OWB neighbors/restraining order

Jerks shouldn't be allowed to own OWBs.

Eric Johnson said:

Jerks shouldn't be allowed to own OWBs.

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Jerks shouldn't be allowed to do most things,

but, alas, jerk-dom is in the eye of the beholder, and almost no one beholds (or could ever acknowledge) themselves as a jerk, thus the difficulty in administering such a principle.

More seriously, though, some people get off on provoking others, and some get off on being easily provoked over little. Some people, the ultra-jerks, combine these tendencies. Some do their provocation, or being provoked passively (or passive-aggressively) (or whining, complaining, accusing), some do it actively.

The article sounds like the situation where the 2 neighbors may in some sad sense have meet their ultimate counterpart in jerk-dom -

the OWB guy is an active jerk,

and the complaining neighbor sounds like a passive jerk- anyone who can amass 5 single spaced pages of littanny of occasions and ways that they have been affronted is someone that I am _very_ glad to not have as my neighbor!

PS, if any of you do iTunes, or something similar, and can access the Timbuk3 song "Assholes on Parade" it lampoons and lambastes just about every form of jerkdom going, and always makes me grin, even on bad days- it gets virtually no airplay on radio, unfortunately, due to its lyrics, but it deserves to be more widely known and appreciated.

I posted a link to that article yesterday. I know the guy who has the OWB and actually went and saw him to get his side of the story since the news article was all one sided. The reporter could have very easily got both sides but didn't. I will give him this-his boiler has a stack higher than the houses and wasn't smokng when I saw it. He has had no smoke violations or complaints for 20 months. That said, the fight seemed more about everything else but the boiler. Everything in that article was ridiculous. The woman is the neighbor from hell. He just accepted the restraining order (on the bad advise of a lawyer) to get this to blow over-a decision he now regrets.

Mike

I figured there was another side of the story.

Is it really true that no one thinks they are a jerk?

If so, that would be a very enlightening factoid about mankind.
%-P

There are two sides to many, if not most, stories. However, we had serious posters here earlier talking about burning carpet and other such things in their OWB, so it makes sense that there are thousands of OWB owners who are not always thinking of their neighbors.....

I guess you could liken it to dogs also - what a complete nightmare to live next to - or even within 500 feet of - someone who had loud dogs and allows them to howl and bark many hours per day!

I guess some people just don't understand that 300 million other people share this piece of land with them.

i think im an *$#hole. not a jerk.

Webmaster said:

I guess you could liken it to dogs also - what a complete nightmare to live next to - or even within 500 feet of - someone who had loud dogs and allows them to howl and bark many hours per day!

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Good analogy with the dogs. My most recent and now ex-girlfriend- who was in most other regards, a very kind and sensible person- could not comprehend why I was troubled by the fact that her dog, which was neither a puppy nor geriatric nor did it have some health problem had "accidents" of every conceivable sort in my house on a very frequent and recurring basis because she'd let it run wherever and it would gorge itself on who knows what and then be ill. To her, its "ability to run free" was so essential to its "essential spirit" that she refused to consider/ discuss keeping it on a leash during walks. My own essential spirit did not take too long to decide and announce that I was not having any more of that, and that if that was her deal with the dog, they were both past tense as far as I was concerned.

My point is not just to piss and moan- it's to illustrate how even smart, decent people often have immense blind spots.

Back to OWB's- yeah, I've driven by some that were belching putrid smog that could not have been coming from wood, and that would make me irate if I was downwind.

But some people are so WHINER-RIFIC that they get all wound up about how something is going to get them and ruin their life that I am sure that, after the bad publicity from some OWB's, there are some people who think that any OWB is something that they have to make a stink over, even if the OWB is not itself, actually putting out a stink.

It's like the person up the road, who grew up there, and lives just down the road from a dairy farm that's been there for over a century, throwing an absolute fit a few years ago when manure was being spread (in a not very different way than it's been spread for decades). Or the other situation near me where one person, hiking (without having asked) on another person's land, instructed the landowner that he (the landowner) should move his deer stand because it was too close to the part of the woods where these other folks liked to hike!

pybyr said:

It's like the person up the road, who grew up there, and lives just down the road from a dairy farm that's been there for over a century, throwing an absolute fit a few years ago when manure was being spread (in a not very different way than it's been spread for decades).

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That's a good one.

Some folks use my back field for snowmobiling. They've been doing it since the previous owners had the place. I mean, they've been doing it so long that the brush back there doesn't grow in the areas where they repeatedly make the same loop, year after year.

I'm planning to put in some plants back there, which I don't want run over. I suppose I should probably just make detailed lists of every time they go back there, then call the cops and get a restraining order against them, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say, "hey, I'm going to have to ask that you don't run your snowmobiles back in this area next year, since there will be some plants there which would be damaged." I'm just crazy like that!

