Fucking Idiot Neighbors!

[DailyDi]

The back of my shed was on fire. Thought it was from a lightning strike (storming right now) Called the FD and stood in the rain with a hose getting the flames down. Turns out the fuckwit next door was trying to burn a stump on the property line during a fire ban and with high wind.

And now he's mad at me for calling the FD and putting it out! "I" need to communicate with him when my yard is on fire.

[ldatsea]

The back of my shed was on fire. Thought it was from a lightning strike (storming right now) Called the FD and stood in the rain with a hose getting the flames down. Turns out the fuckwit next door was trying to burn a stump on the property line during a fire ban and with high wind.

And now he's mad at me for calling the FD and putting it out! "I" need to communicate with him when my yard is on fire.

sounds like your neighbor is buying you a new shed and make sure the FD bills him for the CALL!

[Honu]

DD,

You did the right thing. The Fire Department is there to protect your property when there is a fire. Your neighborhood probably requires an open fire permit which your neighbor probably also didn't bother with. He's avoiding the real issue by blaming you for him getting cited for violating a burning ban. The real issue is him and he needs to come to terms with it. All you need to do is realize that your neighbor lacks the sense to do what is right or legal and you that you need the police and fire departments to protect your rights. Sorry about all this, but you can't choose your neighbors. He's complianing now, but he knows he's wrong.

Good Luck,

Honu

[DailyDi]

That's the messed up part: he didn't get cited. We put it out and walked away. FD asked if i wanted the police to come out, I said no.

[Bettypooh]

Yup, from a redneck point of view, it's always someone else's fault when they screw up I know some things about fire- want some recipes to toast your neighbor with? I promise they'll be more careful next time- or at least 2 counties or more away

Bettypooh

[fideliuscharm]

You should call the police back and file a police report if nothing else so you can cite it with your home insurance company if there are any future issues that would affect your ability toake a claim

[ldatsea]

here the FD bills for replying to a call... if you get the bill make sure its passed on that's why it may have been smart to have the police come so you are not the responsible party.... if that happens

[hidden]

I would still try to get a new shed out of him!

[lukeout]

...sounds like a Win for You! I can already smell your new shed!

[Rihanna]

You should call the police back and file a police report if nothing else so you can cite it with your home insurance company if there are any future issues that would affect your ability toake a claim

From my experience as a builder, building inspector, and in other, (sometimes legal,) areas, that is the best advice! CYA so that if anything comes down, you have it all on record.

BTW, there are chemicals available that will "destroy" tree stumps. One drills as many 1/2 to 3/4 inch holes as deep a they can in a stump. Insert chemicals, keep wet, & let Nature take it's course. I did that one late summer, the next spring, (cabin is closed from Oct to May,) it almost came out by shovel. Well... with the help of an axe to break some of it up. lol It worked so well we were able to go 2-3 feet below ground level.

Can't cure "idiot" neighbors, but I wonder why, with the "....during a fire ban and with high wind," he didn't think of hiring one of those trailer mounted, big chipper wheel, stump destroyers?

[diaperboy4life]

What an idiot.

[LILJIM]

Some of the "chippers" here cost $50 for 1 stump. I burn alot off & on but NEVER in high wind. I'm a smart "redneck" .

[Bettypooh]

Some of the "chippers" here cost $50 for 1 stump. I burn alot off & on but NEVER in high wind. I'm a smart "redneck" .

One of the best ways to burn out a stump is to cut a metal drum in half, place the open ring over the stump, and start the burn when it's safe to do so A bag of charcoal can help you get it started and is cheap Keep the coals going- check it first and last thing every day (and in between if you need to) and if heavy rain or wind is forecast, cover the ring with metal weighted down- the embers will keep going. When you're done with the first one the ring can be reused for the next one Heck, I'm as poor as poor gets yet even I can afford to do this, so that neighbor has no excuse for their blatant stupidity Do as you wish, but as far as I'm concerned I don't want any stupid neighbors causing me problems so either I move or they do- I can be very convincing without leaving a trace when I want to be Unless you intend to handle it the way I would do call the police and file a report to cover future actions, using a letter from the Fire Chief who responded as your proof of innocence. In my business I learned early on to cover your own a$$ well or get it bitten off painfully because you didn't

Bettypooh

[rusty pins]

You should call the police back and file a police report if nothing else so you can cite it with your home insurance company if there are any future issues that would affect your ability toake a claim

I 100% agree! Just watch Judge Judy sometime! She always asks for a police report and if the plaintif didn't have one then there wasn't much she would do. Same with your insurance company. They may not process any claim without a police report. The neighbor has already demonstrated a lack of responsibility for the situation as well as just being stupid and breaking the law by burining out his stump in a high wind with a burn ban on. You may be doing the nice neighborly thing by not pressing things with the police so as not to make things bad for him, but you need to think of your own situation. He broke the law, causing your shed to be distroyed. Sure, he would be happy not to have to pay a fine or be in trouble with the police for breaking the law, but do you think your neighborly action of not pressing charges or calling the police will make a difference with him? Hell no! He'll be just as stupid and arrogant as he was before, and just the fact that you didn't call the police or press any charges will reinforce in his mind that he was not at fault and did nothing wrong. It sounds to me like he's the kind of person who, if the situation was reversed, would make as much trouble for you as he possibly could. It's not too late yet. I'd call your insurance agent first, ask them if you should get a police report and then do it. Who knows but that the neighbor might blame you and sue you for some "damage" to his own property somewhere down the road. Have the police come out, take statements and have a record of just what happened last night before any more time passes. For your own protection!

