A Camera on My House

[Trilby]

I've lived in this house over five years. Three and 1/2 years ago my then-neighbors moved and a single woman, probably in her late fifties-early sixties, moved in. She obviously wanted to be 'friends' with me but I felt something was very OFF about her and resisted in a very nice way. Last summer she asked me if my 14 year old son would be willing to cut her grass for an agreed upon price. She said, "I want him to sign a contract right now!" Um...to cut your grass? She also required that he wear steel-toed boots, leather gloves and eye protection (things we had to supply) while he mowed and get a complete training session on her mower (a standard push mower) (oh, and all these requirements were presented to me in writing.) Now, my son had been cutting my yard and the OTHER neighbors yard with a push mower for a couple years now without incident and I thought she was going a bit overboard. I wasn't interested in him or me 'signing' a contract either. I told her to forget it, it was too much bother. She then presented me with a type-written note about how mean I was, what a 'bully', and she hoped my son got his foot cut off with the mower. I knew before all this that the woman was probably bi-polar but this was a bit much. Things got frosty after that. A month or so later something happened to her cyclone fence (a small tear in it) and she blamed me and my son. NOW the woman has a video camera pointed at my house!! I feel so violated and there is NOTHING I can do about it! It's perfectly legal for her to videotape me, my family, my comings and goings, etc. She is the sort who LIVES for this shit, she has nothing to do all day, no friends, and stirring up a neighbor war would be right up her alley. She is VERY litiginous--I gathered that from my (very) few dealings with her. She'd like nothing more than a reaction from me and I won't give her one, but, damn, I feel kinda sick to my stomach every time I go outside!

[Happy Monkey]

Put up little signs...



I wonder what effect a laser pointer would have on a camera... Nah, she'd probably deliberately look into it and sue.

[Undertoad]

People suck, there's just no way around the basic fact.

Is it a web cam, or something that eats up media like tape or discs?

But wouldn't it be funny if, say, someone in a full Ninja outfit, unidentifiable, suddenly appeared on camera and whipped out their wang and took a 30-second piss all over the window where it sits. Really soak the thing down. Followed by, say, a little sign saying don't fuck with this neighborhood.

Naw. As a proven harmless Sensitive Male (TM) I would never actually do anything like this. It's basic human decency and can only aggravate the situation. I recommend ignoring it as hard as possible. Sometimes passive-aggressive is the right way.

[Spexxvet]

get a camera to video her camera. She'll have to escalate, and eventually you'll get to an equilibrium of mutually assured video.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Is it a web cam, or something that eats up media like tape or discs?

i am 90% sure it eats up media.

I thought of having a masked streaker go by the camera, but, as you pointed out, passive-aggressive is best with someone like her who is DYING for attention.

I just really does make me sick. All I can do is look at it and wonder if she is taping me. I can't even go lay out in the backyard now. I feel like a prisoner in my own house and it's perfectly legal and OK for her to do this.

[Elspode]

At least make it interesting, Bri. For the love of Pete, you have the perfect opportunity to jack with her. Hang nudie pics outside...with little pieces of black tape over the naughty bits. Make up signs of your own, like "My neighbor is videotaping me 24/7. Write your opinions here." Find some mirrors and spend some time directing sunlight into the lens. In fact, get several mirrors, put them on stands, and assure that at least one of them will be directing sunlight into the lens at all times. When she moves the camera, move the mirrors. Put on a ballerina costume and do Swan Lake outdoors. Offer to dog sit for several friends, then chain them all up outside in full view of the camera and feed them beans. Put up a couple of bird feeders and attract squirrels. Get some big sheets from the thrift store and build a giant blind.

Actually, I like the laser idea the best. Wait until she's asleep, then burn the CCD out of the camera with it.

If you'll post a Google Earth view of your place and indicate the neighbor's place, I'll try to think up even more creative stuff for you to do based on the juxtaposition of the camera and your property.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

I wonder what effect a laser pointer would have on a camera...

A laser pointer of the appropriate wattage would likely blind the camera. A suitably focused floodlight might do the same...and possibly an infrared flood woiuld work in daytime too.

