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Bad Neighbors

Barbara Shaw 07 Jun 00 - 12:44 PM
Willie-O 07 Jun 00 - 12:51 PM
MMario 07 Jun 00 - 12:52 PM
catspaw49 07 Jun 00 - 12:57 PM
DougR 07 Jun 00 - 01:01 PM
Gary T 07 Jun 00 - 01:05 PM
Barbara Shaw 07 Jun 00 - 01:11 PM
McGrath of Harlow 07 Jun 00 - 01:17 PM
Jim Dixon 07 Jun 00 - 01:36 PM
GUEST,Banjo Johnny 07 Jun 00 - 01:51 PM
GUEST,sophocleese at friend's 07 Jun 00 - 02:41 PM
Wesley S 07 Jun 00 - 02:53 PM
SINSULL 07 Jun 00 - 03:13 PM
Kim C 07 Jun 00 - 04:34 PM
McGrath of Harlow 07 Jun 00 - 05:00 PM
Bert 07 Jun 00 - 06:11 PM
Richard Bridge 07 Jun 00 - 06:23 PM
Hardiman the Fiddler 07 Jun 00 - 06:25 PM
kendall 07 Jun 00 - 06:30 PM
Barbara Shaw 07 Jun 00 - 06:36 PM
katlaughing 07 Jun 00 - 06:42 PM
Barbara Shaw 07 Jun 00 - 07:07 PM
Hardiman the Fiddler 07 Jun 00 - 07:14 PM
Barbara Shaw 07 Jun 00 - 07:25 PM
McGrath of Harlow 07 Jun 00 - 08:03 PM
GUEST 07 Jun 00 - 08:49 PM
richardw 07 Jun 00 - 09:59 PM
GUEST,Lyle 07 Jun 00 - 10:25 PM
JedMarum 07 Jun 00 - 10:29 PM
kendall 07 Jun 00 - 10:39 PM
SeanM 07 Jun 00 - 11:13 PM
Bev and Jerry 07 Jun 00 - 11:50 PM
Rick Fielding 08 Jun 00 - 12:18 AM
catspaw49 08 Jun 00 - 12:31 AM
catspaw49 08 Jun 00 - 12:38 AM
Rick Fielding 08 Jun 00 - 12:48 AM
katlaughing 08 Jun 00 - 01:00 AM
Barbara Shaw 08 Jun 00 - 01:03 AM
Rick Fielding 08 Jun 00 - 01:15 AM
catspaw49 08 Jun 00 - 01:22 AM
SINSULL 08 Jun 00 - 10:35 AM
richardw 08 Jun 00 - 12:42 PM
Fiddlin' Big Al 08 Jun 00 - 01:23 PM
kendall 08 Jun 00 - 06:23 PM
Midchuck 08 Jun 00 - 06:42 PM
catspaw49 08 Jun 00 - 06:57 PM
McGrath of Harlow 08 Jun 00 - 07:14 PM
Fiddlin' Big Al 08 Jun 00 - 07:49 PM
McGrath of Harlow 08 Jun 00 - 07:58 PM
Jeri 08 Jun 00 - 08:02 PM
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Subject: Bad Neighbors
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 12:44 PM

We have a mini motor home, which we bought to make our getaways to music festivals easier. Knowing that the next door neighbor had already expressed her disapproval of such an "eyesore" which would "bring down the property values of the neighborhood," we worked long and hard to make a new driveway for it. tucked in neatly next to our garage. After much hard labor to dig up the sod, get stone delivered and then spread the stone out, lined with a bluestone path, we parked the camper there.

A few days later we got a letter from the zoning enforcement officer, who said that she "was made aware of a possible violation" because our camper was not 20 feet from the side property line (where our neighbor lives).

My first reaction is to put the house on the market, and hope someone with 12 kids moves in to spite the neighbor. My next reaction is to ask for some suggestions from other mudcats. At the very least, I need to get rid of some of this anger before I speak to anyone...


