Neighbor harrassment from not actually speeding

[kristina1234u]

Georgia

So last week 2 neighbors were outside with their kids (my next door neighbor and another neighbor). I live in a cul-da-sac & no kids were in the road when I drove up. One of the women told me to slow down as my foot was already breaking, but I couldn't have been going more then 5-10mph into my driveway (speed limit is 20), honestly it felt like I was going even slower. She came into my garage & banged on my door & we had a "dispute" she wouldn't leave until I closed the door on her and she actually tried to push it back. We were later told by HOA that a complaint was filed against us. Ive been trying to slow down since then but I was worried that they would continue to cause a problem and today my worry came true. I came home from work, saw my next door neighbors kid in her toy car and she drove into their driveway as I was at the top of the hill to my cul-da-sac, pretty good distance away. I still slowed down regardless, to 5mph, but when I got out of the car, there my neighbor was (keep in mind this isn't the same woman who came banging on my door, she is the mother-in-law/mother of one of the ladies that was originally there, and probably they are the ones who filed the report). She told me I need to slow down 'cuz of the "babies" and I told her repeatedly that I did slow down, I saw them and I went 5mph. She even admitted that I was probably going 5mph but to her that isn't enough. I'm not blind, it's a culd-a-sac..if there are kids there is no way to avoid seeing them so you have to slow down and I -always- have..I've never had an issue before and have lived here for 8 years. But this woman proceeded to threaten me if I didn't "slow down" and said she could make my life "very difficult". This whole situation has been really stressful for me...I would understand if I was actually speeding..like going 25+ into my driveway but I don't think that would be possible without hitting my house. The neighborhood has also installed speed bumps and there is one at the top of the hill of our cul-da-sac so you have to slow down regardless. Between that speed bump and my house I wouldn't even be able to speed up to the speed limit of the neighborhood. It's just getting ridiculous..my mother finally gave in and said she was going to file her own report to HOA. But is there anything else that we can do? I know this is an odd situation, usually it's the other way around with parents complaining about speeding neighbors around their kids which I perfectly understand..but when you aren't actually speeding and they won't leave you alone and threaten you..what can you do?

 

[Silverplum]

Georgia

Sorry I posted this in one other thread because I wasn't sure the actual category this goes into.

So last week 2 neighbors were outside with their kids (my next door neighbor and another neighbor). I live in a cul-da-sac & no kids were in the road when I drove up. One of the women told me to slow down as my foot was already breaking, but I couldn't have been going more then 5-10mph into my driveway (speed limit is 20), honestly it felt like I was going even slower. She came into my garage & banged on my door & we had a "dispute" she wouldn't leave until I closed the door on her and she actually tried to push it back. We were later told by HOA that a complaint was filed against us. Ive been trying to slow down since then but I was worried that they would continue to cause a problem and today my worry came true. I came home from work, saw my next door neighbors kid in her toy car and she drove into their driveway as I was at the top of the hill to my cul-da-sac, pretty good distance away. I still slowed down regardless, to 5mph, but when I got out of the car, there my neighbor was (keep in mind this isn't the same woman who came banging on my door, she is the mother-in-law/mother of one of the ladies that was originally there, and probably they are the ones who filed the report). She told me I need to slow down 'cuz of the "babies" and I told her repeatedly that I did slow down, I saw them and I went 5mph. She even admitted that I was probably going 5mph but to her that isn't enough. I'm not blind, it's a culd-a-sac..if there are kids there is no way to avoid seeing them so you have to slow down and I -always- have..I've never had an issue before and have lived here for 8 years. But this woman proceeded to threaten me if I didn't "slow down" and said she could make my life "very difficult". This whole situation has been really stressful for me...I would understand if I was actually speeding..like going 25+ into my driveway but I don't think that would be possible without hitting my house. They've also lived here for a couple years now (I think) so I don't understand why they are being so bold as to come to my house and complain like this now..my driving habits haven't changed, if anything I actually drive slower now since the neighborhood has installed speed bumps and there is one at the top of the hill of our cul-da-sac so you have to slow down regardless. Between that speed bump and my house I wouldn't even be able to speed up to the speed limit of the neighborhood. It's just getting ridiculous..my mother finally gave in and said she was going to file her own report to HOA. But is there anything else that we can do? I know this is an odd situation, usually it's the other way around with parents complaining about speeding neighbors around their kids which I perfectly understand..but when you aren't actually speeding and they won't leave you alone and threaten you..what can you do?

