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-   -   Neighbor's defacement of fire hydrant (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=230551)

  • Jun 25, 2008, 06:03 AM
    universe
    Neighbor's defacement of fire hydrant
    My neighbor has allowed his dog to urinate on the fire hydrant across the street from my house causing the hydrant's paint to come off. Can I legally repaint the fire hydrant? I contacted the city regarding this and they have done nothing. It is a terible eyesore.
  • Jun 25, 2008, 06:11 AM
    N0help4u
    I doubt it would be legal with the union thing. I heard of a guy getting in trouble for filling in a really bad pot hole in front of his house because the city would never do anything about it. Plus you would most likely have to use primer paint first and it would be a real project only for the dog to keep peeing on it.
  • Jun 25, 2008, 06:25 AM
    JudyKayTee
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by universe
    My neighbor has allowed his dog to urinate on the fire hydrant across the street from my house causing the hydrant's paint to come off. Can I legally repaint the fire hydrant? I contacted the city regarding this and they have done nothing. It is a terible eyesore.


    Doesn't the City routinely repaint the fire hydrants?

    Other than that I think I'd mind my own business, particularly if it's across the street and the dog isn't on your property.

    How did reporting your ex-husband (and maybe your son - ?) to the IRS work out?
  • Jun 25, 2008, 06:36 AM
    George_1950
    I would start by putting moth balls or some other repelling substance around the hydrant. Call a city commissioner and ask for assistance with the paint job.
  • Jun 25, 2008, 07:13 AM
    excon
    Hello u:

    Judy got me to looking.

    Only ONE neighbor?? I think you have 1,000's of dogs peeing on the hydrant. Isn't that what they're for?

    Besides, how much fun are you going to have chipping off years of dried dog pee? And then, how are you going to stop dogs from peeing on it again?

    Nahh. I think you're better off calling the IRS on your ex, and making sure he has LESS money to spend taking care of your son. Or, have you thought about taking up a hobby?

    excon
  • Jun 25, 2008, 10:31 AM
    JudyKayTee
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by George_1950
    I would start by putting moth balls or some other repelling substance around the hydrant. Call a city commissioner and ask for assistance with the paint job.



    If I ever looked out my front window and my across the street neighbor was standing on the right of way, tying moth balls around the fire hydrant in front of my house, I would be beside myself with laughter - but maybe that's just me.

    I would suggest that my neighbor watch her side of the street and I'll watch mine.

    Then I'd go inside and laugh some more - as would my dogs.

    I'm more live and let live - right until someone gets in my face. Then I'm not so live and let live and I would consider this "in my face."

    I have a problem with neighbors who are busy watching their other neighbors instead of what's going on in their own house.

    (Oh, and technically I don't think the neighbor himself/herself is "defacing" the fire hydrant.)
  • Jun 25, 2008, 10:43 AM
    George_1950
    [QUOTE=JudyKayTee]If I ever looked out my front window and my across the street neighbor was standing on the right of way, tying moth balls around the fire hydrant in front of my house, I would be beside myself with laughter - but maybe that's just me.

    QUOTE]
    Stop by sometime and I'll show you how it's done; in fact, I find that neighbors who walk their dogs by leash (as required by ordinance), letting them poop on the right-of-way are particularly repulsive; they should diaper their dogs or carry the pooper scooper and leave the walkways clean. There aren't sidewalks.
  • Jun 25, 2008, 10:48 AM
    excon
    Hello George:

    Have you ever smelled moth balls? How did you get their legs apart?

    excon
  • Jun 25, 2008, 11:08 AM
    JudyKayTee
    [QUOTE=George_1950]
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JudyKayTee
    If I ever looked out my front window and my across the street neighbor was standing on the right of way, tying moth balls around the fire hydrant in front of my house, I would be beside myself with laughter - but maybe that's just me.

    QUOTE]
    Stop by sometime and I'll show you how it's done; in fact, I find that neighbors who walk their dogs by leash (as required by ordinance), letting them poop on the right-of-way are particularly repulsive; they should diaper their dogs or carry the pooper scooper and leave the walkways clean. There aren't sidewalks.



    I also find it disgusting that people walk their dogs on my lawn or in community areas and don't clean up. Absolutely disgusting, I have to mow the lawn that their dog just used as a bathroom, my dogs are sometimes out there, I stop them and tell them to clean up. That's in front of my house. There IS a pooper scooper law in my area and it IS enforced (like the Police have nothing else to do) and it's the law. Would I call and turn anybody in? No. I'm not the pooper scooper Police. So I put on gloves, grab a shovel, clean it up.

    Here's where we disagree -

    Urinating is a whole different thing - no doggie urine law.

    This woman is talking dog urine - not dog feces - and she's not talking about a walkway (or lack of walkway) or right of way - she's talking about a fire hydrant across the street from her.

