DiyLightAnimation
Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: mitch09 on December 30, 2013, 12:07:11 pm
-
I received my first negative letter in the mail today after three years of having an animated light show. It was addressed anonymously from a neighbor. I am not sure what to do with it, or even how to take it.
A little background first. I live in a small rural town of about 10,000 people. My house is in a residential neighborhood(golf course community) on the edge of a cul-de-sac. The neighborhood is packed with kids. Out of the 11 house nearest me 9 of them have kids. The only two without are retired couples that live on the golf course(across the street) that both just recently built their houses, within the last year and a half. I have a good hunch that the letter came from one of them.
Now, about the show. In my first year I had about 50 cars total visit over the three weeks I ran the show. There were no houses across the street or in the cul-de-sac, just empty lots. No issues with any neighbors on my side of the street. In fact, they both wanted to be included in the show.
Last year my lights were featured in our local newspaper and I had probably 50 cars a night for the week leading up to Christmas. Not too bad. I can have 8-10 cars at a time watch the show without causing a traffic issue. I did get a couple new neighbors last year in the cul-de-sac and one across the street. The one across the cul-de-sac never vocalized a complaint, but he did put out cones on the edges of his driveway. When I saw this I added one of the DementedElf voice overs about being courteous to the neighbors into my show. I also went to his house and apologized for the inconvenience, told him about the voice over and wished him a Merry Christmas.
This year, the show went live on December 11. I now have neighbors directly across the street(two houses) and they seem, when conversing with them to not mind the lights and even enjoy them. A steady 4/5 cars throughout the duration of the show sometimes reaching 9 or 10 at a time through the week. I then did a Tribute sequence to the Seahawks for the weekend and the Seattle news aired it. The week leading up to Christmas I had at least 100 cars a night. Sunday before Christmas, traffic was so heavy I cut the show down from 10 minutes to under 7 minutes with the neighbor announcement included so that it was running every two songs. 4 songs total. The people always moved for neighbors coming and going whenever I was watching.
I don't know what else I can do aside from shortening the show and having the show end nightly at 9:00 instead of 9:30 on week nights. The letter's biggest complaint was the noise of big diesel trucks (think farm community) Idling in front if their house and headlights into their window as cars turn in the cul-de-sac. I guess I could do a custom voice over to ask people to turn off their cars. But I am worried about next year as CaptainMurdoch also lives at the very end of my street and will have a show as well.
Any suggestions?
Ryan
-
Tell the cars to operate on running lights. Better for their enjoyment anyway!
-
Tell the cars to operate on running lights. Better for their enjoyment anyway!
Most of them do. It is also in the voice over.
-
Wow. I could say all kinds of things but that would make me just like them, so i wont! One thing i am considering for 2014 is doing a show that is say.... 20 minutes long and start it every half hour. We live on a cul de sac too, but all my neighbors are cool with it and like you want to be a part of the show too. But we only have 8 house (4 each side). So makes for tight knit... sorry to hear you have scrooges for neighbors!
-
Wow. I could say all kinds of things but that would make me just like them, so i wont! One thing i am considering for 2014 is doing a show that is say.... 20 minutes long and start it every half hour. We live on a cul de sac too, but all my neighbors are cool with it and like you want to be a part of the show too. But we only have 8 house (4 each side). So makes for tight knit... sorry to hear you have scrooges for neighbors!
Thanks kernal. I am just more upset that they won't come talk to me. The letter made it sound like there are several neighbors that don't like it and they don't want to say anything.
"Ryan, you have placed your neighbors in a really difficult position. We don't feel like confronting you and perhaps others don't want to either, so we say "hey, no worries, Ryan". To be honest it would be uncomfortable, and somewhat embarrassing to talk with you."
-
Yeah that does suck. Do they say anything to Cptn Murdoch?
