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Old 08-27-2012, 08:49 AM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,982 posts, read 6,698,490 times
Reputation: 2882

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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots View Post
I'm not sure what that is suppose to mean. The whole point was do we really need to deal with the drug issue in the way it's being dealt with at schools? I've said it's my opinion there is too much room for corruption. But, I guess with everything else...the "perfect" person won't get into trouble".

Just for a hypothetical situation...let's say some kid is walking down the hall with his backpack on. Some other kid slips some dope in it. Then, the kid with the backpack gets turned in. They do a search and voila, the kid is now caught with dope and it's now possession. Handcuffed and locked up. Who do you think they're going to believe? Are they going to believe the kid that says, "I don't know how that got there!".

And, to get a hundred bucks for telling on someone with chew or cigarettes? I just think it's gone too far.

It's ridiculous. Plus, some of these "children" are going from High School into the military. They're old enough to die for their country but not old enough to chew? Oh, I get it...they're only 17 and once they're 18 a miraculous thing happens...they become "adults". Then it's ok.
The difference is incentives. The rewards you mentioned breed corruption whereas reporting a code violation doesn't net the tipper any money. Yes there are different motivations for tipping but I really doubt someone would turn on their neighbor's sprinkler mid-day and then report them. Hypothetically they could do it for revenge for something else but that is probably extremely rare and certainly not worth gutting the rules for.

 
Old 08-27-2012, 09:01 AM
 
3,787 posts, read 6,966,940 times
Reputation: 1761
Ok, got it. I wasn't sure how to apply what you said because I was stuck in a box that didn't include sprinklers. Thanks for the clarification. But now that you mention it...I wonder how long it will be before there will be monetary incentives. Afterall, if it's a "crime" to have your water on when you're not suppose to, "crime-stoppers" will have a hand in it.

Is it considered a crime to run your water when you're not suppose to? What is the rule/law exactly? What happens when people don't turn off their watering and ignore threats of fines? In other words, what are the steps taken with someone that is not "compliant"?

Last edited by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots; 08-27-2012 at 09:09 AM..
 
Old 08-27-2012, 09:38 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,241 posts, read 35,440,091 times
Reputation: 8572
My understanding is that the COA tracks 'reports' by area, so if a particular area is getting a lot of watering ordinance reports, then the city will send the enforcement people to that area. The actual report does not result in any ticket or fine. It does result in one more 'tick' for you neighborhood (making patrol more likely) and it does result in a notice reminding you of the rule. The fact that you got the notice and changed you setting on your sprinkler kind of shows me the program works.

Now, I would not personally report someone for watering a bit late; honestly, I wouldn't even notice. My wife, however, gets very annoyed at the people that continue to water 3 (or more) times a week, often during the day. One neighbor was watering three-four times a week, with a huge amount running down the street each time. She will (and if I was more motivated, would too) report these addresses. A small deviation (an hour late) is hardly worth worrying about for me, but people blatantly using maybe 5 times as much water as they should is something else....
 
Old 08-27-2012, 09:53 AM
 
3,836 posts, read 5,734,454 times
Reputation: 2556
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainwreck20 View Post
My understanding is that the COA tracks 'reports' by area, so if a particular area is getting a lot of watering ordinance reports, then the city will send the enforcement people to that area. The actual report does not result in any ticket or fine. It does result in one more 'tick' for you neighborhood (making patrol more likely) and it does result in a notice reminding you of the rule. The fact that you got the notice and changed you setting on your sprinkler kind of shows me the program works.

Now, I would not personally report someone for watering a bit late; honestly, I wouldn't even notice. My wife, however, gets very annoyed at the people that continue to water 3 (or more) times a week, often during the day. One neighbor was watering three-four times a week, with a huge amount running down the street each time. She will (and if I was more motivated, would too) report these addresses. A small deviation (an hour late) is hardly worth worrying about for me, but people blatantly using maybe 5 times as much water as they should is something else....
Does the program work to give notice? Yeah. That's not the ever lovin' point is it. Notice could have been just as easily and much more socially provided by actually interacting one to one.

If the violation actually effected the community with something hazardous or dangerous, such as drag racing, or prostitution or drug deals, then in that case by all means, alert the authorities. But a water violation at 6am has absolutely no imact on you and the community whatsoever. It is not an indication of some more nefarious activities, it is not a tip off that the perp exhibits antisocial behaviors forcrissake.

If you dont know them, take a second to get to know a neighbor, build those community relations that make Austin a better place to live where neighbors look out for each other rather that a more regimented and fearful place to live where neighbors look suspiciously at each other.
 
