So, hypothetically, what should I do?

[Supagoof]

Or not hypothetically.

Last night my wife and I were sitting at home watching TV, when we heard a loud crunching noise that set the dogs barking. We looked outside, it was dark and we didn't see anything.

This morning, as we leave for work, we notice that our light up address sign which he have in the front yard, was destroyed. A set of tire tracks lead up to it from across the street to a neighbors house. It's very obvious that someone backed into our yard and ran into the sign.

So what should I do? I'll leave it to the advice of the playground.

So I call the police? It snowed here recently and the tracks from the vehicle are very very obvious?

Confront them? I'm not certain I'd be able to keep my temper in check, but would that matter?

Take revenge? I probably won't, but would be amused by any suggestions anyone has for this.

Now, these neighbors are new to the neighborhood. The house they live in was a rental unit. I'm not certain if it still is or if they bought it out-right. I'm assuming they are renters as well due to not seeing a for sale sign in the yard after the previous tenants moved out.

The address sign was one that lit up at night via solar power. It cost me $40 to purchase. I haven't touched the debris yet.

I'm not really ticked or worried about the sign, it's the fact that someone who lives/visited there would simply hit and run like that.

Your thoughts?

[Syka]

Take pictures of the tire tracks and damage. Go talk to the neighbors to see if they or a friend did it and if they'll pay up. If not, if you think it's worth it, go to the cops.

I'm not sure I'd go to the cops but if they weren't willing to replace it, I'd certainly remained disgruntled at those neighbors.

Cheers~

[Haruki-kun]

Go to the cops only if you have already confronted them about it.

[TRM]

Take pictures of the tire tracks and damage. Go talk to the neighbors to see if they or a friend did it and if they'll pay up. If not, if you think it's worth it, go to the cops.

I'm not sure I'd go to the cops but if they weren't willing to replace it, I'd certainly remained disgruntled at those neighbors.

Cheers~

Photographic record is good. Ideally, you could talk to them with the damage still fresh on the ground.

Otherwise, I agree with Skya. It could be an isolated incident, and it might not be worth it to go straight to the po-lice. Has anything like this happened before?

If this fails, I recommend a pitchfork and a mob.

[Oregano]

If this fails, I recommend a pitchfork and a mob.

You forgot the torches, for shame.

I agree that it might be an isolated thing but if they'd just do that I'd watch out for them in the future, from initial impressions they seem a rather unsavioury bunch.

If they are scumbags it might not be best to confront them because they might get scumbaggish.

[Seffbasilisk]

I'd second the recommendation to take pictures. Get a few witnesses (not relatives) to see you documenting it, so there will be no doubt of the validity of it.

THEN go talk to them. Explain what you think happened, and ask for thier side of the story. Tell them how much it will cost to replace, etc, and explain how you'd rather not have the hassle of getting the police involved, but that you will if need be.

Most people are willing to be rational. If not, go to the cops, small claims court, etc.

[Archonic Energy]

may i humblely suggest a "small" heavy artillery bombardment (only 5-10 shells), followed by a list of demands...

[Mordokai]

If you don't know the neighbours well enough... drop it. It's not worth the trouble you'll get, if they will want to make troubles(and seeing they skipped the scene, they likely will). Not for 40 bucks.

I'd say, get the evidence(photographic) and some witnesses(a friend, family or similar), document what has happened. If something similar happens again, raise hell. Until then, I personally wouldn't do anything. But that's just me.

[AKA_Bait]

Could it possibly have been an accident? Is it possible also that someone was drinking and backed into the sign?

I'd start off with the assumption that it wasn't malicious, take some pictures and then go over and ask them about it. If it happened late at night, they may just have been waiting to talk to you about it until a more reasonable hour. If they get hostile, drop it but keep the pictures. $40 isn't worth eternal bad blood over, which if you call the cops it will be. If things like this keep happening, then you need to go to the cops.

[FoE]

I agree with AKA.

Alternately, you could burn down his house. Burn it to the ground.

*Cackles maniacally*

[snoopy13a]

Could it possibly have been an accident? Is it possible also that someone was drinking and backed into the sign?

That's probably what happened. I doubt they intentionally backed into it.

It also may not have been the neighbors themselves. Perhaps their daughter's boyfriend or something did it when dropping her off.

Wait until the neighbors get home and see if any of their cars has damage that might have been caused by say... a sign

[Jack Squat]

I agree with those saying to ask them about it. Get pictures (film) of the wreckage and the tracks if they're needed. Digital doesn't hold up in court (not that you'll need/want to go to court over this, but still a good guideline for documenting stuff).

If they say they don't know what happened, let it slide. If it happens again, get documentation, confront them, and if they still deny it, contact the police.

Alternatively, you could nail a dead skunk to their door, to show you mean business. this is a bad idea, although if you do it, post pictures.

EDIT: @^ I backed into a mailbox when turning around once. The road was smaller than usual, and I misjudged how far I needed to turn. Suburban vs. mailbox on a 2x2 that was cemented into the ground. Suburban won, had a couple dings. Point is, if it was a solar sign that included it's own things to go into the ground, and not one mounted on a tree, there might not be a sign of what happened.

[RS14]

Of course, it's not certain that it was your neighbors. Someone could have struck it while turning around in their driveway. So don't get too angry at them.

Now remount your sign on a steel bollard.

[valadil]

Of course, it's not certain that it was your neighbors. Someone could have struck it while turning around in their driveway. So don't get too angry at them.

