We moved into this nice cul de sac, and immediately had problems with our neighbor's kids. Their 4, and 5 years old would play unsupervised in our backyard in our trees, and set up tents and camp. Dad even had the nerve to put up a tent for them without talking to us or even introducing himself. When we discovered them doing this multiple times after being asked not to do so, I called Dad and asked him to not have them do it. We thought that was fine--my fear was that the kids would fall and then we would get sued (it is that kind of neighborhood). Lo and behold, I am now the 'mean"neigbhor because I don't let the kids run wild. We put up a fence in order to avoid the issue and the temptation. But, hey...didn't work...we are having an anniversary party and what do I see, a gang of kids open our gates and run into our yard to climb trees.I freak out and yell at them about trespassing...none of the gang of like 10 or so has the nerve to stop and face me. Instead, they run and Dad is sitting in his yard and says nothing. It is not as if they don't have huger properties or even playthings in their yard...So, the other night, I am weeding and the kids, all girls, now at best 7 or 8, are again wandering unsupervsied (although Mom allegedly watches from the backyard, which is a feat of superman proportion, because she must be able to see through walls) and the kids are hanging across the street, by our neigbhor's pool (who also happens to be a known sex offender) and then they proceed to walk behind the remaining homes and are doing god knows what. They then stop in front of my home (and me) and start saying that I amm the "mean" lady and that they hate me. Nice. I am upset about this, so I go home and email their Dad to advise him that his kids were hanging out at the sex offender's pool without supervision. he claims Mom was watching and basically tells me to f&&& myself. I try to make nice by asking him to talk this out, as clearly this is a problem and he again, tells me to f&&& myself. Now, I am the neighborhood nut and so pissed because these people are holier than thou, tried to get the sex offender out because they were afraid for their kids and now don't supervise their kids. Any retribution of the legal nature that can be suggested?

Comments

Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 14, 2006 at 10:58 PM

Well you do sound like a nutcase for sure.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 15, 2006 at 2:24 AM

Try companion planting.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 15, 2006 at 7:11 AM

Boy that is helpful. Who is the nutcase posting at 2:00 am.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 15, 2006 at 7:12 AM

What is companion planting?

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 16, 2006 at 12:06 AM

Thats when you bury your companion in the garden to help grow plants, should work with kids also.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 16, 2006 at 2:28 PM

Yes, there is something you can do..two actually.
one; you can post a no tresspassing sign and make neighbors aware that it is a misdamener..and if they do tresspass they will be prosecuted. You won't win any pals that way..and even though I think you are correct to want your own yard to yourself,but you will forever after be known as the neighborhood asshole and have eggs thrown at your house..ect.

two; you could just throw your hands up and let them do what they want.

Puts you in a shitty position...to be the bad guy. If people kept on their own property, you wouldn't be forced to either let people tresspass and use your yard as free domain..or look like the neighborhood bitch.

I have had a similar problem with a next door neighbors child ringing the bell and coming over every single day all hours..dinnertime, 8 at night 8 in the morning.
Puts me in the position to either be walked on or be a bad guy if i tell them to go home. It sucks.

If people just taught their kids that you don't ring a bell before 9am or after 8pm or at dinnertime..or had rules about stomping into other people's yards morning /noon and night uninvited the world would be a happier place.

Most neighborhood arguements start because someone does not understand common sence and courtesy.

In my opinion, You are correct in your feelings but are in a NO WIN situation. I feel sorry for you.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 16, 2006 at 4:13 PM

Thanks for validating my feelings. I apologized to the parents to try to be the bigger person and work this out. They told me to F&&& off, so I am just going to let it go. Whatever. It sucks to be the bitch, but I figure, at some point, something will happen, they will get bit by my neighbor's dog, the sex offender will reoffend or the new neighbors (3 are selling..perhaps the kids are the problem???) will be more protective than I am...

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 16, 2006 at 6:30 PM

Do you have children the ages of these kids that are running through your yard? Even with a fence, you're still having trouble? I'd be careful if I were you. If you make too much of it, they might come back and do damage to your property. Kids today are crazy and totally disrespectful. It's hard being known as the "bitch of the neighborhood" just because you want some peace and quiet (and privacy!) The parents of these low-lifes aren't much better. I'd suggest reasoning with them, but they sppear to be the type that wouldn't give you the time of day except maybe to egg your house. Sounds like it's time to move...

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2006 at 10:06 AM

Cul-de-sacs are neighbor nightmare traps. If you are the type of people who like to have your own space, next move should be to a corner lot type dwelling across from an open space unlikely to be developed.

For now though, you do have a problem with the trespassing by <I>children</I>, which police are unlikely to process. You see, as minors, they virtually get a free pass in the courts for anything less than actual property damage.

On the up-and-up, you have one strong card and that is the <I>threat</I> of alerting social services - division of children's protective agency. Your position is especially strong because of the proximity "Chester Childmolester" which will bring social services down on the parents like a flock of hungry predatory birds.

I reiterate the <I>threat</I> aspect of this, which should be sufficient get the sluggish psuedoparents ass in gear in keeping their kids invisible. But do what you need to do.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 17, 2006 at 4:55 PM

One time when I live in town the neighbor had this kid that wouldn't stay in his own yard, but always had to be in mine. He trampled the flowers, broke limbs off the trees, tore up the hedge, his parents didn't care, so one day I chased him with a snake, he ran out the gate into the street and was run over by a brinks truck. Nobody saw what happened, so I was in the clear, but about a month later they moved, I don't live there anymore either.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 18, 2006 at 4:04 AM

wow! same thing happened to me - damn those Brinks drivers!