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Willie-O
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 12:51 PM

Put it on cinder blocks and rent it out by the week.

Better yet if you have a swimming pool.

W-O


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: MMario
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 12:52 PM

Zoning require that vehicles and trailers be parked over 20 feet from the property line? Or that STRUCTURES be no less then 20 feet from the line. The latter seems reasonable, the former distinctly odd.

Take a deep breath, then ask the zoning officer re: the applicable code and apply for a variance if necessary. I suspect when you look into it, you will find you are not in violation.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 12:57 PM

Been there....Done that.......Still doing it.......Check ALL the codes and laws very carefully. For each one that may be against you, you can probably find one on your side. Confuse the zoning folks and take a picture to show what the place looks like and that its NOT an eyesore. Find what the law states about other things you CAN put there legally........an outhouse perhaps (doesn't have to be functional). Suggest you're more than willing to erect such a wonderful thing there in place of the motorhome.

Jerks that live across the alley from us bitched about our camper.....They didn't get anywhere but got nastier and nastier. So I park the thing as close to the alley as posible now (legal) with the hitch toward them. Since their garage is also close on the alley, they have a helluva' time getting in and out and have dented their cars several times on the hitch!!! Never say a word though. I LMAO!!!!

Spaw


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: DougR
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:01 PM

First off, Barbara, I wouldn't invite those neighbors to my next bar-b-que get together in my back yard. Neither would I send them a greeting card on holidays.

Don't mean to be flip about a serious problem, but there may not be much you can do other than not having any future contact with the neighbors. I don't know what size city or town you live in, but most cities are getting pretty strict on things like this. It wouldn't solve the neighbor problem of course, because things will never be the same now between you and them, but is there some other nearby area where you could park the vehicle? If so, then do so, and buy a rusted out old Volkswagen, as ugly as you can find, and park it as close to your structure as you can and still stay within the zoning limits allowed.

Too bad things like this happen, but unfortunately they do.

DougR


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Gary T
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:05 PM

Where's a good shotgun when you need one?

Seriously, I guess they have a right to dislike it, but I could never understand how--or if--such people think.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:11 PM

Thanks for all the quick replies! I'm calming down. There's no place else on our property to park the thing, because our house is 50 feet back from the street, and the camper needs to be 40 feet back. It's 23 feet long, so it wouldn't fit there. And I don't have the energy to extend the driveway around to the back, nor do I think the camper could make the corner.

The zoning officer sent a copy of the regulations, and it looks like we're cooked, unless we park the thing sideways in front of our front door (which is tempting)!

We've been paying $45 a month for the past several years to store a trailer elsewhere, but now that we have the vehicle, we thought we were in the clear to park it in our own driveway.

I do intend to have my son park his junk there from now on. . . That's OK, because it's not a vehicle "designed for use for human habitation."

(They're definitely off my guest list, nor will we run to help them next time something breaks).


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:17 PM

I suppose if it had been a tank it would have been protected by the Second Amendment...

"was made aware of a possible violation" - that sounds like she's going thrtough te required procedure once a complaint is made. It doesn't necessarily mean that you are in fact in violation of anhything, I'd think.

Watch out about getting in a war with the neighbours by following some of the quite appealing suggestions, because those don't work out too well. There was a popular documentary series on TV over here about that kind of thing. Fun to watch, but hell to live.

We've sometimes thought of getting a tipi - good for festivals, and it'd freak out the neighbours, and it's a temporary structure, so different rules apply...


