# Is it okay to step on neighbor's property while mowing my own? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212 "2009-08-29T23:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212/61 "2009-09-01T13:08:55Z")
Do you have to get the weed whacker out every time you mow anyway? Why don’t you just weed whack, seems like one walk up the driveway and you’re done. Of course it’s impossible to weed whack very evenly without a guide. You could make it super uneven or perfectly even along the same plane as the driveway surface or super short so you don’t have to do it very often. Or you could do a halfway decent job even though he’s unreasonable just for neighborly peace. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212/62 "2009-09-12T22:46:47Z")
So how did this turn out? ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212/63 "2009-09-13T00:51:02Z")
I use a weed wacker and walk single file. It’s not worth it to fight when living next to a kook. Of course, the grass doesn’t look nearly as nice now since the weed wacker doesn’t do as good of a job as the mower, but oh well. He’s the one who gets to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212/64 "2009-09-13T04:21:50Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I am completely dumbfounded by you folks in the U.S. I have responded to 2 or 3 previous posts here about neighbours and how to handle them. You folks have a MUCH more protective idea about personal property than anyone else in the known Universe. > > I cut a few extra “laps” into both my neighbours’ lawns and they do the same. To stop at the EXACT property line is insulting. > > Fer Christ’s sakes we plough each other’s driveways in the winter when one of us isn’t home. > > To think that 6" should make a difference. Wow! Just Wow! > > You guys are fucking weird, man. My neighbors and I are like this. We take care of each other’s yard when we go on vacation, including shoveling snow. I used to mow and rake the leaves of the elderly lady’s house next door…but it got to the point where I just couldn’t. I’ve lived in my house long enough for my yard to require a lot of maintenance so I don’t have time for hers. But in the winter I always shovel her walk. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212/65 "2009-09-13T08:39:11Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Time to plant some mint. It doesn’t grow very high, and it encroaches into EVERYTHING. I was thinking of zoysia grass because it doesn’t grow very tall and will grow about a foot a year until it reaches China. But I like mint in my ice tea so that works too if you want to be passive aggressive about it. I have to wonder if the neighbor is really mad about something else such as the time of day you’re mowing or how loud the mower is. Looking at this logically, if the driveway is taller than the grass then I would think that you have to use a weed eater anyway to trim along it. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212/66 "2009-09-13T08:55:00Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > My neighbors and I are like this. We take care of each other’s yard when we go on vacation, including shoveling snow. > > I used to mow and rake the leaves of the elderly lady’s house next door…but it got to the point where I just couldn’t. I’ve lived in my house long enough for my yard to require a lot of maintenance so I don’t have time for hers. But in the winter I always shovel her walk. 99% of neighbors will behave this way. I mow part of my neighbor’s yard and he takes out my garbage can or pulls it back when it’s empty. It’s just common sense. When someone acts irrationally like this I have to wonder if there isn’t something dark behind the behavior. I hate to say this but I would pay $40 for one of those internet background checks if my neighbor was that crazy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-okay-to-step-on-neighbors-property-while-mowing-my-own/508212.md?page=3)