First and foremost, let me mention that I've tried to handle both of the following issues rationally. I've talked with this guy multiple times -- all three were very civil, he was apologetic (as was I) but, the problem persists...

To some of you, the following issues may sound very petty and, in all honesty, they are to a certain degree but, I have an OCD and to keep the OCD fueled, I need for him to:

1. Stop mowing about 2 to 3 passes into my yard -- he uses a golf green setting on his mower and thus SCALPS and KILLS my grass on these passes. He'll do this about once every fourth or fifth mow -- in short, just enough time for me to bring the dead grass back from the dead with copious amounts of water.

and...

2. Parking in front of my house -- We both live on a half cul de sac and his road frontage is nearly nil. He has a very long driveway and is more than capable of pulling his ride into his driveway but refuses; although he's mentioned that he'd only need to park it in front of my place on occasion -- which I'm not too worried about. It's just that when he parks it there for 5 days in a row or as many as 17 days in a row with only one day of break in that mix... well, I get mad.

My OCD is the exterior appearance of my house. This is our first house and I take great pride in what we have been able to accomplish. His car is an eyesore (junky Kia) and his yard is lack luster (I continuously fight his weeds' migration into my yard).

What can I really do?

I want to be adult about this but, I will admit that I'm having problems...

Thoughts?

-RP-

 

1. Put up a fence, flower beds or plant some shrubs etc.

2. A tow strap and a short pull will move the kia to a different spot.

 

RP for the mowing issue try getting some small garden style push in the ground fencing, stands about a foot tall, my wife uses it to keep our dog out of the garden, put that down the property line, it may look tacky but will remind him of the boundry.

The parking issue: I know this will just break your heart but leave your vehicle parked outside by the curb for a while, if thats to much go rent a car and park it outdside so he cannot park infront of your house. other options are a trailer.

While I may handle it different that is the common sense civil way to do it, now for the evil ways... late at night spray his yard with Round Up, grass is dead for weeks mowing no longer a problem. Option 2 buy a bag of 10-10-10 nitogen and cover the heck out of his yard, first rain he will mow evey day, like cocain for grass. Option 3 just kick his a** when he does it again.

 

My suggestions, which do not include a shotgun. For the mowing, put up a fence. Hopefully there are no zoning issues about that. For the parking problem as you do live on a cul-de-sac, see if you can get the local govt to make it no street parking, for things like emergency vehicles. As everyone seems to have driveways, that may not be a problem. You might also check with the local police to see if there is an ordinance about parking.

 

Well there may be a law about leaving a car on a road for XX number of days without moving it. As for the lawn could you put in some kind of mini fence for a dividing line?

But you are right about solving it in a civil manner, if at all possible, as you may have to live next to him for a while.

Or I suppose you could go off and see what happens.

But we don't want a shoot out!

 

i am with you on #1. i am having the same problem.....really ticks me off......i might be doing the flower bed or a row of crape myrtles....or maybe a row of spikes in the grass that only i know where they are

 

A few of these drove along the fence line sticking out about 3" would remind him where the property line was real quick.



However.... come on... OCD or not. I'd be glad he is doing part of my work and not charging me for it. No one is going to know that 20"-30" is yours, they'll just assume it's his.

There is OCD and then there is **** Hole, the first is not an acceptable excuse for the later. If you want to be an **** don't try to excuse yourself just be one.

For the parking, yea if he has a place... that would be addressed in a not so nice fashion. I'd be an **** about that.

 

I got an idea...... will help you both out.....

Make an agreement, at the property line about 3 passes before it, he will raise his mower in slow increments each pass.
In contrast you will lower yours a notch each pass.

This will blend your yards perfectly and protect yours from scalping if he does come over a litle bit.

 

I had a problem similar to yours once.....kinda.

The neighbor liked to mow his yard, sometimes twice a week. This guy would always run his mower to where when he was close to the property line, the mower would shoot out the clippings to my side. Well there is a driveway there and on some mornings when the grass was wet, the clippings would stick to the vehicles. So I did what your neighbor is doing, I'd slam my mower to lowest possible setting and run 2 or 3 passes into his yard. He got the idea and starting running his mower the other way.

So my question to you is, did you do something to deserve this heinous behaviour?

as far as the parking goes.....why don't you park there for a few days and see what happens.

 

Dont you hate that!!!! It's like the grass hasnt even had time for the ends to heal much less grow......

but yea good question. LOL

 

Buy about 100 acres in the country so you have no issues with neighbors, parking, or sharing a lawn.

 

Okay, this will sound bad, but oh well.

You either need to be your neighbor's best friend, or worst enemy. If you have tried friendly, then try the opposite.

Next time he mows your yard, call the cops for trespassing. Of course, warn him first as to be neighborly. If that's too much for you, then start billing him. Seriously. Write up a bill, with a photograph of the damage, and start billing him for your time and material. After a month of him not paying, take him to small claims court.

As for the car, you're probably hosed. The best thing I can think of is that if he ever leaves the windows down, take a sprinkler out to your lawn, and turn it up enough to water his seats too.

It may send the right message, and you can claim ignorance if you wish.

If you have tried to be nice with no results, then it's time to take the gloves off until you both reach an understanding. When I move to a new neighborhood, I always walk around the front yard in my camos, and carry my side arm while I do the yard work. I wash the vehicles, mow the lawn, etc... and take as long as I can while carefully making sure that my new neighbors are catching me staring at their house and shaking my head while carrying my Glock in my thigh holster in plain view. Once they think I'm insane, they pretty much leave me alone.

When I moved into this house, the neighbors all told me how I needed to take care of my trees. So.... I cut them all down, except for the prize blue spruce. I told them if they want to complain some more, it would go too. They've never complained again.

I'm telling you, if they think you're on edge, they'll steer clear of troubling you.

 

1. Fence. I did, worked fine.

2. Tell him (or whomever) to nose his car into his curb and stop parking in front of your house. It's a culdesac, so it's not like he's going to be blocking traffic.

 

RP,

The obvious answer is what you are already doing. Talk about it. Anything else will lead to hard feelings and very little accomplished.

I once had neighbors nearby, they all stink sooner or later. It took three houses, and numerous salary increases and stock market investments, but I finally scraped up enough to buy some acreage, and built a house where your type of problems didn't matter. Plan for your future, you ain't stayin' there forever. Deal with the present in the most calm, rational way you can.

.........AND LAY WASTE TO HIS CRAP THE DAY YOU LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, the fertilizer or Roundup trick suggested by welfare wagon is only worth it if spells out something meaningful.....

 

I'm a pretty calm, passive and forgiving person , ussualy give people the benifit of the doubt and all that good stuff, but I've learned in my 36 years of living that some people are just a$$holes. Sounds like he may be one of the aholes.

Maybe he hears your requests but could really give a rats hiney about what you think & every time he takes a couple swipes into your yard he's punking you out a bit.

I say offer him a beer and smile one last time, be brutaly honest with him about how much it erks you. If it continues get your HOA involved if you have one. The flower bed is route I would take if I were in your situation.
The way I read it he asked & you gave him permission to park in front of your house. Revoke that prevlidge if that is the case.

Good luck man bad neighbors really suck!

PS pics of your front yard master piece are in order