Let me tell you about my crazy neighbor acrosss the street. Her and her husband moved in a little over a year ago. I'm pretty sure the wife has OCD, which wouldn't bother me, but if your OCD is so bad that you take it out on other people, and you OBVIOUSLY have enough money and time to get treatment, you have a problem. She appears completely normal, in her late 30s, early 40's. Thin and blonde, kind of frumpy. She doesn't have a job which is obvious because she NEVER leaves the house, I'm pretty sure she lives off her husband's income.
When they first moved in, my mom baked some cookies for them. I think the only reason why I remember was because of my moms reaction, not hurt, just kind of suprised. I guess the woman took the cookies, just said "thanks." and quicky closed the door. Soon after they moved in they tore up the entire yard and inside of the house and remodelled.
But let me tell you how this problem with my crazy neighbor started. My sister's room faces the street towards their house, and one night she was sleeping with our dog and the window was open. She woke up when my dog started barking like crazy at the window. My sister got up and looked out the window only to see what appeared to be a burglar dressed in all black peering into our neighbors car. My sister yelled out the window, "Can I help you?". The burglar, suprised that he/she had been spotted quickly tried to hide from view behind our van parked out in the street. My sister called the cops and they came quickly, but not quickly enough to catch the potential burglar. My sister, got out of bed and accompanied the cop across the street, to our neighbors house. The cop and my sister informed her of what she had just witnessed. The lady seemed annoyed that they had even bothered her, stepped out, inspected her car, dryly said thanks, and went back into her house. That was all we had heard from her in a while.
Our family occasionally have people coming in and out of our house, our relatives, friends, and my parents hold meetings once in a while, so we occasionally have our family and friends' cars parked out in the street. It started when my mom was having a meeting and one of her friends, a relatively elderly lady, had parked her car infront of their house. maybe 2 inches at most past where the curb ended. Her husband came knocking at our door and asked her to move her car because his wife was freaking out. Our guest moved the car, and there was no problem. Then my brother parked infront of their house a couple weeks later. This is on the curb, where anyone is legally allowed to park! The lady typed up a note and wrote, I have already asked you, do not park infront of my house or I will call the police!
WOA lady, good luck.
From then on any time someone parked infront of her house, including our other neighbors, she would leave a similar note, "Move your car or I will call the cops". One night my sister and her fiance parked infront of her house and early in the morning there was a cop at our doorstep asking my sister's fiance to move his car. He was really nice and said something like "I know you are legally allowed to park your car on the street, but please move your car so she'll leave me alone".
She was waiting outside for my brother in law to move his car, and out of anger my sister said something like, "Next time someone tries to break into your property, I won't do anything about it."
Now, parking isn't the only thing she freaks out about. She hates dogs! She won't let anyone walk a dog on the sidewalk infront of her house. This woman scheduals her life around my mom's routine. Every single morning my mom walks our dog at about 6:00 in the morning before she goes to work, and at the exact time my mom steps out our front door she opens the garage door and pretends to get the newspaper to make sure my mom doesn't walk the dog infront of her house. Once I walked my dog past her house, she swung the door open and yelled, "don't walk your dog infront of my house!". I just rolled my eyes and said, "okay lady."
Another time, my mom's friend, D, walked her dog up our street to give us a visit, and unaware of our crazy neighbor, let her dog go poop on the driveway. Ofcourse she cleaned up after him. I know its gross but it's legal as long as you clean it up.
So the lady comes storming out of her house yelling, "I TOLD YOU not to let your dog go infront of my house!!".
Poor D, confused replied, "What? I've never talked to you before."
"You're a smart a**."
"I cleaned it up, want to see?" D said, gesturing the poop bag towards her.
"You're an a**hole!"
Then my mom opens the door in the middle of all the commotion and lets D in.
Later, when my mom lets D out, our neighbor is outside on the phone yelling something about "dirty, filthy, stinking dogs!", probably trying to call the cops on us again.
This lady always tries to start arguments with my mom when my mom is out walking the dog. If you knew my mother, you would know she is the sweetest, most selfless little lady. Always happy, never badmouths anyone or starts arguments. She's one of those people that when she curses, it just doesn't sound right coming out of her mouth. People from her work have come up to me and told me how lucky I am, how sweet my mom is and that she never says anything negative about anyone. Our neighbor has no reason to verbally attack my mom.
One day I could not contain myself because my mom came home crying after walking our dog. The neighbor had stopped her while she was walking, talking about how I come home at all times of the night and saying that my sister only stays at our house because she doesn't have a job. My mom goes "All of my kids have jobs."
"I know what the neighbors say about you, they all talk about you!" The lady says.
My mom goes "Who talks about me? I know all our neighbors."
The lady wouldn't say any names but says, "I can make things hard for you!"
I begged my mom to let me go out and say something to her, but my mom refused and tried to convince me to let it go. I said, "Mom, she's a bad person, let me go talk to her and tell her she has no right to pick on you."
"She's not a bad person," my mom insisted.
"Yes she is, shes a bad person and she has a bad soul."
My mom refused to let me talk to her, but I can't just let someone make her cry like that. That's my mom! I promised myself that if she ever makes my mom cry again, I'm going over there, regardless of what my mom says. What right does she have to make my mom stressed out and say bad things about me and my sister?
Recently, my mom was puzzled when we got a notice in the mail from the city saying something about us needing to show a licence for running a private business in our home. We don't run a business from our home! When my mom showed me the notice in the mail, the only thing that kept echoing in my mind was when the lady told my mom, "I can make things hard for you!" I know in my heart that she has no life of her own and will try to do anything to stir up problems.
