Your neighborhood and it's people

Will · 21-02-2010 11:52pm #1

Been watching a short documentary about a guy who spends a few weeks in a lift on and off filming the locals in a block of flats somewhere in London. Really interesting, will embed it at the end.

Got me thinking though, how much do you know about your neighbors? Are they nice people? Are there any characters on your road? How well do you know the people in your locality?

I live on a pretty long road, with about 250 houses or there abouts. Know about 20 or so to say hello to and make idle chat with.

There's an old gentleman who leans on his gate and chats to passers by about anything he can. Real pain if you are in a rush to catch a bus. A nice man though and very pleasant.

Another woman who lives beside us, she gets up around 5:30 every morning and is gone to work an hour later. A bit "odd" we were told when we first moved in, but she is the nicest person on the road by far. She just dresses differently and people make assumptions. I get a shocked look when I tell people she is the salt of the earth.

Here's the video, worth a look if you've 25mins to spare

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJNAvyLCTik

Sugar Free · 22-02-2010 12:12am

When I was living at home I knew all the neighbours within 3/4 houses either side, it's a nice enough area.

When I moved out there was only 4 apartments in our block. I only ever got to say hello to my neighbours though they seemed pleasant.

In my new place it's the same situation. I don't really mind though as I'm still nearby to my mates.

I'm not sure if that's just the way it is living in apartments or a relatively new development related to the last ten years faux-wealth/materialism/insert musing here...

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 22-02-2010 1:04am

I live in a small village and everyone knows everyone. Literally.

But not in a bad way, everyone still respects your privacy. And the best thing about it, if anyone is ever sick or anything like that, there's a big fundraiser so money or support doesn't even come close to being an issue whcih is what community is all about.

Red Hand · 22-02-2010 1:43am

I've lived in 6 different houses since finishing college and tbh in any of the places I've been in, I didn't get to know the neighbours. Housemates, obviously, yes.

Like, at the minute, I live in a city centre location (not Dublin) and there are houses down the lane from me, and along the road so there always people walking to and fro. I wouldn't recognise the same person twice (even the pretty girls I've seen) cause it's a busy enough street. Next door, I don't know anyone...even the cars there, I wouldn't recognise.

There is a fat tom cat that I met on the road and petted a few times...spoke to his owner as well when she was parking her car, but haven't seen her since. So she really is the only neighbour I've spoken to. And the cat.

SeekUp · 24-02-2010 7:59pm

We live on a long residential street, and while I don't know anyone well enough to pop over for a drink, I do know the couple a few houses down who have a labrador puppy that grows every time I see him . . . and the french guy next door who rides a motorcycle and hates the landscaping out front . . . the Asian (Chinese?) man toward the end of the street who is out every morning watching the construction across the way and waves when I walk by . . .

We've "known" the people in the attached residence next to us and in the residence next to them since we moved in September of 2008. But we didn' t know their names, so we made up names for them (Dana & Alan next door, who have a labradoodle and stay up until the wee hours watching television, and Carl two doors over, who likes cats and rides his bike into town every day around 8). That's fairly disgraceful, I know, considering the amount of small talk we've had with all of them, especially in warm weather when out weeding the garden or what not. It wasn't until this past fall we found out that Carl's real name was Dave, and Dana's real name was Nadia . . . and we still don't know Alan's real name!

Cicero · 24-02-2010 8:48pm

I know of one road in Ranelagh Dublin, that closed their road one evening and had a street party- everyone knew one or two people but that was all- by the end of the evening, they knew many more as a result...sometimes all it takes is a little organisation -especially if the street has a lot of young couples etc- everyone loves a party so if you throw open your doors, you'll get to know a lot people....but that's if you want to...you might be subject to years of neighbours 'dropping in' for coffee...and if that's not your thing, then you might be better off not knowing many...

Your neighborhood and it's people

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