Funny Thing, That
7 hours ago
Sunday, July 27, 2014
The last 100 feet and new neighbors
A new neighbor stopped and introduced herself to my lovely wife and I. She and her son were looking for the boundary markers. Apparently they were also looking for a place to drive their ATVs through the woods to the lake road.
It's isn't going to happen. They bought a nice log cabin at a foreclosure sale. It has 5 acres of land with it. None of that land will connect with my road. Years ago people on the lake side bought lots on the other side of the road just to prevent access. The idea at the time was to prevent a logging road from going in. Nothing like a major logging operation to mess up a tiny lake front area. It's also been a good barrier against over development. There are enough buildings around the lake as it is.
She hinted that maybe I'd let her kids cut across my land. I pretended that I didn't get the hint. It's not the first time someone's wanted to use my property as a short cut. I've never given permission as I like my privacy.
Here's some helpful hints about moving into a rural area from the city. The locals don't want to hear how much better, cheaper, more sophisticated, or bigger things are back home. If it was so great why did you buy property here? Don't insult the people, places, businesses or institutions. The local you talk to might be really fond of those things. If a local tries to correct your pronunciation of local places, don't disagree and say the way it should be pronounced.
Yep, the new neighbor made all these errors and more. Let's just say that first impressions were mixed. I'm a pretty understanding and forgiving guy. A smart person will catch on and work harder to fit in with the locals. Ignorance can be fixed. A stupid person will arrogantly persist in their errors and wonder why no one likes them. Time will tell.
-Sixbears
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Give some folks enough rope and they will hang themselves.
ReplyDeleteI've got lots of rope.
DeleteChances are they'll be gone in five years, irritated at the "provincialism" of the locals.
ReplyDeleteThey will either wise up or move on. I'm going to give them a chance and advice, if they'll take it. Who knows, they could become good neighbors, with a little molding.
DeleteI've had people ask me to use my trail up the mountain. I just say no. I don't know about everywhere, but here, if you let a road become "common use" you just created a public easement. Then you can't just "say no" again. I don't have any neighbors, I don't want any neighbors. That's why I bought the land I did 33 years ago. National forest on three sides and I own all the way down the mountain on the fourth side.
ReplyDeleteI think public access works a bit like that around here. There are some laws on the books that might surprise property owners.
DeleteFirst it's just one ATV, then 20 or 30 when the word gets around that there's a new trail(remember the story gets bigger with every telling.) Then the snowmobiles start showing up when you are boating the winter away in F L A.
ReplyDeleteJust what you needed, a Yuppie neighbor.
One good thing about not allowing a trail. While we aren't that far as the crow flies, we are a good mile and a half apart by road.
DeleteNot far from the place I live they run a MOTO cross bunch of crap every July, yesterday and innocent man trying to make some money to feed his wife and kids got hit and nearly killed, they kept up the MOTO cross I thought the mayor and their city council just plain ass nuts..They should have stopped the whole damn races, we cannot hear it as it is miles away but people who have land and beautiful homes they built and have lived there their entire lives have to put up with that crap due to MONEY plain and simple, we appalled the fellow was hit and nearly killed they should have stopped the whole thing, two days of rummmm rummm and more rummmm noises. People own tons of land up there, they don't allow anyone to go traipsing in their motorbikes, motorcycles at all, one will be fined the bikes confiscated and one can be put into jail. If those landowners wanted that mess they would never have allowed it in the first place..I say don't go doing crap like that, be respectful of peoples' homes, places they do business, how they speak and just have some common courtesy..our only child has a lovely sweatshirt I got made for her in college, Common Sense is NOT Common anymore, plain and simple~!
ReplyDeleteThe town allowed ATVs on the lake road. At first it was not very busy. Now it connects with over 1000 miles of trail, so traffic just took a big jump. I hope they quickly sort out the growing pains.
DeleteOur "powers that be" decided it would be a really good thing for business owners if we had a big "bicycle tour" up here every Summer. The County closes the roads off, and only bikes can go on them along the route. Unfortunately, the "route" includes the only paved road out to my place. So I have to go on the other side of the mountain, and come through the woods on an old forest service trail. People who live out my way and don't have off road vehicles or are afraid to drive in the forest just have to wait somewhere for up to four hours before the road gets opened again.
DeleteGood bug out practice if nothing else. Lucky you have an off road vehicle.
DeleteOnce again the little people out in the sticks are forgotten.
Maybe you should put up "Private Property No Admission" signs to make it really obvious that they can't shortcut through your property.
ReplyDeleteThat would be the legal way to discourage someone.
DeletePersonally., I want privacy and no neighbors pestering me. Still working towards that goal.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! In the mean time, hope your neighbors are good ones.
DeleteOh well. There are worse, believe me.
Deleteheavy duty wood chippers make idiot neighbors into fertilizer
ReplyDeletejust suggesting...
Wildflower
They are such a pain to clean . . .
Deletea good power washer works best at cleaning
ReplyDeleteWildflower