Neighbor says my rig looks like a Meth Lab

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I am amazed at some of these stories. I live in Northern KY which is basically a suburb of Cincinnati. I know all my neighbors for 10 houses in either direction and about 40% of the ~150 houses in the subdivision. Heck, I bet I have at least six sets of house keys and at least four garage door codes of neighbors. Some are good friends and some are just good neighbors.

They put up with me because, 1) I always have beer on hand; 2) I have a pool; 3) I have a bunch of tools and know how to use them; 3) I have a 32' ladder; 4) I am not afraid of heights. I feel bad for you guys that don't have close neighbors.

I wish my neighbors were like yours. I've tried to make friends with most of the neighbors and most seem to just want to keep to themselves.

Really I think it's just a cultural shift that's happening. People are less outgoing, more introverted and more secluded. I've also noticed younger people (12-25+) have an almost habitual addition to electronics, and prefer to "interact" with their friends via facebook, or sms than actually go outside and do something.
 
funny thing my neighbor thinks that my meth lab looks like a brew rig :ban:

GMTA! Well played, you!

I wish my neighbors were like yours. I've tried to make friends with most of the neighbors and most seem to just want to keep to themselves..

My neighbors think we're crazy anyway, so I really couldn't care less if they think I'm cooking meth. I actually know that one of them is.

One of my next door neighbors is a photag/musician and has been very interested in my homebrewing since they moved in. I've always taken them some beer from each batch, and recently he's started helping out on brew days because he wants to start brewing.

My other next doors are just weird. They call my home brew "homemade beer" and they don't like it. They like Keith Stone, and more than one can is "heavy drinking". They stare at me anytime I'm brewing, carrying brew equip outside or even unloading beer from the trunk. Come to think of it, my sons both keep their blinds closed because the neighbors will sit in their window, staring across our driveway into their windows. Creeps.

Across the street we have a house full of college kids, they prefer keg stands and swag to home brew.

I actually do have a neighbor that is obviously dealing something more than grass, which keeps the LE focus down the road a ways. I did have a cop slow down and scope me and a buddy out while we were doughing in one day, I waved, he waved back and went on down the road. I always figured, if a LEO came by inquiring about my activities, I'd offer him some brews.
 
I wish my neighbors were like yours. I've tried to make friends with most of the neighbors and most seem to just want to keep to themselves.

Really I think it's just a cultural shift that's happening. People are less outgoing, more introverted and more secluded. I've also noticed younger people (12-25+) have an almost habitual addition to electronics, and prefer to "interact" with their friends via facebook, or sms than actually go outside and do something.


This is exactly how my neighborhood is. People walk by and stare at me brewing, I wave and say hi, they just keep on walking, don't ask questions or anything. I grew up in the country, and despite having some distance between us, we knew our neighbors. Now I live in a suburb and people don't even wave or say hi or anything. It's weird...
 
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2009210/posts

You guys think that's bad, anyone in the saltwater hobby can relate to this. With all of the bright lights, chemicals, test kits, buckets of salt, and people coming and going with coolers and bags for trading coral, it can definitely look like a person is growing/cooking drugs.

I hear that. I don't do marine anymore, but I could easily see how someone could mistake that if they weren't familiar with the hobby. Great link too, I remember that story every time we've had a cable guy or other utility contractor in the house. They obviously see things like fermenters and such, so I tell 'em about home brewing even if they don't ask.
 
I had a friend who grew unusual plants in his basement. He had the police come out one day to ask him if they could see what he's got going on downstairs. He let them look and they apologized and were on their way. Apparently one of the neighbors noticed the flourescent lights were on 24/7 and called him in.

He was just glad the police didn't know that many of the plants he had were not legal to move from their origins.
 
Honestly, I wouldnt suggest letting a police officer into your house to "take a look" with nothing more than "please." "I have nothing to hide" is a stance that seldom ends well.

That's why we have search and seizure laws. Now, if florescent lights count as probable cause, I've truly missed my guess.
 
Really I think it's just a cultural shift that's happening. People are less outgoing, more introverted and more secluded.

It started when we began teaching our kids to not talk to strangers! Necessary, but social interaction died within 40 years. The electronic toys are a sad substitute for what we all want but don't know how to get anymore. Which is to feel connected.
 
I had a friend who grew unusual plants in his basement. He had the police come out one day to ask him if they could see what he's got going on downstairs. He let them look and they apologized and were on their way. Apparently one of the neighbors noticed the flourescent lights were on 24/7 and called him in.

He was just glad the police didn't know that many of the plants he had were not legal to move from their origins.

No offense, but your friend is an idiot.
 
Homercidal said:
I had a friend who grew unusual plants in his basement. He had the police come out one day to ask him if they could see what he's got going on downstairs. He let them look and they apologized and were on their way. Apparently one of the neighbors noticed the flourescent lights were on 24/7 and called him in.