Oh, and keep us all informed of the situation!

[aleyxsis]

Thou it was very kind of you not calling the police like others have said i would file a report with them,and your insurance .You just never know what this guy will do next !

[Pootattoo]

Sorry to hear about that man,

I'm the kind of redneck who would rather dig the damn thing up!

Had a BIG one in my backyard I wanted gone, But I wanted it ALL gone....

So I dug and dug and dug, chopped, hacked and jacked for what seemed like months in this hard assed N.C. red clay (In my spare time),

But I finally got that mother out, even tore up the tailgate on my truck trying to get it in the back, So I just hooked a strap to it and dragged it to a remote corner of my property, where it has been rotting peacefully in the woods for the last 3 years.

It's almost pure sawdust now.

I wonder why it wouldn't rot in place? Sure would have made my life easier.....

[sarah_ab]

hahahah so when you put in the insurance claim and cite the neighbors name and address as the responsible party, you should call him and let him know you are submitting his information to the insurance company.. tell him you are just keeping the lines of communication open.

however, i am very glad you were able to contain the flames, stay calm and no one was hurt! i hope this wasn't ur collection for the diaper museum that got burned? and if so the diapers emerged unharmed?

[DailyDi]

Nope, diapers are safe

[Rihanna]

.....I'm the kind of redneck who would rather dig the damn thing up!

Had a BIG one in my backyard I wanted gone, But I wanted it ALL gone........

As above, I'm one who would use chemicals and wait six months to a year when it is then very easy to remove.

We rented a "Bobcat" w/the backhoe attachment for a job. After the job, took it over to a friends where he had a very big, (4'+ diameter,) stump he wanted to remove. Dug & dug. We had an almost 15' by 6' deep crater, still cutting roots, but nowhere near getting it out. Fortunately, sort of, the rental place had forgotten to top off the Diesel fuel before letting it out. (I had wondered why the gauge read below half full during the original job.) Ran out of fuel around dusk. Had to call the next day and wait for the rental company's mechanic to show up. (Diesel's require special procedures to re start after running out of fuel.) The good thing is we got an extra free day on the rental and were able to get the stump out and the hole back filled before returning the machine.

[LuvsGurl]

I would have called the cops and had him cited. The citation could have then been used in a homeowners insurance claim to get a new shed. Check your local codes. Many states do not allow fires within X number of feet of any structure.

[Morv]

Turns out the fuckwit next door was trying to burn a stump on the property line during a fire ban and with high wind.

I'm going to recommend contacting the police, filing the police report and contacting insurance, filing a claim. But for a different reason. This neighbor is not bright. He burnt it on the property line -- without contacting you. He did something dangerous where it was likely to affect your property, in the violation of the law intended to protect people. Then he wants to be mad at you? This guy either doesn't realize other people exist and are important, or he doesn't care. He also seems to not get that this is a bad idea. He could be dangerous.

Could turn out that he's harmless, too... but if not, and if this dipshit ends up say, starting a forest fire. And say, several people are killed in said fire... do you want to take the chance that a hefty fine and perhaps even a yelling at by a judge might have prevented his future behavior? What if that fine is enough to discourage him from being a fucking moron with fire again?

Stupid people who act with the approval of their own consciences don't just stop without an outside force acting.

I'm the kind of redneck who would rather dig the damn thing up!

That's how I'd go about it myself.

Either way, good luck with it. How bad was the damage to the shed? I hope you can get it repaired or replaced soon. Good luck.

[greatwnorth]

And my Psychiatrist wonders why I hate People...

[Creepymouse]

Sturgeon's Revelation (often called Sturgeon's Law) - 90% of everything is crud.

[Morv]

And my Psychiatrist wonders why I hate People...

Where did your shrink go to school?

[BabyLock]

I would have called the cops and had him cited. The citation could have then been used in a homeowners insurance claim to get a new shed. Check your local codes. Many states do not allow fires within X number of feet of any structure.

My comment:

Do not wait too long to file a claim report - you just might run out of options with a statue of limitations expiring !

Also this brilliant neighbor or yours might just be setting you up for a third party aiding and abetting a crime in the future.

Whats to prevent his covering up another fire with your helpful assistance.

Damn this is serious dangerous business !

If you lived in southern California - eastern Arizona and western New Mexico and this dim wit tried this; I could here it now:

'GET A ROPE' this activity warrants a lynching mob !

Burning under the circumstances you have noted would be considered a criminal matter !

You are darn lucky he just scorched your shed and not half or all of the community !

If this was too harsh or strong - NO Apology will be given !

You don't need this neighbor as a neighbor.

End of Comment.

BabyLock