Old 08-27-2012, 10:13 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,241 posts, read 35,440,091 times
Reputation: 8572
While you are generally right, confrontation is not necessarily a fun thing and may be what's in store for someone stopping to inform you of the rules. Some people are just not good at one-to-one personal interaction with other people. What seems like a simple thing to do may be much harder than you think. Heck, it may have been someone from elsewhere entirely, not a neighbor. Whatever the case, it seems like a minor thing to me.

I once had to ask the guy that lived across the street from me to not park in front of my mail box (I had gotten a note from the mail lady about it and they were going to stop delivering my mail), and he about blew an artery. I really am pretty good about being friendly and courteous - I didn't do anything to set him off specifically. It makes me a little reluctant to knock on a neighbors door if I do not already know them, and sometimes your neighbors do not want to get to know you regardless of what you want. Where I currently live, I know a lot of the neighbors, but a few are very much keep to themselves. If I really cared about the hour late watering, I would mention it (in passing) to the ones I know. The others, I may report. Hard to say, since the one-hour thing is a non-issue for me.....
 
Old 08-27-2012, 10:21 AM
 
3,836 posts, read 5,734,454 times
Reputation: 2556
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainwreck20 View Post
While you are generally right, confrontation is not necessarily a fun thing and may be what's in store for someone stopping to inform you of the rules. Some people are just not good at one-to-one personal interaction with other people. What seems like a simple thing to do may be much harder than you think. Heck, it may have been someone from elsewhere entirely, not a neighbor. Whatever the case, it seems like a minor thing to me.

I once had to ask the guy that lived across the street from me to not park in front of my mail box (I had gotten a note from the mail lady about it and they were going to stop delivering my mail), and he about blew an artery. I really am pretty good about being friendly and courteous - I didn't do anything to set him off specifically. It makes me a little reluctant to knock on a neighbors door if I do not already know them, and sometimes your neighbors do not want to get to know you regardless of what you want. Where I currently live, I know a lot of the neighbors, but a few are very much keep to themselves. If I really cared about the hour late watering, I would mention it (in passing) to the ones I know. The others, I may report. Hard to say, since the one-hour thing is a non-issue for me.....
Seems to me if someone where worried about a confrontation over such things (that's a sad commentary on the state of the community right there) then a simple courteous note and helpful note, would take all of 2 minutes to write, could inform the neighbor and serve to add to the sense of community and that our neighbors are looking out for us, not watchful of us. Small things - make a big difference.
 
Old 08-27-2012, 10:24 AM
 
3,836 posts, read 5,734,454 times
Reputation: 2556
Quote:
Originally Posted by 10scoachrick View Post
OP, you stated:
"
I received a nasty little note in mail the other day from the City that a neighbor observed I was not in compliance with the Stage 1 water restrictions in place because I had the sprinklers running at 6AM.

Admittedly, this was my mistake and I reset them to run earlier so that they would be done by 5AM.
"


I'm wondering where it is that you can water until 5AM but be turned in for sprinkling @ 6AM?

If multiple neighbors were 'ratted out' at the same time, perhaps the 'ratter' was looking to save effort/energy/confrontation by going to the authorities rather than wait for a convenient time to speak directly to a stranger and suffer the consequences thereof. Perhaps, it was NOT a neighbor; but someone in an official capacity following protocol. CoA has 'water police' visiting neighborhoods as well as acting on 'tips' from 'neighbors'.
The notice specifically stated the violation was not observed by a city of austin employ, but reported on by a citizen. So, I'll go with that.
 
Old 08-27-2012, 10:27 AM
 
3,836 posts, read 5,734,454 times
Reputation: 2556
Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
1. I'm sure it was not a "nasty note", rather a notice that you were not observing the restrictions and needed to comply or could be fined.

2. This reminds me of the other thread where the OP is complaining that he was given a ticket for running a red light when he slid through the intersection and turned right without stopping. //www.city-data.com/forum/austi...t-control.html

You broke the law and are complaining that you got a warning. Go figure...
I'm complaining that a neighbor, someone in my community, thought the better course of action was to inform authorities rather than let me know so I could take care of it myself.
 
Old 08-27-2012, 10:31 AM
 
3,836 posts, read 5,734,454 times
Reputation: 2556
Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
I don't carry a pen and paper around with me when I'm walking around the neighborhood.

But I do carry my smart phone which allows me to call 311 or send an email message regarding the violation.

The notice sent by 311 is a "courtesy call". No fine, no foul, just reminding you to do your part to help conserve OUR water.

There is nothing courteous about it.
 
Old 08-27-2012, 10:54 AM
 
532 posts, read 1,387,110 times
Reputation: 970
Quote:
Originally Posted by Komeht View Post
There is nothing courteous about it.
Just out of curiosity, you originally called the note "nasty" and now say there was nothing courteous about it. If you still have it, could you please post what it says? I'm curious as to how nasty and non-courteous the city's wording is in these notices they send out. Thanks.
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