How old are you?

A couple of years ago, those little kids were too tiny to be riding big-wheels: did you take that into account? (no, obviously)

 

[kristina1234u]

How old are you?

A couple of years ago, those little kids were too tiny to be riding big-wheels: did you take that into account? (no, obviously)

What does my age have to do with anything? The neighbors kids have been out and about since they moved here, whether it's on big wheels or not. The first "incident" the kid wasn't even riding in her big wheels..and if you read what I wrote the kids weren't in the street either..the closest thing I was driving next to was her big wheels car with no child in it. And there was no way to avoid it because they left it sitting in between my house and theirs, our houses are -very- close together..the part where it meets driveway to driveway can't be more then 2 feet wide (but it widens the further you go back..if that makes sense). Maybe you are reading this as a parent but these people are being extremely over protective. I am a delivery driver, I've driven in hundreds of neighborhoods in the last year and not even once has someone come up to me as I was getting out of my car and say "you are going too fast, you need to slow down, there are kids here".

Regardless of anything, the speed limit is 20, not 10, not 5 and not 1. I slow down below the speed limit when I see kids as a common courtesy, but when parents decide to take it into their own hands to "police" the neighborhood and tell people they are driving too fast when they (clearly) aren't and start harrassing people then it becomes a problem. They have apparently told the neighbors right next to me to slow down as well. I'm trying to ask this in all seriousness so if you are going to be on the over-protective parent side please don't bother to respond, at the end of the day you should not be threatening anyone, that isn't your job..if you feel there is an actual threat to your kids then you should call the police and let them discern whether the person is speeding or not. And guess what? In my situation, the police wouldn't do anything. Why? Because I -wasn't- speeding, and they would've seen my brake lights come on so they'd know I was breaking to slow down as well. So please, if anyone can help with a more useful response, that would be great.

 

[Silverplum]

What does my age have to do with anything? The neighbors kids have been out and about since they moved here, whether it's on big wheels or not. The first "incident" the kid wasn't even riding in her big wheels..and if you read what I wrote the kids weren't in the street either..the closest thing I was driving next to was her big wheels car with no child in it. And there was no way to avoid it because they left it sitting in between my house and theirs, our houses are -very- close together..the part where it meets driveway to driveway can't be more then 2 feet wide (but it widens the further you go back..if that makes sense). Maybe you are reading this as a parent but these people are being extremely over protective. I am a delivery driver, I've driven in hundreds of neighborhoods in the last year and not even once has someone come up to me as I was getting out of my car and say "you are going too fast, you need to slow down, there are kids here".

Regardless of anything, the speed limit is 20, not 10, not 5 and not 1. I slow down below the speed limit when I see kids as a common courtesy, but when parents decide to take it into their own hands to "police" the neighborhood and tell people they are driving too fast when they (clearly) aren't and start harrassing people then it becomes a problem. They have apparently told the neighbors right next to me to slow down as well. I'm trying to ask this in all seriousness so if you are going to be on the over-protective parent side please don't bother to respond, at the end of the day you should not be threatening anyone, that isn't your job..if you feel there is an actual threat to your kids then you should call the police and let them discern whether the person is speeding or not. And guess what? In my situation, the police wouldn't do anything. Why? Because I -wasn't- speeding, and they would've seen my brake lights come on so they'd know I was breaking to slow down as well. So please, if anyone can help with a more useful response, that would be great.

Alrighty.

...

 

[kristina1234u]

Alrighty.

...

Seriously? I was literally threatened for going 5mph in my neighborhood and that's all you have to say?

 

[LdiJ]

How old are you?

A couple of years ago, those little kids were too tiny to be riding big-wheels: did you take that into account? (no, obviously)

Seriously Silver...20 is already very slow. 20 is school zone slow. Complaining because someone is traveling at a speed way slower even than that is pretty ridiculous. Someone can stop very fast at 20, and would be unlikely to even injure someone they bumped at 5.

