boundaries

[broadway]

My neighbor on the right invited a lot of people over for a barbeque. Included were several teenagers.
My neighbor on the left with the basketball hoop that is positioned in front of his house but in the common court area shared by everybody is home. Underneath this basketball hoop are several large potted plants that the wife has placed there for some reason.

The teenagers start shooting hoops.

Am I right to think that they should have asked for permission, or does the fact that the hoop is in the common area negate that courtesy?

 

[Dash man]

In my town it's illegal to place basketball hoops in a position where any part hangs over a public street. Most of them have disappeared because of this.

 

[Fedup]

I think if it's a common area then people assume they can use it. Maybe that's why they don't ask for permission.

 

[broadway]

The basketball hoop obviously is owned by that homeowner. It isn't public property.

 

[Fedup]

I think if I own the hoop I would tell them off. I told my Chinese neighbor or her maid not to drop her trash in my trash bin. She and neighbor's junior somehow thought it was public property. But I did have to wait until somebody I knew who could understand English to be there before I approached them. I also called the police before hand for citizen arrest, they told me they would if it continued.
Maybe it was not obvious to the teenagers.

 

[LOL!]

I would have joined the teenagers and started shooting hoops with them.

But I know all my neighbors and have keys to all their houses, so they let me do anything with stuff of their's.

 

[Meadbh]

There should be no private property (e.g. the basketball hoop) on common property. If the hoop is, in fact, common property, then all residents and their guests have a right to use it.

 

[Bestwifeever]

The basketball hoop obviously is owned by that homeowner. It isn't public property.

Do you mean the visiting teens should ask A. your permission or B. the hoop-owners' permission? If B, are you sure they didn't and fortunately, it isn't your problem anyway. If A, go ask them to stop it. See what they say.

Teens think differently (science says so ). My neighboring teenagers were shoveling snow off the driveway a few years ago, right off their driveway onto ours. It took only a pointed stare on my part for them to realize what they were doing.

 

[bUU]

The basketball hoop obviously is owned by that homeowner.

What pole was it affixed to?

 

[broadway]

What pole was it affixed to?

It's one of those portable thingies.

Do you mean the visiting teens should ask A. your permission or B. the hoop-owners' permission? If B, are you sure they didn't and fortunately, it isn't your problem anyway. If A, go ask them to stop it. See what they say.

Not my property. B.

I was raised differently. My parents would have insisted on my asking.
The basketball hoop was on common property but private property.

 

[Just_Steve]

You sure are letting that hoop rent space in your head.

 

[broadway]

You sure are letting that hoop rent space in your head.

This about people's respect for other people's property or lack thereof.

Where my mother used to live, teenagers would cut through people's lawn (private property). Good thing it wasn't her lawn.


One neighbor across the street put up a fence for the backyard and planted an entire row of evergreens tightly spaced leading up to the sidewalk effectively creating a living wall because his neighbor had 2 big dogs that apparently used to trespass when out doing their business.

 

[Bigdawg]

There should be no private property (e.g. the basketball hoop) on common property. If the hoop is, in fact, common property, then all residents and their guests have a right to use it.

My car is parked right next to the hoop on common property. I guess anyone can go drive my car. If I can park my car on common property shouldn't I be able to put my hoop on common property? What can or cannot be put on common property?

 

[Fedup]

But car is one thing, but some common areas have hoops. But I think nowadays, not an excuse, there is a lack of common courtesy. Kids are not brought how to use the phone even. I remembered being slightly annoyed when one of my kids' friend called and asked for her. They lack some sort of protocol. Borderline rude. Their parents are well to do. So what can you do? It's not my job to teach their kids.

 

[Jerry1]

How do you know that the neighbor on the left (with basketball hoop) didn't already tell the neighbor on the right (with the teens) that he could use the hoop any time he wanted? Didn't necessarily have to be that specific day. They (each neighbor) could be good enough friends that it was a given. It also doesn't sound like there was any damage or problems. I'd vote for there not being an issue and that permission or an understanding was already there.

 

[rodi]

We have a hoop on one side of our driveway (on our property - not in the street or in a common area). I have had neighbors use it... usually with younger (early elementary school age) kids... I see no problem with it... as long as my car isn't in the driveway... But we park the cars in the garage - away from the danger of basketballs.

 

[donheff]

You added the bit about the potted plants but never elaborated. It would be rude if the kids wrecked the plants. They should have moved them out of the way. But kids shooting hoops in the alley or other common space is life in the city. Miss Manners might prefer a written note but in real life that didn't happen even back in the day when we were proper little kids.

 

[Sunset]

We have a hoop on one side of our driveway (on our property - not in the street or in a common area). I have had neighbors use it... usually with younger (early elementary school age) kids... I see no problem with it... as long as my car isn't in the driveway... But we park the cars in the garage - away from the danger of basketballs.

We had a hoop like this as well, the neighbor kids were using it as ours had a net and theirs did not, so I took off the net and gave it to them, which they really liked, and I liked it as then they used their own hoop This was 10 years ago.

This year I removed the hoop and backboard just because in the 10 years we have not used it, and figured it just was an eyesore. Someone picked it up 2 hours after I set it out on the curb.

 

[Rustic23]

We have a pool in our subdivision. If I place a lounge chair on the deck, and leave, do I have the right to tell people that they may not use it when I am not there or using it? Do they have to ask if I leave?

 

[CRLLS]

I think it is wrong on both the neighbor's part and the teens'. The neighbor should not use public space for their personal hoop. And certainly the planters are not "public". If several neighbors got together and all shared in the cost/use, then it might be different. Teens will do what they will do, But still should have at least asked their party host if the neighbor would mind. While it isn't the host's position to give permission, it would be a perfect opportunity for the host to say, "go over and ask".

About 25 years ago, we had a hoop set up on our garage roof over the garage door. One day we found some kids from the apartments a block away, playing BB in our driveway. We quickly told them to find someplace else to play. Some people's kids!

 

[braumeister]

We have a pool in our subdivision. If I place a lounge chair on the deck, and leave, do I have the right to tell people that they may not use it when I am not there or using it? Do they have to ask if I leave?

Just put a towel on it.

Is it appropriate to "save" chairs at a beach or pool?

 

[MRG]

You sure are letting that hoop rent space in your head.

Maybe it's paying a lot of rent? If not I'd evict it, cause it ain't worth it.

 

[kcowan]

I think people now would rather beg forgiveness than ask permission. Of course that assumes a level of grace that many lack.

 

[Fedup]

Just put a towel on it.

Is it appropriate to "save" chairs at a beach or pool?

I consider this very rude. We stayed at a hotel in Maui and people left their towels and went on long snorkeling trip, not local snorkeling. They didn't come back until after lunch. I would definitely throw the towels away next time this happened to me.