Kids playing near my truck is worrying me

[oldmodman]

No garage?

Any vehicle access to your back yard?

No?

Move.

[JHL88]

I wouldn't put a cover on unless you're willing to clean your truck before putting it on EVERY time.

[Vtextc]

I agree with what all has been said before. Nothing you can do. Grin and bear it.

Asif

[phens82]

I didn't want to be the first person to respond in a sarcastic tone.... but, really? I mean... in a world prior to the "Internet", one woud probably walk outside and see if the kids know to be "really careful" around your truck. You can even repeat it, so they know you mean it.

[Y2KSVT]

I wouldn't be able to park near someone else's property so I don't know why some of you guys are saying that. I also wouldn't want to politely ask them since I know of times when you ask politely and the kids still just give you bad looks, then when they know who it is, you can't turn that back. Also if I asked them to be careful with my truck, I would assume that they would agree to it but UNLESS they moved, an accident could still happen. So if they moved and if they were angry and knew who it was that made them angry well then I'm screwed.

What is this "cover" you guys are mentioning? What is it and how would I go about putting it on my truck to protect the bird dung? I drive my truck out of the house about 3 times a day, so I need something practical and easy.

By the way I have cameras in my house, I could pay to install two more, would this be the easiest way?

If you can't even go out and ask some kids nicely, if they could possibly do their best to avoid hitting your car with their ball, then you are beyond help. I would say no, installing more cameras and being a total wackadoodle about this, isn't the answer. I know if I were a kid and the police came and scared us out of the street, I would have known exactly which neighbor made that call. They're kids, playing a game, with other kids. Don't turn them into criminals because you didn't have the fortitude to kindly ask them for a favor.

It's a very simple solution to what isn't even a problem, and I'm as fanatical about my vehicles as anyone else on this site. But I was also a kid at one point, and we played wiffle ball and football in our streets, and if a neighbor had come out and asked us something, we would have listened. We didn't want to risk them marching over to our parents and telling them what we did. Before saying kids are different these days, or that their parents wouldn't discipline them if you went and had a talk with them for damaging your property, I'd suggest just taking a look at your reputation with your neighbors, and if it's positive or neutral, go out and talk to the kids like a normal person. If it's negative, then maybe you should have done a better job in the past that wouldn't make you think a call to the police would be your first thought.

[cfiiman]

A lot of good advice here, and some not so good I think. In my last house we had awful neighbors, I mean the kind that are "known" for blocks and blocks around as being "those kind of people" if you know what I mean. Not only were they horrible but their kids were mini versions of their awful parents. They would trespass, throw rocks into a Koi pond I had, and just generally be a pain. I'm a pretty nice guy and I would say "hey what you doing?" and then say nicely when they wouldn't stop after being asked, "come on now, I don't want to have to tell your parents" to which they would say "go ahead we don't care". And they didn't, b/c their parents were awful people themselves, sad really. In the end, I moved as some have suggested, it wasn't just b/c of the kids, I could go on forever. This taught me 2 very important things, first, neighbors if you are close together are extremely important, the type of neighbor you have can make or break a home for it being the place you want to be. Secondly and probably most importantly, is space is your friend. The more space you have between you the less important who the neighbors are is. I understand why the OP doesn't want to say anything, and some of you that are saying he is beyond help b/c of that are just wrong IMO. The reason you ask? Because if their parents don't give a crap, and a lot of them don't, then it will make no difference, in fact it could make it worse, b/c a lot of kids are just mini jerk sizes of their bad parents (not saying that is the case here, just that it is a possibility). So if you can't park the truck in a parking lot a bit away and walk, then I would be looking to sell and move to a place that has a garage at a MINIMUM. Anyway just my .02, hopefully you get it worked out.

[Y2KSVT]

I have my truck parked on the street on the edge of a curb( I have no other choice to park but here if I don't want my truck covered in bird poop). My neighbor's kids are playing football and I have seen the ball bounce into my yard several times when one misses a catch. I'm worried they will dint or damage my truck when one makes a mistake and trips or misses the ball.

I don't want to ask the kids or neighbor since I see them all the time I don't want them to hate me. I was thinking of calling the cops that way I can be anonymous but is it legal for them to play in the street? I live in Houston Texas.


A lot of good advice here, and some not so good I think. In my last house we had awful neighbors, I mean the kind that are "known" for blocks and blocks around as being "those kind of people" if you know what I mean. Not only were they horrible but their kids were mini versions of their awful parents. They would trespass, throw rocks into a Koi pond I had, and just generally be a pain. I'm a pretty nice guy and I would say "hey what you doing?" and then say nicely when they wouldn't stop after being asked, "come on now, I don't want to have to tell your parents" to which they would say "go ahead we don't care". And they didn't, b/c their parents were awful people themselves, sad really. In the end, I moved as some have suggested, it wasn't just b/c of the kids, I could go on forever. This taught me 2 very important things, first, neighbors if you are close together are extremely important, the type of neighbor you have can make or break a home for it being the place you want to be. Secondly and probably most importantly, is space is your friend. The more space you have between you the less important who the neighbors are is. I understand why the OP doesn't want to say anything, and some of you that are saying he is beyond help b/c of that are just wrong IMO. The reason you ask? Because if their parents don't give a crap, and a lot of them don't, then it will make no difference, in fact it could make it worse, b/c a lot of kids are just mini jerk sizes of their bad parents (not saying that is the case here, just that it is a possibility). So if you can't park the truck in a parking lot a bit away and walk, then I would be looking to sell and move to a place that has a garage at a MINIMUM. Anyway just my .02, hopefully you get it worked out.

