Neighbor hood common area trashing

We live with heat and humidity, not just heat.
Yesterday it was 98 with 95% humidity.
When messing about in the garage, I just keep the large overhead door only open about two feet, instead of all the way.
The breezes are actually better than if the door was fully open.
Venturi effect, maybe.
And no prying eyes, either.
Lots of good fans, too.
Just a suggestion.
Heat is hell, fur sure.
 
I do keep a fan running and do not raise the door all the way. It is still pretty easy to see what I am doing.

Thanks for the tip. I appreciate it.

Geetarman:D
 
Btw, by "’clean house’ by yourself" I didn’t mean doing something stupid like brandishing or going vigilante. It was meant in the sense of doing what you can legally do as far as calling cops, and making the thugs as uncomfortable as possible when doing their dirty deeds.
If every time they see you looking closely at ‘em, the cops show up 20 or 30 minutes later… they’re gonna notice, and if they are dangerous, you become a target. That’s when carrying concealed might come in. … discreet and only for defense, of course.

If I were in your shoes, I’d start getting with neighbors … beginning with the ones you know, expanding to the ones they know, and leaving out the parents of the thugs … to build a firm base of allies and "eyes for the police". Then, all those eyes need to call the cops EVERY time they see something bad going on … not the next day, or even ten minutes later. Once the thugs get the idea that the neighborhood won’t tolerate their bad behavior, you might even get a chance to "get positive" and reward the kids that decide it’s best to play by the rules. The parents that care will come to you and get involved, then.

I’ m not a big fan of making any highly visible or reactionary changes in normal behavior patterns, but subtle changes of being more prepared and aware are a must. Them seeing you reloading has its pros as well as cons. For one thing, they immediately know you’re not one of those guys that go through a box of the cheapest WalMart stuff you can find every two to five years.
Calm self confidence without bravado seems to confuse and scare the thug types more than anything.
If they get the idea that you are too much for them to handle, aren’t a threat to them (physically, or in "neighborhood prestige") as long as they leave you alone … they usually have enough brain cells still working to cause them to leave you alone. The ones that would go after you because you’re willing to stand your ground … well, that’s what the concealed pistol is for.

And a Barry Manilow block party could be a fun idea in the mean time. After all, you’re a gun guy, so ... you should already have adequate ear protection.:D
 
Geez, the heat and humidity hasn’t even really started yet ! Didn’t catch the real temperature, but yesterdays "heat index" number was a pleasant springtime 102 here. :D

Hang on guys, August will be here soon. Water and fans are our friends;)
 
Animal,

Good tips and thanks. I do have the neighbors enlisted. Some are still in the workforce so they are not always around, but they ARE aware.

I do not want to give them a target so I do not make a show of watching them.

I have weapons within easy reach in the house and in the garage. I really do not want to get to the point that I really feel the need for one when I am in the garage.

My goal is to make them leave and not to become a target.

Any way you slice it, one who decides to use violence has the advantage of determining time and place.

I think it is best to not use use violence but be prepared with a whole lot of force as a response to violence.

I really hope it does not come to that.

Geetarman:D
 
I keep big dogs around too. They make a racket whenever anyone comes close to the house. As far as the common area goes, I agree with the idea of implementing a sort of neighborhood watch. Hammer the police with complaints until these guys are run off.
 
An option I haven't seen mentioned is to offer to pay one of the regulars to pick up the trash.

Would cost a bit for awhile but it would tend to apply pressure to the others to not make so much work for the picker-upper.
 
A "No Loitering After Dark by Order of the Police Dept." sign fixed a similar situation in my old neighborhood. Before I bought the house where I now live ... I lived in town with a neighborhood basketball court and similar situations arose from that.

Then again .... if you call the police department everytime you suspect "underage drinking" or " underage sexual activity" they will come out and handle it for you. After a few times of this ... the kids will find somewhere else to go.


I keep big dogs around too. They make a racket whenever anyone comes close to the house.
Click to expand...

This is a bad idea ... in my opinion.

Learn the laws of your area. A barking dog can be seen as a nuisance in certain areas, and you could soon become as disliked as the loitering kids if you aren't careful.
 
Tennis anyone?

Why not encourage several neighbors to join you in a game of tennis at night?

If the courts are used for their intended purpose it would not be attractive as a "hang out".
 
A year or so ago there was talk on TV about a device that makes a High Pitched tone that would be very irritating to those with young enough ears and inaudible to us older folk. Indeed, the whole idea was for property owners to force gang wannabes to get the urge to move on. Of course in a residential area it may set off all the watch dogs.:D It may be an idea worth researching by those in need.
Best,
Rob
 
I've been thinking more about this and here's a few more comments.

First, although I don't think it's a good idea to be reloading ammunition in public view, I doubt most people could tell what you were doing sitting hunched over a reloading bench, unless you're only six feet from the sidewalk.

Second, isn't it ironic that when you keep firearms around, partly for defensive purposes, that they become a target for thieves. That's a little like describing an armored personnel carrier as a "bullet magnet."
 
Go to your homeowners association, if you have one. It's probably not all "neighborhood kids", but a few and their friends. See if you can get a lock put on the tennis courts, accessible only by homeowners. Even just bringing it up means that the homeowners association will have to do something about it, or at least acknowledge in writing that the problem exists.

Go to your local Sheriff or Police office, and explain what is going on, that local youth are using the are as an underage hangout for partying. Mention the multiple break-ins on your vehicle and ask for increased patrols.
 
I agree with getting other people to go play tennis. They couldn't really refuse to get off the courts because that is what they are for; playing tennis. If they don't, whip out your cell phone and make the call... A tennis raquet in your hand and they probably wont cause any trouble.

Its plain and simple, get the whole community to display obvious disapproval of it... If you bug the cops enough they WILL do something about it.
 
If all else fails...

IED.jpg
 
This is a problem in most large cities. In Omaha a group of neighbors actually took the basketball hoops down, the thugs went elsewhere for their fun and games. Not legal but it did work for them for awhile.

Some of these are kids, some are older that use the younger kids to do their dirty work. Kids just need something to keep their attention. We had the elkhorn river for our play ground and at the time thousands of acres to roam. But, we still managed to get into trouble. Maybe it is a growing up thing?
 
Maybe a motion sensing light for your driveway, and a trash barrel and sign stating the applicable laws for littering would help at the tennis courts.
 
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