Too bad it's not one of those S-band fed video cams; a lot of fun could be had overloading the back end with your own signal. Show her whatever you like: the Hindenberg burning, the goatse man, random YouTube clips, a picture of a video cam looking back at her...

[skysidhe]

Can you contact the police to contact disablilty services or senior services ? Approach it as a 'welfare' check?

Make it seem like it is in her benefit that someone see what's happening with her?

I know it's about feeling violated. The story you told shows how off balance she is and you are right in feeling awful about it.


I would think a camera and a threat to your son would be grounds for investigation. The only way to relieve this is to get others involved in her welfare. I know it dosn't sound fair but sometimes you have to use the system to fight the system. Tell disability or senior services how worried you are for this person. The police can help.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Put on a ballerina costume and do Swan Lake outdoors.

I can just see the patty wagon comming...

......then the funny lady can sell the homemade movie to dateline and we can all watch Bri doing Swan Lake too .:p

[Trilby]

All fab ideas, and I thank you. I WAS thinking about calling Adult Protective
services on her (anonymously, of course) and tell them that I am worried about her 97 year old father who lives with her (she moved him in a few months ago--I saw her at the grocery one day when she didn't see me and she was YELLING at him) and have them do a check just to fuck with her but then I think: that's just what she wants. A reason to escalate. I like the sign "My neighbor is videotaping me 24/7 Write your opinions here" a lot! Very funny! The mirrors idea is doable too. If I got a laser would shining it into the camera lens for a few min. disable it? And could I do that from the safety of my own house or would I have to get right up into the camera lens?

[Stormieweather]

Write her a note and nicely ask her to remove the video camera. If it remains in place, mail her a copy of the letter certified, return receipt requested. This part is to CYA in case she tries to sue you. If she continues, then proceed with Operation Annoy Neighbor.

Set up your own video camera taping her video camera taping you :p . Get a cheap telescope and set it up next to your video camera, pointing straight at your neighbor's house. Set up a strobe on the other side of the video camera so it looks like you are taking flash photos of her/house. Put an inexpensive (child's toy will work) satellite dish looking thing pointing at her house, just under the window. Invite friends (who are in on the plan) to come over in dark suits and cluster in the window as well as outside...all pointing, staring, making notes and looking thru binoculars at your neighbor's house. Make it appear as though you are planning WWIII.

Stormie

[Ibby]

I'm all for burning it out. just make sure the firing point is off camera somehow so theres no proof you did it... or "well if it's legal for her to point the camera at my property its legal for me to point a pointer at hers!"

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Brianna

I WAS thinking about calling Adult Protective
services on her (anonymously, of course) and tell them that I am worried about her 97 year old father who lives with her (she moved him in a few months ago--I saw her at the grocery one day when she didn't see me and she was YELLING at him) and have them do a check just to fuck with her but then I think: that's just what she wants. A reason to escalate.

I think she is about as escalated as much as anyone would want to see. You doing nothing won't keep her stable. YES , do do a check on poor ole dad.
It's got to get worse before it can get better. Might as well help it along.




You guys' ideas are funny. I wish I could think of ways to fight drama with drama.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Stormieweather

Put an inexpensive (child's toy will work) satellite dish looking thing pointing at her house

Gee...I'm already equipped for that option with "Spiny Norman" (scroll down) in the backyard.



It's kinda fun to make it slew around from inside the house and point at things; that central hub both rotates around a vertical axis and tilts the antennas up and down.

I always wanted to put a video cam on it too, never got around to it...

[glatt]

First talk to her nicely to take the camera down. If it doesn't work, then send her a certified letter. If that doesn't work, then call the cops. Tell them it's aimed in your window. I believe there are peeping tom laws in some states that prohibit cameras pointing into private dwellings.

My understanding is that a laser pointer won't destroy the camera, but it will wash out the picture so much, she won't be able to see anything. If you know anyone with some basic electronics knowledge, they can wire a laser pointer up to a power supply, and keep it turned on continuously, aimed at her camera lens. Won't eat batteries that way. Won't destroy or harm the camera, but she won't be able so see anything. If you aren't damaging the camera, she can't complain about it to anyone.

Also, do you actually have it in writing that she hopes your son will chop his foot off? If so, hold on to that baby. Show it to the cops and any other authority you can.