-
With the passive-aggressive nature of the letter, I would have New Year's, MLK, President's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, 4th of July, all family member's birthdays, Labor Day, Halloween, Veteran's Day, Columbus Day, Earth Day, and any other "holiday" light shows. RGB lights are so useful... >:D
That said, being the bigger person is never the easy thing to do. I would find out what the real issue is and try to resolve it. Sounds like you've been pro-active with voiceovers and show times. Some things are beyond your control - what kind a car someone drives or the condition of their exhaust system. There was another instance of a disgruntled neighbor mentioned on another board. The neighbor shined a spot light in the guy's window. So the next day, he bought a 6-pack and went across the street and talked to the guy. Come to find out, there was a light that was shining just right on the neighbor's window that it was annoying to the neighbor when he was in his recliner. The light show owner re-positioned the element, no more annoying light, happy neighbor.
It's a delicate situation for sure!
-
Are you playing music outdoors, or just using an FM transmitter? What hours are your running? Get on the HOA board.
-
With the passive-aggressive nature of the letter, I would have New Year's, MLK, President's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, 4th of July, all family member's birthdays, Labor Day, Halloween, Veteran's Day, Columbus Day, Earth Day, and any other "holiday" light shows. RGB lights are so useful... >:D
That said, being the bigger person is never the easy thing to do. I would find out what the real issue is and try to resolve it. Sounds like you've been pro-active with voiceovers and show times. Some things are beyond your control - what kind a car someone drives or the condition of their exhaust system. There was another instance of a disgruntled neighbor mentioned on another board. The neighbor shined a spot light in the guy's window. So the next day, he bought a 6-pack and went across the street and talked to the guy. Come to find out, there was a light that was shining just right on the neighbor's window that it was annoying to the neighbor when he was in his recliner. The light show owner re-positioned the element, no more annoying light, happy neighbor.
It's a delicate situation for sure!
I tried approaching the suspected neighbor last year and wasn't greeted very warmly. I will try again during the off season. :-\. Another issue in the letter is that they are "usually asleep at 9:45". I could turn the show off at 9:30 but they already stated incorrectly that the show runs until 10:00 every night. Some fuzzy math maybe.
Are you playing music outdoors, or just using an FM transmitter? What hours are your running? Get on the HOA board.
No music outdoors, FM only. Hours of operation are 4:30-9:30 Sunday-Thursday and until 10:00 Fri and Sat.
So far no real issues with the HOA. Spent some time looking through the CCRs and don't find anything about lights. Although I'm guessing next year it may go to the HOA via the neighbor.
-
that sucks! your new neighbors should have done some better research on the neighbor hood before they signed on the line. my neighbors love it and I run my show until 10pm. I have a new neighbor that wasn't here last year and I don't think he cares for it but his wife and kids love it so he is stuck! lol your never going to make everyone happy, I don't care what you do. so my thoughts are do what you are doing, if your in an hoa then your hands could be tied but if not, oh well. follow all city ordinances and you should be fine. the only thing I see you might have a problem with is the traffic, if your show starts causing a traffic issue, and the neighbors push the issue with the city, you might have trouble. good luck!
-
Some of my new neighbors actually found the house because they were WATCHING the lightshow! I didn't get any commission ;)
My HOA was very supportive also and they even ran carriage rides from the clubhouse down the street every year. Now the former board president is very in to Christmas lights himself. I served on the board myself for 3+ years a couple years back.
If they really want to work something out, they need to talk to you face to face. Otherwise, they need to get used to it and be tolerant that what your doing is for the entire community and not everyone has to like it. Do I like all the dogs in the neighborhood who bark 24x7 when left outside? No. Do I ask them to remove their dogs? Nope. Which is really worse?
-
If they really want to work something out, they need to talk to you face to face. Otherwise, they need to get used to it and be tolerant that what your doing is for the entire community and not everyone has to like it. Do I like all the dogs in the neighborhood who bark 24x7 when left outside? No. Do I ask them to remove their dogs? Nope. Which is really worse?
I hear you. I didn't complain to them when I couldn't get out of my driveway at least once a week due to construction traffic for 6 months while their house was being built. <md..
-
I wasn't able to get much put up this year since my wife was pregnant with and just had our third child so I haven't had many people stop at my house and the ones that have only stay for a minute or so max since I don't have music.
Our HOA is a bit weak IMHO with violations in several places I've noticed but I don't think I found anything in the regs about lights either. Most houses on our street have some form of lights but nothing that attracts visitors except Ryan's house (and hopefully mine next year). I'm at the opposite end of the street about 10 houses down in a straight section of the road.
