Thanks Frecklebird, the abuse seems to be just directed at us. They kicked the ball at our door a few weeks ago, and without my knowledge Lene went out and had a go at them. She is from Switzerland and they don't really experience this kind of behaviour in her former town. I went out to support her and there was a massive argument. Since then they have been targeting us, hoping to get a similar reaction.
We are now trying to ignore the behaviour, however, I am complaining to literally everyone I can think of to put pressure on the police and their housing association to take action.
The behaviour is intimidating. For example one teenager went up to her grabbed his crotch and shouted fuck you at her. This was in the context of an argument we were having with them after they had decided to take penalty kicks against our front door.
Depends on how many... and if your deliberatly trying to pee them off too..
try to remember you were young once.. had a bit of attitude etc.. Yes its irritating but taking the ball etc will just make them think your a dick..
The more fuss you make the more they will like it and dare each other to Pee you off even more... The trouble is nothing can be done till a crime is commited and witnessed!
Advice here would be to try to relate with them, yes its hard.. but a friendly nod etc goes alot further than trying to fight them.. and the fact they are from a housing association means nothing lol... I mean come on.. Kids are kids good or bad from wherever they live right?? Seriously... Try to build bridges.. make it known your not the dick head they now think you are.. try to chat with them, make them see your not against them or a snob etc.. I bet you you soon find they leave you be.
If that fails... Move!
Mike x
I can understand that it's really difficult, but if it's just you (and I don't mean that in a belittling way), I would try to ignore them - they'll get bored if they're not getting a reaction.
Thanks for your post Mike. There are about 15 of them.
Seriously we are not trying to wind them up. I did however initially make the mistake of responding to their attempts to wind us up.
When I took the ball it was because they were kicking the ball closer and closer to Lene. I felt they were doing this deliberately and took the ball. Yes, we should have probably just gone inside instead of carrying on with the argument, but I am human and I lost my temper.
I work for a college in a rough area of London so I have some experience of relating to teenagers and we have no problem getting on with our neighbours teenagers.
I have tried reasoning with the teenagers but they just took the piss and began taking penalty kicks at my door as soon as I went inside. I will certainly try being more friendly to them in the future if things calm down, but at the moment I have decided to stay clear of them.
Both Lene and I live in a housing association property as well, as part of a shared ownership agreement.
Maybe you could keep a log of the incidents/what's said and when. At least then you have something to show anyone who tries to help. I'd say take photographs of them doing what they do, but not sure if that would be strictly legal - maybe someone else could advise on that. No point falling foul of the law for the sake of some kids being a pain.
Thanks Frecklebird, I think taking photos is OK as we showed photos we had taken to the Police.
I didn't say in previous posts that the police have had other complaints regarding, I think, these teenagers.
The police said a group of teenagers had been moved on from a few blocks away following a similar complaint and when they came out someone had made a complaint that a ball was being kicked at their fence in an area behind the block of flats the teenagers come from.
Also one of our neighbours intends to complain at a residents meeting which hopefully will be taking place in the next few weeks.
The aggression though does seem to be targeted just at us.
Rather than just e-mailing your Housing Association I would ring and write to them (keeping copies of any correspondance you send), include details of when you contacted the police and ask any police men/women you speak to for their collar number and again include this in your log. Also keep a log of anything that happens including times and dates and also log what is said by both yourself and the teenagers involved. The Housing Association should monitor and do something about all incidences of anti-social behaviour and the more information you have the better. I'd also encourage anyone else in your area to do the same. Speaking up at a residents meeting s also an excellent idea but make sure your concerns are minuted and that actions are followed up.
Thank you for the advice Columbia. I have been keeping a log, but it isn't that detailed. Your advice sounds great.
It seems there might be some progress the teenagers seem to have taken there chaos to another area further down the street and well away from us.
Your welcome, even if they've moved down the street if they're still disturbing you I'd still keep a log
x
As well as speaking to your council, find out who your concillor is for your area, and go and speak to them when they next have a surgery.
I had a lot of help from my councillor over a similar situation.
about 4 years ago now my husband was attacked by a group of teenagers, we used to live in a block of flats and the kids used to use the hall ways as a hang out point to smoke their dope etc, anyway one night it was about 8pm and in feb so was dark i went out and told them to clear off as i did from time to time only to have one lad aged 17 to have a go at me on this my hubby came out and escorted him out the building, is was shouting and swearing showing off in front of his mates etc as they do but once out the block my husband turned to come back in, the one lad he took out had a unopened bottle of wine in his hand and i saw his coming after my husband and he went for the back of his head with the bottle anyway i shouted as i saw the lad going for him and on this my husband turned round and held up his arm to protect his head and the lad smashed the bottle over his elbo, it didnt seem to bad at the time but my hubby was in shock we called the police and they called a ambulance, at the hospital they took a x ray and revealed that his arm was badly smashed, his elbo had be removed totally and a section of bone about 3 inch long was just shattered, at first they was going to just amputate his arm above the elbo as it was so badly damaged but they later decided to try and save the arm, luckly they did save his arm but is took 3 operations that included a prostetic elbo, a metal plate and pins and a bone graft off his hip to replace the missing bone in his arm, his lost some usage of that arm but guess its better than not having it at all.
Thank you to everyone for the additional advice. The relevant people at my housing association and the teenagers association all seem to be on holiday or are sick at the moment, but perhaps this isn't a bad thing as things may calm down over the next week.
I've been in touch with my local Councellors and one of them is following up a concern I had regarding the Police. They failed to respond to two 999 calls I made and I think I should have been advised that no one was on their way, the Councellor agrees with this.
I hope to arrange meetings with the relevant people at both associations and hopefully some strategies can come out of that. The postings have given some great suggestions for things I can request.
I have also learnt how potentially dangerous further confrontations could become. Thank you to everyone.
Ok i'll since feckle is alittle feckled....
Since our son beat a few of them....they've had no problems.....
is that better???????
Ok i'll since feckle is alittle feckled....
Since our son beat a few of them....they've had no problems.....
is that better???????
mr ski here
tell u wat i'll delete it ...........
well y dont u delete urs too
yes!
