Neighbors who can't get along...

[Jks9199]

Some of the comments in the Harassment with the assistance of the Police. thread brought this to mind, and I figured I'd start another thread, with a little different focus. Like that thread, I'll keep it out here in the open so that people can see some of what goes on, or add their input.

We all have those folks who just can't get along -- and often they live next door to each other. And they go well, well out of their way to piss each other off or to object to something their neighbor did. What are some of the stupidest, most inane or insane reasons neighbors have called the cops in your experience? Or that they've done to piss each other off...

Like the guy who called because his neighbor's kid in a cul-de-sac got a remote control car "stuck" under his car. No damage to either the real car or the fake car, but they couldn't even get along enough to pull the toy out. Or the guy who complained about the tree work being done on his neighbor's trees dropping some branches on his yard (yes, the tree could have fallen on his house if it hadn't been taken care of) -- but refused to allow the workers on the property to collect the branches. Or the guy playing music so loud it was painful just to annoy his neighbor...

[Five-0]

I've often thought of putting a folding chair in my truck to pull out on these sorts of calls. This way while they are both foaming at the mouth at one another I can pull the chair out, sit down, and watch the show in some comfort. When they bitch, I'll tell them my Sergeant is on his way. He just has to stop at the store to pick up some chips, drinks, and of course a folding chair for himself.

[Twan007]

(not my call, but heard it go out)

One neighbor called because the other neighbor put grass clippings on her driveway - and wanted him written a littering citation... even went to the point of video taping the "incident"...

[cwtlady]

"What are some of the stupidest, most inane or insane reasons neighbors have called the cops in your experience?"

I’d like to share my own experience a couple of years ago with being one of those people who couldn’t get along with their neighbors. In the end, I learned a lesson on what‘s important….


Our neighborhood was plagued by a teenage neighbor and his friends who had a garage band and a skateboard ramp. The neighbor kid would be on the ramp all hours of the day and night (made me wonder if the kid ever ate). We started filing complaints with the police. They would come and tell the kid to quiet down. He didn’t listen. Our neighborhood was getting very frustrated as we had tried everything we could think of to get him to be quiet.

One one occasion, a neighbor called the police again and this time the deputy came out to speak with her. The deputy listened to her complaint then went over to the offending party and listened to their side. I was at my neighbor’s house at the time, partly because I wanted to hear what the deputy’s advice would be. He came back over to my neighbor’s house and told us some of what was said. The deputy basically said they have a right to make some noise but not after certain hours and they were told to have some consideration for their neighbors. We were hoping he would stop completely.

It was more the ramp that annoyed us, especially at 3 a.m. While we weren’t exactly happy that there wouldn’t be any more noise from the ramp, we were glad the offending neighbors got a talking to from the police.

Just before the deputy left, he chatted with us, telling us how the weekend had been going for the police. There had been two car accidents involving teenagers the night before, just fifteen minutes apart. Both teenagers had been about sixteen years old. There were fatalities, with alcohol being a factor. The deputy pointed out that at least the offending neighbor’s parents knew where the kid was. We agreed. We were sad that there had been a loss of life and at such an early age. The deputy said the department was having a hard time handling it. He seemed very quiet as he told us about the events. A day or so later we read about the two fatalities. One of the teens who died had been burned in one of the two accidents.

Thinking back to what the deputy had said, about how at least the parents knew where their kid was, hit home. At least this neighbor kid was in the care of his parents. They knew what he was doing….making noise. There are two teenagers, whose parents didn’t know where their children were, who will be silent forever.

I stopped complaining about the kid. He took up skateboarding again and makes noise. It may not be a sweet sound to me but I bet it is to his parents. The neighbor kid continued to play with his garage band. They even raised money to send to a charity.

[jmur5074]

We have two neighbors in town who frequently call on each other, fighting for a 2'x5' patch of grass on the city owned boulevard. Their argument basically consists of who is responsible for maintaining it.

We probably have roughly 100 calls over the past three years between the two of them. Everything from stealing dirt from the patch, raking grass seed into the patch, raking grass seed out, stepping on the patch, removing utilities spray paint marks, etc.