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:36 PM

Maybe you could buy a small lot somewhere on which to park your camper. You'd probably come out ahead in the long run, since land nearly always appreciates (instead of depreciates). Just make sure the property taxes and interest are less than the $45 a month you used to pay. Best of all, you can get a real estate agent to do all the checking and figuring for you before you commit to anything.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: GUEST,Banjo Johnny
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 01:51 PM

Hi - I do not think you should move the camper. That would be LETTING THE BAD GUYS WIN. They may win in the end, but you shouldn't make it easy for them. Meantime, you could apply for a "variance" -- you will need a lawyer for that but it would be worth it! Good Luck - BANJO JOHNNY


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: GUEST,sophocleese at friend's
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:41 PM

I had some friends who moved into a new apartment. They did not rush out immediately to buy a garbage bin to put their garbage in so for a whole week it was in a garbage bag on their balcony. The neighbour called the health inspector who was duty bound to come out and have a look. The inspector hated these kind of nuisnace calls and ended up charging the neighbour because he had a barbecue on his balcony which he wasn't allowed to have.

Any small voilation that you can bring on your neighbour? A question you could ask if someone comes out to look at your property? "Is that all right, officer, I was wondering..."

Can you talk to your neighbour about it? Was she aware of the reason for all of your work about the driveway or did you assume she would understand what you were doing?


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Wesley S
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:53 PM

I must admit that I would be tempted to invite over any friend of mine that played the bagpipes, banjo or bohran for an outdoor concert. Before 10:00 PM of course. You wouldn't want to violate any local laws.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 03:13 PM

Barbara, If you join in the "Bad Neighbor" game, they win and you lose. Find a safe home for your camper and enjoy it. That lady will never have the joy you have. She's too screwed up inside and so she resorts to hurting others for no other reason than she can.

Spend your energy keeping us posted on your travels and sing loud and clear so she knows that she has no power to spoil your fun.

And I bet you will help them the next time something breaks. But only if she asks nicely. Don't offer.

SS


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Kim C
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 04:34 PM

I for one don't understand why there are regulations regarding what YOU can do with property that YOU OWN. It's not unreasonable for someone to own a camper. As long as you aren't running a junkyard on the front lawn I don't see that it's anybody's business where you park the camper. If she doesn't like it, that's too bad, because it's on YOUR property. I say, get informed about what your rights are, and go for it!


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 05:00 PM

Of course you could play it all naive - there's been a complaint made, but I doubt if the council official will have formally told you who made it. So you toddle along to your next door neighbour, say you assume it's some other nosey person who has made the compaint, and ask her if she's had any trouble fom ths unknown other.

There could be a good chance that she'll jump at it, to avoid embarassment, let you go on thinking it's not her, and might even say that she has no objection. Then you can quote her to the zoning officer as having said she's got no objection. (Have a witness.) That should effectively prejudice the officer against her, as a time waster, and they've probably got some kind of flexibility over these things.

I think it's a good rule only to be sparingly open and honest in the case of disputes with neighbours, unless you are basically friends all along, where there's a good chance of clearing the air. And it doesn't sound like you are basically friends in this case, or you'd have talked about what you were planning to do before you did it. (Which is always a good idea anyway.)


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Bert
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:11 PM

If you get a lawyer make sure it is one from out of town. We have found that local lawyers tend to side with the authorities.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:23 PM

Check if the relevant ordinance only applies to vehicles "designed" for human habitation. Then trade your camper for a semitrailer and convert it. And park it there. That is a vehicle not designed, but "adapted" for human habitation.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Hardiman the Fiddler
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:25 PM

Zoning officers are usually pin-headed little pipsqueeks who have nothing to do except persecute the public who is usually taxed for the non service that they offer to the community. I had plenty of experience with one such a fellow in a community that was a suburb of Chicago. He'd spend the slow hours of the afternoon measuring the address/house numbers on folk's home to see if they were up to code.

You could always tell where he'd been, because the homeowners, myself included always went out and bought the biggest numbers they could find and painted them the most gawd awful flourescent colors that money could buy.

I hope that particular zoning officer rots in zoning violation hell!!!!!

Seriously, there's not much you can do but comply, unless you have an attorney friend who wants to have some entertainment with the $%$##$ zoning official.