He was just glad the police didn't know that many of the plants he had were not legal to move from their origins.

I wouldn't have thought rare orchids would be worth the $700 electrical bill ;)
 
No offense, but your friend is an idiot.

Right, because telling an LEO who's already decided to step around the law that he's violating your rights is always what a citizen should do. :D


EDIT: *DISCLAIMER* before you take this as anti LE, I'm not implying that cops are stepping around the law with any regularity. I'm simply saying, anyone willingly breaking the law (cop or citizen) is not going to follow said law simply because you point out the fact that they're breaking it.
 
NordeastBrewer77 said:
I love rare orchids, and yes, they're totally worth the electric bill. TOADALLY! :ban:

I wouldn't pay a $700 electrical bill, but I would spend 10 grand making a glass pop out off the side of the house. And probably will have to soon if the wife keeps up with her "problem". 40 orchids and counting.
 
Which would be exactly none. You have no reasonable expectation of privacy in your garage with the door open, nor if you are inside your house with no blinds and people can see you from the street.

Now if they climbed a tree, or put up a ladder to see over your fence, or opened your window stuck in a camera, or hid a camera in your bathroom then you would have grounds.

there are "peeping tom" laws in almost every state. if you're in your house, regardless of blinds, and they put a camera in the window... PROBLEM!!!!
 
Jukas said:
Which would be exactly none. You have no reasonable expectation of privacy in your garage with the door open, nor if you are inside your house with no blinds and people can see you from the street.

Now if they climbed a tree, or put up a ladder to see over your fence, or opened your window stuck in a camera, or hid a camera in your bathroom then you would have grounds.

Yes but what if I called the cops and reported a suspicious person going around taking pictures of peoples houses? Someone wants to get the law in on my (legal but not creepy) business why not get them on his legal but creepy business.
 
there are "peeping tom" laws in almost every state. if you're in your house, regardless of blinds, and they put a camera in the window... PROBLEM!!!!

Actually, that depends on the "who" putting the camera on the window. In many cases, it's completely legal, as long as you're unaware of the intrusion at the time it happens.
 
I've also noticed younger people (12-25+) have an almost habitual addition to electronics, and prefer to "interact" with their friends via facebook, or sms than actually go outside and do something.

He says, on an internet forum...

While I lol'd at your comment, it's hardly the same thing.

My comment was directed about those who will spend 99% of their free time with their face plugged into some form of electronic, to the point where they're becoming socially stunted.

One of my step daughters will literally spend every waking moment either texting or on tumblr, Pinterest etc. She literally spends little or no time outside, or with friends. If you let her, she will literally spend all day and night in front of her iphone. I certainly don't like it, but it's behavior her father established before the divorce and continued to this day so breaking the behavior is like trying to shovel sand back into the ocean.

When I grew up (I'm 36), if it wasn't raining and the sun was out we were outside usually in groups of 4-12 other kids. The idea of sitting in front of a TV for hours on end was unheard of outside of a early Saturday morning cartoon binge. We rarely played video games, though we would have occasional marathon binges. Most of the daylight hours were spent outside, on bikes, skateboards, swimming blah blah blah.

tl;dr me likey intrawebs in moderation.
 
there are "peeping tom" laws in almost every state. if you're in your house, regardless of blinds, and they put a camera in the window... PROBLEM!!!!

Sadly, that's simply inaccurate. In a legal standpoint is boils down to reasonable expectation of privacy. If you're shagging on the kitchen table in front of a big bay window and your neighbors can see you from the sidewalk because you left the blinds up you no longer have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

peeping tom would apply in a case where you were shagging on the kitchen table with blinds partially drawn, and someone comes onto the property and peers through the window. At that point you had a reasonable expectation of privacy, in addition to tresspass.
 
Sadly, that's simply inaccurate. In a legal standpoint is boils down to reasonable expectation of privacy. If you're shagging on the kitchen table in front of a big bay window and your neighbors can see you from the sidewalk because you left the blinds up you no longer have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

peeping tom would apply in a case where you were shagging on the kitchen table with blinds partially drawn, and someone comes onto the property and peers through the window. At that point you had a reasonable expectation of privacy, in addition to tresspass.

Still depends on whom the "peeping Tom" is. If peeping Tom is an LEO, then you have no reasonable expectation of anything, namely privacy.
 
Yes but what if I called the cops and reported a suspicious person going around taking pictures of peoples houses? Someone wants to get the law in on my (legal but not creepy) business why not get them on his legal but creepy business.

And what if that person ends up being a realtor taking exterior images of a house that will be going up for sale? Or what if that person is a PI hired by a husband because he thinks his wife is cheating?

