Help with Crazy Neighborhood Driver
 

Let me begin with the facts. A Neighbor that is 5 or 6 houses down the street bought himself a new Mustang. I know what some of you are thinking...stay with me. I'm a car guy and I like Mustangs, as well as, just about every street rod, muscle car, and sports car made. Anyway, it's one of the newer Mustangs. He's probably in his late 40s. He keeps it nice and installed a new free flowing exhaust that sounds great. The problem is his driving when he is in the neighborhood. He drives way too fast. There are a lot of small kids around...including mine. So, I've called the police 5 or 6 times. They said they would increase patrols in the neighborhood....and I think they have...but they would have to be driving around the same time he was leaving his house or returning to see how he drives. Nothing much happens in our neighborhood so I'm sure the police department has more important things to worry about. Neighbors have talked to me about the guy's driving.
So, the other day I'm outside and I hear him take off as fast as that car will go down the street towards my house. I'm at the corner of two streets. I run out to talk to him while he's at our stop sign. I tell him he needs to slow down because of all the kids in our neighborhood. I don't threaten or say anything that I really want to say. I think I surprise him so much that he's shocked. He doesn't say a word and takes off very slowly through the neighborhood. He seems to drive normally for a while but it doesn't take very long for him to start speeding though the neighborhood again.
I call the police again this weekend to explain what is happening and the officer gives me the Sergeant's voice mail saying that he will get back to me and might set up one of those speed detecting signs. My fear is that it will have to opposite impact on his driving.
I will wait to see if the Sergeant calls me back. Is there anything else that I can do? I don't want my house or family to be in danger of a retaliation if he gets in trouble with the police for his driving. What else can I do legally? Are there any other avenues I can take to get someone's attention?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Video him, otherwise you have nothing.

What if you and a few neighbors knock on his door and talk with him as a group?

Do you suppose that if a group of concerned neighbors visited him at once that would have a bigger impact? If it's just you, it might be easy to think that you're the problem, not him.


(Steve & I seemed to be posting at the same time...)

Throw rocks at him, but most importantly, do not forget to video it. ;)

I could share how I handled a similar situation but the result was three county Sheriffs visiting me and not the offender.

Try to not be "unsettling".

Run out in the street and stop him, and then throw a rock at his Lambo..... er... I mean, Mustang. :D

Don't do passive aggressive, just stop by next time you know he's home and try to have a straight up man talk with him, and try to be level headed as you can.

IMO confronting him in the street sets off sort of an automatic subconscious anger/flight thing in his head, and I wouldn't do it again. Think about when you're in your car; most of the time when someone approaches you when you're in your car it always makes you uneasy, no matter the circumstance.

Siberian and FastFred - I do have a video and offered that to the police but they didn't seem interested in the video at all. I offered to send it to them too. Did they think I made a video and edited to be in my favor? Maybe it wouldn't be admissible evidence?

Steve and RF5B - The group thing might work...would that make him feel attacked?

Stomachmonkey - I can see how this could easily get me into trouble.

Gogar - I see where you are coming from. I do regret running out there. He probably thought I was a crazy person....although I was calm.

Every time you hear him coming, roll a ten inch child's ball or basketball down your driveway into the street.

or maybe an aluminum extension ladder. ;)

Potato in the tailpipe?

DIY speedbumps

spike strips?

Share your videos with the local media. Explain how distraught you are, and how you fear for the safety of the children, and how the police seem to do nothing about the known problem.

Always be the victim.

Just get a cop to stop by his house, no observation needed- knock on the door, cop tell him his neighbors are sick and tired of him discovering what life is like with a fast car. Douchebag, impressed by his Mustang.

Nothin worse than someone who acts like they've never had a fast car before..

rjp

I think it all depends on your approach.

Good:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1402930405.jpg



Not so good:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1402930429.jpg

this is horrible advice, I am sure after the second time it happens his dash cam will show you doing it and you'll be the one going to jail.
Now I suggest grabbing a 6 pack next time you hear him come home, take a walk down to his house apologize for accosting him in the street explain just like you did in your opening post , your a car guy too blah blah blah, gee your mustang sounds nice blah blah blah, maybe you can do me a favor and keep the speed down in the neighborhood, there are lots of pets and kids in the neighborhood, oh maybe let the oil warm up a little before you start leaning on it, good long term for the motor etc etc, if that fails and he turns out to be an ass buy a harley with straight pipes and stop in front of his house to let the oil warm up lol

No.


No.


Neither thing will work, and both will make you look like a complete weiner.

I like the suggestion to take the video to the local media. If you find the right reporter, they will embarrass the hell out out that guy.

I don't think humiliating him in public is going to necessarily get the response you want. Is the guy married? If so, what's she going to think when 4-5 neighbors show up concerned about their kids and pets? Let him see your side of it.

If that doesn't work, I'd go up the chain of command with the police, perhaps directly to the chief. I'm sure they don't want to be on the short end of a lawsuit if someone gets killed and they knew about the situation and ignored it.

make speed bumps-

Build a cat poo trebuchet. Aim for his windshield. Or you can write a sternly worded letter.