[Cidp24]

Stupid Neighbor Complaints:

"He put his garbage can on the street on my side of the property line."

"I think my neighbor is digging small holes in my yard at night." "Sir, that's an armadillo." "Why is he not digging in my neighbor's yard?" "Sir, I guess you have better roots or grubs or whatever it is they eat, I'll get animal control to come talk to you."

"There's a car parked on the street in front of my neighbors house." "Sir, is it there frequently?" "No, just last night and today." "Sir, the car has our of state plates, don't you think it's a visitor?" (We do have an on street parking ordinance. It allows for occasional street parking for parties or visitors)

"Those new people in the neighborhood have teens that walk around the street at night." (It was about 8:30 at night, new neighbors were minority and I figured that was the real problem that the neighbor had.)

[Xiphos]

I went to a call where the one neighbor was complaining another parked their car next to the caller's house. The caller planted flowers in the city right of way between the sidewalk and the curb. The caller felt that the city street along this flower bed belonged to them and resented when the neighbor parked a car there. So that afternoon the caller parked in the neighbor's yard.

No amount of logic or explaining was good enough for the caller. I finally told the neighbor they could call a tow truck at the vehicle owner's expense, to get rid of the car parked in his yard. The caller moved her car.

Idiot.

[Five-0]

We have two neighbors in town who frequently call on each other, fighting for a 2'x5' patch of grass on the city owned boulevard. Their argument basically consists of who is responsible for maintaining it.

We probably have roughly 100 calls over the past three years between the two of them. Everything from stealing dirt from the patch, raking grass seed into the patch, raking grass seed out, stepping on the patch, removing utilities spray paint marks, etc.

RoundUp:



Not only does it kill weeds, but pretty much anything that relies on photosynthesis. Note that this product is meant for 27 watering cans. You pour that on the area you are talking about and nothing grows there till the second coming.

[Twan007]

At least this neighbor kid was in the care of his parents. They knew what he was doing….making noise. There are two teenagers, whose parents didn’t know where their children were, who will be silent forever.

perfect way to put that one into perspective - I try to explain that to folks who complain on their neighbors' kids being loud - most of the time they don't get it... they're home, not out causing trouble, or getting hurt, they're HOME when the creepy crawlies are out and about

[Xiphos]

perfect way to put that one into perspective - I try to explain that to folks who complain on their neighbors' kids being loud - most of the time they don't get it... they're home, not out causing trouble, or getting hurt, they're HOME when the creepy crawlies are out and about

Yeah, I call that Felony Childhood. "There's kids hanging out doing ________ here." No wonder teenagers end up in the woods drinking and having sex, they get the cops called on them everywhere else.

[ChesCopPodz]

Old agency: Woman grew tired of her neighbors porch light shining into her bedroom window across the street. So, naturally, instead of maybe buying curtains, she buys a freakin construction site light tower and points it at the neighbors house all night for days until they call. Luckily, it also blinded traffic coming out of the neighborhood, so I had a good reason to give her to turn it off.

Worst (here): 5 year old blind and mentally disabled kid lives in a townhome complex. Old lady in the adjacent townhome calls every time he has a fit, fully understanding that hes mentally disabled and the mom can't just tell him to stop it.

But the kicker, this poor kids favorite thing to do is lay on his belly on a skateboard, and push himself down the sidewalk. One evening, he's doing so along the sidewalk in front of the row of townhomes, mom's sitting on the front step watching. Kids skateboard comes to a stop, so the kid reaches up, and happens to find the front bumper of the old woman's car, which is parked in a parking space. Being blind and mentally disabled, he of course doesn't know its the old woman's car, but knows its something sturdy enough to pull himself up with and turn around to roll back the other way.

You'd think the boy lit the woman's car on fire. She calls us and goes outside screaming at the kid for "vandalising" her car. By the time i was done with the call, i had almost arrested her for yelling at the poor kid like she did.

[Broke Hoss]

I had a neighbor dispute that went so bad that 1 used round-up in water balloons & lobbed them over the fence.....dead grass explosions scattered throughout a manicured lawn is not pretty.