    If if this goes on across the street from me? Let those neighbors worry about it. I'm not the neighborhood Police. I don't watch them, hopefully they don't watch me.

    So if OP finds the dog urinating on the fire hydrant to be offensive, dangerous or unhealthy then she should write a letter to the editor and send a copy to the Mayor and the Health Department.

    If there is a law against dogs urinating on fire hydrants, well, then report that.

    I've also had male dogs - they never stripped the paint from anything.

    And your "stop by sometime and I'll show you how it's done comment" sarcastic comment is beneath you.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 10:29 AM
    N0help4u
    I think this has inspired me to go count fire hydrants that have the paint peeled off and do a study on if it is dog urine related. I never thought of it! Guess I have been more tied up arguing with people who complain to the zoning guy about the old car in the neighbors driveway with expired stickers and a dented fender and it is an eye sore because he hasn't driven it in two months.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 11:43 AM
    JudyKayTee
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by N0help4u
    I think this has inspired me to go count fire hydrants that have the paint peeled off and do a study on if it is dog urine related. I never thought of it! Guess I have been more tied up arguing with people who complain to the zoning guy about the old car in the neighbors driveway with expired stickers and a dented fender and it is an eye sore because he hasn't driven it in two months.



    Let me know if you get College credit for the study - or arrested. Either or.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 11:47 AM
    N0help4u
    I was thinking more along the lines of getting recognized and hired by one of the top research companies of America :( :rolleyes: :D
  • Jun 26, 2008, 11:58 AM
    JudyKayTee
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by N0help4u
    I was thinking more along the lines of getting recognized and hired by one of the top research companies of America :( :rolleyes: :D


    I think the Dog Urine/Fire Hydrant Research field (from what I have read in business magazines) is at the moment pretty wide open so if you specialize I think you'll do well.

    I think I would specialize in dogs instead of something general like, "Animals urinating on fire hydrants." That would be my career advice.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 04:22 PM
    twinkiedooter
    When I lived in Manhattan's upper East Side all of the hydrants were peed on every 10 minutes or less by all the neighborhood dogs. Too bad you don't have an apt in NYC and can observe their hydrants. You would have loved it there.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 04:30 PM
    Fr_Chuck
    I am sure they will have to fine tune the research into what breed of dog and maybe if the dogs are male or female as to if some breeds have to be banned.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 04:45 PM
    JudyKayTee
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
    I am sure they will have to fine tune the research into what breed of dog and maybe if the dogs are male or female as to if some breeds have to be banned.



    Right, good point - I've had female dogs that lifted their legs and male dogs that didn't.

    Right, and those with particularly paint-removing urine could be breed banned.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 05:00 PM
    westnlas
    A side research might be made for homeless persons or maybe even drunks, especially in urban areas. In fact there is an area of Las Vegas that has been under study for offensive odor source. Many thousands have been spent on this study and the problem still exists, I have heard.

    As to repainting the fire hydrant. If it bothers you, just re-paint it. I repainted the red curb in front of my home (hydrant is in corner of front yard) mainly to keep the neighbor from parking in front of my house. 1 ticket and he's been out of here.
  • Jun 26, 2008, 05:07 PM
    JudyKayTee
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by westnlas
    A side research might be made for homeless persons or maybe even drunks, especially in urban areas. In fact there is an area of Las Vegas that has been under study for offensive odor source. Many thousands have been spent on this study and the problem still exists, I have heard.

    As to repainting the fire hydrant. If it bothers you, just re-paint it. I repainted the red curb in front of my home (hydrant is in corner of front yard) mainly to keep the neighbor from parking in front of my house. 1 ticket and he's been out of here.


    In my area you are not allowed to "repair" local or County property - that includes painting fire hydrants. It's a criminal offense and the re-painting is considered to be defacing town property.

    And, again, I don't understand the upset by anyone over what the neighbors are doing. Don't people talk to each other any more? I can't ever see myself repainting the curb to keep my neighbors from parking in front of my house - I'm not the parking Police, I don't want to be the parking Police, I don't want to be at war with my neighbors.

    Maybe there's more to this than I'm seeing -
  • Jun 27, 2008, 04:08 PM
    Alty
    Wow, that dog has some potent urine. I wonder what his owner feeds him.

    I have two dogs and a fire hydrant by my house that they, and every other dog in the neighborhood, pees on. The paint is fine. Paint chips and peels, it's normal, I doubt very much that one dog could do this kind of damage.

    Do you sit in your window and watch, if so then you need to find something else to do with your time. Maybe you could get a job with the county painting fire hydrants. :)
  • Jun 27, 2008, 04:28 PM
    N0help4u
    1 Attachment(s)
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Altenweg
    Maybe you could get a job with the county painting fire hydrants. :)

    Here are some painting ideas, one of these just might scare the dogs off!

    Dogs Love This Category....

    My pick is Miss Piggy

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