One other question I have related to this topic is how can you deal with traffic flow. At Ryan's location it's probably best to go around the cul-de-sac and watch from the opposite side of the street on the way out but this does have the negative side that people are parked in front of the neighbors houses to wait in line and watch. There are also the occasional people who will pull up and park right in front of his house and block other's views who waited in line to get te best view.
Regarding getting people to turn off their lights and engines while waiting or watching, what methods have people found to be most effective other than voiceovers at the beginning or intermixed in the show? I suggested putting some signs in the (receptive) neighbors yards to catch more eyes, but if some people don't notice a Tune To sign, would they notice these? Ryan also mentions it on his Facebook page and I thought a map with driving/parking notes on it might be good there to catch some more eyes.
Ryan's show is great, I've seen several people sit through it twice to get a better view. There are also the people it's hard to do anything about who block others views or honk their horns or yell out their window when their view is blocked. On Christmas Eve when I walked down with my father-in-law to show him the lights, I saw one person who junped the line abd then double parked in front of another car to watch the show. Those kind ruin it for others but there isn't much you can do about them even if you are outside constantly.
-
You have to understand that you are affecting their lives as well. While many can overlook it for a while, especially when it is for something that they care about. I think that you may have spoiled the milk however when you did your tribute to the Seahawks. Once the spirit of the situation is lost, peoples patients with the situation goes with it. If they lose the spirit of your show then it changes from a celebration of the season into a someone having a damn party every day of the week and invading my privacy. I'm not saying that this is what happened but it is something to look into.
-
You have to understand that you are affecting their lives as well. While many can overlook it for a while, especially when it is for something that they care about. I think that you may have spoiled the milk however when you did your tribute to the Seahawks. Once the spirit of the situation is lost, peoples patients with the situation goes with it. If they lose the spirit of your show then it changes from a celebration of the season into a someone having a damn party every day of the week and invading my privacy. I'm not saying that this is what happened but it is something to look into.
I agree with you about the Seahawks Tribute. Probably not my best decision. But it didn't run every night. Just through the weekend of the game. After the weekend it went immediately back to Christmas Only.
However, I have several hundred local people that thank me every year for making their holiday so enjoyable. I also don't think 9:30 is too late. I have two young children under 7 and neighbors on both sides of me do as well. I have a very good relationship with both and they both thanked me for considering the kids and shutting the show down by 9:30.
As home owners we deal with a little bit of this and a little bit of that from all our neighbors, but we do it because we are neighborly and gracious people. I am only really asking for a three-week piece of time.
-
I don't think that you are running your show too long at all. Perhaps you may want to consider not running the show every night. I am not saying to go dark but perhaps on Sundays and Mondays you run in a static mode. This way your house still looks good and the neighbors get a break from the traffic. That is the downside of running a great show, it draws a lot of people and unfortunately, not all of them have manors or concern for anything but themselves and that can make 3 steady weeks seem like a really looooooong time. If you have an active HOA, you should also have a email list. Perhaps you could post some questions on it asking people what their concerns are.
-
I don't think that you are running your show too long at all. Perhaps you may want to consider not running the show every night. I am not saying to go dark but perhaps on Sundays and Mondays you run in a static mode. This way your house still looks good and the neighbors get a break from the traffic. That is the downside of running a great show, it draws a lot of people and unfortunately, not all of them have manors or concern for anything but themselves and that can make 3 steady weeks seem like a really looooooong time. If you have an active HOA, you should also have a email list. Perhaps you could post some questions on it asking people what their concerns are.
Great idea about a static night or two. Our HOA is not very active except for new building Design review. There are only 18 lots(15 houses) in the HOA. I have lived here since 2009 when there were only 6 houses. I have never received a letter about a meeting. Although according to the CCRs we are supposed to have one every January.
I did find a line in my CCRs that could cause me some issues if pressed, "OBNOXIOUS OR OFFENSIVE ACTIVITY- No obnoxious or offensive activity shall be carried on on any parcel nor shall anything be done thereon which may be or become an annoyance or nuisance to other Owners and their guests"
-
A few years ago I had a next door neighbor that was disgruntled about my show. No specific complaint except it was "stupid" via a third party. The following year, I adopted a charity and dedicated the show to the charity with psa's in the show and a donation box for the charity. Total turn around on the neighbor's part. They now are very supportive and tell me so every year verbally and with a nice check for the charity.