[luckyme]

RoundUp:

Not only does it kill weeds, but pretty much anything that relies on photosynthesis. Note that this product is meant for 27 watering cans. You pour that on the area you are talking about and nothing grows there till the second coming.

Hmm..you didn't happen to be at Toomer's Corner a couple months ago did ya?

[lewisipso]

One neighbor would habitually stop in the road to talk to another. A third neighbor would have trouble passing if traffic were coming. Yelling, complaining and calling police ensued. It ultimately ended in a fist fight that lasted at least 15 minutes until we got there. Both parties are in their 60's.

[Ducky]

Makes my neighbors who go hot-boxing in the old car in their backyard seem positively angelic.

[Jks9199]

"Those new people in the neighborhood have teens that walk around the street at night." (It was about 8:30 at night, new neighbors were minority and I figured that was the real problem that the neighbor had.)

I love that sort of crap... Uh, what a terrible thing for kids to be OUTSIDE and actually WALKING AROUND, otherwise minding their own business. Or in the park, sitting on benches...

Meanwhile... that guy (often pointedly non-minority) walking up to people's doors, and trying to open them... or rummaging through all the cars on the street? Nah, we don't call that one in.

There's a car parked on the street in front of my neighbors house." "Sir, is it there frequently?" "No, just last night and today." "Sir, the car has our of state plates, don't you think it's a visitor?" (We do have an on street parking ordinance. It allows for occasional street parking for parties or visitors)

I went to a call where the one neighbor was complaining another parked their car next to the caller's house. The caller planted flowers in the city right of way between the sidewalk and the curb. The caller felt that the city street along this flower bed belonged to them and resented when the neighbor parked a car there. So that afternoon the caller parked in the neighbor's yard.

No amount of logic or explaining was good enough for the caller. I finally told the neighbor they could call a tow truck at the vehicle owner's expense, to get rid of the car parked in his yard. The caller moved her car.

Idiot.

We had a street that just did not get along with each other. Especially with one person. (Fortunately, they've been getting on in years. Ever been HAPPY to go on a natural death run?) She was another of the ones convinced that she owns the curb in front of her house, and nobody can park there without permission.

[APB]

On the other hand, there are times where it's necessary to call, and it's important to know where that line is. We have a neighbor who on two occasions has felt it necessary to scream threateningly at my wife, telling her "I don't want to see you in this neighborhood again" and other things because our dog peed near his property. On the second instance of this recently, he followed her back to our house.

Now, said gentleman is of Middle Eastern descent, and seems to my impression to have been raised with a very male-centric view on things, so to speak, but I don't take kindly to people threatening my wife. In the interests of documentation, and not shitting where I eat, one of the guys I work with took a stop by there while on duty, and informed him not to do that again. The guy was a jerk to him, as well. What a shock.

Could I have taken care of this personally? Perhaps, but I felt that prudence dictated letting our agency handle it. We also now have documentation that it's occurred twice in a state where a third act can (and will, in our case) enable the harassee to obtain a civil restraining order against the harasser.

[Five-0]

Hmm..you didn't happen to be at Toomer's Corner a couple months ago did ya?

Sounds like a job for Updyke Tree and Stump Removal Service.

[Pudge]

We've had our fair share. It's ranged from "He mowed part of my yard" to "their kids' ball came over into mine".


I'm lucky enough to live in a great neighborhood, but we had a short period where a neighbor started seeing one of our worst frequent flyers shortly after her divorce and before she moved out.

He tried a couple of times to be friendly with me, but got ignored. My wife was ready to kill me with as much as I paced the windows everytime he was over. After several times being blatently ignored, and playing with my malinois and his bite sleeve in the back yard, the guy didn't really care to be seen anywhere close to my yard.

[Ducky]

I haven't had TOO much trouble with the neighbors here, at least not once hubby and I set up a short archery range in the side yard. We drew a bit of a crowd of the "inner city" types, who quickly realized that we had really decent accuracy and the whole thing was basically silent. Then the swords came out for sparring practice and the whole lot of them buggered off. Quickly. We were just having an afternoon of fun, but since then we've been given a pretty wide berth.