Just5Guy
Ultimate Member
Sorry if this is a little long, but here goes. Some of you remember that I had some issues with my neighbors letting their dogs loose in the neighborhood, and having to call animal control over and over and over. Well, things have since escalated.
So we've been having an issue with these guys riding a dirt bike in the common area of neighborhood. They have been asked several times to stop since it is a well maintained area, and it's not their property. Well it got to the point where a few of us in the neighborhood confronted them about it about a month ago, to the point where we had an off duty State Cop involved. The behavior stopped for a while until yesterday.
They were out on the bike again yesterday, doing wheelies up and down the street and tearing up the common area. At one point, the guy lost control of the bike and hit a truck, doing $2500 worth of damage. They (5 of them) all got in their car and ran from the scene. Cops were called, and the guys were found up at 7-11 about half a mile from the house. Turns out, the rider is fresh out of jail after doing 3 years for assault, and on probation. I won't bore you with the rest of that story, just skip ahead to today.
Bike is out again today as soon as I get home from work. I go out, start taking pictures and video and then call the police, not 911, just the district number and explain. Meanwhile, I'm sitting in my yard that adjoins the area they are riding waiting for the police and the guy starts coming towards me, yelling at me, asking me why I was taking pictures. I told him to show the police when they get here and asked him if he noticed the security camera's capturing it all too. He starts getting threatening and called me a "cop callin' cracka" etc etc. I tell him he better stop coming towards me, I have nothing further to say to him. He starts walking away threatening still, asking me why I called the cops, I'm a fool, etc.
Cops get there, I explain what's going on, one cop goes to talk to the guy, the other to me. He explains they can't do anything unless they see it, that the HOA should put up a fence to keep them out of the common area, etc.
I explained what has been going on the past year a half with these people, and he is like, if they threaten you, or are on your property, call 911, if they have a weapon, it's your right to defend yourself (which I thought was odd that he would say that). He starts explaining to me how to write the report, and I quote "Say the guy is 6'3 290 and you are 5'10 160 and he is threatening you with physical violence. Be very descriptive, stretch it a little if you have to, but that will get you a "peace order". I just need a police report or two of him threatening me, and I should be able to get CCW...not the way I want to have it happen, but whatever.
So anyway, I'm back and forth as to whether I did the right thing today, I am sitting here with my wife and son worried about blowback on me, but what am I supposed to do?
So we've been having an issue with these guys riding a dirt bike in the common area of neighborhood. They have been asked several times to stop since it is a well maintained area, and it's not their property. Well it got to the point where a few of us in the neighborhood confronted them about it about a month ago, to the point where we had an off duty State Cop involved. The behavior stopped for a while until yesterday.
They were out on the bike again yesterday, doing wheelies up and down the street and tearing up the common area. At one point, the guy lost control of the bike and hit a truck, doing $2500 worth of damage. They (5 of them) all got in their car and ran from the scene. Cops were called, and the guys were found up at 7-11 about half a mile from the house. Turns out, the rider is fresh out of jail after doing 3 years for assault, and on probation. I won't bore you with the rest of that story, just skip ahead to today.
Bike is out again today as soon as I get home from work. I go out, start taking pictures and video and then call the police, not 911, just the district number and explain. Meanwhile, I'm sitting in my yard that adjoins the area they are riding waiting for the police and the guy starts coming towards me, yelling at me, asking me why I was taking pictures. I told him to show the police when they get here and asked him if he noticed the security camera's capturing it all too. He starts getting threatening and called me a "cop callin' cracka" etc etc. I tell him he better stop coming towards me, I have nothing further to say to him. He starts walking away threatening still, asking me why I called the cops, I'm a fool, etc.
Cops get there, I explain what's going on, one cop goes to talk to the guy, the other to me. He explains they can't do anything unless they see it, that the HOA should put up a fence to keep them out of the common area, etc.
I explained what has been going on the past year a half with these people, and he is like, if they threaten you, or are on your property, call 911, if they have a weapon, it's your right to defend yourself (which I thought was odd that he would say that). He starts explaining to me how to write the report, and I quote "Say the guy is 6'3 290 and you are 5'10 160 and he is threatening you with physical violence. Be very descriptive, stretch it a little if you have to, but that will get you a "peace order". I just need a police report or two of him threatening me, and I should be able to get CCW...not the way I want to have it happen, but whatever.
So anyway, I'm back and forth as to whether I did the right thing today, I am sitting here with my wife and son worried about blowback on me, but what am I supposed to do?
