Neighbor Problems

[Stonewall]

So, I live in a decent neighborhood.  We've got a doctors, airline pilots, teachers, few navy folks, retired navy folks, a postal worker and some others I don't know.

Here's the deal.  My neighbor, a retired Navy E-5 doesn't keep his home and yard up to the "standard" I think appropriate for the neighborhood.  Lawn is rarely kept, trash cans are put out too early or left out for days, fence is practically coming down, old junk like a washer sitting on side of the house along with the trash cans when they're "put away" instead of out of site.  Finally, I think the oldest son and daughter (or someone) has moved back in.  There are rarely fewer than 4 cars in the driveway or parked on the street, usually directly infront of my house.

The owner, a nice enough guy, never seems to be around.  He's got 2 young daughters, like pre-teen and a couple kids that are grown adults.  Did I mention the dog they allow to roam freely on the street named "Freedom".  They guy has let me borrow his ladder and seems to be of the good natured generous, perhaps religous, type.  The adult kids on the other hand, although I haven't met them, seem to be of the "trouble maker" type.  I could be wrong, it's happened before.  But loud music, jeans hanging down their butt, and friends that look like they may have seen the inside of a jail cell before.

I'm a fan of the saying "good fences make great neighbors".  My problem is that I expect everyone to follow the rules of common sense, common courtesy and decency.  I know, I'm a fool.  But as I've learned before, it doesn't make for a comfortable way of life to be "at war" with your neighbor (or roommate).

Our home owners association leaves a lot to be desired.  My neighbor painted his house Peach, not allowed by current guidelines.  Nothing has been done.  In fact, lots of violations occur and nothing is done.  I guess that's the difference between paying $50 a year compared to $1200 a year in Northern Virginia.

My BEEF is with the cars parked in front of my house, which isn't illegal.  The car is nasty, broken down and has a tarp in the righ passenger window because it's broken.  The other car, a white newer model, has the hood up partially charging or something.

So, am I just too anal retentive or is this a legitimate issue?

The owner's house is off to the left...


What I see when I walk out my front door...

[Short Field]

Some towns have a local ordinance about junk cars being parked on the street.  If it doesn't run, they have to get it off the street.  Might be some help from the cops on that issue.

[Stonewall]

Some towns have a local ordinance about junk cars being parked on the street.  If it doesn't run, they have to get it off the street.  Might be some help from the cops on that issue.

It runs, unfortunately.  It's gone off and on, along with the white car.  The worst was when the mail lady had to knock on my door last week to give me my mail because the junker was blocking the mailbox.  Grrrr....

[Flying Pig]

Ouch......

Legally  would say city code enforcement would be your best bet unless the tags are expired.  In Ca they have to be expired over 6 months for them to be towed away.  I feel for you.  It may be that talking to the guy might be your only solution.

[star1151]

Hey, I don't believe you can legally block a mailbox with a car...at least, that's what my parents always told me when I parked in front of theirs.

I've dealt with a neighbor from hell.  The cops finally told me that they could keep ticketing him, or I could to go my HOA.  They told me that at least in my state, HOA's have way more power than they do.  Frightening, but sometimes comes in useful.  I say look through all the rules, find out which ones he's breaking, and start writing letters. 

Or just make a phone call saying you think there's drug activity going on (judging by the way the cars look, it's a possibility).  Or slash their tires.  I see quite a few options here. :-)

[♠SARKID♠]

Confront politely.  The best way to approach ANY conflict is to talk it over.  Party A gives their views, party B gives their views, debate, resolve.  If there are still hard feelings afterwards, or if the opposite party refuses, that is the time to go to the authorities.

[Stonewall]

Hey, I don't believe you can legally block a mailbox with a car...at least, that's what my parents always told me when I parked in front of theirs.

FL statutes state that you can't block a rural mailbox positioned on a state road by 30 feet.  Yeah, I pulled out my code book to see if I can get anything.  Only if it were abandoned or not driveable could I do something legally.  Believe it or not, it works.

[JohnKachenmeister]

A couple of ideas:

1.  IF you live in a city, there may be an ordinance prohibiting parking for longer than 18 hours.

2.  Otherwise, code enforcement is your best bet for the junker.

One option you didn't list above may be a little too creative, but...

Have professionally printed signs posted marking the house as the "Redneck Land" and sell tickets like its a theme park.  Be sure to establish a route that runs the tourists through the gift shop where they can purchase authentic "Low-rider" baggy jeans, CD's of their favorite rap artists, and toy trucks with the wheels broken off.

And don't forget the crazy "Mullet" wigs!

[pixelwonk]

Stop by the shore and pick up a nice dead 'n bloated fishy for that open window.

[Stonewall]

Interested to know who voted "just blow it off, ain't nuthin wrong with it".  Obviously you don't have to answer as it's an anonymous poll, but it blows my mind that someone would be totally cool with this hunk of junk outside their house every day.  Although I don't actually care for it to even be seen on my street, I'd be totally cool if it were actually parked in the owner's driveway or at a minimum, in front of his house.  We have two-car garages and driveways big enough to park 4 cars in.  If you must park on the street in front of my house, they could at least park the Acura or Honda there.

