Recent deadly and violent property line disputes

[Lookinatchya]

I have a surveyor friend who loves a good dispute and going to court. I think he actually antagonizes a bit to and fire to the problem. I am the opposite. I avoid disputes like the plague and usually try to get both sides to mediate. Seems like these projects just drag out and the pay is not nearly enough and difficult to collect. I have better things to do!

[hpalmer]

Two ‘murders’ close by.  1) Virginia had a ‘fence law’ whereby if you built a fence on the property line, your neighbor was obligated to pay half the cost.  The new guy built the fence, sent his 80 yo cattle farmer neighbor the bill, went to court and the judge ruled the farmer needed to pay up.  The farmer shot the new guy.

2) Maybe 3 yrs ago, a new guy builds his dream house on a local lake.  The property line with his old neighbor was disputed.  Old neighbor picks up a gun and shoots the new guy.

Watch out if you are the new guy and watch out for crodgedy old men.  I doubt a good survey would have solved either of the above issues.  Not sure how old you need to be called ‘crodgedy’.

[just-a-surveyor]

While I like the quick and simple solution both farmers employed I would refuse the paymental and instead just Quit Claim a 0.5′ foot strip to the neighbor.

[Williwaw]

I’ve had to deal with a couple of real wack jobs over the years and they’re usually armed. Never know what’s going on in their head. Pissed off property owners at least a few times a year. My rule is never antagonize or lock horns with them and if the hair on the back of my neck starts standing at attention, look for the quickest way out of there and worry about the gear later. Wasn’t a property line dispute but one of my mentors got into it with a neighbor who was schizophrenic and off his medications. He ended up taking two .44 slugs from the neighbor and while hit and on the ground, emptied his .45 into the guy killing him. They wanted to bring HIM up on charges but assailant confessed before he passed to troopers that he was the first to draw and initiated the fight. 

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Willy

[paden-cash]

I’ve noted over the years that humans are extremely territorial animules.  Territorial defense is way down deep in the brain…smothered up in all that instinctual primal behavior.  Plainly stated, humans are prone to react with animal tendencies when they feel their they are being encroached upon or their territory is threatened. 

Conduct yourself appropriately in a sensitive manner when dealing with someone defending their bounds…whether the bounds fit the legal or not.

[Frank Willis]

Paden, VERY WELL SAID.  

I totally agree.  Very deeply rooted int he brain and genes.  A surveyor coming in from the outside to hopefully provide the correct solution usually results in escalation of the fight.  Territorial disputes bring out every emotion.

If a disputing property owner tells you to bend grass toward your house, it is best to do so until you get appropriate authoritative support.

[Alan Roberts]

Yes, there may be some genetic code arrived by evolution that solicits a male to defend the nest, home, territory etc. Similar to the female protecting it’s young.

Nevertheless, some humans are just plain f*#k!πg stupid too.

[Frank Willis]

That is FUNNNNNY.  Agree!

[BStrand]

This is the sort of thing that makes me not even want to do boundary work.  Who cares if your neighbor’s fence is 0.3 over the line?  Will the economy crash?  Will children go hungry?  Will aliens attack?  No.  Not to say it’s not nice to have tidy maps showing what people occupy or own, but at the expense of getting caught up in petty beefs?  Especially petty beefs where you might get shot! Blah.

But I suppose it does pay the bills.

[holy-cow]

An obvious piece of advice.  Do not (have relations) with the wife of a professional meat cutter.  He has very sharp knives and knows how to use them.