Hardiman


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:30 PM

Is there a time limit to how long you can park it there? If so, you could leave it there for the legal time, move it, then bring it back. How about one of those portable garages? The old junk car is interesting, especially if you could borrow some smelly baying coon dogs to live in it.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:36 PM

I went back to work full of anger and hell-bent for at least verbal revenge after getting that letter from the zoning enforcement officer. Then I read Sinsull's posting and really stopped to reflect on how lucky I am to have the camper and music festivals in my life, and how pitiful my neighbor is to have nothing better to think about than the view out her bedroom window. Thanks, Sinsull.

Update: I spoke to the zoning officer, who said that there are several violations in our neighborhood (boats, fences, etc.) but she only enforces them when someone complains, and she told me that it was in fact my next door neighbor who complained.

Here's an interesting catch: if we keep moving it every few days (we go away every other weekend in the warm months), we can keep it in our front driveway, but not in the side driveway next to the neighbor! Huh?

Also, no setback is required for the driveway, we just can't park anything there that someone could "live" in, so my son's car will definitely be parked there. And believe me, that's no great view!


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 06:42 PM

We have a very old (60's), tiny (13 feet) travel trailer which has been parked out on the street for almost two years. It is Roger's hideaway/refuge and we do take it out once in awhile. As near as I can tell from all of teh neighbours we have, there ARE no ordinances in Wyoming about that kind of thing. The ones across the street have a huge motorhome, boat on trailer, truck with camper, and snomobiles on trailer...we tell the seasons by what they're driving and parking. Wyomingites seem to be recreationists and own a lot of toys, but I think they'd be in hot water if they ever tried to get another in trouble for the reasonable thing you've done.

It is not fair and you should be able to have it on your property. Is there anyway you could build a screen or plant a screen of shrubs/trees, etc? Are you in love with your home or would you welcome a change? I'd call a lawyer, if you know of any good ones. You might also check to see if there are any RV clubs etc. whose members might know about the laws and/or have experience with them.

I think Sinsull's got it right, though.

kat


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 07:07 PM

McGrath, we did talk to her before getting the camper, and said we would talk some more if she was really opposed, after seeing the thing. She skipped that part and went to the authorities. Tone set.

Kat, I too am amazed that they can tell us what we can have in our own yard, under the guise of "protecting property values."

We were planning to sell this BIG house as soon as the youngest is out of school, and take off after the sunset with our instruments aboard. This may hasten the decision to move, although "retirement" isn't possible yet.

I just want something simple with a huge square room for jams, a large backyard for all my distant friends' campers to park occasionally, a couple of bedrooms (one for the occasional kid coming home) and a big kitchen with couches. And acoustic musicians for neighbors!


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Hardiman the Fiddler
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 07:14 PM

Here's a suggestion:

Write a really raunchy, electric, trash/metal distorted tune called the "bad neighbor blues," and invite all your friends to come over and jam to it. Be sure to crank up the amps and the distortion pedel to maxamize the effect. And maybe to top it off, you can get an electrified fiddler!

Hardiman


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 07:25 PM

I have to admit I was grinning when the kids across the street cranked up their driveway boombox to 100 and listened to rap while they screamed and played street hockey.

Maybe we/I am the bad neighbor?


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 08:03 PM

"we just can't park anything there that someone could 'live' in" - so, like I said, a tank would be OK. Your son could use it as runaround...If she beefs, set Charlton Heston on to her.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 08:49 PM

Tell her your uncle died and left you his bee hives, which are going to take the place of the camper if you have to move it.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: richardw
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 09:59 PM

I onced lived in a condominium, strata title. A bylaw was passed that no boats could be parked in the strata parking lots. Okay. So in summer I had my canoe on top of my VW camper. I was told I could not park there. I argued I fumed. Then I moved it to the street, not the driveway, which was city property, 20 feet higher, in view of three times the untis. No more complaints.

Mario has it I think. You can probalby make a presentation to a board of varience. Take some photos etc and explain your case. Offer a solution such as a screening fence or trees. Be the reasonable one.

