issue with school bus stop and neighbor

[acrftyldy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Washington state We have a neighbor nextdoor to us that has been nothing but problems since we moved into our home back in Nov of 07. Our main problem is that her kids catch the school bus right between our two properties. Her kids are 11 and 14 but yet she stands out at the stop with them. My kids used to attend the same school and became very uncomfortable standing out there with her and her kids due to her behavior, she would stare at them, boss them around, or make derogatory remarks to them. I stood out there with them once and witnessed her childish behavior as she would make remarks to her daughter then they would look over at us and laugh. We have called the sheriff out on her and her kids several times, have gone to the courts about it, and have even installed video cameras to try and catch her at her silly games. There is a neighbor girl who often comes and catches the bus with her kids and one day this woman was daring this girl to say or do something to my kids. We couldn't hear too well as we were standing some distance away but could hear snipits of the conversation. When we later asked this girl what she was being dared to do she wouldn't say and her mom stated that she's good friends with these neighbors of ours and won't rat out her friends.

Now on to our main issue. We have requested the school to change the bus stop location as we are tired of this woman's immature behavior, as well as her sometimes standing close to our driveway looking over at our house and property. At first the principal sympathized with us and did move it, but the superintendent over rode him and placed it back where it was. What possible recourse do we have with either this neighbor or the school district for that matter? We also have a home owners association and this woman's mother is one of the officers of it, so she pretty much has the attitude that she can do whatever she wants. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Humusluvr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Washington state We have a neighbor nextdoor to us that has been nothing but problems since we moved into our home back in Nov of 07. Our main problem is that her kids catch the school bus right between our two properties. Her kids are 11 and 14 but yet she stands out at the stop with them. My kids used to attend the same school and became very uncomfortable standing out there with her and her kids due to her behavior, she would stare at them, boss them around, or make derogatory remarks to them. I stood out there with them once and witnessed her childish behavior as she would make remarks to her daughter then they would look over at us and laugh. We have called the sheriff out on her and her kids several times, have gone to the courts about it, and have even installed video cameras to try and catch her at her silly games. There is a neighbor girl who often comes and catches the bus with her kids and one day this woman was daring this girl to say or do something to my kids. We couldn't hear too well as we were standing some distance away but could hear snipits of the conversation. When we later asked this girl what she was being dared to do she wouldn't say and her mom stated that she's good friends with these neighbors of ours and won't rat out her friends.

Now on to our main issue. We have requested the school to change the bus stop location as we are tired of this woman's immature behavior, as well as her sometimes standing close to our driveway looking over at our house and property. At first the principal sympathized with us and did move it, but the superintendent over rode him and placed it back where it was. What possible recourse do we have with either this neighbor or the school district for that matter? We also have a home owners association and this woman's mother is one of the officers of it, so she pretty much has the attitude that she can do whatever she wants. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Both of you seem to be playing petty games with calling the sheriff and the cameras.

This is your neighbor, so you can't expect that she will never even look in the direction of your home. That's just dumb.

Teach your children that sometimes people act like jerks, and they should learn to ignore them. Then take your own advice. Ignore them.

These people are not going to physically harm your kids. If they do, then you have recourse to demand alternative pickup with the schools.

Or you could just skip the whole thing and take your kids to school yourself.

Stop being petty and come up with alternative plans that do not involve acting like kids, and that set a positive example for your own kids.

 

[acrftyldy]

The main reason we put up the video cameras was because two days in a row, someone climbed over our backyard fence where our dog is kept and unfastened the tie he is on. We know this because our dog jumps over the fence (hence why he's tied) and was found running loose with his collar on but the snap from his tie lieing on the ground in his yard. Our fence showed obvious signs of someone climbing over it and where it occured is right where the gate from her backyard is. Before we started tieing him up he would sometimes jump the fence (chocolate lab by the way) he would go in her yard and she would complain about it. That was one of the times we called the sheriff. We live by a busy freeway and I don't know about you, but I would not want my dog to get out and hit by a car.