If you're in your driveway boiliing wort, and I'm sitting in my sexy rusted panel van across the street with a telephoto lens taking pictures you can call the cops, but they will tell you there's nothing they can do as I'm in public and you have no reasonable expectation of privacy in your driveway.

Creepy as hell, but certainly not illegal.
 
Still depends on whom the "peeping Tom" is. If peeping Tom is an LEO, then you have no reasonable expectation of anything, namely privacy.

Without taking this thread too far off the deep end, that's also subjective, based upon context.

If the peeping tom is an LEO doing surveillance, setting up to serve a warrant or simply investigating the report of a crime you're absolutely right. He's still have to articulate what led him there etc. I'm not sure if a cop walked up to a window randomly and by barely peaking through blinds could see a large amount of cocaine if they could articulate probable cause for a warrant.. but someone like ABG could chime in on that.

If the peeping tom is an LEO, stalking his ex, he's likely to get jammed up if he gets caught.
 
You referred to the fictional LEO as a 'peeping tom', your point wasn't clear at all. If you have a scenario you'd like to discuss, pose it, but I'm not making one for you. The only reason I commented at all is because I was mentioned by name.
 
You referred to the fictional LEO as a 'peeping tom', your point wasn't clear at all. If you have a scenario you'd like to discuss, pose it, but I'm not making one for you. The only reason I commented at all is because I was mentioned by name.

Yes, yes you were, by someone else. I have no scenario, nor do I know any fictional cops. Please don't imply otherwise because that's just not the case. I was simply making an observation of a couple posts (one of which mentioned you by name) that I thought (erroneously) were leading somewhere, nothing else. Sorry if you misunderstood my direction, but I wasn't trying to imply anything that I didn't say directly. When I said peeping tom and cop in the same sentence, that's what we call an analogy. What I meant by that analogy is that if an LEO is watching you, you have very little recourse you can take, assuming that LEO is observing you as part of an investigation. In all reality, I was stating fact, and pointing out that police have the right to observe anyone they have suspicions about. Thanks again for the snide implications and misunderstanding, I look forward to the next time, ABG. :mug:


Fvcking :facepalm: <---- they really need to get an emoticon for this.
 
Thanks again for the snide implications and misunderstanding, I look forward to the next time, ABG. :mug:


Fvcking :facepalm: <---- they really need to get an emoticon for this.

I wasn't implying anything, I believe I was fairly clear in stating that I wouldn't comment on such a general statement without knowing the direction you were looking to go with it, specifically because I didn't want to read into it. I could careless if you think I'm being snide with you.
 
I wasn't implying anything, I believe I was fairly clear in stating that I wouldn't comment on such a general statement without knowing the direction you were looking to go with it. I could careless if you think I'm being snide with you.

Then don't comment on it. And please, refrain from singling me out when another member is the one invoking your name. You obviously didn't understand what I was saying. In all honesty, pal, after you spoke up, I thought maybe you'd have something to contribute, being a cop and all. Which is why I said "please feel free to chime in, you know more about this $hit........" Yes, that was sincere, I know for a fact you know more about this cr@p that I care to.. :mug:
 
Jukas said:
And what if that person ends up being a realtor taking exterior images of a house that will be going up for sale? Or what if that person is a PI hired by a husband because he thinks his wife is cheating?

If you're in your driveway boiliing wort, and I'm sitting in my sexy rusted panel van across the street with a telephoto lens taking pictures you can call the cops, but they will tell you there's nothing they can do as I'm in public and you have no reasonable expectation of privacy in your driveway.

Creepy as hell, but certainly not illegal.

I know that reporting a guy to the cops as being suspicious isn't the same as arresting him for breaking a law. But I can report suspicious activity and if the cops feel it warrants investigation they will. If a realtor gets questioned by a cop because I saw him taking pictures of my house while I'm in front and he didn't have the decency to talk to me about it then oh well. I don't care that they don't go to jail.
 
Right, because telling an LEO who's already decided to step around the law that he's violating your rights is always what a citizen should do. :D


EDIT: *DISCLAIMER* before you take this as anti LE, I'm not implying that cops are stepping around the law with any regularity. I'm simply saying, anyone willingly breaking the law (cop or citizen) is not going to follow said law simply because you point out the fact that they're breaking it.

No, the friend is an idiot for giving the police permission to search his house without a warrant. Lots of Americans died for our rights and he just gave them up without a whimper.

He's a further idiot for doing it knowing he had illegal plants in the house.
 
No, the friend is an idiot for giving the police permission to search his house without a warrant. Lots of Americans died for our rights and he just gave them up without a whimper.

He's a further idiot for doing it knowing he had illegal plants in the house.

I never said they didn't have a warrant. I have no idea if they did or not. My not saying they had a warrant is not the same thing as saying they did not have a warrant. You assumed.
 
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