Heck, my car goes 5 with my foot off the gas. I would have to ride the break to go 5. Anyone that paranoid needs to be paying attention and pulling their children away from the street if a car is coming...not harassing their neighbors, and I agree its harassing. Not deliberately harassing but harassing none the less.

Or in the alternative, keep their children in the backyard.

 

[Shadowbunny]

What does my age have to do with anything? The neighbors kids have been out and about since they moved here, whether it's on big wheels or not. The first "incident" the kid wasn't even riding in her big wheels..and if you read what I wrote the kids weren't in the street either..the closest thing I was driving next to was her big wheels car with no child in it. And there was no way to avoid it because they left it sitting in between my house and theirs, our houses are -very- close together..the part where it meets driveway to driveway can't be more then 2 feet wide (but it widens the further you go back..if that makes sense). Maybe you are reading this as a parent but these people are being extremely over protective. I am a delivery driver, I've driven in hundreds of neighborhoods in the last year and not even once has someone come up to me as I was getting out of my car and say "you are going too fast, you need to slow down, there are kids here".

Regardless of anything, the speed limit is 20, not 10, not 5 and not 1. I slow down below the speed limit when I see kids as a common courtesy, but when parents decide to take it into their own hands to "police" the neighborhood and tell people they are driving too fast when they (clearly) aren't and start harrassing people then it becomes a problem. They have apparently told the neighbors right next to me to slow down as well. I'm trying to ask this in all seriousness so if you are going to be on the over-protective parent side please don't bother to respond, at the end of the day you should not be threatening anyone, that isn't your job..if you feel there is an actual threat to your kids then you should call the police and let them discern whether the person is speeding or not. And guess what? In my situation, the police wouldn't do anything. Why? Because I -wasn't- speeding, and they would've seen my brake lights come on so they'd know I was breaking to slow down as well. So please, if anyone can help with a more useful response, that would be great.

Being rude and trying to dictate to the nice people who volunteer their time on this site is NOT the way to get an answer.

 

[kristina1234u]

Being rude and trying to dictate to the nice people who volunteer their time on this site is NOT the way to get an answer.

I wasn't trying to be rude? If anything I found his response to be rude with him asking how old I was. His response also sounded like he only read a fraction of what I wrote. I understand I write a lot sometimes but I wanted to explain the whole situation and I really dislike when people latch on to one thing someone wrote instead of reading the big picture. Why make a comment on such a minuscule thing but ignore what the person is actually asking? It doesn't add anything to the conversation but upset the other person further.

Anyway, thanks LdiJ for an actual response, makes me feel less crazy here.

 

[FarmerJ]

The next time this occurs consider telling the person to leave, if they wont then consider dialing 911 and telling them you have a unwanted person on your property who refuses to leave. ( consider telling the person `I am not speeding and if you think I was then you should call the police and when they arrive make sure you tell the officer why you are not able to teach the child to not play / ride in the street) AS far as your HOA goes if you hear from them ask them for a copy of the police report.

 

[kristina1234u]

I actually decided to call the police myself today to make a report. They said if it happens again to call back and they will "mediate" the situation. It's a shame they aren't taking it more seriously, but next time I will be ready and will record my speed with my phone and if I see them coming up to my car I will record the conversation as well. If they threaten me again I will definitely take it to the police. It's unfortunate but because there were no other witnesses to her threat they can't do much about it (kind of like her word against mine and vice versa)..really disappointed that I didn't get that recorded but I will know better for next time.

 

[FarmerJ]

Kristina I work over nights and one commercial I see all the time is for camera that is on the inside of the vehicle recording whats going on in the road and in front of the vehicle, this could be a inexpensive tool that may well be worth its weight in gold if it can video record this neighbor in action should she start yelling & molting into the WereVampire the next time she sees you driving.

 

[John Se]

get a dash cam, makes sure it sees you speedo

then do nothing else, act normally. When they call the police show them the dash cam and they wiil review your evidence and surmise that your speed was reasonable and prudent. If the neighbor continues to get all up in your face then get a restraining order.