Another "neighbors" thread..... yeesh.....

[MicroPilot]

I apologize, I didn't realize you were an LEO.

Then, throw someone else who is not on their own property at night while armed if the police do show up, then things can get real interesting.

I try to use my brain over my guns.
...

So your saying if something happens out of the ordinary and suspicious enough that it causes you enough concern to go to your neighbor/relatives house in the middle of the night, that you wouldn't be armed?

 

[dmccarty]

Dan,
Why don't we send them some?

You know, I really do not have many problems with Yankees. They just talk funny. Well, there are Yankees from a certain part of the country that make my skin crawl but they ain't on TBN. And while Mr. Sherman did burn out my family's place west of Savanna a few years ago, I have kinda sorta put that behind me. Mostly. :laughing:

I just do not think I could send Fire Ants to the Yankees for which I harbor some lingering angst. Sending them Fire Ants would just be cruel and mean.

Even my Granny would think that would be wrong and the only time I heard her cuss was to use the word da...mn placed in from of the word Yankees. She still had problems with Mr. Sherman's little march to the sea and his rudeness during his vist to the family home in the Late Unpleasantness. She did still retain a bit of angst. :laughing: But I do not think she would want me to ship Fire Ants up Nawth.

Later,
Dan

 

[300UGUY]

You know, I really do not have many problems with Yankees. They just talk funny. Well, there are Yankees from a certain part of the country that make my skin crawl but they ain't on TBN. And while Mr. Sherman did burn out my family's place west of Savanna a few years ago, I have kinda sorta put that behind me. Mostly. :laughing:

I just do not think I could send Fire Ants to the Yankees for which I harbor some lingering angst. Sending them Fire Ants would just be cruel and mean.

Even my Granny would think that would be wrong and the only time I heard her cuss was to use the word da...mn placed in from of the word Yankees. She still had problems with Mr. Sherman's little march to the sea and his rudeness during his vist to the family home in the Late Unpleasantness. She did still retain a bit of angst. :laughing: But I do not think she would want me to ship Fire Ants up Nawth.

Later,
Dan

A couple of my ancestor's marched with Sherman. Must have found something they liked, the last couple of generations have retired to GA & Fla. I asked my great aunt if she had told the locals about her enthusiastic ancestors. She said all her neighbor's were yankees like herself.

 

[dmccarty]

A couple of my ancestor's marched with Sherman. Must have found something they liked, the last couple of generations have retired to GA & Fla. I asked my great aunt if she had told the locals about her enthusiastic ancestors. She said all her neighbor's were yankees like herself.

They are called Carpet Baggers.

The OTHER side of the family are Yankees. They moved to FLA after WWII. When the retired they moved to the mountains of NC. ALL of their immediate neighbors were people who had spent their working years in FLA and then retired to the mountains. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[MossRoad]

I'm still baffled on this one.

For someone who's not aware, I live in the middle of 250 acre family farm on a dead end road. Three houses here, mine, father in laws and my wifes cousin. Otherwise, on a peninsula of land that is maybe 800/1000 acres in size, there are only 7 houses total. Of course, everyone knows everyone.

My wifes cousin left yesterday morning for a week. We're keeping their dog.

Last night it was dark outside. In the distance, I see someone coming up the gravel driveway. I'm not expecting anyone and because of the lay of the land, I know it's not my father in law.

I might add that all of this is obscured by woods. It was the fact that it was dark that allowed me to see the headlights.

So, I walk out on porch and hear/see these lights turn towards my wifes cousins house next door. They go up the hill.

I know they're not home...wondering if this is just someone who's lost and is going to turn around (it happens from time to time)

Sure enough....their reverse lights come on, they back up...then their break lights come on and I hear the engine die. They threw it into park.

I might add that the house is pitch black with zero lights on.

A little intrigued, I get my shoes/coat on...grab a flashlight AND my cell phone. I came within a fraction of an inch to predial 911 just in case I needed a quick dial to them.

I walk over and as I'm about half way there (vehicle on hill still obscured by the dark AND the trees) I hear the door slam and the engine restart. I get closer and the headlights are now coming down the driveway.

This is when I turned my bright flashlight on. They stopped as immedately as they could, given they were coming down a hill on gravel.

I was still 30/40 feet away, shined the light on the driver... given shadows and distance, I could not make out who it was. I began to think it was a neighbor who lives down the road but I was only 60% sure of this.

I walk around the vehicle, their window was lowered and I'm now 4 feet from them, not wanting to put the light in their eyes to blind them...however, now I'm 99% sure that it's the neighbor.

Relieved, I ask what's up... he asked simultaneously, "I guess they left? I knew they were leaving but didn't think they were leaving until tomorrow"

I said nope, they left this morning.