If that doesn't work be sure your son's care is safe, you know, with a good bright halogen light, maybe an alarm system.

More property does not solve the problems. We are on 164 acres and one neighbour is an asshole. Our well was 10 feet over the line--had been for 25 years. he decided he didn't want it there so said he needed the weel and we had to move it. Cost us $10,000--and of course he still has not used it.

Good luck.

Richard


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: GUEST,Lyle
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 10:25 PM

Like Spaw, been there. In my case, the other neighbors were on my side (I parked an 8 foot utility trailer on the side of my house) but all I got from them was sympathy. Where it was parked was on the side of the garage toward the bad ones property. When they continued to call the inspectors, it was the inspectors who got fed up, but there wasn't much they could do. So I bought a wood burning stove for my garage with the chimney pointed toward their house. All nice and legal, all inspected, everything passed. Now, can I help it that I wanted a fire in the garage in the summertime? And can I help it if there happened to be a bunch of green lawn cuttings placed in the stove every time they were out in their yard? They moved in two months.

Lyle


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: JedMarum
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 10:29 PM

apply for a variance ... you may still win your case, and your neighbor will have nothing to say ...


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 10:39 PM

how does one move a well?


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: SeanM
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 11:13 PM

Well, Kendall, if it's anything like what my grandparents went through, you pull ALL the equipment off of the old location, fill it in, move to the new location, and re-do the ENTIRE set up. VERY expensive, VERY irritating.

M


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 11:50 PM

We do folk music programs in schools and we travel in a tewnty-one foot motorhome spending about 150 nights a year in our home away from home. About ten percent of these nights are in legitimate campgrounds but most of the time we sleep in a school yard or just on the street.

There seems to be a certain percentage of the general population who thinks that anyone who owns or sleeps in any kind of RV is a threat to their existence. About once a month someone calls the cops and we are hassled. Most of the time, the cops are sympathetic and leave us alone but occasionally it's a real pain in the butt. We don't know what (if anything) goes on in the small minds of these people but they're everywhere. Too bad Barbara has to live next door to some of them.

Bev and Jerry


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:18 AM

Sadly, the very fact that someone has complained means that things will never be the same, and that's too bad. You are two of the nicest folks that Heather and I have met in our twelve years together, and we would cherish the idea of you being our neighbours. Not just because you love music, but because you radiate kindness, compassion and sharing. You both laugh easily, and obviously try to see the best in others.

If you dig your heels in and fight, it will be on your mind constantly, and that's gonna take away a little of that joie de vivre that's so apparent when someone meets you for the first time.

I'm afraid my suggestion may not be popular here, but I think that there are far too many things that happen to folks that "harden" them....and BOY, it shows! It shows when their level of trust goes down even a little bit, and it shows when they take an "I've got my rights!" stand. Don't lose even a bit of what you've now got now. If you can afford it, park the trailer somewhere else....and when you think about it in the future, you can just show a "knowing smirk", and make a joke about sometimes it's "too much of a hassle to fight city hall".

Do you think for one minute I'll ever forget the strangers who asked ME if I wanted to borrow a 3000 dollar Gibson Mastertone....after knowing me for 10 minutes?

You're RARE folks.

Rick and Heather


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:31 AM

Trutu Barb? I'd put as much info as I could together and try for a variance. Don't let a pain in the ass make you change your plans for the future or do things you don't want to do ahead of time. Then, since its not being used for habitation and there is something you said about moving it? Gotta' story about that......

Friend of mine, another racer, parked his race car trailer in a similar mannner to you. He lived in one of those hi-falutin' subdivisions with rules and such and the neighbors pitched a fit. But the rules said that trailers and motorhomes could only occupy a spot for a maximum of seven days. On race weekends he was gone and that worked out, but the rest of the time, he'd hook up and drive to our shop (about 6 miles) and I'd give him a receipt for a bulb, safety check, whatever for that date for the trailer. Worked!!! He was within the law and the minor inconvenience was a lot cheaper than storing the trailer.

