Electric cars are becoming more and more popular these days, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re generally better for the environment, cheaper to run than gas-powered vehicles, and come with plenty of modern features. Plus, if you install a home charger, you can conveniently charge your car right in your own driveway.
That’s exactly what one Redditor did. However, the hum of his charger apparently bothered his neighbor so much that he demanded the man stop using it at night. When the Redditor refused to give in, his security camera caught the neighbor doing something outrageous.
Read on to find out what happened.
One man installed an electric car charger at home, but his neighbor wasn't happy about the noise it made
What started as a minor disagreement soon escalated into a full-blown neighborhood feud
For as long as people have lived next to each other, they’ve found reasons to fight
When you live next to other people, chances are you’ll butt heads with them about something sooner or later. Maybe their dog won’t stop barking at all hours of the night, or they keep parking right in front of your driveway no matter how many times you’ve asked them not to.
Sometimes, even the smallest inconveniences can turn into surprisingly big arguments. And unfortunately, being in the right doesn’t always mean the other person will see it that way.
But if you think neighbor feuds are a modern problem, think again. People have been getting on each other’s nerves for centuries. Even the ancient Roman philosopher Seneca complained about living above a noisy bathhouse in the first century AD.
In one of his letters, he described hearing weightlifters grunting, people splashing in the water, and even a particularly loud armpit hair plucker. Eventually, he decided to move.
Things weren’t much different in medieval times. In London, a married couple named William and Isabel Newport argued so frequently that their neighbors were completely fed up.
During a marital dispute in 1492, one witness described their constant quarrels as a nuisance to those living nearby. Their arguments were apparently so loud that people could hear them from the street.
Meanwhile, medieval English court records reveal all sorts of complaints, from neighbors neglecting their ditches to going after each other’s livestock. In 1443, a man named William Osselok Gyldsowe was even fined sixpence for being a “common eavesdropper” who listened in on William Spyser’s private conversations at home.
For perspective, that was roughly a day and a half’s wages for an ordinary agricultural laborer at the time. Back then, snooping could count as an offense against the peace, since overheard secrets could easily fuel gossip and stir up disputes in the community.
Over 70% of Americans have at least one neighbor they dislike
Of course, people have different things to argue about these days. Electric car chargers probably weren’t something Seneca could have imagined.
But as this Redditor’s experience shows, disputes can still get just as petty. His neighbor insisted that the charger’s hum was keeping his wife awake, even though an HOA inspection found that it was well within the noise limits.
Unsatisfied with that result, he snuck onto the man’s property at 2AM and shut off his electricity, leaving him with $210 worth of spoiled groceries. To make matters worse, the neighbor then demanded compensation for his wife’s sleep-related expenses.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like neighborhood drama is going to disappear anytime soon. One survey found that 73% of Americans dislike at least one of their neighbors, with noise ranking among the top complaints. Over a quarter have thought about moving because of the people next door, and 11% actually went through with it.
In this case, the Redditor is still deciding whether to pursue legal action against his neighbor or give in to his demands to keep the peace.
What do you think he should do? Would you press charges or try to put the whole thing behind you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Readers agreed that the man should go ahead and press charges against his neighbor