Joe

I bet that most of those people that were complaining used to burn there leaves every fall untill they had to stop. And Most of them were mad cause they liked that smell. I used to fly a small plane and in the fall there was always a very noticable haze and somedays you couldn't fly because of it. Now that we are on the subject of poluting the air I sure wish they would shut down the Chicago area cause they are sending so much polution here into west Michigan that they are putting us on the federal polution list and that is causing me a taxpayer . Even the feds say it is from chicago but we get hurt. I say send every thing that puts out something offensive over to china. they want to work, we want to just enjoy our selves.
leaddog

Webmaster said:

I guess you could liken it to dogs also - what a complete nightmare to live next to - or even within 500 feet of - someone who had loud dogs and allows them to howl and bark many hours per day!

I guess some people just don't understand that 300 million other people share this piece of land with them.

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i can relate to this!...my neighbor has 2 little dogs, some type of poodle and some other little ankle bitter that CONTINUOUSLY bark random times throughout the day. nites,days it dont matter. i recorded them the one day so if/when my patience runs out i have something to show the cops. the moment i open my door to go outside and they are out...they bark NON STOP. he can be home and he wont stop them, they just bark and they are LOUD. im getting to the point where i may have to survey my land and build a wooden fence just so i can walk on my porch peacefully...


this neighbor is def. a jerk!

BrownianHeatingTech said:

Some folks use my back field for snowmobiling. They've been doing it since the previous owners had the place. I mean, they've been doing it so long that the brush back there doesn't grow in the areas where they repeatedly make the same loop, year after year.

I'm planning to put in some plants back there, which I don't want run over. I suppose I should probably just make detailed lists of every time they go back there, then call the cops and get a restraining order against them, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say, "hey, I'm going to have to ask that you don't run your snowmobiles back in this area next year, since there will be some plants there which would be damaged." I'm just crazy like that!

Joe

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Good luck with just asking for them to stop. Around here you will get run over if you stand in the way. No respect for personal property in these parts.

daleeper said:

Good luck with just asking for them to stop. Around here you will get run over if you stand in the way. No respect for personal property in these parts.

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Oh, they will. I've not had any trouble with similar situations, in the past.

Guess it varies from area to area.

Worst case scenario, I put up a fence across the ten feet of passable area that they use to enter the property. I doubt that it would come to that, and it wouldn't be in their interest, since I have no problem with them crossing the back of the property like that, to get to the next field, just as long as they don't go forward towards the farm, where the plants will be.

Joe

BrownianHeatingTech said:

daleeper said:

Good luck with just asking for them to stop. Around here you will get run over if you stand in the way. No respect for personal property in these parts.

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Oh, they will. I've not had any trouble with similar situations, in the past.

Guess it varies from area to area.

Worst case scenario, I put up a fence across the ten feet of passable area that they use to enter the property. I doubt that it would come to that, and it wouldn't be in their interest, since I have no problem with them crossing the back of the property like that, to get to the next field, just as long as they don't go forward towards the farm, where the plants will be.

Joe

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'Round here, the snowmobilers are considerate, and always ask and check how things are going - it's the [BLEEP]ing yuppies who are the problem.

Supposedly, by demographics, I am a yuppie, but I've had it with the yuppies who leave disposable diapers by my pond and (well, I'll skip the rant). My personal politics are now on spin cycle after some of these up close experiences....

I let the local snowmobilers move their trail a lot closer to my house, this year because they asked, and are VERY considerate. And put up signs telling the rest of the entitled upscale freeloaders to stay the Bleep out

pybyr said:

'Round here, the snowmobilers are considerate, and always ask and check how things are going - it's the [BLEEP]ing yuppies who are the problem.

Supposedly, by demographics, I am a yuppie, but I've had it with the yuppies who leave disposable diapers by my pond and (well, I'll skip the rant). My personal politics are now on spin cycle after some of these up close experiences....

I let the local snowmobilers move their trail a lot closer to my house, this year because they asked, and are VERY considerate. And put up signs telling the rest of the entitled upscale freeloaders to stay the Bleep out

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Had some trouble with that sort, near where I used to live. A few of them would ride right across an active shooting range. Despite numerous signs warning them.

I suppose that evolution will solve that issue...

Joe

flyingcow said:

Eric Johnson said:

Jerks shouldn't be allowed to own OWBs.

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That was one question the OWB dealer asked me. Question #1..Are you a jerk?...my answer....Well yeah, got a problem with that?

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I think that's funny!

