Neihbor "Crossing the Line"

[rhythmMAN]

We have this next door neighbor who has been consumed with doing everything she can do mess with us over the years. Any advice provided here would be graciously accepted!

She's a bitter, angry at the world, single lady in her 50's that stays home and takes care of her ancient bedridden mother. She has a poor reputation in the neighborhood as being unfriendly, never says anything when you say 'hello, and we always see her spying through her blinds/garage. Literally has no life. Which is fine! But instead, she has decided to harass us in the following ways in the last 2 years:

Speeds up & down the street aggressively, (we live on a cul de sac) recklessly in her car, constantly causing the neighborhood children to flee for their safety.

Called the police on the kids trying to get their ball stuck in the tree in her front yard.

Called the police on me, because she allegedly heard me cursing her name under my breath one day, as I watched her intentionally move her car into the space we have put our trash cans in front of our house for years.

Called the police on us because my daughter's car was parked on the street (near her house) for more than 72 hours. Bogus. It had stalled and we were waiting for the tow truck.

Called the police on us because my wife's car was parked on the street (near her house) for more than 72 hours. Completely false - it was only there one night.

Because of this, we do NOT speak with her. At all. For fear she runs and files yet another false police report.

But now? Now....she has gone too WAY too far.

Today my wife got a call from DCFS/CPS and they explained to my wife that someone (our neighbor) has reported to them that I am "smoking some substance out of pipe when my wife isn't home" and that I am "a danger to my 2 youngest children". And that they will be investigating it.


(1) I have a medical marijuana license, (2) It is legal in California, (3) My wife is well aware that I smoke and thinks this is laughable, (4) Clearly this psycho is peeping over the wall and spying on me when I'm in my back yard. Either that, or has a camera pointed at us.


Like, the false police reports were one thing. But now this? Now she's trying to get my kids taken away, and my wife is understandably quite upset. We're already staying clear away from her since the 1st incident, and don't even look her way. But it's obviously not enough. Is there anything I should/could do here?

 

[justalayman]

Speeds up & down the street aggressively, (we live on a cul de sac) recklessly in her car, constantly causing the neighborhood children to flee for their safety.

did you at least call the police?

Called the police on the kids trying to get their ball stuck in the tree in her front yard.

were they? If so it's a trespass.

Called the police on me, because she allegedly heard me cursing her name under my breath one day, as I watched her intentionally move her car into the space we have put our trash cans in front of our house for years.

was his public roadway? If so, what's your problem? Your garbage cans hold no special rights to be placed on a public roadway.

Called the police on us because my daughter's car was parked on the street (near her house) for more than 72 hours. Bogus. It had stalled and we were waiting for the tow truck.

in many places that does qualify as an abandoned vehicle and would be towed by a municipality.

Called the police on us because my wife's car was parked on the street (near her house) for more than 72 hours. Completely false - it was only there one night.

that one I'll give ya.

Today my wife got a call from DCFS/CPS and they explained to my wife that someone (our neighbor) has reported to them that I am "smoking some substance out of pipe when my wife isn't home" and that I am "a danger to my 2 youngest children". And that they will be investigating it.

and your problem? I would be concerned if somebody I was aware of was possibly smoking pot around their children. Let
The dcfs do their investigation. If they don't have a problem with what your doing, then all is well.

(1) I have a medical marijuana license, (2) It is legal in California, (3) My wife is well aware that I smoke and thinks this is laughable, (4) Clearly this psycho is peeping over the wall and spying on me when I'm in my back yard. Either that, or has a camera pointed at us.

it is still a problem if you are doing it around your children but as to the being able to see you: go inside if you don't want people
To see you. If you're in a place a person can see you from a legal vantage point, then they can sit and watch everything you do.

So, what do you do? There is probably nothing you can do other than do your best to ignore her or attempt to make peace (sounds unlikely).

Like, the false police reports were one thing. But now this? Now she's trying to get my kids taken away, and my wife is understandably quite upset. We're already staying clear away from her since the 1st incident, and don't even look her way. But it's obviously not enough. Is there anything I should/could do here?

i don't see any false reports. Rather than trying to get your kids take away, I suggest it's to make sure your children are safe.

 

[LdiJ]

I agree with a lot of this post but have a few disagreements.

were they? If so it's a trespass.

Not if they were not noticed in advance.

in many places that does qualify as an abandoned vehicle and would be towed by a municipality.

I think that the OP was saying that the car JUST stalled out and they were JUST waiting for a tow truck...no 72 hours involved.

 

[justalayman]

Not if they were not noticed in advance.

you might be right but since op didn't provide the state it reallly can't be answered. Some states do not require prior notice. Regardless of whether it was a trespass or not, the kids were in the wrong so why is the op upset about the woman being upset? I know I would be.

I think that the OP was saying that the car JUST stalled out and they were JUST waiting for a tow truck...no 72 hours involved.

if you're correct, fine. That's not how i read it though. I use the other car incident as support. Op made a point of stating it was not there for 72 but didn't make the same argument in the first car incident. I would have thought op would have made a similar statement if it was less than 72 hours.


Bottom line; the op attempting to vilify the neighbor is at least as bad as the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[rhythmMAN]

Thanks for the replies....I think. And at this point I don't really care about whether her police calls or gripes with parked cars were justified or not. Nor did I think I had a "special" section for my trashcans. I was merely providing examples of the shade she was constantly (and unexpectedly) throwing our way. Such a miserable lady. Such unwarranted anger. We tried several times to be kind & civil with her.

Also, for what it's worth - I intentionally go outside in my backyard so as to NOT smoke in the house/around the kids - and I do so discreetly. She would literally have to be up on a ladder or step stool in her house to be able to see over the wall and into our backyard patio area. Which wouldn't surprise me at all, sadly.

 

[justalayman]

You and your children don't appear to be innocent here. Learn to get along, start a war, or move. I don't see any other options.

 

[rhythmMAN]

You and your children don't appear to be innocent here. Learn to get along, start a war, or move. I don't see any other options.

We never speak to her, avoid her at all costs, keep to ourselves. Our cars were parked on the public street in front of our house. The neighborhood kids were playing in her yard, not my kids. She saw me smoking in my backyard, which was legal AND AWAY from the children. I'm just curious - what exactly are "me and my children" guilty of here? Btw - It's kinda hard not to vilify someone that does everything they can to intentionally be a villain.

 

[justalayman]

We never speak to her, avoid her at all costs, keep to ourselves. Guilty indeed! Such advice!

Your kids throwing a ball into her tree isn't guilt? Sounds like some little brats need to be punished rather that their parent defending their unlawful and objectionable behavior.
You being upset because she is concerned your children are exposed to marijuana smoke is being evil? Maybe if we had more such evil people there might be a few children that get needed protection.

You were obviously upset about her parking her car where you normally place your trashcans is your failure.

Your problem appears to be you wanted to hear you could put the screws to her legally. Since you haven't heard that you're upset. It sounds like you have a typical neighbor hates neighbor situstion. Other that your claimed reckless driving she hasn't done anything actionable. So, you either learn to live with the situation, start a war, or move. There isn't any legal action available for you.

 

[rhythmMAN]

Your kids throwing a ball into her tree isn't guilt? Sounds like some little brats need to be punished rather that their parent defending their unlawful and objectionable behavior.
You being upset because she is concerned your children are exposed to marijuana smoke is being evil? Maybe if we had more such evil people there might be a few children that get needed protection.

You were obviously upset about her parking her car where you normally place your trashcans is your failure.

Your problem appears to be you wanted to hear you could put the screws to her legally. Since you haven't heard that you're upset. It sounds like you have a typical neighbor hates neighbor situstion. Other that your claimed reckless driving she hasn't done anything actionable. So, you either learn to live with the situation, start a war, or move. There isn't any legal action available for you.

Sounds like you and my neighbor would be a lovely match. And so much assuming! See my edits. "The neighborhood kids were playing in her yard, not my kids. She saw me smoking in my backyard, which was legal AND AWAY from the children. "

 

[justalayman]

If it wasn't your kids playing in her yard, why did you even bring it up? It didn't involve you. It's none of your business and from what i see, she was the one in the right. Attempting to make it sound like she was in the wrong shows you have a problem with her regardless what she does, even when she is in the right.

 

[rhythmMAN]

If it wasn't your kids playing in her yard, why did you even bring it up? It didn't involve you. It's none of your business and from what i see, she was the one in the right. Attempting to make it sound like she was in the wrong shows you have a problem with her regardless what she does, even when she is in the right.

I can provide many more similar incidents that have affected all of us, her neighbors. Of course we have a problem with her. But we chose the high road, to not engage. But here we are still, dealing with her time & again. No matter how much we try to avoid her. I mean, she's clearly spying on me in the "privacy" of my own back yard, or so I thought.

 

[justalayman]

Does she know you have a mm card?

What is wrong with her showing concern for children that may be subjected to marijuana smoke? I would rather see a concerned person make sure things are ok rather than ignoring the issue and the children be injured. I've seen too many children injured, or even killed, because somebody didn't speak up when they saw something that might have been a bad situstion for the kids.

 

[justalayman]

I can provide many more similar incidents that have affected all of us, her neighbors. Of course we have a problem with her. But we chose the high road, to not engage. But here we are still, dealing with her time & again. No matter how much we try to avoid her. I mean, she's clearly spying on me in the "privacy" of my own back yard, or so I thought.

Well, when she does something unlawful, report it. Other than that there isn't much you can do about what she is doing. Other than the driving issue, I don't see any unlawful activity on her part.

 

[rhythmMAN]

Does she know you have a mm card?

What is wrong with her showing concern for children that may be subjected to marijuana smoke? I would rather see a concerned person make sure things are ok rather than ignoring the issue and the children be injured. I've seen too many children injured, or even killed, because somebody didn't speak up when they saw something that might have been a bad situstion for the kids.

We can't speak with her - she will call the police. We have to avoid her.

And again. How on earth would the children be subjected to smoke? They are absolutely no where near it.

I also worked for years in Social Services. I'm well aware of the kinds of neglect and bad situations kids face out there.

 

[justalayman]

I mean, she's clearly spying on me in the "privacy" of my own back yard, or so I thought.

as long as she is watching you from a lawful viewpoint, its not illegal. You have no expectation of privacy if you are "in public".