sandman2234
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Messages
- 6,052
- Location
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Tractor
- JD2555 and a few Allis Chalmers and now one Kubota
Years ago, after moving to Switzerland (Florida), we had some problems with my neighbors. Their dogs tore into a screened in porch (where my dog's food was kept) and proceeded to tear up a package delivered by that brown bunch. Problem was, the package wasn't ours, but rather a fundraiser for the Rainbow Girls. Somebody had to pay for the stuff, and I actually caught their dog redhanded on the porch. They cut me a check, then decided they didn't want me to cash it. Monday morning, I went to the main bank (as I saw them pull into the local branch). I had the check cashed and reissued in "certified funds". Turned out the bank gave me a tellers check and then stopped payment on that. They gave me the neighbors worhtless check back, and I took them to small claims court. They showed up with an attorney and beat me on a technocality. The wife and I were then subjected to numerous calls to the police, pretty much anytime we were in the yard. We had a picnic table I used to clean my guns on, and with NO AMMO around anywhere, I almost got hauled in to jail, dispite the dirty guns and cleaning kits set out. The last time, I had parked the p/u about 1/2 down my driveway doing some ditch cleaning, when a couple other good neighbors met out in the road. We were just running our mouths when we heard a siren coming from a long way away. Turned onto the road that entered out community, then 4 wheel drift around the last corner where we could see it. They made a couple of stops looking at my property, then the neighbors, then drove over to the neighbors house. A few minutes later, came out and questioned us, asked me if I had any weapons (showed the Zippo "Safety Award" pocket knife I carried, then went back to their house. Came back, and asked me what I was doing "at the truck and could they look". As I walked towards the truck, he told me they thought I had a weapon in the back of the truck, and I kept going over there and pointing it at them. I started laughing, and the Officer asked me what was so funny. I told him I knew what they had seen me pointing, and walked to the back bumper, picked up my thermos and offered him a cup of coffee. He swore, said something about almost killing himself and his partner getting here, and that this was going to stop. It did... I moved back to town and two years later sold the property. Six months later they sold and moved also, since none of the other neighbors saw things their way.
Most people see the six foot chainlink fence erected around their property and wonder what they were trying to contain. Nothing, as their dogs were kept in a separate kennel, the fence (around 1.5 acres) was there to keep me out. Those crazy women were so scared of me after I took them to court that they thought I would come over and "get" them. They would do things like turn the valve off on the propane tank so we could come home to a cold house or worse, broken frozen pipes.
Wife was the one that decided to tuck tail and run back to town. I am a little more harder to bully around. I think she realized that it was going to escalate into a full blown war after I dug a pond and used the dirt to build a bank on that side of the property to keep their water from entering our property. The guy behind me did the same (but his was WAY MORE INTERESTING) since most of their water went into his pond. Everytime it rained, they got to swim to their cars, and hope they could get out to the road. (Switzerland isn't high ground, too near the River). Another neighbor worked for the road ditch people and would stop before their property in digging, accidently leaving a pile to block the ditch, which would cause the ditch to overflow and wash out their driveway.
When a bad neighbor ticks off the whole neighborhood, it usually turns out badly for them.
David from jax
Oh, did I mention they cut the pines on their property when my Grandmother was sick, and just kept cutting past the property lines (about 15 of my grandmothers mature trees). When we got wind of it, we headed down there only to find the lumberjack going to get his "survey" and never showing up again. Nobody knew who he was, just some fly by night outfit.
I can definitely understand SG's frustration with what he is dealing with.
Most people see the six foot chainlink fence erected around their property and wonder what they were trying to contain. Nothing, as their dogs were kept in a separate kennel, the fence (around 1.5 acres) was there to keep me out. Those crazy women were so scared of me after I took them to court that they thought I would come over and "get" them. They would do things like turn the valve off on the propane tank so we could come home to a cold house or worse, broken frozen pipes.
Wife was the one that decided to tuck tail and run back to town. I am a little more harder to bully around. I think she realized that it was going to escalate into a full blown war after I dug a pond and used the dirt to build a bank on that side of the property to keep their water from entering our property. The guy behind me did the same (but his was WAY MORE INTERESTING) since most of their water went into his pond. Everytime it rained, they got to swim to their cars, and hope they could get out to the road. (Switzerland isn't high ground, too near the River). Another neighbor worked for the road ditch people and would stop before their property in digging, accidently leaving a pile to block the ditch, which would cause the ditch to overflow and wash out their driveway.
When a bad neighbor ticks off the whole neighborhood, it usually turns out badly for them.
David from jax
Oh, did I mention they cut the pines on their property when my Grandmother was sick, and just kept cutting past the property lines (about 15 of my grandmothers mature trees). When we got wind of it, we headed down there only to find the lumberjack going to get his "survey" and never showing up again. Nobody knew who he was, just some fly by night outfit.
I can definitely understand SG's frustration with what he is dealing with.