Vandalism is getting to be a lot less in my area. I noticed this just the other day when checking my mail. A couple of years ago someone used to tear the door off my mailbox and sail it across the street. I would find it and put it back on, then they would do it again. I think this was a local teen who has grown up now and moved on.
Up the street from me is a kid on a monitor who used to steal everything that was not nailed down. We kept reporting him to the police and that's how he got to wear a monitor. He doesn't care about anything or anybody but he is just about gone now. Cops patrol us and are about to take him away permanently if they haven't already.
We all watch for each other. My next door neighbor reported to me once that a man drove up to my place, got out of his car and got into his wheelchair, then wheeled himself up to my door. The neighbor came over and told him I was not home. I'm still wondering who in the hell that guy was.
How does this work for the rest of you and do you do your own neighborhood watch like we do?
I live on an island in Canada, 500 pop in winter and 2000 in the summer months, it's pretty safe and the year round residents generally know each other, so we tend to watch out for each other. The downside is that everybody is watching everybody else all of the time and gossip is rampant but at least there's very little crime. There used to be a lot of social shunning if people didn't follow 'island rules' but that has largely gone by the wayside and it is mostly just pointless gossip with perhaps a grain of truth in the center.
I have a property issue with a road allowance for the people who live a mile down the private lane that passes through my property, they have tried harrassment, vandalism and my personal favourite - Shunning. When one of the ringleaders told me that nobody who lives down the lane would talk to me anymore, I told him to keep up the good work and spread the message because I don't have anything to say to the likes of him, he left me with a stunned look on his face. lol
I would never live out in a remote or rural area, because I do not trust most people enough, esp. these days, with the right wing, violent nuts out there, to be at the mercy of strangers who might attack me or vandalize my property because they don't like my politics or non-belief. I would always rather be in a suburban area, like I am now, where crime is low. I live in a condo apartment building, with security doors and an underground, indoor garage, so if anyone who doesn't live here wants to get at me or my car, they would need to follow me after I left or look for me somewhere outside here. My neighbors know that I never have almost never have any visitors here, so they would be very unlikely to ever let anybody in the building, if they used the intercom and asked them to buzz them in to see me. And they know that I would be just as vigilante in protecting them. So, unless one of my neighbors develops a serious grudge against me and decides to vandalize my car or the door of my apartment, I have nothing to fear happening to me, my car, or my door from my neighbors. Because they also know that if anything like that did happen, it wouldn't be that tough to figure out who did it, and for me to retaliate. Mutually assured destruction, like the old Cold War days, lol...
Once i forgot to put my car liftgate down after unloading groceries (overloaded myself no doubt) & neighbors came to check on me...it was a good feeling!
Well I live in BFR (Bum Fuck Ridgway) population 5000 Neanderthals, so watching out for our neighbors takes on a whole different meaning here.
When there is a police presence in my neighborhood, it’s usually because the Carlsons have been drinking again, and are over there beating the fuck out of each other!?
I usually just pop me some popcorn, grab a Diet Coke, and pull me up a chair on the front porch!!!?!
Sounds like real community action at work. When citizens get involved in this type of action it often works out well.
We were extremely lucky when we moved here. The neighborhood is one of the oldest in our town. It has a name -- 'Meadowridge' -- that the city council knows and respects.
The neighbors all know each other's families and we all pay attention to each other.
As an example, last year after a heavy snow storm two old oak trees out front broke apart and dropped some large branches -- a neighbor showed up unasked and helped us clean it up. We gave them the branches for firewood.
Our property was originally built as an 'old folks home' and barring its age we have no complaints at all. And we have absolutely no intention of giving it up.
We’re in a pretty rural area so it’s quiet out here. Before we moved here 12 years ago I lived almost my entire life in a northwest Chicago suburb so it seemed way too quiet after the move, but I’ve grown to like the peace and calm. Could do without the tornadoes 🌪 though lol
That’s the trade off. I still ponder how I will adjust one day to living in North Carolina in a rural area, which is a world and a universe away from NYC. Especially knowing where I stand on religion compared to the population there. But I will always be and show exactly who I am, regardless of what anyone says or the consequences that may result from it.
I live on the Isle of Wight and there as been an increase of late in anti social behavior. As the island was always a quite place lower crime than most of england it is noticable. Many of my friends who have lived on the island a long time or were born here notice a big differance but it still is a nice place to live. There is a group called the vectis wombles who organise litter picks around the cycle tracks and beaches in most places there is a good community spirit.
I visited the Isle of Wight some years ago and though it was a lovely place.