neighbor complaints/threats

[Russ Bustamante]

HI, recently, i received notes from a guy, who doesn't sign them ,telling me to slow my laser 52 down while cutting 10 houses in a row.i don't know where he lives or anything else about him. yesterday he wrote that he was going to have asound level meter and a code enforsment oficer too.(threat). the guy is a coward i know. can he do something like this? what can i do? the first note two weeks ago said, we as neighbors shouldn't have to listen to my equipment for the 2 1/2 hours that im there. i also cut 5 across the street. he is starting to bug me. what would you guys do . thanks, RUSS

[Charles]

You dont have to do anything except watch your back. Just ignore all the notes and just keep doing your job.

[steveair]

Hello,

I would send a note 'signed anonymus' with no return address pretending that you are his neighbor and don't want to listen to his lawn mower for the 1 hour it takes him, or complaining about his lawn service if he doesn't cut it himself.

But seriously, I would ignore and just continue on. Unless the town has sound ordinances (which you may have to check into if the situations becomes larger) he has no legal basis for anything. The only thing I would worry about is if you are cutting early in the morning or late in the evening. Then you may have some legal concerns, as that is the basis for the sound ordinances I know of.

Sounds like a grumpy old man with nothing better to do with his time.

steveair

[joshua]

let it go this guy has no clue as to what he's talking about, he tells you to slow down because of how much noise you make for 2.5 hours, what a fool, if you slow down the mower will make the same ammount of noise nomatter what speed you go and it will take you a lot longer. don't worry about him you're knocking 10 yards out in 2.5 hours even if they are $20 a lawn thats $200 in stopping of your truck. be a professional and don't write any notes or anything like that, maybe thats what this guy wants you to do and he'll call the cops on you for threating him. there are people out there like that if you don't alreafdy know that.

[geogunn]

as long as you are up to codes, I'd supercharge the lazer, strasp on a nitrous tank and get a drag chute put on the back!

better yet...how 'bout the rocket powered chopper the used on "tool time". eric has that pic on his website!

GEO

[bobbygedd]

y does being proffesional mean taking crap and being pushed around? what would tony sapprano do?

[mdb landscaping]

i wonder if flowmaster makes a straight pipe for the lazer. supercharged andd with straight pipe will liven the sound. i too say just ignore the guy.

[65hoss]

I think I would be tempted to take off the other mowers and crank them up and let them idle for 2.5 hours. It would be worth the extra gas just to get under this guys skin.

[HOMER]

Add an Alpine stereo system to the Lazer with 12" woofers and some eggggggggstreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely loud tweeters. Just don't play any rap crap. How bout some Lynard Skynard maybe!

[sgreanbean]

go to the local decal shop and have them put a sticker on your window that says "This vehicle is under video survilance. please stay back"
that will put a stop to him.

[Chopper Lover]

Hi Russ...

Sorry you are being harassed with this kind of BS! How is he getting the notes to you? Is he leaving them on your windshield, mailing them to you, or what?

I assume you are totally legal, so don't worry about the threats. If you do get stopped by the "sound police" it is no big deal provided your equipment exhaust has not been modified. Just be sure to have your eye and ear protection in place and your safety devices in working order.

I have a couple of thoughts on what to do...

Go back and document all the notes to the best of your knowledge as to when you got them, what they said, etc. Keep them in case you need them in the future. This could be ugly later down the road.

If he is leaving the notes on your truck, don't park it in the same place. He may live close to where you are parking and may not walk the extra distance.

Try to keep an eye on your stuff. If you see him near it watch where he goes and then call the Police because it appears as though he was trying to "steal" your truck and gave up and went home.

Leave him a note where he leaves the notes for you stating that you are sorry he is so upset but don't understand why. Include that you would like to discuss it with him with intentions of getting his issues resolved.

Send a letter to your customers in that neighborhood notifying them you are getting harassing anonymous letters from someone on the street. Explain the notes complain about your customers having their yard mowed by a professional company and these notes are threatening your livelihood. Maybe add in that you would like to get the "misunderstanding" corrected and that any information as to who it may be would be greatly appreciated. I would venture to say the customers will know who it is. There is always "one in every neighborhood" that is always complaining.

If all else fails....
Buy a big dog and don't feed him for a week. That will make him hungry and irritable. Take him with you to the job site and when the goon drops off his note, he will get a big surprise!

Of course these are all just ideas. This spineless clown is not confident enough to confront you head on. I am the kind of guy who would hire someone to run my yards for me and sit in the bushes and wait for the guy to come by and drop off his note. I hate being "screwed" with behind my back and tend to be like a ticked off hornet when I am. If you catch him, politely confront him (a micro cassette recorder would be very handy in these situations to confirm you didn't get out of line) and say you are sorry he is so upset. Find out his concerns. It may be something little, like starting at the opposite end of your street for that time of day, doing one complete yard next to his before you move to the others, or something simple like that, maybe you can get this resolved.

I am sure I could think of other stuff. Some may be useful, some may not. Try not to let it mess up your day.

Good Luck!
Mark

[lawnworker]

I like homers idea about the alpine system hope the neighber settles down for you alot of half baked apples outthere

[Got Grass?]

Well if you cut 10 in a row and 5 on the other side and he dosnt like the noise you gotta figure he prolly lives somewhere in between all thoes houses across the road. Check if it looks like anyone is home in thoes houses every time you cut. Eventually you will figure him out. Also keep an eye on your stuff, so he dosnt take or destroy anything and you may even spot him. About mowing quicker check out www.letsmow.com one of us could win.