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 18, 2006 at 7:17 AM

<I>"For now though, you do have a problem with the trespassing by children, which police are unlikely to process. You see, as minors, they virtually get a free pass in the courts for anything less than actual property damage."</I>

Sometimes they even get a pass on property damage.

A personal story:

About three years ago, I was trying, unsuccessfully, to get the parents of five groups of children to keep them out of my yard. I got a hostile reception from the first time I appeared at their various doors to discuss the problem, and I went away with the impression that they felt their kids should simply have the run of the neighborhood; any suggestion otherwise was simply so outlandish, I might as well have been suggesting they chain their progeny up in their basement 24/7....

After some initial progress, little by little, I would come home from work, grocery store, etc. to find that the children were returning to their old pattern of destructively playing in my yard, climbing trees, picking flowers, running around the house and garage, or clear evidence of their recent trespass - broken glass beverage containers, fast food wrappers, ripped tree limbs, large numbers of torn leaves in piles of the mutilated vegetation or just leaving it scattered around throughout the yard and even up on the porch.
The discussions with the parents became increasingly testy, and downright heated with two of the families; three of the families seemed indifferent,saying they would <I>try</I> to keep the kids "under control", or to that effect, but when the kids got together, they seemed to actively target my house, triggered by the hostile group, no doubt.

I did not feel, at the time, that calling the police was really the course of action I wanted to take. I wanted to try to be "reasonable", and still felt I might prevail using my own negotiations w/ the neighbors.

Late one afternoon, I heard a thumping and scrambling outside in the front yard, and looking out there, I saw several of the children digging around the trees lining the street which had a crushed rock base ground cover, putting these rocks into a bucket and run down the street. I watched the group of four boys and two girls, as one of their number loaded a rock into a slingshot and let fly in the direction of my porch.
I heard a crash, and watched the shooter run into his house, and the rest of the group scatter. I ran downstairs and outside to find the rock had shattered the rear window of my little old run-around truck. Two of the children had actually run down into my driveway to survey the damage firsthand. I glared at them as they just stood looking dumbly at the smashed window. They ran home at that point, and as the "father" appeared heading toward his truck, they bleated "<I>Now<?I> guess what <I>he</I> said we did...." He looked across the street at me, so I approached him, we were both at battle stations as we met in the middle of the street. As much as I wanted to tell him his two despicable brats were responsible for the damage, I told him that I had seen the other kid actually fire the shot, but that his daughter and her little boyfriend had gathered the rocks to be used for ammo.
<I>This lying sackosh!t said his kids had been playing in the backyard all afternoon!!!!!</I> It became obvious that further conversation was useless, and I did not have the foresight to bring my pocket recorder, so I regarded him for some long moments shaking my head. I returned home and called the police to report the incident.

About a half-hour later, two policemen showed up. I went through the entire tale and described the shooter and his accomplices, and pointed out where they lived. One of the cops went to the shooters house, where he was informed that the "alleged" shooter had been away at his divorced wife's(the boy's mother) house <I>"all day"</I>. The other group had, of course, been "playing in their backyard all day".

I went ahead and completed the report - but made a huge mistake - I dictated the account to the policeman, who made several crucial mistakes. Fully intending to get this pack of lying, irresponsible, lying degenerates into court, I went down to the police station, where I had to <I>pay(!!!!)</I> fifteen bucks for the "complete" report. When I read it, I found that the policeman had gotten the families all mixed up and jumbled together! In the space for the shooter boy's birthdate, <I> he had entered MY birthdate!!</I> So I had to call the policeman to get him to update (change) the report. TWO WEEKS LATER - I was notified the report was ready, then paid five bucks for photocopies.

In court, the lying pieces of catcrap stuck to their lies and the judge dismissed the case, due to the fact that the policeman seemed unclear about my story...arghhhhh.
He DID admonish the parents to keep their kids at home, out of trouble, and that if further trouble occured, that I should refer the matter to social services. I was left having to pay out of pocket to replace the window.

It's just a matter a matter of time, since we all still live in the same 'hood. Only now the children are older, and capable of greater damage.
I have installed motion detector lights and surveillance cameras. At least I feel like I'm ready for them.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 18, 2006 at 3:20 PM

I'm a Brinks driver.
Don't like our driving call 1-800-kiss-my-ass
Have a nice day.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 19, 2006 at 11:33 PM

I guess you were born without a back bone, move hell, the thing she needs to do is cut off a piece of garden hose about 4 feet long, the next time one of the kids come into her yard without permission, proceed to put more welts on the bastard than he can rub. For the parents use a piece of concrete reinforcing rod instead of the hose, move away? my ass.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 20, 2006 at 6:23 AM

Might want to try contacting an attorney to discuss legal possibilities. Initial consultations are typically free, and a competent attorney will be able to tell you if there are any feasible remedies you might pursue in your state.

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Anonymous

by Anonymous on Dec 20, 2006 at 7:12 AM

If you don't want to get a BIG dog to bite little buggers, give the illusion that you got one. Post "No Trespassing and Beware of Dog" signs all over your yard. Get a big doggie bowl, write "Killer" as your pets name on the bowl. Get a big 'ol leash with a spike collar, hang it on the back porch. Record dog barking and growling sounds, put a speaker near the window. Whe you see the kids, play is really loud and yell "NO! Down, Killer, down!" Scream, yell "Bad Dog!! And make slapping sounds" If nothing else they'll think you're crazy and maybe leave you alone! :o)

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