Someone insidious enough could have even hit your property and then parked in the neighbor's driveway to throw you off. Don't accuse them, just ask them what's up.

[mikeejimbo]

This reminds me of something that happened to me - only I was on the other end! I backed into my neighbors' mailbox, breaking it.

I left them a note apologizing and telling them it was an accident, and offering to pay for it, of course. I talked to them the next day though, because it was late at night at the time.

I don't think he's fixed it yet, so I'll have to ask him if he wanted any help with it.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that it was probably an accident. On the other hand, they should have left a note.

[Supagoof]

Yeah, I took the pictures nd went to talk to them about it. They weren't home, but their blazer was parked in the driveway. It has a suspicious dent at the same height as the brick garden wall that sits behind the sign is.

I really don't care to go through the hassle for the $40. It's not worth the headache. I'd rather they have the courtesy or integrity to talk to me about it.

As for accidental, I can understand that....kinda.

There's a road that separates our driveways. Plus, the sign/garden sits about 10' (3.1 meters) back from the road, so to go back that far is less likely accidental and more likely they were drunk/intentional/idiotic. The tracks leading to the destruction aren't the only ones on my lawn, as there is some directly across from their driveway as well.

Hmm, let me illustrate the layout, using ascii

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|xxxxxx|xxNeighbors
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|xxxxxx|xxHouse
__________________|xxxxxx|__________

----------------------------
Street
_____ xxxxxx____________________
xxxxx|xxxxxx|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxx|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxx|xxSignxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxx|xGardenxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxx|xxxxxx|xGardenxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Where the X's are the tracks. Now, in the small garden (about 3' by 6' or 1 by 2 meters for friends across the pond) I have a lamp. It was turned on. So the path was clearly lit.

I think the most likely cause is that they were drunk (intoxicated people are attracted to light), and they'd probably want to avoid admitting it all together. And you are right, I'd rather not have bad blood with neighbors. My parents have had to deal with a jerk that's across the alley from them (He tried to sure them for a damaged fence on his property, but other then the fact my parents didn't do it, is the problem that it's an alley with people driving up and down it all the time.) and I'd rather not have that same issue. I guess I'll chalk this one up to a forgive the first time, but not the second.

Still, sucks. Thanks for reading my rant and helping me get it out of my system.

[Raiser Blade]

Do a BARREL ROLL!

[Extra_Crispy]

I personaly would confront them with everything, espically if the way you describe it, it looks intentional and/or they were drunk. Nothing makes me madder then an drunk driver. If this person recently entered the neighborhood and is already tearing up other peoples stuff because they are drunk expect MUCH more damage, and if this area is all houses next time he may mistake someone elses house for his and drive into it. (That is on the news more often then it should be)

Of course that is just me. I was clipped by a drunk driver before, completely unhurt, and only rear quarter pannel damage to my pickup truck. But I actually was happy he ran the red light and hit me. I was in a truck and he bairly clipped me, leaving me fine, instead of maybe hitting someone else and killing them. If this guy is comming home drunk something will get hurt, hopefully not a person.

[thubby]

take pictures of everything involved asap. preferably with some kind of date indication (if your camera doesn't do that a newspaper in the shot)

then talk to neighbors, police afterward if you feel it's worth it and the neighbors don't cooperate.

edit: *reads new op post* confront them anyway. if this escalates to legal action in the future (if they get worse), you want proof that this is old behavior.

[theangelJean]

My first thought (before I read the bit about the dent) was that maybe whoever did it, did go straight into the opposite driveway straight after ... but that it might not necessarily be your neighbour.

I mean, it's a pretty plausible manoeuvre. Drunk person in car attempting to do some kind of turn, bumps into something, oops, reverses direction into an opposite driveway to give themselves more turning room, completes the turn and continues on their way.

My two cents.

[KKL]

Do a BARREL ROLL!

Aileron rolls are superior.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Or if they're new like you're describing, they could have just made the mistake of turning the wrong way when going home and only realizing it once they clipped your sign. Don't even have to be drunk to do it, simply forgetting which way to turn is enough.

Yeah, go talk to them. If they're amicable about it, make friends with them, even if they don't give you the 40 bucks. It'll do much more good in the long run than some long-standing feud where you spy on each other, kidnap dogs and go to the cops if they have music playing 1 minute past 11 PM.

[Gaelbert]

It'll do much more good in the long run than some long-standing feud where you spy on each other, kidnap dogs and go to the cops if they have music playing 1 minute past 11 PM.

Why wait 'till 11?

[Dallas-Dakota]

(intoxicated people are attracted to light)

Don't follow the lights!

And good luck and I'l hope for you that it won't happen again!

[Z-dan]

This reminds me of something I saw on tv recently... Some people had a neighbour who seemed mostly ok, until he started building an extension on his house. In so doing, he managed to mess up some of their front garden with the heavy machinery, so they complained to him about it hoping there wouldnt be any bad blood and things could get settled peacefully... Shortly thereafter, they hear a loud rumbling noise and just about get out of the house in time as a large JCB plows straight through the front room- it appears they touched a nerve when confronting him. So of ocurse the police get involved, only for the neighbour to start tipping over the police car with the JCB... Then he got arrested, and luckily no-one was injured. Not even the house cat, who was found in the rubble a short time later. So yeah... moral of the story: not everyone is as nice as they appear, and choose your words carefully.