I run my show nonstop 6 to 10 pm M-TH, 6 to 11pm F-S, and till midnight Christmas and New Years's eve so naturally I wouldn't think your show hours are out of line.
Now if we could just get more of the viewers to show more courtesy for other viewers by turning off their headlights and just using their parking lights... Need to put a bug in the ear of those seasonal TV programs that feature light shows to have a short viewers etiquette segment.
Greg
-
Now you know the downside of publicity. I avoid looking for publicity and if some media type came calling I would decline an interview and tell them why. I have a friend who has been doing a show for years and has been written up in the papers and on TV several times. He is also at the end of a cul-de-sac and has to spend his weekends directing traffic. That is not what I want to do. btw for his show he has people back up to the curb across from him and some orange cones to help guide traffic.
I do have a list of about 10 local (short drive) shows that I distribute to family and friends. I do not know how many cars come by and stop as I have better things to do than stand by a window and count cars. Fortunately for me, my neighbors all love the show, even the one guy that would call the cops instantly and has for other things.
The bottom line recommendation from me on all this is to avoid publicity. For me that is not why I am doing a show.
-
I am more of the inclination of every holiday needs a show if the neighbors complain. Like another said I don't complain about their kids screaming all hours of the day because they lock them outside, or their dogs barking (I have a beagle).
I think cutting the days would just make the traffic worse on the days you do run the show. Tossing in the fox song or something non traditional and maybe a little under the age of many drivers might help! I noticed the senior bus always left on that song.
Alan
-
As far as traffic goes, contact your local police department and talk to the Captain/Sheriff/Man in charge and ask if they could offer training to a few of your volunteers for traffic control if/when you get busy nights. Ultimately if you get HUGE numbers coming to your display you may have to look to moving it to a park/church/etc as others who had to large of turnouts for there shows. We all want our displays to be popular but the curse is when they become to popular.
-
I think as Jim just said -- the publicity is the worst thing any show can have. It brings in the masses and while most are fine ... it often elevates the level of suffering for the whole neighborhood almost overnight and it only takes one bad apple to arrive to have a vandalism problem. So the best advise I ever got was to never do anything with the press EVER, especially not TV ... and I think that keeps it small enough that you don't have to be a traffic cop .... because I know some people really don't like it once they know the whole towns been invited to THEIR street.
-
While it may be true to a point that traffic can possibly increase on the days the show is running, I doubt that would have much of an affect on the neighbors. Is an increase from 10 to 12 cars really going to make that much of a difference. Having 1 to 2 days a week where they know that they don't have to deal with it at all does in most cases. Putting people out of the holiday spirit just makes it worse and playing non Christmas songs during a supposed Christmas show does exactly that to many people. If one or more of those people happen to be neighbors, then your show and the resulting issues such as traffic becomes something that simple needs to come to an end in their eyes and when there is an HOA and their rules that can be enforced, then that becomes a real issue.
-
I am absolutely stunned. :o This is such a positive thing 99.99% of the time. For you to have the .01% in your neighborhood is sad. Sorry for your troubles.
-
I am absolutely stunned. :o This is such a positive thing 99.99% of the time. For you to have the .01% in your neighborhood is sad. Sorry for your troubles.
I appreciate the sentiment. I truly try to be a 'good neighbor'. I play with the kids and help build another neighbor's fence. Doing my part, but unfortunately I am contemplating a year off next year. I still am not 100% certain of the neighbor that wrote the letter, but if it is the neighbor that I think it is, I am sure he will press the HOA next year to try and stop the show. This is not why I got into animated lighting.
-
Before setting that in stone, I would talk to the neighbors and get their opinion on what you are doing and what they like and don't like. I believe that you will find that most will support you, especially if you keep the spirit of the holiday in what you are doing and not just trying to attract the most people possibe.
-
I will talk with most of them over the summer and see what comes of it.
-
Ask if they have a favorite song they would like done also.
-
Interesting that you posted this dilemma since I saw you a few weeks ago, Ryan. I am sort of in your situation now as well... just not as severe I think. I'll post some suggestions here that others on the board can view:
In one of my work training classes, I once learned something like: "The occurrence of an event is neither negative or positive; it's the person who chooses to react either negatively or positively to an event". Sometimes people watching the show turn up their car stereos to be rather loud. I can sometime hear the beat to some of my songs when in my Living Room. My wife once clearly heard all the lyrics to Frosty the Snowman while putting our daughter to sleep. I just roll my eyes to the ignorance. My neighbor in question doesn't like it.
Speaking of noise, my neighbor also said that he doesn't like the noise of diesel trucks idling and he also says that he can smell it inside his house and it's awful.
On to my suggestions: Since my FM sign is pretty well at the end of its life and is starting to fall apart (it was originally never built for outdoor use), and it's been a bit smaller than I'd like, I was considering making it bigger. So, I guess now I will use that bigger sign to add more more info. Right now, the sign says "Hear the Lights" in a medium Font, and "95.7 FM" in a large font, and my web site at the bottom in a small font. I was thinking of changing the message to something like "Please Respect our Peaceful Neighborhood. Noisy engines off. Stereos on low. 95.7 FM. www.diamondcrescent.com", and make the "95.7 FM" the same size as the other text so people are more likely to read the whole sign before they read the FM station. I briefly told you how I made my sign when I was out to see you, ask me if you would like more info.
Adding a voiceover every few songs only works to a certain point because they could listen to two songs with their stereos cranked before the "Shhhhhhhh, be quiet!" announcement is made.
I do like shaunkad's suggestion of taking requests on songs. Perhaps your neighbor would feel "honored" if you asked him what song he would like in lights? However, my wife doesn't think that trick would work with our neighbor.
I do think that the idea of talking to your neighbors this summer is a good idea as well.
In the end, you can't please everybody. Not even the viewers. My stay at home wife tends to go out with our daughter and socialize with other mommies and kids. She's amazed at how often our light display comes up in conversation and she says "ummm... that's our house". They usually say about how amazing/wonderful it is, whereas one time the reaction was "there was this We Wish You a Merry Christmas techno song, and when it was over, we drove off even though the kids said that they liked it". I guess that's what happens when the parents are the ones who do the driving, LOL!
-
Gary,
I like the idea of a sign reminding people of what to do as the voice over only plays every 6/7 minutes. The diesel thing cracks me up, as both of my possible suspects for neighbors drive diesel trucks :o
-
Gary,
I like the idea of a sign reminding people of what to do as the voice over only plays every 6/7 minutes. The diesel thing cracks me up, as both of my possible suspects for neighbors drive diesel trucks :o
That's funny!
Maybe you should do a "trucker" song... Eastbound and Down by Jerry Reed or Roll On by Alabama comes to mind. The voiceover says, "Our family wanted to take a moment and wish a Merry Christmas to all our diesel-driving friends and neighbors, this one's for you." Man, I wish I could do a Casey Kasem impression!
But I digress...
-
Convoy
-
I like the idea of a sign reminding people of what to do as the voice over only plays every 6/7 minutes. The diesel thing cracks me up, as both of my possible suspects for neighbors drive diesel trucks :o
Now I think I know the root cause for the complaints... Your neighbors--being Alpha males--want the biggest and best of everything to satisfy their primal needs, so they buy big, intimidating diesel trucks. Their chest-beating Alpha male status is threatened by your clearly superior Christmas Light prowess. They secretly fear that their wives will leave them for you, so that's why they are trying to shut down your display. >:D
-
Chiming in a little late but....if houses are still being built or there are vacant lots the builder will have control of the hoa until it sells off the lots or finishes. Most will have a property management company collect dues and hand out violation notices. My subdivision took over our hoa and run it our selves, some opt to leave the property management company in charge. Find out the situation and attend a meeting. if the subject is brought up deal with it then. I had an issue building a garage. My neighbor said every one was against it and cost me $$$$$ with his fight. In the end he was the only resident to show up at the city council meeting in opposition. I built my garage and he has not spoken to me since. Don't go looking for a fight with everyone when its probably just one guy with Christmas light envy.
-
If you only have a few neighbours, and you seem to have a good relationship with most, why not just go door to door and ask politely if they knew who wrote the letter?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk