Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/01/26/rich-man-thought-he-owned-publ.html
…
4 Likes
He’s like a penny-ante version of this arsehole:
22 Likes
He seems like he’d fit right in at my local HOA board.
6 Likes
So… get off my lawn?
4 Likes
I was waiting for a procession of boats on trailers to come down the “road easement” during the interview. That would have been hilarious to see the guy flip out.
8 Likes
The powerful (even (maybe especially?) the trivially powerful) seem to have no conception of the commons.
10 Likes
Someone needs to propose putting some sort of fence or markers between the public and private property and marking the public section with signs. This councilman would object, of course, but you could spin it as “protecting the councilman’s property from trespassers.”
And if he parks his truck to block the public access again, call the cops and get them to tow it (or refuse to tow it, which this reporter could use to keep this guy’s behavior in the public eye.)
9 Likes
The point here is it is either a public access way to the lake, or it is an easement. EITHER way it doesn’t belong to him and he cannot claim people cannot be there. Additionally, all water property on any lake within Michigan has a public easement barrier which essentially says, even if it is a private back yard, a person can walk within a certain distance of the water across the private property without repercussions - I think it said it was within 3-5 feet or something like that.
10 Likes
Wolverine Lake
Would’ja look at that!
2 Likes
A videotaped sting is certainly the ideal way to put this arse in his place, but the prankster in me would’ve enjoyed years of finding other ways to make his life a living hell if I was his neighbor.
11 Likes
Exactly - things like making sure that it became the “go-to” place for loud teenagers hanging out by the water, having parties there, calling the cops every time he parked his vehicle there to tow it, tearing out anything he tried to use as a barrier… Really just having fun with it and being a pain in his miserable ass.
5 Likes
I love the quirky local reporting. This story gave me flashbacks of grumpy adults telling my friends and I that we couldn’t build a tree fort on the public land behind their house. Assholes!
It also demonstrates how pernicious arcane laws and language can be. Throwing the word “easement” out there is probably enough to scare many people off. Cops do that kind of shit too. Know your rights!
6 Likes
Who has the time or energy to chase people off like this?
I suspect cattails grow naturally around the lakeshore but property owners (illegally?) cut them down.
I know this one!
1 Like
Sounds like it’s time for a Hell’s Angels fishing tournament!
9 Likes
I didn’t read anything that said they could or could not change the natural appearance of the area. So planting cattails or ripping them out could both be allowable (admittedly only did a quick google search and scan).
It is clear this guy is being a tool…no doubt. And regardless of his status as a councilman, the law is the law. The question is “is it worth the effort of suing his ass for obstructing public space” or some form of legal action similar to this. The person would clearly win against him.
And I actually do empathize with the guy. It sucks to have to be right next to a public access point where people are constantly cutting through to the lake and they may damage what is your property, they may be noisy or otherwise not mindful of time of day, etc. BUT…he would do better to simply put up a sign asking for people to be respectful. Use honey, not poison as it were. Instead he’s just being a dick…and as a result it begets people being dicks back. Karma is a bitch.
1 Like
How is it that anyone is actually intimidated by Ed? I understand erring on the side of caution/good manners and acquiescing when he first approaches. But neighbors who know he’s running a long scam and are too scared of Ed to tell him to pound sand?
Granted, I’m an asshole, but I would RELISH an opportunity like this.
3 Likes
If he gets caught planting cattails in an inland lake on purpose, the MDEQ and MDNR would very much like to know about it.
@FrontierJustice: I bet he has guns and likes to tell the people who are bothering him that he has guns.
2 Likes
You wanna see some guns, Ed?
I’LL SHOW YOU SOME GUNS!
4 Likes
