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andrewcocke · Nov 12, 2006, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by spikerbiker

Latest news on the neighbors from hell - I now believe that somehow they are listening to my phone calls. I was talking to my mom and "she said did you hear that?" and I said what? She said "somebody just said hello and used your name" - ok, this is freaking me out. We have noticed lots of pops, crackles and echoes, but just thought it was the phone line. How can you figure out if someone is illeagally listening to your conversations? It has been 3 months since this crap started and they still talk about us everyday - the houses are that close that we can hear them. I would love to move, but it is difficult to sell a house in this slow economy. HELP ! ! ! !

I will add to what ScottGem said (he is correct about the scanners) also, sometimes two cordless phones get on the same frequency by addident. I picked up my neighbor once on my phone will I was talking to my mother. It was a very interesting 4 way conversation, we all heard each other.

Anyway, a hard wire tap I do believe is illegal (unless you're a congressman :) )

The only way I would know to hard tap a line would be to access your interface box and literally listen from there. If you said that your houses are only a few feet apart, this might be very possible. Just bury a small line across the border right under the grass. A check of your interface box should reveal the truth.

The other option is that they are actually climbing the pole, which they can get in BIG trouble for if caught. They would have to have a keen understanding of how the telephone system works to eavesdrop by climing a pole.

spikerbiker · Nov 12, 2006, 11:17 AM

Yes we do have a cordless phone that we walk around the house with. Funny thing is we have seen 2 or 3 different guys going up the pole outside in about one month. My husband even held a ladder for one of them. He was there on a Sunday and said he was the cable guy. Sure does make me wonder.

andrewcocke · Nov 12, 2006, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by spikerbiker

yes we do have a cordless phone that we walk around the house with. Funny thing is we have seen 2 or 3 different guys going up the pole outside in about one month. My husband even held a ladder for one of them. He was there on a Sunday and said he was the cable guy. Sure does make me wonder.

If in doubt, report it to the cable company/phone company, they will have records of who was climbing the pole. If there records indicate no one was supposed to be working, then that is cause for alarm.

Of course, your phone lines might be buried, just so happens that here where I live, all of our lines are above ground.

Now that I think about it, it does seem odd that a cable man would need your husband to hold a ladder. Most pole climbers do so with their special spikes in their boots made for climbing poles. In the event a ladder is needed, the cable/phone company Shouldn't rely on the public to hold a ladder for them, if holding a ladder is nessesary, then the phone company will send a second worker.

There is too much liability in counting on the public to do things like hold ladders.

The real question is, what do your neighbors hope to accomplish by listening in on telephone conversations?

ScottGem · Nov 12, 2006, 12:42 PM

I really doubt that they are going up on the pole. But it doesn't hurt to check with the utilities.

Most cordless phones have the ability to switch channels. So you might try doing that to preclude the line crossings.

spikerbiker · Dec 8, 2006, 07:52 PM

Me again. Just when I think that things are getting better more crap hits the fan. I was pulling out of the driveway yesterday and I waited for 3 girls to walk by the house so I wouldn't hit them. Wouldn't you know, I could hear the next door neighbor girl complaining to her parents about me watching her again! I can't even go outside without her complaining about me! This kid is driving me nuts. She is dillusional. I went to see an attorney recently and he said that pursuing a harassment case would hardly be worth the trouble. It would probably cost as much in attorney fees as one would make. Any suggestions?

andrewcocke · Dec 8, 2006, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by spikerbiker

me again. Just when I think that things are getting better more crap hits the fan. I was pulling out of the driveway yesterday and I waited for 3 girls to walk by the house so I wouldn't hit them. Wouldn't you know, I could hear the next door neighbor girl complaining to her parents about me watching her again! I can't even go outside without her complaining about me! This kid is driving me nuts. She is dillusional. I went to see an attorney recently and he said that pursuing a harrassment case would hardly be worth the trouble. It would probably cost as much in attorney fees as one would make. Any suggestions?

At this point, I wouldn't let it bother you anymore.

In fact, this might be bad advise, but Id probobly start to have fun with it. For instance, staring at them every chance I get. Grinning all the while.

If they are going to be that contrary, Id give them something to fuss about. Last time I checked, its not against the law to stare. The worst thing you will be called is a creep or a pervert. How is that any worse than what's already been said?

Next time they call you gay, give them that seductive look while waving your fingers.

This neighbor thing of yours may be like a stubborn pimple, you may just have to keep pushing it until it pops.

For instance, and this is a true story. Where I used to live, I had a neighbor who would always let his dog roam. He would get into my trash all of the time. One day, he did it on the wrong day, the damn dog drug trash all over my driveway and yard.

So what did I do?

I scooped it all up and put it all back in the trash can, then as it was the middle of the night, took it over to his yard and scattered it all around. He thought his dog did it, however he came to complain to me, I told him "your dog brought it over there, not my problem".

The dog was tied from that day forward. Was my action illegal? Technically, I suppse it could be considered littering, but no one could prove it was me. As far as the public was concerned, it was a dog that was roaming free, a violation of county ordiance. Had he called the law on me, he too would have been fined.

Sometimes you just got to be creative.

s2tp · Dec 8, 2006, 10:06 PM

Haha yeah my thoughts were leaning towards what Andrew said... I was thinking.. well prove the daughter wrong and take your 'healthy sex life' in front of the windows... Of course I am only saying this in jest... but it would be funny... but then they would complain about that.. UGh neighbors can be SUCH a pain...

I would probably try to do something annoying... like get 110 outdoor cats... or get a set of beehives to put our your windows... OK OK so I have bad advice... I still wish you luck in solving all this and having a peaceful life... :o)

talaniman · Dec 9, 2006, 06:29 AM

You are way to sensitive, You have no control over what is said or done by others. I would have no trouble ignoring them, or worst case got PO'd enough to cuss them out. If the big mouth daughter got on my nerves, I just stand there and stare, the bust out laughing every time I saw her. Okay, get a backbone and stand up for yourself, and stop living in terror.

tugboat7 · Mar 25, 2007, 12:17 PM

What you focus on expands. Let it go you're a good person and did nothing wrong. By seeking legal action you just put more of the focus on you. You know who you are. You have spent enough time of this matter. Live your life.

crazybird · Jul 25, 2007, 04:53 PM

Your neighbors are extremely ignorant. My opinion is that you need to just let it go. I wouldn't waste my time looking or staring back at them. That puts you on their level which is very very low. With all your exercising you'd think you'd be much more calm too even bat an eye over it... LOL

patdelt · Nov 16, 2008, 11:09 AM

I, too have a neighbor from hell and have tried to ignore them and have asked that they leave me alone or I will get a restraining order. Now they walk past my house brandishing a baseball bat and the cops say they are not doing anything wrong as long as a criminal act hasn't occurred. So I am basically screwed and the only thing I can do is keep taking pictures of them and documenting their every move. I guess what I am trying to say is that you should just keep ignoring them and hope that they either stop or do something to break the law-then you have recourse. Keep a video camera available in case they do something to your property.:)

spikerbiker · Nov 16, 2008, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by patdelt

I, too have a neighbor from hell and have tried to ignore them and have asked that they leave me alone or I will get a restraining order. Now they walk past my house brandishing a baseball bat and the cops say they are not doing anything wrong as long as a criminal act hasn't occurred. So I am basically screwed and the only thing I can do is keep taking pictures of them and documenting their every move. I guess what I am trying to say is that you should just keep ignoring them and hope that they either stop or do something to break the law-then you have recourse. Keep a video camera available in case they do something to your property.:)

Fortunately for me, my neighbors foreclosed on their house and have moved on to go bug somebody else. I feel bad for you because I know how miserable it can be. You can keep making reports to the police to keep a paper trail going, without actually filing an official complaint. Most police depts. Will keep the report on record for up to five years. If anything does happen, you have a record and have "pre-empted" them legally.
Best wishes to you, keep good records.

patdelt · Nov 17, 2008, 06:43 AM

You are so lucky! I can only HOPE that happens to my neighbors! How do you keep a paper trail going if the police won't let you make a report? That's what I tried to do, but the police say even though my neighbor has threatened to kill me and my hubby in front of witnesses with his fists in the air, they say no actual crime has been committed, therefore I cannot make a police report. I am just trying to keep things documented in a legal way because they seem like they keep wanting to take it to the next level. If she feels so threatened to walk past my house that she has to carry "protection", (I see it as a weapon and aggression towards me), then why does she choose to walk past my house.GO THE OTHER WAY,DUH!

spikerbiker · Nov 18, 2008, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by patdelt

You are so lucky!! I can only HOPE that happens to my neighbors! How do you keep a paper trail going if the police won't let you make a report? That's what I tried to do, but the police say even though my neighbor has threatened to kill me and my hubby in front of witnesses with his fists in the air, they say no actual crime has been committed, therefore I cannot make a police report. I am just trying to keep things documented in a legal way because they seem like they keep wanting to take it to the next level. If she feels so threatened to walk past my house that she has to carry "protection", (I see it as a weapon and aggression towards me), then why does she choose to walk past my house.GO THE OTHER WAY,DUH!!

Have you actually gone to the Police dept.and spoken to them in person? At ours, they will take a report, without actually filing charges. If they have come out to your house, there should be a record. You can ask for any records from the police that would have your name or address on them , for example, if the neighbors filed anything (Freedom of Information Act), but they may charge you for the copies.
Be assertive! You may even want to contact an attorney to put things on record.
Good luck!