My advice was given based on the lack of information provided. I mean, ask a blanket question on the internet and you'll be sure to receive plenty of responses. Give some meat to your situation, and you might get a handful of responses from people who have been in the exact position. We don't know whether the kids are "those kind of people" and I don't think we should assume that they are. But I guess if we want to jump into absolute worst case scenarios on what those neighbors may or may not be, then yeah, I'd say call the police. Request SWAT Team backup, and some military follow-up. Too bad the OP isn't closer to Ferguson, MO.; I hear they're just itching to pull their surplus military tanks and gear back out on some kids that we don't even know the ages of. Yes, I'm being a bit sarcastic here, but I'm taking the most conservative approach first in suggesting he talk to the kids first. Sure, maybe they're spawns of Satan himself, and they'll hate him, which at this point seems to be the OP's biggest worry, aside from a dent in his truck. But maybe, just maybe, the kids are just kids, and they'd appreciate having a nice neighbor that they can trust in the future.

If talking it out doesn't work, drop a couple king sized candy bars in their sack at Halloween. No better way to become the cool neighbor than with full or king sized candy bars. :xyxthumbs:

[cfiiman]

My advice was given based on the lack of information provided. I mean, ask a blanket question on the internet and you'll be sure to receive plenty of responses. Give some meat to your situation, and you might get a handful of responses from people who have been in the exact position. We don't know whether the kids are "those kind of people" and I don't think we should assume that they are. But I guess if we want to jump into absolute worst case scenarios on what those neighbors may or may not be, then yeah, I'd say call the police. Request SWAT Team backup, and some military follow-up. Too bad the OP isn't closer to Ferguson, MO.; I hear they're just itching to pull their surplus military tanks and gear back out on some kids that we don't even know the ages of. Yes, I'm being a bit sarcastic here, but I'm taking the most conservative approach first in suggesting he talk to the kids first. Sure, maybe they're spawns of Satan himself, and they'll hate him, which at this point seems to be the OP's biggest worry, aside from a dent in his truck. But maybe, just maybe, the kids are just kids, and they'd appreciate having a nice neighbor that they can trust in the future.

If talking it out doesn't work, drop a couple king sized candy bars in their sack at Halloween. No better way to become the cool neighbor than with full or king sized candy bars. :xyxthumbs:

You could very well be right, and hopefully that is the case.

[custmsprty]

No garage?

Any vehicle access to your back yard?

No?

Move.


:dblthumb2:

[Vegas Transplant]

Get a guard cow
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1838/IMG_20140821_134447_opt.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/80771)

[sito]

Can't you taser the kids?

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using AG Online

[Disposablehero]

Sorry I didn't bother reading the entire thread but I would recommend that you do something about the area that you *could* park under but choose not to because of the bird poo.

For instance, I park under a large tree and my black truck was always getting bird crap on it. Shade is especially nice here in Cen. TX. I bought a fake owl and snakes, placed them at certain areas and have had only minor issues there after. Not remotely close to what I used to walk out to. Specifically, I found that after the fake items I placed around the tree stayed in the same location for a while, birds got brave. Change it up only as often as you need to. We can out smart the little punks.

[MilesTeg]

I have my truck parked on the street on the edge of a curb( I have no other choice to park but here if I don't want my truck covered in bird poop). My neighbor's kids are playing football and I have seen the ball bounce into my yard several times when one misses a catch. I'm worried they will dint or damage my truck when one makes a mistake and trips or misses the ball.

I don't want to ask the kids or neighbor since I see them all the time I don't want them to hate me. I was thinking of calling the cops that way I can be anonymous but is it legal for them to play in the street? I live in Houston Texas.

Calling the cops on kids playing in the street is a major low move.

You're parked in the street. Not your property. You accept the risks. Suck it up, and don't be an ass and call the cops.

[c8n]

Move the truck.


Ask the kids if they would please ring your doorbell when they want to play so you can move the truck.

Move the truck.


This is exactly what I would do. :xyxthumbs:

[Marc Hufnagel]

I have my truck parked on the street on the edge of a curb( I have no other choice to park but here if I don't want my truck covered in bird poop). My neighbor's kids are playing football and I have seen the ball bounce into my yard several times when one misses a catch. I'm worried they will dint or damage my truck when one makes a mistake and trips or misses the ball.

I don't want to ask the kids or neighbor since I see them all the time I don't want them to hate me. I was thinking of calling the cops that way I can be anonymous but is it legal for them to play in the street? I live in Houston Texas.

I feel for you we had a neighbor along time ago that would play football baseball anything with the ball.

Hit my vehicle more than once no damage thankfully. Once they hit my car only 10 seconds after being told by them we will be careful don't worry.

He knew I was pissed after that and they moved out in the street. my car was actually in my driveway when it would get hit.

The wife still lives there the husband who was nothing more than a stupid little kid when you get a ball in his hand with his son.

The funniest part to this story was after they moved out in the street and were playing baseball, he threw the ball so hard he broke out the back window of their car. Priceless and I got to see it happen all he said was ' wow that wasnt supposed to happen.