Totally minor yet odd issue. WWYD?

[E B]

I'd like to begin this by saying I *know* this isn't a big deal, but I'm curious as to what you all would do about it.

Today, as my husband and I left our house to take a walk, I noticed two teenage girls, maybe fifteen years old, sunbathing in bikinis in our yard. We have a corner lot, and they were laying on our side yard- next to the fenced in "backyard" (which is actually to the right side of the house, not the back). Something important to note: we live directly across the street from a park with a clubhouse and a pool. Directly across. And these girls are sunbathing in our yard. Towels laid out, backpacks with homework. Lounging.

(It might also be important to note that we live in one of those housing developments with rows and rows of nearly identical houses with nearly identical yards.)

Now, I'm annoyed by most things these days, and this is no exception. I know they aren't doing anything bad, but c'mon, girls- there's a park directly across the street. With a pool. What's up? They were packing up as we left our backyard, and I gave 'em a bit of stink eye before they left, though neither of them looked at me.

I told my husband that if I see them doing it again, I'm going to say something, and he made me feel a little Scrooge-esque. What is it harming, he says? (Of course.

)

What would you all do in a situation like this? Am I totally overreacting by planning to say something if it happens again?

 

[RLG]

That would bother me as well. It is your property and they did not have permission to be there. I don''t think there would be anything wrong with letting them know they are more than welcome to use the public park across the street rather than your lawn for sun bathing.

 

[bebe]

What were they thinking, honestly. They had to know the yard was not either of theirs.
I definitely would have said something, dunno what, but something on the order of "Girls, excuse me...."

 

[LostSapphire]

That would have been the perfect time to set up the lawn sprinkler.

They''ll get the message.

LS

 

[Kelli]

It''s just kind of weird. What kind of girl goes into someone ELSE''s backyard wearing only a bikini? I would never have done that. I probably wouldn''t say anything the first time, but if they did it again I''d have to ask why they didn''t go "enjoy the pool" instead!

 

[E B]

Thank you all! I would have said something, but a) I'm usually pretty non-confrontational and b) it was so weird. I didn't know what to say. They had a great view of the public space from our yard, so I'm not sure why they chose where they did to lounge.

Another weird yard moment from this last weekend: Our neighbors were having a yard sale, and they had spread a good third of their merchandise onto our front yard. This didn't bother me as much (as it didn't include girls in bikinis

) but it was confusing. Maybe there's a community mentality I'm not aware of- "this yard is your yard, this yard is my yard..." I haven't experienced elsewhere.

 

[mochi]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:25:08 PM
Author: LostSapphire
That would have been the perfect time to set up the lawn sprinkler.

They''ll get the message.

LS

LOL!! That would solve the problem and entertaining as well!!

 

[Haven]

That is very strange. I would have said "Girls, I''m afraid you''re going to distract all the drivers if you stay here and sunbathe in our yard. Why don''t you go across the street and lay out by the pool?"

If they ignored me, I''d just use my teacher voice.

 

[E B]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:25:08 PM
Author: LostSapphire
That would have been the perfect time to set up the lawn sprinkler.

They''ll get the message.

LS

LOL! Not a bad idea at all....

 

[:)]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:25:08 PM
Author: LostSapphire
That would have been the perfect time to set up the lawn sprinkler.

They''ll get the message.

LS

 

[Kelli]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:25:08 PM
Author: LostSapphire
That would have been the perfect time to set up the lawn sprinkler.

They''ll get the message.

LS

What a great idea! I didn''t see that before!

 

[AprilBaby]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:30:39 PM
Author:

Date: 4/6/2009 9:25:08 PM

Author: LostSapphire

That would have been the perfect time to set up the lawn sprinkler.

They''ll get the message.


LS

ROFL! What a STRANGE story you have there. What were they thinking?????

 

[CJ2008]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:30:04 PM
Author: Haven
That is very strange. I would have said ''Girls, I''m afraid you''re going to distract all the drivers if you stay here and sunbathe in our yard. Why don''t you go across the street and lay out by the pool?''

If they ignored me, I''d just use my teacher voice.

haha I could just totally picture you right now.

Something similar happened to me yesterday - the neighbor next door was having her driveway powerwashed - so the powerwash guy''s truck was half in our driveway and then the owner''s car was in front of the truck, leaving barely one car space for DH and I to get out.

ANNOYING.

So I hear you. Definitely say something if they do it again.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Well, they''re teenagers, not home owners, so I bet they really thought that the side yard was community property/not owned by anybody. Dumb, yes. But I work with teenagers and I see dumb all the time. Some of my students think that "mines" is a word, as in his, hers, yours, mines. And one of my students thinks our president''s name is Obama Biden. And these are HONORS students.

I definitely would have said something. Well, I probably would have made DH say something because he is so much nicer than I am. But if he weren''t around, I would have said, "Ladies, do you know that you''re on my lawn?" And then they''d say, "Oh, what, oh, we thought this was, like, the extra side yard by, like, the sidewalk?" and I''d say, "That''s ok, I thought you guys didn''t know it was private property. Anything that''s grass in between a house and a sidewalk/curb is usually somebody''s land, and it''s trespassing to just hang out on somebody else''s private land." (Can you tell I''m a teacher?) And then I''d smile and wave until they left.

 

[HollyS]

You aren''t overreacting. It''s trespassing. Plain and simple. Next time, ask them politely to leave. After that, call John Law to intercede. If you need JL a second time, press charges.

I know it''s a SMALL thing. But it isn''t if you view it in the context of personal property rights. What''s yours is yours. Not theirs.

Tell them you''ll charge admission. If they''re going to use it as their own space, shouldn''t they help pay for it?

"I love mankind. It''s people I can''t stand." -- Linus (Peanuts)

 

[rainwood]

This would have been the perfect time to actually say, "Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!"