I'm guessing the 4 folks that voted "slash tires" were possibly joking.  I'd like to hear that rationale as well, if you're willing to speak up.  I kind of threw two extra options in there.  I think, like most have answered, the right and mature thing to do is approach my neighbor in a friendly, non-confrontational manner and see if he could make some parking adjustments.

[pixelwonk]

Didn't know you lived so close to another CAP Talk member, eh Kirt?

[Stonewall]

Actually, there is another CAP Talk member with my same zip code.  Touche.

[SJFedor]

Well, I had something quasi-similar in my neighborhood. I live in a college town in an apartment complex, and there was this crappy stationwagon parked right in the front of the complex. Tags expired, rear tire flat, didn't move for like 8 months.

First thing I did was be patient, and hoped it would go away. Didn't happen.

Talked to the owner. She told me, in harsher words, to go fly a kite.

So, talked to management (since we dont have an HOA), as did everyone else in my particular building. Came out one morning to go to work, and the vehicle had a big orange sticker on the driver window saying "You have 48 hours to move it, or it's towed off property".

It's not there anymore.

My recommendation: start civil, and increase the tactics as the situation progresses.

Honestly, in FL, I figured they had laws about eyesores like that car. Doesn't even look like it would pass inspection. Get your neighbors to complain that the car sitting in the neighborhood, along with the rest of the problems you listed, may negatively affect the resale value of your home, etc. Get "the man" on your side, and you should be able to do a lot.

I believe you said the vehicles tags are expired. Local LE should be able to tell you what they can do about that. I would think that a vehicle w/ expired tags on a public street can be considered abandoned and towed.

You can always get one of those plastic fire hydrants, put it next to the car, and call the local LE. They'll move it REAL fast 

All else fails, call Colgan. He's got a Springfield XD he's been itching to use, and tires are great targets. 

[♠SARKID♠]

Stop by the shore and pick up a nice dead 'n bloated fishy for that open window.

Tedda, your random interjections of resounding satirism never cease to entertain. 

[SarDragon]

Stop by the shore and pick up a nice dead 'n bloated fishy for that open window.

Tedda, your random interjections of resounding satirism never cease to entertain. 

IMHO, that was neither satire, nor sarcasm. Instead, it was usable (if not entirely sound) advice, guaranteed to get a reaction. Frankly, I think he got the idea from Grumpy Old Men.

[Al Sayre]

I'll bet that POS is leaking oil, gas, transmission fluid etc., it'd be shame if it caught fire...

[JAFO78]

Hey I bet the boys at McDill, Pensacola, or Tydell would love to do an air strike on it.
You know people, who know people, get in touch with DEA or INS, you get the idea.

I would just get some of the other neighbors on your side calling the local PD. Make sure the neighbors are not too buddy, buddy with them.

[jimmydeanno]

HEY! That's my car!  Kirt, if you had a beef with where I park my car, why didn't you let me know? 

Seriously though, although it may not be illegal for them to park their car there, I do think it is very inconsiderate.  It sounds as though your issue isn't that they have this car in the neighborhood, but that it is parked in front of your house.

You mention that you'd rather have one of the nicer cars there because it isn't as much of an eyesore, but I don' think you'd really want either.

I've always gone by the unwritten rule that the curb space in front of someone's house is theirs, so I don't park there.

I'm sure that a polite conversation with the guy would work for you - people don't know there is a problem until you let them know and getting the police involved this early may just lead to neighborhood fueds rather than a "Oh, sorry, if I had known earlier..." situation.

[Psicorp]

I guess that's one reason I won't live somewhere that has a home owners association.  I pay enough in property taxes that I'm not going to pay more just so someone can tell me what color I have to paint my house.

What you call a "junker" might be some kid's first car and that's all he could afford. 

If it's really bugging you then I'd suggest printing off the list of your Association's "guidelines" and annonymously mail them to your neighbor, or have the association do it.  If that doesn't work then maybe a conversation is in order.

I'm curious to know if your association's guidelines are rules or just guidelines.

[floridacyclist]

I would decide which issues directly affect me and limit my gripes to only those. What he does with his land that he paid for is not really an issue unless he is breaking a law or a homeowner's covenant that he agreed to when he bought the land. I would have similar gripes if someone tried telling me what antennas I could put up, that my kids could not work on their cars in my backyard (which I did surround with a privacy fence), or that I could not keep the squadron's practice SAR target at my house since the airport won't let us park a Cessna 150 trailer there.

Once the issue starts to affect you (loud music, car parked in front of your house, wierd smells making you either gag or get stoned) then you have every right to inform him of the problem that is causing you. My guess is that he probably has no idea he's causing you these problems and will be more than happy to try to accomodate you as long as you're polite and respectful to him, which I have no doubt you will be.

As for the car, I've had cars like that when I was younger and had no money. Remember, not every parent buys their kid a new Lexus for graduation. On the bright side (for you anyway, for the kid that owns it, it might mean walking to work), it doesn't look like it will last much longer.