The other time we called the sheriff involved my youngest son being grabbed by the throat by the girl that plays with this woman's kids and yes her son was involved in it at the time. Two days prior to this he was out throwing rocks at not only my kids but other kids in the neighborhood. So saying us calling the sheriff is petty is not fair. We had good reason to and I'm sure if someone did this to you or your kids you'd call the sheriff too.

No, I don't expect her to not look at my property, but to stand there and purposefully look over on someone's property with no valid reason is a little nuts. I've spoken with several of my other neighbors and they say that this woman is nuts and that they've had to deal with her insane behavior as well. Even the president of our homeowner's association has said that she is nothing more than a gossiping troublemaker. One neighbor even had CPS called on her because she made this woman mad, although CPS found the allegations unfounded.

My kids are now attending another school in another district, so yeah, that problem has been solved. We have tried to ignore this woman and go about our lives but she is the petty one who just can't let it go. All of us at one time or another has had that one neighbor that just acts pyscho. I just want to be able to enjoy my home and have my kids be able to go out and play in the neighborhood without the fear of being attacked or have rocks thrown at them. I also don't appreciate people coming onto my property messing with my dog.

Maybe this new info will shed a little more light on what we've had to go through.

 

[Nativity]

There really are only two options open for your family seeing as the Sheriff's department hasn't been helpful, one being move and the other being Ignore the Troll. You're feeding her with each call to the sheriff and each new security addition to your home she's enjoying making you miserable enough to act paranoid.

Your kid's don't attend the school anymore so the bus stop issue most likely won't be moved for a Parent whose child no longer rides that bus. A Stops location is evenly placed and spaced out amongst others that live in the vicinity of it, that's what the superintendent was probably looking at when they squashed the plans to move it.

When you're out and about and you see her ignore her or act happy to see her and throw her off her tracks. Put your kids in some Karate classes to help teach them how to deal with situations that nut tries to put them in. Place a higher fence in the backyard that will be near impossible to jump over, or try invisible fencing to teach the dog to stay in the yard.

 

[las365]

First you said that your main issue was the bus stop. Now you say that your kids go to a different school in a different district so that isn't a problem anymore. Which is it?

Or as a last resort gather enough members of the HOA and take it up with them and see if anything can be done to stop her behavior or force her to relocate.

Nativity, can you enlighten us as to which laws in Washington empower a HOA to force homeowners to relocate if neighbors just don't like their personalites?

 

[seniorjudge]

...
Or as a last resort gather enough members of the HOA and take it up with them and see if anything can be done to stop her behavior or force her to relocate.
...

...
Huh?
...

 

[acrftyldy]

Yes, our issue is with the bus stop, if it was just her kids out there I wouldn't have a problem with it, it's mainly the fact that she stands out there with them just to cause trouble. I plan to speak with the superintendent about this and let him know all that we've had to endure with this woman. If he won't move the stop then he should at least have a talk with this woman and let her know that certain behavior will not be tolerated. Her kids are pretty much the only one's that get the bus there so it's not as if moving the spot would inconvenience anyone other than her. There are two other stops not far from where we live that her kids could catch the bus at, since we are a small neighborhood with only two streets and 44 homes. My kids are no longer attending the school for other reasons than just this, mainly bullying they had to suffer that the school failed to do anything about. I also feel that since her kids are 11 and 14, there's really no reason for her to even be out there with them. She told me the only reason she's out there with them is because her daughter (the oldest) likes to pick on her son. Big deal, I have two boys 12 and 13 who fight with each other a lot but I don't stand out at the bus stop with them.

As for our homeowner's association, like I said, her mother is one of the officers and both of them act as if they own the entire neighborhood. so not much hope there. That's why I was asking on here if there were any legal avenues I could take to help with this.

 

[Humusluvr]

Yes, our issue is with the bus stop, if it was just her kids out there I wouldn't have a problem with it, it's mainly the fact that she stands out there with them just to cause trouble. I plan to speak with the superintendent about this and let him know all that we've had to endure with this woman. If he won't move the stop then he should at least have a talk with this woman and let her know that certain behavior will not be tolerated.

Are you joking??? The superintendant is supposed to go reprimand this lady? Are you BOTH still in high school? You really think his job is to settle neighborhood catfights???

Her kids are pretty much the only one's that get the bus there so it's not as if moving the spot would inconvenience anyone other than her.

If they are the only ones who RIDE the freakin bus, why in the world would the bus stop NEED to be changed?

There are two other stops not far from where we live that her kids could catch the bus at, since we are a small neighborhood with only two streets and 44 homes.

Send YOUR kids there since you have such issues. Can't your kids WALK? Its good for them.

My kids are no longer attending the school for other reasons than just this, mainly bullying they had to suffer that the school failed to do anything about.

So, why did you even ASK???

I also feel that since her kids are 11 and 14, there's really no reason for her to even be out there with them. She told me the only reason she's out there with them is because her daughter (the oldest) likes to pick on her son. Big deal, I have two boys 12 and 13 who fight with each other a lot but I don't stand out at the bus stop with them.

Maybe you should since your kids seem to have such issues. Are you too lazy to get up in the morning? Is this whole issue YOU being the problem. Because you are acting so immaturely, I believe YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.

As for our homeowner's association, like I said, her mother is one of the officers and both of them act as if they own the entire neighborhood. so not much hope there.

Then move.

That's why I was asking on here if there were any legal avenues I could take to help with this.

You don't need to legal advice, you need to grow up. You wouldn't know this lady was "looking at you funny" if you weren't also looking. So plant some nice shrubbery and get a life.

 

[las365]

Quote:
There are two other stops not far from where we live that her kids could catch the bus at, since we are a small neighborhood with only two streets and 44 homes.

Send YOUR kids there since you have such issues. Can't your kids WALK? Its good for them.

I don't think OP's kids even use the bus stop anymore. OP just doesn't want the neighbor to be able to stand at the bus stop because when she does, she sometimes looks at OP's house.

 

[Humusluvr]

I don't think OP's kids even use the bus stop anymore. OP just doesn't want the neighbor to be able to stand at the bus stop because when she does, she sometimes looks at OP's house.

Maybe she should run out of her house every morning in her pink nighty and robe, with curlers in her hair, and waive her hands emphatically in the air whilst jumping and yelling, "Don't look at me!!!!" That should do it......

 

[acrftyldy]

Dear Humuslvr, didn't your mother ever teach you that if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all. Hmmm, or maybe one could surmise by your responses to my post that perhaps you were raised by a pack of wolves and I'm sure your table manners are just as atrocious as the mannerisms you have displayed here. I would also like to say thank you for showing me that there are even bigger jerks out there than the one I live next to. Maybe I'll even go over there and give her a big hug and tell her that I'm so glad she's my neighbor instead of you. I pitty any neighbors that have to endure you.

Thanks once again and good day!

As for me, I'm done with this, so say what you like.

 

[Humusluvr]

Dear Humuslvr, didn't your mother ever teach you that if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all. Hmmm, or maybe one could surmise by your responses to my post that perhaps you were raised by a pack of wolves and I'm sure your table manners are just as atrocious as the mannerisms you have displayed here. I would also like to say thank you for showing me that there are even bigger jerks out there than the one I live next to. Maybe I'll even go over there and give her a big hug and tell her that I'm so glad she's my neighbor instead of you. I pitty any neighbors that have to endure you.

Thanks once again and good day!

As for me, I'm done with this, so say what you like.

We'll go ahead and let you live in your delusional little world. Since you have surmised that everyone ELSE OBVIOUSLY has the problems, there is nothing we could have done for you here anyways.

 

[Nativity]

Bad choice of words on my part, I removed it.

 

[stealth2]

I really don't understand why you think the school district is responsible for stopping her giving you "looks" or looking at your house, whether she's standing at a bus stop or not. Believe it or not, "normal" people look at their neighbor's houses from time to time. I know I do - it's interesting to see what plantings they have, what changes they're making, etc. It would never occur to me that anyone would take that amiss - unless they were paranoid about something.

As for your dog, I have a simple solution. Don't tie him/her out alone. I have diggers, so they do go out on a cable when I'm home, and I keep an eye on them. I'll let them run loose in the yard if I'm there to supervise. Otherwise, they live in the house. It's a bad idea to leave a dog tied up outdoors all the time.