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 4/6/2009 10:15:32 PM
Author: rainwood
This would have been the perfect time to actually say, ''Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!''

lol

It''s a sign of getting old. I got a sign yesterday when I dropped mustard all over my white tee and decided to keep shopping anyway.

 

[LaraOnline]

They''re probably trying to catch the eye of some boys that ride past...? If they go to the park, the crushes won''t see them...

 

[swingirl]

Date: 4/7/2009 3:57:18 AM
Author: LaraOnline
They''re probably trying to catch the eye of some boys that ride past...? If they go to the park, the crushes won''t see them...

Exactly what I was thinking! They have a reason and it isn''t just about ownership of the grass. You know what they say. Location. Location. Location.

 

[Imdanny]

I would ask them to leave my property in no uncertain terms.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:27:17 PM
Author: EBree
I didn't know what to say.

"Hello. This is our property and we don't allow visitors here, girls. Please go find somewhere else to sunbathe."

And then stand there until they leave, staring them down the whole time.

They'll leave. It's your property. Their desire to be there is a non-issue. If for some (even more bizarre) reason they don't leave, tell them they're leaving or you're calling the police. Have a cell phone in your hand. If they don't leave, and as has already been said in this thread, call the police.

Seriously, don't put up with it.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

So odd. I would have said something...

 

[Maisie]

The police here in the UK just wouldn''t come out for something like this. They were hard pushed to come out when my dog was attacked by one of my neighbour''s dogs. When I asked them to go and have a word with the neighbours they were really reluctant. Tell me again why I pay Community Charges?

 

[April20]

It would bug the snot out of me! I would have already marched across the yard and asked them if they realized they were in someone else''s yard and did they realize that there is a park directly across the street? I am impressed that you only gave them the stink eye!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:27:17 PM
Author: EBree
Thank you all! I would have said something, but a) I''m usually pretty non-confrontational and b) it was so weird. I didn''t know what to say. They had a great view of the public space from our yard, so I''m not sure why they chose where they did to lounge.

Another weird yard moment from this last weekend: Our neighbors were having a yard sale, and they had spread a good third of their merchandise onto our front yard. This didn''t bother me as much (as it didn''t include girls in bikinis

) but it was confusing. Maybe there''s a community mentality I''m not aware of- ''this yard is your yard, this yard is my yard...'' I haven''t experienced elsewhere.

Wow how strange! Haha I wouldn''t have liked either situation - I think the yard sale might have aggravated me even more, because there would be people tramping all over my grass! I definitely would have said something to the girls, but not sure how easily you could make a neighbor "move" their yard sale. Gotta keep up the "neighborly relationships" haha, but I still wouldn''t like people all over my yard with their merchandise.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 4/6/2009 9:42:28 PM
Author: CJ2008

haha I could just totally picture you right now.

Something similar happened to me yesterday - the neighbor next door was having her driveway powerwashed - so the powerwash guy's truck was half in our driveway and then the owner's car was in front of the truck, leaving barely one car space for DH and I to get out.

ANNOYING.

So I hear you. Definitely say something if they do it again.

Wow, I think I would have made the people go park in the street. Did they ask if they could park in your driveway?? That's seriously pressing in on personal space, in my opinion!

What in the world ever happened to respecting someone's space? Or at least asking first??

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 4/6/2009 10:03:50 PM
Author: phoenixgirl
Well, they''re teenagers, not home owners, so I bet they really thought that the side yard was community property/not owned by anybody. Dumb, yes. But I work with teenagers and I see dumb all the time. Some of my students think that ''mines'' is a word, as in his, hers, yours, mines. And one of my students thinks our president''s name is Obama Biden. And these are HONORS students.

I definitely would have said something. Well, I probably would have made DH say something because he is so much nicer than I am. But if he weren''t around, I would have said, ''Ladies, do you know that you''re on my lawn?'' And then they''d say, ''Oh, what, oh, we thought this was, like, the extra side yard by, like, the sidewalk?'' and I''d say, ''That''s ok, I thought you guys didn''t know it was private property. Anything that''s grass in between a house and a sidewalk/curb is usually somebody''s land, and it''s trespassing to just hang out on somebody else''s private land.'' (Can you tell I''m a teacher?) And then I''d smile and wave until they left.

WOW... I knew lots of teenagers are just dumb. But that''s sad. Mines... and Honors...

And ROLF to the highlighted part... hehe I make fun of stuff like this all the time... like, totally!

 

[girlie-girl]

I think if you see them sunbathing there again you should definitely say something. I would have politely asked them to leave, whilst standing near enough to cast my shadow on them.

I don''t even know what to think about the yardsale. They could have *asked* if you cared first. I guess maybe these people assume all the landscaped areas are common areas?

 

[lliang_chi]

Does your next door neighbor have a teenage son or something? Kids are dumb but I would like to think they''re not THAT dumb. My guess is they were trying to get someone''s attention who lives adjacent to you.

Anyway, you shouldn''t feel bad about mentioning something. I''d say PhoenixGirl said it the best

I definitely would have said something. Well, I probably would have made DH say something because he is so much nicer than I am. But if he weren''t around, I would have said, "Ladies, do you know that you''re on my lawn?" And then they''d say, "Oh, what, oh, we thought this was, like, the extra side yard by, like, the sidewalk?" and I''d say, "That''s ok, I thought you guys didn''t know it was private property. Anything that''s grass in between a house and a sidewalk/curb is usually somebody''s land, and it''s trespassing to just hang out on somebody else''s private land." (Can you tell I''m a teacher?) And then I''d smile and wave until they left.

 

[movie zombie]

would bug the heck out of me, i''d have told them to get the heck off my lawn and go use the park....or sunbath at their parents.

mz