Similar issues where I live. My family been poor farmers in the area for couple of hundred years, we do not bother you and you do not bother us but if you need something we will be there with bells on to help. But the demographic have changed over the years and bordering our property a "yuppie subdivision" was built which we "local" call snooty ville. My problem neighbor is 1500 ft away, they have called the police on my donkeys and peacocks making to much noise. The police try to explain they moved into an agricultural zone. Then their kids get bored riding their four wheelers around their 2 acres so they cross onto my back 40, if you do not have a tail,fur or feather I am kind of militant about trespassers, thru polite discussion they now stay off. Next hurtle would be our boiler and if some how they found out I would expect a visit from code endorsement but it meets code and there is no annoying smell or smoke. Guess my point I am the jerk but I would more affectionately like to be known as the a@@hole that carries.

603doug said:

Similar issues where I live. My family been poor farmers in the area for couple of hundred years, we do not bother you and you do not bother us but if you need something we will be there with bells on to help. But the demographic have changed over the years and bordering our property a "yuppie subdivision" was built which we "local" call snooty ville. My problem neighbor is 1500 ft away, they have called the police on my donkeys and peacocks making to much noise. The police try to explain they moved into an agricultural zone. Then their kids get bored riding their four wheelers around their 2 acres so they cross onto my back 40, if you do not have a tail,fur or feather I am kind of militant about trespassers, thru polite discussion they now stay off. Next hurtle would be our boiler and if some how they found out I would expect a visit from code endorsement but it meets code and there is no annoying smell or smoke. Guess my point I am the jerk but I would more affectionately like to be known as the a@@hole that carries.

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I hear ya.
The only entertainment we have around here is when Joe Manhattan moves in and we get to mess with him. It makes for a dull summer if nobody new moves in!

Blah Ho Vick said:

603doug said:

Similar issues where I live. My family been poor farmers in the area for couple of hundred years, we do not bother you and you do not bother us but if you need something we will be there with bells on to help. But the demographic have changed over the years and bordering our property a "yuppie subdivision" was built which we "local" call snooty ville. My problem neighbor is 1500 ft away, they have called the police on my donkeys and peacocks making to much noise. The police try to explain they moved into an agricultural zone. Then their kids get bored riding their four wheelers around their 2 acres so they cross onto my back 40, if you do not have a tail,fur or feather I am kind of militant about trespassers, thru polite discussion they now stay off. Next hurtle would be our boiler and if some how they found out I would expect a visit from code endorsement but it meets code and there is no annoying smell or smoke. Guess my point I am the jerk but I would more affectionately like to be known as the a@@hole that carries.

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I hear ya.
The only entertainment we have around here is when Joe Manhattan moves in and we get to mess with him. It makes for a dull summer if nobody new moves in!

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What are those Manhattanoids doing moving in on you at GitMo, Lee ? It was bad enough when they sprawled into my formerly hick-hometown of what used to be the no-wheres-villes of Jersey, and is now McMansion YupLand. I can't even stand to go back for a visit, and, lately, they seem to be following me here, too. Can't wait for the SnooterRoids who've gotten themselves appointed as tax listers to come to my place in a week or so as part of the town-wide tax re-appraisal; the fact that I've taken a house that used to have no heat, a failing septic, a roof you could see light through, and a flooding basement, to something that is sorta livable will probable cause 'em to try to appraise me outta here, especially because I have locked horns with their political correctitude on other local topics. 'Course neither of them have a real job- they just keep getting "grants" from their politically correct and connected pals. >wretch<

It is entertaining to go to the town meetings and be one of the "ole timers" and start every statement "back in the day". But I have to say if it was not for all these flatlanders moving into NH I would be out of business. (also meant enForcement in earlier post)

Eric Johnson said:

Jerks shouldn't be allowed to own OWBs.

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Similar to fishing...........

There's a jerk on one end of the line, followed by a jerk on the other end.

603doug said:

....., we do not bother you and you do not bother us but if you need something we will be there with bells on to help...........

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My next door neighbor has an OWB which may not be what I wanted to see, but he doesn't bother me, and I don't bother him. The one that complains in this rural township is the lady who moved here from a large city two years ago. She calls the County Sheriff (township is too small to have a police dept.) and complained about the dirt the tractor left on the road after the farmer neighbor came off of his field. Then she calls about the horse manure on the road from the neighbor's horses. The sheriff asked her what she expected when she moved in across from a farm??? 8 of the 12 homes on our one mile long road burn wood. You see wood piled up everywhere. I'm just waiting for the day they complain about that.

What might seem strange to those who live in the city or a subdivision, is just a way of life around here. We burn a lot of wood. Stoves, OWB, campfires and furnaces. Any time you walk out side in the winter you can smell wood. Reminds me of campfires around the lake when I was a kid or the stove at the old man's place. To me what seems strange is the need to lock the house when you're gone. We couldn't even find the keys the last time we wanted to lock the doors. I guess we live more by treating people the way we want to be treated.

And to think I read this post thinking it was about OWB's :roll: