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Problem neighbours!

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Dartful Dodger:
It's been said  before.

She sounds like she wants to make conversation.  She has years of experience and knowledge she wants to pass on to you.  Working with loud noise and fumes is/will be bad for you.

Old people don't beat around the bush. If she wanted to complain about the noise and fumes she would either come out and say it or she would have called the police.

If you don't want to socialize with her build a big fence.  Just keep in mind, by doing that they are no longer the grumpy a-hole neighbors, you are.

hypernova:

--- Quote from: Dartful Dodger on August 02, 2010, 02:16:18 pm ---Old people don't beat around the bush. If she wanted to complain about the noise and fumes she would either come out and say it or she would have called the police.

--- End quote ---

Being a psychology major, I tend to read Dear Abby in the paper.  Old people are just as sly and conniving with their complaints as younger people, if not more so, due to their experience over a lifetime of doing so.

shateredsoul:

--- Quote from: hypernova on August 02, 2010, 09:12:41 pm ---
--- Quote from: Dartful Dodger on August 02, 2010, 02:16:18 pm ---Old people don't beat around the bush. If she wanted to complain about the noise and fumes she would either come out and say it or she would have called the police.

--- End quote ---

Being a psychology major, I tend to read Dear Abby in the paper.  Old people are just as sly and conniving with their complaints as younger people, if not more so, due to their experience over a lifetime of doing so.

--- End quote ---

We just had a meeting today to discuss how psychology research papers make sweeping generalizations based on convenience samples  (primarily undergrads). Most the research in the behavioral sciences is really only reflective of a very tiny portion of the population (usually middle class, usually male, usually college student). yet we write about it as if our findings apply to the world.  Anyways, there's many examples of old people, cultures, cities where old people do not complain as much or in the same way. I've never heard of a study that compared old people to young people's style of complaining (complainy-ness if you will). 

Just yanking your leg ;) , but I wouldn't make generalizations based on dear Abby (or even the psych text books in our field).

lilshawn:
well, the law is the law, and if it says 7am to 11pm, it is quite acceptable to do so between 11am and 2pm... i mean 4 hours isn't a huge amount of time.

i would (if possible) move my work area to as far away as possible... but if it isn't possible... i would continue as you are, and if it does become an issue with the neighbor, i'm sure they will have the by-law enforcement officer visit...when he(she) does just inform him(her) of what's going on. and i'm sure, not having a problem with what you are doing, speak with the neighbor and inform them that there is nothing obscene or illegal with what you are doing.

other than that, i guess you could just make it a point to not save up all your items that need trimming or cutting...then spend 10 minutes constantly cutting. 3 seconds of disturbance is better than 10 minutes. if you have a basement why not move down there? you could pick out a spot (rip out a section of carpet if you need to(makes it easy to clean up)) and work there.

if the neighbors are seriously bad mojo, maybe consider "renting" a friends garage/shed/workshop/basement until the project is complete. it could possibly cost you a case of beer....plus you have someone to keep you company and to bounce ideas off of.

lots of luck! my neighbors (basement suite of a duplex) don't like me sitting in the back yard cause they say I can see in their bedroom... BUY SOME GAWDAM CURTAINS THEN!
I told them in an argument over mowing the lawn (don't ask) I said "if the house was on fire, I wouldn't even look in your windows to see if you got out!"

 - guy who hates his neighbors.

RandyT:
Wow....this one is right up my alley.  The fact is, if no laws are being broken and she hasn't outright complained, either to you or to the police, then there's a good reason why she hasn't.  My guess is that it's because you do help them out on occasion, and they value that part of their association with you.  To keep them from trying to subjugate you, you absolutely should take a stand.  It doesn't have to be loud music, in-your-face insults, or anything that you wouldn't normally do.  What it is, is you finding the inner strength to know that you have a right to do the things you want to do on your own property, and not let her comments bother you.  And if they get to the point that they become unbearable, you need to simply ask her why she is is constantly making the statements she is making, or asking the questions she asks.  People tend to quickly fall out of their position of strength when it becomes apparent to them that you are on to their BS posturing.  She will either become a bit embarrassed, realizing that what she has been doing is bothering you, or it will come out in the open so you can both address the issue like adults.  It may be that she just likes talking, and you are a fresh ear.  If so, no need for drama, just a simple explanation that you really need to get back to work so you can get finished.  If a more sinister motive is at play, just do what you have to, within the limits of the law, and you will be fine.  If she does call the cops on you, and you aren't doing anything wrong, they will explain that fact to her, and as a side benefit, you won't need to put up any more shelves or hang clotheslines.

I had a yuppy couple move in next door and he came to my front door asked me how long a small heap of construction debris would be where it was sitting on my property.  It was from a project, with an open building permit and everything, being staged for a dumpster to remove it.  I simply asked him "why do you care?"  His answer was "well, it's an eyesore".  Wrong answer.  I told him very firmly that it's my property, and he should now consider himself trespassing upon it.  As he was leaving, he said it wasn't very "neighborly", and my response was that it was nowhere near as unneighborly as someone moving in next to someone who has been there for 15 years, and within 3 days of doing so, trying to control things on their property.  Within 20 minutes, he was back at my door with a six-pack of "gourmet" beer (that I would never touch) and an apology.  I accepted his apology, but not the beer and he went on his way.  Never had a problem with them again for the 3 years they stuck around.

Stand your ground.  Emphasis on your ground.

RandyT

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