[AB Lawn Care]

Very nice points choppers lover.

Things like that really get under your skin,but stay calm and try to work things out.

The neighbor most likely like to see you flip out.They he could say to your clients that you were flipping out on him.Be the better man/woman.

[Mowin4cash]

Put up a poster on your truck with big letters saying.....


"TO THE COWARD THAT KEEPS LEAVING THREATENING LETTERS ON MY TRUCK, STEP OUT SO THAT I CAN SEE YOU. DON'T BE A SPINELESS COWARD. YOU PROBABLY VOTED FOR GORE ANYWAY. IF I CATCH YOU TOUCHING MY TRUCK, YOU BETTER HAVE SOME WATER WITH YOU, 'CAUSE I WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO SET YOU ON FIRE. IF YOU THINK I'M JOKING, TRY ME."


At least he'll either leave you alone, or everyone in the neighborhood will think you are crazy, and no one else with mess with you.

[kutnkru]

S-K-Y-N-A-R-D !!!!!

nuff said.

[lawnman_scott]

I would bet he tried to get a code enforcement officer out there but failed so hes trying to see if you will blink. Just keep your license with you in case, but i wouldnt lose any sleep, i dont know of any neighborhoods that dont allow lawnmowers, evan if they are loud. If he come3s up to you and threatens you just let it run while its on the trailer, and dont say a word. I did that once, it worked for me, last time he ever complained. He did let his dogs out though, big rottwielers. He was probably real mad when i didnt "act" scared.

[Atlantic Lawn]

Most towns only have a code regarding time at which you start working. if you aren't out there at O dark thirty then there's nothin' he can do. I'd explain to my customers about the complant and I'm sure one of them knows who the old fart is. They'll probably tell you he's been a grouch for years.....Keep Cuttin

[RMc Lawn]

I agree w/ Homer and kutnkru SKYNARD. If You are cutting at a repectable time there is not much he can do. If you are doing that many in the neighborhood you must be doing good work so I would not worry.

[LJ lawn]

i think you should either remove the muffler entirely or bolt on one that doesn't have any baffling whatsoever. ditto for the small equipment too. make them all as loud and offensive as possible.if you are there within any noise code time restrictions as in not before 7 am and before 10pm i would'nt worry about it.

[Premo Services]

I have a street that I cut four lawns next to each other and have had them for 5 yrs. About 4 weeks ago, while I was cutting I was startled to see this man standing real close to where I was cutting. I stopped and asked him if I could be of assistance. He tells me that that has to be the loudest GD mower he has ever heard,and how the he!! do I put up with the noise all day long. I told him it was a commerecial mower , and I had ear protection that I use, he said I should get ear protection for the entire neighborhood. I kept my cool and told him that I had been using this machine here for 5 years with no complaints, and I would gladly purchase ear protection for all that wanted it, and he should talk to everyone in the hood and tell me how many he wanted, and he would have to have cash to pay for them at a rate of 10 what times they cost before he would get them. I then askedhim to leave the area that was cutting because he was subjecting himself to injury from something comming out of the discharge chute. I have made a point to talk to all the customers to see if they had any problems and have not seen the lunitic or heard anything about it.

[vipermanz]

why stop at 12" subs Go on up to the eaw sb864 4x18" drivers 2400 watts rms 4800 peak it can put out a blasting 141 db!!(that would get him)

Check it out for yourself and see if it's hard to mount on a lazer!!:D

http://www.eaw.com//pages/Products/Series/SB/SB864.html

[deason]

I agree with Viperman. only I wouldnt play Skynrd (not that i wouldnt want to hear em!) I would load the "Black" album CD by Metallica. play it non stop for an hour or so. PLay it so loud that his ears would bleed. Now theres some easy listening. :D

[oneEXMARKfan]

Why stop at Metallica? Got plenty of SLAYER here (I listen to everyday) or some "tamer" Deth Metal.

[LJ lawn]

i'd have to wheel out my MARSHALL stack on my trailer with a generator and crank it to 11 and hang out and jam for a little while parked in front of his house before the cops got there.

[oneEXMARKfan]

.........(nothing like a Marshall) What kind of axe? (Jackson here)

[ron]

Hey watch your back Stay Alert Stay Alive......you live in America not Russia Free Enterprise.... this person sounds like he is a "NUT".
Wear a weapon like cap stun on your side just incase...... and always lock up all your equipment......when out of your eye site

[LJ lawn]

to: oneEXMARK- i have 2 ESP 's both made back in the 80's,one is a Mirage Custom. strat body ,one double hum 2 single coil,rosewood neck-thru,reverse headstock,custom painted.the other is a plain Mirage similar set up. and one 77 FENDER strat all maple.Marshall JCM 900 50 wattt reverb head ,JCM 800 4-12 cab,MXR 1/3 octave rack eq.if you can find an old Mirage -- grab it! they play like butter! you'll sell that Jackson in a minute (that is unless you have the Rhodes copy-- black /gold hardware ) jam on!!

[oneEXMARKfan]

You deff. got it going on...... Always liked ESP.......I did buy a Jackson/Rhodes about 4 years ago, and a SL-1 Soloist (USA) about a year ago.....but, if I run across a Mirage, I'll grab it up.