My dad thinks we should tip toe around her, you know? Try to do everything we can, not to upset her. He thinks she is trying to make everyone so mad that we retaliate against her and do something illegal so she can file suit. It would make sense for someone like her who doesn't work, to get money that way.
I don't think it's fair that she can just move into our neighborhood, try to regulate and boss everyone around and get away with it! I try not to get too involved because, unlike my mom, I cannot bite my tongue and I'm afraid if she says anything to me I will flip out! Our neighborhood was a much happier place before she moved in. What can we legally do to make her behavior stop?
Seriously, I'm clueless as to what to do.
Any advice would help.
Debut
Wow, that would be funny except that it's infuriating. She's nosy, mean, and seems to be making up stories. I don't know that she has OCD, but she's definitely damaged goods. I think I'd park in front of her house and do stuff just to drive her crazier. I'm mean like that. Plus, when she totally loses it and keys your car you can press charges.
1WOW. First off, i'm so sorry that you all are going through this. Nasty neighbors can really throw off an otherwise nice neighborhood and make life hell.
We have a neighbor behind us who complained about runoff water ruining his garden (we are on a hill and he is on the downward slope). for about 4 years, the county govt. would periodically stop by to inspect our house because of all the complaints the guy made and EVERY TIME the verdict would be the same: it's a natural slope and there's nothing that can be done about it. but the guy still persisted and finally the county told him to cease and desist. unfortunately, you all might have to pester the county govt. about it and possibly see if there is a mediation service available.
also, where's the husband in all of this? is something going on with this woman that she might be mentally ill or abused? she sounds like she's craving attention anyway she can. it's like having your own little Lindsay Lohan in the neighborhood!
sorry, i wish i could be of more help but i really wish you luck. hopefully these people will move SOON.
2Wow, I'm so sorry. Maybe she'll move! I agree with colormesticky, she'd love nothing more than for someone in your family to play a prank and she calls the cops. It's funny that she said she's never going to do anything more if someone breaks into your house. Did she call the police or come over on the occurance with your sister? I hate to say it, but maybe it was a man in her house. Don't walk on eggshells, that's a helluva way to live, but seriously don't do anything that could be construed as illegal in any way, that's what she wants. This is like one of those movies on Lifetime! Wait for her to do something, even set up video cameras at night, then get a restraining order.
3If a cop showed up at my door, early in the morning, to tell me to move my car, which is legally parked, I'd tell him to go to the neighbours and deal with the problem. He's just encouraging her, maybe if she was told, she'd back off.
4Ok, so hard as it's going to be, be the bigger person. Don't let her bother you. Just think about what a sad pathetic person she is and maybe just try to feel sorry for her. But every time she makes you angry, she's winning in some small way.
This isn't the same situation, but sometimes I play soccer against people that are just mean. They go for the cheap shot, they talk a lot of sh*t, and they are just bad sports all around. It used to drive me bonkers and get me all angry, until one day someone told me just to laugh. So that is what I do now. I laugh in these people's faces because it's just so freaking pathetic! Anyway, and it infuriates them because they realize they are not getting under your skin.
So maybe the next time just laugh at her. Seriously. I know it seems mean but it's better than engaging her in her anger.
And keep parking legally wherever the heck you want. Don't let this person bully you - she's a nutcase and it's not your problem.
5Your story was written in a very vivid and clear way and you made it fluent to read, thank you. It is really an unfortunate situation you are now in; the neighbour would obviously want to make your life a living hell so that you'd consider moving away and she'd get her way.
6I understood she is nasty at other neighbours too, right? Can you talk to some of them perhaps? Think of a solution (which can also be just ignoring her as long as you can) together? I think the police already knows there is a freak out there and wouldn't react to her every call anymore. So the police would possibly support your side in possible arguments between the two families.
Sound like you & your family have done nothing wrong yet she's harassing you, maybe you should get a restraining order to keep her away.
7I have neighbor like this in my condo complex- she butts into EVERYONE else's business. She has called the condo board on me several times because she thinks my dog is "out of control". My dog barks at her cats. Umm- she is a dog. She walks around and 'patrols' the complex to make sure there are no "offenders".
I dont think there is anything you can do, sadly. Have you considered talking to the local police about harrassment? I mean, they might be able to give her some kind of verbal warning or something. You arent doing anything wrong and there is no need to the kind of verbal abuse she seems to enjoy giving out.
And lastly- everytime you get really upset with her- remind yourself that it must really suck to be her. Her life must be really empty for her to obsess about these kinds of things.
Hope some of that helps!
8She sounds insane. I doubt you'll get anywhere talking to her, but maybe her husband can help. Try having your Dad go over and talk to her husband and point out that you're all neighbors and you just want to get along. You never know, it could work. It's easiest to try the friendly route than go for the alternatives.
9It seems my neighbor has relatives... niether the husband or wife work, con the system and have nothing better to do than cause grief for everyone around them...ongoing problem for four years now... i know what you are going thru, give this lady an inch and she will take a mile!
10You and your neighbors need to start a block watch and don't invite these neighbors to be a part of it!
Invest in some wireless video cameras and a dvd player for recording! Get a digital camera with optical zoom capable of video! Always have a witness, never get ride of proof of anything and document, document, document! Have your mom speak to a victims advocate about a protection order! Do not have contact with this lady... you may find that she is "suddenly" very coherent and it may be you on the chopping block with the law and the court!
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