I know you hate to be a bad neighbor and the thing probably isn't worth losing sleep over, but some people are such jerks that the thrill of shoving it up their bum is just too much to pass up. If you end up HAVING to take your motorhome to a storage lot, I'd be "in for a penny, in for a pound." Forget your son's car, go buy some rusty, dented, trashed out, piece of crap for 50 or a hundred bucks and park it there. Also pick up an 8 foot section of privacy fence and erect it in front of the car...No use having your house look bad is there....but your neighbor can still enjoy it. If you can find a clunker that actually runs, have your son go out and start it from time to time....set the idle speed up and pour tiny amounts of transmission fluid down the carb while it runs. Make sure the wind is blowing toward the neighbors house. If your neighbor as a good view of this wreck, take the wheels off on that side and set it on concrete blocks. If her view is exceptionally good, have an old clapped engine block, a transmission, maybe a rear end too, delivered from your local junkyard. Assuming they are all cracked and generally unsellable, this should cost no more than 100 bucks. I figure for under 300, including the car, parts, junk parts, and fence, you won't have more than 300 in this new "Garden Spot." You need some ripped up tarp to cover part of it with too.

Need more ideas? Happy to oblige!

Spaw


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:38 AM

Rick is a truly nice guy, a good man, and an honest man. I'm a miserable prick, but I enjoy being a miserable prick. He's probably right I'm sure. But I admit that I got a little glee when I noticed that my trailer was back about a foot yesterday. I have a line marked so I can keep it as far out as possible. Like I said, I'm not a nice fellow.

Spaw


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:48 AM

Sure you are!

Rick


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:00 AM

Love the wya BOTh of your minds work, Rick & Spaw!


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:03 AM

So here I am at 1:00 in the morning with insomnia, letting the bastards get me down. Then I read Rick's kind words and resolve through the tears to lighten up and get over it. And then along comes the "miserable prick" with the unbelievable sense of humor and I'm waking everyone up with my laughter.

Good night, guys. And thanks.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:15 AM

Barb, forgive us! My God, what have we done? Tomorrow Catspaw and I will face off pantless at 30 paces just so the neighbours can decide WHICH prick should decide the day! My guess is they'll want us BOTH to leave the neighbourhood........so we'll move into yours! Thus causing YOUR neighbours to move to Ohio and Ontario. End of problem.

Rick


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:22 AM

Great Zot!!!! I think you've hit upon the perfect solution Rick! I'll let the guy across the alley know so he can take Rutherford's Body Shop off retainer.

Spaw


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: SINSULL
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 10:35 AM

Gosh, I thought I had problems when the co-op objected to a dangerously placed, fire hazard of a welcome mat outside my door. Wish Spaw lived here. What fun we could have with the Garden Ladies and the Restoration Committee.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: richardw
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:42 PM

Kendall;

Re moving a well: SeanM had the sense of it. Ours is a shallow well, ie dug not drilled. We got a driller out who said go way way the other direction, never mind the cost. Huh? Turned out he was also working for said neighbour.

So we got a dowser. She said dig below the old well and you'll find water at 20 feet.

So, we got an excavator at $110 an hour (this is the short version) who dug around and in the second big pit found water at 18 feet. We dumped in gravel then set the concrete well sections in so they were 6' above the ground. He backfilled, then we dumped in 10 loads of drain rock -3-4"- at $120 a load. Now we had to dig a ditch to connect to the old line. That ended up being 600 feet long, but, we replaced the old pipe with new larger diameter.

Of course because of the new route the pump would no longer draw. There is certain rules of hydraulics I had to learn. One is that a surface pump will only draw up 25 feet. In theory. We are at 3500 feet, so deduct a few feet of drawn. Anyway aftern mcuh labour and a new pump we found we were at the theoretical maximum. Wouldn't work. So we moved all the equipment to the well site and constructed a new pump house ....

