This was pretty much all last summer. Kids were eventually walking over it and the city told him to take it down because somebody complained. Like I said, he piled it with large river rocks and also piled the edge of his actual property in front of his hedges and fence with them. The city gave him til the next day to remove them or be fined. His sidewalk is extremely cracked and people have tripped on it and complained to the city. He just doesn't want anybody to walk on that block. I haven't walked there since and it really isn't normally on my route. But if an issue comes up like the other night I will walk there if necessary. This is not a maintained home at all. The shutters are falling off, the gutter is hanging off the house into the alley, the porch is propped up onto rocks and a board. I still always respect his property just like I do everybody else's. I have been nothing but polite to them.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Oh, and when there are parades in town they do actually go down that street, right in front of his house. There are some things you just have to deal with when you live at the shore. My neighbor is an ice cream shop. She has kiddy karaoke and the kids can't sing. It goes on until midnight. I accept that because of where I live. On the other corner there is a bakery that is very busy early in the am. People sometimes park bikes and block my stairs. I also roll with this as I chose where I live and knew going in that for 3 months I would deal with it. But I can walk to the beach and boardwalk and bike to any place I want to go. There are trade offs.

 

[TLSnell1981]

He honestly comes off as fairly unstable and unable to deal with things. A person like that is probably more dangerous then somebody who just has a temper.

I agree....and it's why, I would avoid him. You have the right, but why would you want to risk provoking him? Crazy people do crazy things...good reason to steer clear.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Venting here did help. That really was the goal. I'm normally a very non confrontational person.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

Come down to the carolina beaches! Friendly people, better beaches, oh, and sharks!

 

[IndyRnRfan]

It really must be a frustrating thing, being that it is your responsibility to take care of it, but the neighbor can use it as a doggy potty or somebody can put lawn chairs on it, ruining what you are trying to do. Yup, love how gov't works.

Although, where I live, those strips are viewed as somebody's property since they maintain it just like their yard. It is viewed the same as allowing your pet to defecate on somebody's front lawn. Must be regional.

It is viewed as your yard here as well. I was just using the parade as an example. Where I live sometimes people walking their dog do allow them to poop on the front yard but they will pick it up when they are done.

I grew up close to the Indianapolis motor speedway and every year someone would complain about all the people walking by the house, walking on that small strip of grass and smashing it down for days and every year police would say there is nothing they can do until they step onto your front yard.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I normally go to OBX once a year. We have been busy and haven't been for 3 years. Once again I have two weddings this fall and won't go. So Sad. Love OBX.
And letting your dog deliberately poop on somebody's lawn is very rude. Peeing is worst as it can't really be removed.

 

[HM]

You said the same thing I did. You are taxed on that property but it belongs to the city. Just like it is your responsibility to clear the sidewalk off when it snows but it's the cities responsibility to fix any problems associated with the sidewalk. She can walk on that sidewalk all she wants, it isn't the homeowners property, it is public property.

Well, we didn't say exactly the same thing. When I bought my land, I bought the whole lot including the area the sidewalk is on and down to the street. It is my land with an easement for the city to use. If you look at the lot lines, I own it, I just don't have total control over it. In a prior house I owned, there were 20 feet of my backyard that had an easement. Some people next me put up a shed on their piece with the knowledge that they would have to take it down if the city needed access. We planted some garden plants on our part. We could do that, because we owned it, but some joe-blow couldn't come along and use it in any way (so it's not public land).