Do any of you have neighboors that.......

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
9,246
Location
FL, USA
That always make smart comments to you when you wash your car? I have one that always pops out and says, "your gonna wash the paint off that thing". MINDNUMBINGLY ANNOYING!!! And he does it every time. I just started washing my car a moment ago, and sure enough he drove up. I fled the scene this time to avoid the award and annoying conversation, and took the time to post this. Any of you have neighboors like this?
 
My neighbor actually told me I sure kept my vehicles looking nice. Of course his car looks like it hasn't been washed in a couple of years.
shocked.gif
 
well for most people who wash their car he might be onto something. I see people at the coin-operated car wash using that awful foaming brush... saw the same 2014 mustang there 3x going home from work.
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24
That always make smart comments to you when you wash your car? I have one that always pops out and says, "your gonna wash the paint off that thing". MINDNUMBINGLY ANNOYING!!! And he does it every time. I just started washing my car a moment ago, and sure enough he drove up. I fled the scene this time to avoid the award and annoying conversation, and took the time to post this. Any of you have neighboors like this?


How often do you wash your car?
 
Our first home was in a subdivision with houses close to each other. You always had to deal with neighbors and comments. Luckily everyone was real nice, but you find yourself avoiding the conversation when possible.

Got acres between neighbors now, problem is, you have no idea who your neighbors are. LOL!
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Our first home was in a subdivision with houses close to each other. You always had to deal with neighbors and comments. Luckily everyone was real nice, but you find yourself avoiding the conversation when possible.

Got acres between neighbors now, problem is, you have no idea who your neighbors are. LOL!

I've got the worst of both worlds: neighbors too close, and I don't know them. (Apartment complex. Grrr.)
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24
That always make smart comments to you when you wash your car? I have one that always pops out and says, "your gonna wash the paint off that thing". MINDNUMBINGLY ANNOYING!!! And he does it every time. I just started washing my car a moment ago, and sure enough he drove up. I fled the scene this time to avoid the award and annoying conversation, and took the time to post this. Any of you have neighboors like this?


.....and you cannot qualify any type of comment to counter this? The best counter is switching gears on your neighbor and upon his comment about your car washings, respond by mentioning something odd about him or his neighborly surroundings.

There has to be something that's either peculiar about him personally, or his grass, garage, house, driveway, dog, cat, crooked parking....etc........... something odd.

Find that something odd and he will leave you alone.
 
My neighbors are great, some are even my friends. I'm the only person on the block who washes his own cars, or works on them. Only one friend of mine here might work on his car if something breaks and requires a tow, other than that he uses a shop. He was a dealer tech too for 15 years, now he hates working on cars. LOL
 
My two next door neighbors wash their cars once in while, more than I do. Nobody says anything.

I actually do oil change for LS400 by parking passenger side on sidewalk to gain easy access to the filter. Nobody complaints about that either.
 
One of the most effective techniques I learned years ago in a workplace leadership training course is called active listening. It takes practice, but it results in you "winning" and the other person thinking "what just happened here". Google LET active listening. or go to http://www.gordontraining.com/free-workplace-articles/active-listening/.


Here's how it would work:

Neighbor: "your gonna wash the paint off that thing"

You: you say washing my car is going to damage the paint?

N: you do it so much that you will wreck the paint

Y: Washing my car with correct soap, towels, and water will wreck it?

N: But you do it so often.

Y: Your saying I wash my car too much?

N: Yes. There's barely a spec of dirt on it and that's way too much work.

Y: So, you are saying that my hobby and relaxation of washing my car is work?

N: Yes. I hate washing cars because it is so much work.

Y: So, because you hate washing cars, I should too?

N: Err, umm, no, that's not what I am saying.

Y: So, as long as I am enjoying myself washing my car....that's o.k. with you???

N: Err, umm.....yea, I am just teasing you a bit.



He should now leave you alone. I have crushed power hungry bosses with this technique and they go away flustered, wondering what happened (no argument). It helps to understand the whole methodology, but in this case you don't take ownership of the neighbors problem and you turn it back onto him and coerce him to solve his own problem.
 
Not a problem here.......in Calgary Alberta Canada:

1. It's illegal to wash your car at your house on your driveway
2. Cats need to be on leashes when outside. Calgary now has a big mouse problem, no rats, just mice.

Saying that I still occasionally do it out back, quickly and hope none of my neighbours report me. What a place.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Rand
well for most people who wash their car he might be onto something. I see people at the coin-operated car wash using that awful foaming brush... saw the same 2014 mustang there 3x going home from work.


See now thats different, brushing dirt all over your paint 3 times a week will induce swirls. I use microfiber mitts and Meguiars Ultimate shampoo, followed by a rinse and dry with either microfiber or a cotton terry towel. Once a week usually, no more than 2 times a week for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: ColdCanuk
Not a problem here.......in Calgary Alberta Canada:

1. It's illegal to wash your car at your house on your driveway
2. Cats need to be on leashes when outside. Calgary now has a big mouse problem, no rats, just mice.

Saying that I still occasionally do it out back, quickly and hope none of my neighbours report me. What a place.



The car wash restriction is informal, it is not listed anywhere in the formal bylaw. One is NOT allowed to use soap, then simply rinse it into the storm sewer...

Soap etc does the river no good... hence the bylaw.

Having lived in Calgary for many years, and washed my cars hundreds of times, no one has ever complained...!

And if they did, I would simply say I am RINSING my car with potable water, not WASHING the car with any type of soap.
 
My GF has a new neighbor and they had a disagreement about trimming a tree that had branches on both properties. Next the neighbor had a downspout extension 20' so the water was all dumped onto my GF's lawn. Next the neighbor has a tall stockade type of fence. My GF planted some ferns on her side of this fence. The neighbor pulled up all the ferns and said she hated ferns and they were on her property.

So two issues come to mind:
1) Why would anyone want to live close to neighbors (I live in the country). Yet my GF says the country is to far in the country.
2) I would assume the neighbor does not know my GF is an assistant attorney general for NY.
 
Originally Posted By: ColdCanuk
Not a problem here.......in Calgary Alberta Canada:

1. It's illegal to wash your car at your house on your driveway
2. Cats need to be on leashes when outside. Calgary now has a big mouse problem, no rats, just mice.

Saying that I still occasionally do it out back, quickly and hope none of my neighbours report me. What a place.




Whew. I knew free speech was a distant memory in Canada but no longer allowed to wash your car. And the neighbors are watching you.........
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top