As I said $10,000 later we have a good water system, plus time off in the middle of haying, plus aggravation ... But, hell, I now know lots about well construction.

The neighbour is still a dink, but the big balance wheel in the sky hit him in the back of the head when he went to check a propane leak on his boat with a lit match. No more boat. He wasn't too badly hurt fortuantely. We gave him the Darwin award.

My wife had a fence experience. Neighbour wanted to expanmd his driveway. Asked her and her husband to move the fence. No. I don't think so, they said. So he got nasty. Called in a surveyor. Found his driveway was already 6 inches over the line. Never mentioned it again. Must be a song there. Where's Paxton

Cheers

Richard


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Fiddlin' Big Al
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:23 PM

I moved to a small town in eastern WA about 8 years ago. Got elected to town council in self defense. Yes, neighbors can be a pain. Most of the time ordinances are selectively enforced. There may be scads of rules we're all violating and nothing is said unless someone complains. Contact your city council person and question the actions of the zoning officer. Most of the time the squeeky wheel of a complaining neighbor gets greased by some action like the visit you rec'd from the zoning zombie. It is amazing how far past the letter of the rules they will twist things in order to respond to a complaint. They may back down and admit you have a right to park or they may retaliate with more BS. It helps if you are not vulnerable on any other fronts. In any case, keep a record of names and dates and everything that is said to you by officials on the subject. If possible speak to them only in front of witnesses. This may seem paranoid, but it is not. Smile and be reasonable and nice but insistent on seeing chapter and verse on rules they attempt to enforce. Good luck. Remember all these people work for you if you pay taxes. Put up a fence and paint it flourescent orange on the neighbors' side if all else fails .


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: kendall
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 06:23 PM

Spaw and Rick..how dare you leave out the most crusty egotistical prick of all. ME!! I have never started a row in my life, but, I take great joy in counter punching. Some years ago I lived out in the country, and here in Maine, many deeds say 69 acres, more or less. Land is so cheap here, we dont worry over a few feet either way. But, the old man who owned the adjoining property sold out, and a couple from N.J. bought it. First thing they did was have it surveyed. They came to me and said "Our surveyor says that our common boundry line runs right through the middle of your well. What do you propose to do about it.? I couldn't think of a reasonable answer to an unreasonable question, so, I just said "I dont know what you want to do with your half, I'll probably keep drowning cats in mine." To date, they have shown no interest in sharing that water.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Midchuck
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 06:42 PM

How long'd your well been there? I assume Maine has a Statute of Limitations.

Peter.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 06:57 PM

I think I heard Kendall say it had been there about 89 cats.

Spaw


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:14 PM

Rick's right on this, in my view. It's fun enough talking about feuds with neighbours, but in reality they're just a pain.

Unless you're going to do whatever is necessary to win, there's no point getting in a fight; and those are the kind of fights noone wins.

Of course there could be an alternatve strategy. Maybe a temporary house swap with catspaw would do the trick. He could fix it that she'd welcome you back with open arms. That wouldn't be vengeance, just corrective therapy.

That could be a whole new philanthropic way of life for someone - going from town to town helping neighbours get on better by making them feel lucky they didn't have you as a neighbour. Social work á la Incredible Hulk.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Fiddlin' Big Al
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:49 PM

Rent the Belushi-Akroyd film "Neighbors". Things could be worse. If you need an electric fiddler, I'm IT.


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:58 PM

Thread drift - I'm surprised by how many people across the Atlantic spell it "neighbours". And not just the Canadians, who I suppose might want to do it differently from the big fellas south of the border. Are both forms current in the States too?


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Subject: RE: Bad Neighbors
From: Jeri
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 08:02 PM

Well, of course Rick's being sensible, but he can't help it. I'd honestly advise against doing what Catspaw said with the junk heap. This has no class at all, and lots of people have piles of rusted metal in their yards. Now if you were to hang Christmas lights on it...


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