"(laughing nervously) didn't you recognize my car?" he asked

"nope... all I saw in the dark were the headlights so I got my shoes on to see who it was"

Now, in deference to this neighbor, I probably did have a bit of an adrenilyn "attitude" on my shoulder because my initial thoughts/fears were that it was someone up to no good. That happens from time to time out here as well.

My neighbors parting words? (as best I can recall given my surprise)

"your being rude like this is going to come back and bite you in the a** one day"

He then pulled away and I stood there thinking what did he just say and what on earth happened to elicit that type of comment....?

That was literally 90% of the entire conversation.

I'm still stupified by it. I know I can be abrupt and even rude if needed.... however, it seems he only viewed this situation through his (innocent) eyes and not from another perspective of how it could have looked to an outsider who didn't know who it was and feared it could be someone up to no good.

Truth be told... I'd do the same 'challange' (for lack of better word) to a stranger I found parked at HIS house if I knew he was out of town.

I would think he'd be appreciative of someone willing to 'confront' someone in a situation where the house is empty and the occupant is gone for a week. Had it been daylight I would have seen quite easily who it was. Not so easy, in the dark.

Perhaps if I'm so rude, I should refrain from challanging anyone I see parked at his home when I know he's out of town...

Wellll, I hate to say it, but you seem to post a lot about problems with other people. Granted, all of them seem justified upon reading them. The trespasser stories remind me of lots of problems with trespassers my parent had when I was a kid. But maybe you come off a bit gruff to the folks on the greeting end of your flashlight beam. Maybe you should try smiling as you interrogate them. Or take a bag of cookies with you. I know I'd be more at ease if someone came up to me with a bag of cookies. :licking:

I know my wife and co-workers tell me that I can come across kind of intimidating when I suspect peoples' motives. I don't mean to but man, I do not have a good poker face. If I think something stinks it shows! :laughing:

As others have mentioned, just go over to the neighbor and apologize if you came across as rude and just tell him you were watching out for your cousin. I've had to do that once in a while but usually end up with better friends and neighbors. :thumbsup:

 

[RadarTech]

They are called Carpet Baggers.

The OTHER side of the family are Yankees. They moved to FLA after WWII. When the retired they moved to the mountains of NC. ALL of their immediate neighbors were people who had spent their working years in FLA and then retired to the mountains. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

And those new nc residents are called half backs...... :laughing:

 

[dmccarty]

And those new nc residents are called half backs...... :laughing:

But then my grandparents are 3/4 backs since the left the mountains and went to Alabamy. :laughing:

I am still trying to figure out how two different sides of the family ended up in TN.

Later,
Dan

 

[RadarTech]

But then my grandparents are 3/4 backs since the left the mountains and went to Alabamy. :laughing:

I am still trying to figure out how two different sides of the family ended up in TN.

Later,
Dan

If nc is half... Then alabama should be 1/4 back. Oh wait. Maybe I'm just hungry for McDonalds......

 

[Freds]

There ya go, Moss.
Walk softly and carry a big bag of cookies :thumbsup:

:laughing:

 

[MoKelly]

I am relatively new to the country and, I have to say, it is a little intimidating being alone at night in the country.

First ... it is really dark in the country. If you only know the city, you can't even image how dark it can get.

Second ... you are really alone. Again, if you have never been there you can't understand how alone you are and how far away help is even if you can contact help.

So, when a car that doesn't belong comes along at night it seems to me there is reason to (a) be worried/cautious and (b) need to have some personal protection.

As such, this neighbor should 100% understand the OP's concern.

So, his reaction is unusual and suspicious.

MoKelly

 

[Sigarms]

So your saying if something happens out of the ordinary and suspicious enough that it causes you enough concern to go to your neighbor/relatives house in the middle of the night, that you wouldn't be armed?

No.

What I said was I prefer to use my brains over my guns.

If something causes me enough concern, the first thing I would do would be to call the local LEO's. The next thing would be the security of my family which does not automatically mean I leave the area.

Situations vary, but from your first response to this thread, that would be the last thing I would do.

They are called Carpet Baggers.

Geez Dan, and hear I thought that term was only being used for the Wake County School Board.

 

[merrickvilleguy]

I am relatively new to the country and, I have to say, it is a little intimidating being alone at night in the country.

First ... it is really dark in the country. If you only know the city, you can't even image how dark it can get.

Second ... you are really alone. Again, if you have never been there you can't understand how alone you are and how far away help is even if you can contact help.

So, when a car that doesn't belong comes along at night it seems to me there is reason to (a) be worried/cautious and (b) need to have some personal protection.

As such, this neighbor should 100% understand the OP's concern.

So, his reaction is unusual and suspicious.

MoKelly

My perspective on this is, we're 15 miles to the nearest police station (and its a very rare occurrence to see one driving by), and honestly ... I don't live in a world where it is even remotely likely that someone driving near my home is a potential threat (an quite frankly unless you live in Riyadh ... you don't either) ... so I look at those headlights as something not particularly worthy of concern ...

I would hazard a guess is that its about 200x more likely that their presence is absolutely benign ... and that arbitrarily escalating the event through some chest thumping paranoid exercise is more harm than good.

But ... I may be completely wrong, perhaps that line on a map between here and there stops all the baddies from visiting me up here ?

 

[forgeblast]

I worked for the Wake County Public School System for 3 years, everyone I knew was from the north. I met one person who was from north carolina. I loved all the alternative names for places there. Cary, Concentrated Area of Rich Yankees...hehe still have friends down there. Loved the state, hated the pay.

 

[rdoiron]

My perspective on this is, we're 15 miles to the nearest police station (and its a very rare occurrence to see one driving by), and honestly ... I don't live in a world where it is even remotely likely that someone driving near my home is a potential threat (an quite frankly unless you live in Riyadh ... you don't either) ... so I look at those headlights as something not particularly worthy of concern ...

I would hazard a guess is that its about 200x more likely that their presence is absolutely benign ... and that arbitrarily escalating the event through some chest thumping paranoid exercise is more harm than good.

But ... I may be completely wrong, perhaps that line on a map between here and there stops all the baddies from visiting me up here ?

I would agree with Merrickvilleguy. I live just outside of town (Kemptville) and have a 1400 foot driveway that is 2 cars wide, snakes a bit and looks kinda like a subdivision road. There isn't a week that goes by that someone drives most or all of the way up to our house just to see what's at the end. Usually if I'm around, I'll greet them and ask if I can be of assistance. Most are just curious about the road, thinking that there is a new subdivision going in. During the building of the house, someone started a rumor at the local Home Hardware that Lowes was building on my property. I had quite a few lookers for a while.

This all said, I do have several hidden video cameras with night vision to record all the traffic.

 

[Sigarms]

This all said, I do have several hidden video cameras with night vision to record all the traffic.

Just curious why you don't put a gate of some sort up, or at least "do not enter" signs?

Just went down about a mile long gravel road to a house last night for a bonfire. Each sign got progressively worse as you kept going.

But ... I may be completely wrong, perhaps that line on a map between here and there stops all the baddies from visiting me up here ?

I don't think you're completely wrong, but I've found that there are good and bad people no matter where you go. I think there is no reason not to be prepared, but I see no reason to add to "the escalation of aggression" per se.

 

[RadarTech]

Do you mean signs like this?
.....

I got this from this site....

But don't remember where....

 

[Willl]

If I'm in range, so are you. :laughing:

 

[RadarTech]

If I'm in range, so are you. :laughing:

That depends..
If I have a remington 700, and a scope....
And you have a shotgun..... Hmmmmm..........

:laughing:



But point taken....

 

[Richard]

Ummm ... I have to say this ... I'd hate to live in the world you do where paranoia and fear rule even the smallest of insignificant events ...

From this I see ... someone was visiting your cousin, realised (due to the lack of car in the drive) that they weren't there and reversed, for some other reason, they stopped (maybe to make a call, who knows ?) and this event was enough to be concerned ?

Realize that I live 13/15 miles outside of town, we've had 2 dogs murdered by the side of the road (shot by a hunter on Xmas Eve), we've had trespassers, thieves and even the obligatory dead body on the road on the backside of the farm. (he wasn't killed there, just dumped after some gal's exboyfriend discovered she was seeing this guy)

I only saw lights at the time and did not know it was this neighbor. Had I known, I would have thought nothing of it (I've known him for 10 years and though he's a country redneck he's a good one!.... making his comment all the more confusing to me)

When the lights were in the driveway, they backed up to an area that is usually used for parking and then he killed his engine.

It was really, the stopping of the engine and the lights going out on the vehicle that got me thinking something wasn't right.

I looked at the house over the last couple nights and they DO have some outdoor lighthing (low voltage on timer) and in retrospect, I'd now bet lunch that THOSE lights were on even though any household lights were off.

This neighbor could very honestly have simply thought they were home. I have no issue with that.

I've been expecting him to call me, telling me that he had been drinking some that night and was sorry about his attitude. Thus far, no phone call. Interesting.

 

[Richard]

Side comment, perhaps stupid... but my only source of protection was my 4D Maglight. I do not own any type of firearm and have never carried anything more than a flashlight when I've gone to visit people in these situations.

I sometimes contemplated getting some form of firearm. (I can shoot one, just never owned one)

I prefer the bag of cookies idea :licking: