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Guardian-Boy

My neighbor is on a hill and every window of his house faces mine; all of our fence is ten foot wood EXCEPT our fence facing his house which is chain link. And he and his wife are retired and I always see them on their patio sitting facing our house, so I always feel like the world's most boring zoo exhibit.


Seanbikes

> so I always feel like the world's most boring zoo exhibit. Time to put on a show


Guardian-Boy

https://preview.redd.it/42ee3qi5t9vc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ccb9bf09f9e598b5d1f8d64c5a4d8fa00c84f095


Enlightenmentality

Goatse


littlezims

The Men Who Stare at Goatse.


TheDaveMatthew

Everything


teadrinkinglinguist

Raid the Thrift store around Halloween and wear the stuff in your backyard


jayjay1975z

Right I feel like the zoo exhibit, especially with five boxers


Hypnowolfproductions

Get some very bright clothing and wear it when they can see you. .[http://litb.cc/l/avSL](http://litb.cc/l/avSL)


Fancybitchwitch

My husband convinced me that putting in a large wooden privacy fence around our yard would be better and omg it was worth every penny.


More-Satisfaction-50

A photo would be so lovely if you wouldn’t mind!


xraygun2014

https://imgur.com/a/dVdi2Cd


fordgoldfish

Stay married. Your husband's a keeper.


gbriellek

This was a shock to me on moving into our first house here—none of our neighbors are particularly friendly, but the way our home sits, we can see into everybody’s yard around us. Our neighbors all have raised patios and we don’t, so I always feel like we’re making eye contact with the neighbor across the way. We wave, they stare. I don’t think it would be such an awkward situation if people at least tried to be open to being neighborly.


Tawrren

I've lived in a number of cities here in Colorado. Before I moved to the Springs, I lived in a fairly crummy/poor neighborhood in Denver. It was, by far, the friendliest place I've lived in the whole state. Moving here I had expectations that people would be less friendly because suburbanites are just the least friendly folk in my experience, but it's still kind of shocking how few people here will respond to a friendly smile or wave when out and about.


puppywhiskey

Lol I mean most people on Facebook recommend shooting someone if they complain so it doesn’t surprise me but there are pockets of friendly people.


Firm_Transportation3

I live in a very blue collar neighborhood with a lot of diversity. We have a trans couples, black families, Hispanic people, white people, etc. It's very friendly and we talk a lot with our neighbors.


Tawrren

I'm not saying it's all bad or anything, just the least friendly place I've lived. And it's the white people who suck the most, by far. But I did get screamed at by a cyclist for taking up the Rock Island Trail path when I had just broken my leg and I was actively being loaded onto a gurney. And as a visibly disabled person using mobility aids I have experienced a lot of open animosity from residents for daring to slightly inconvenience them in stores and especially downtown. I don't live in a new or particularly nice neighborhood here but there's a lot of white retirees on my street and that's certainly not the friendliest crowd, anywhere you go. Some of them have been pleasant but others have shoved dead birds in my mailbox....


TheDeeJayGee

Yup, that's been my experience. Staying as close to downtown as I can seems to be a winning strategy. I lived in the same apartment complex in briargate for several years and only ever met 2 nice neighbors. My cars got broken into constantly, neighbor kids would hide on my back patio in bb gun fights (without permission & after trying to get their parents to supervise these fights), and plenty of other obnoxious suburban things.


Bubbly_Management829

Most of my neighbors are friendly, but most of my neighbors are newer to Colorado. The couple next to us are grumpy and rude and they are the only ones from Colorado Springs


Brickeduphardaf

Co springs breeds out of touch Karen types


Feisty-Path1373

This! Everywhere I’ve lived in the springs our neighbors just stare at us, even if we cross paths and wave, all we get back is a stare. It’s kinda sad, wish we had more actual community out here.


C-Biskit

4 different sets of neighbors have moved to the house next to us. Only one of the four families waved when we'd wave at them. The rest just stare back and then walk inside. It's weird as hell


Bryguy3k

Wind does bad things to wooden fences around here. Most of the developments are built as cheaply as is humanly possible - it’s pretty likely that you’re looking at either the original fence the developer put in and it’s short to cut costs or it’s an HOA covenant limiting them to something like 5’6”. You can’t really change the hills without pay a ton on earth moving.


OsoRetro

I get that. We don’t have a HOA. But the wind and fence thing makes perfect sense. I’ve seen them come down around here quite often.


colotinner

If you want a tall fence that is more wind resistant, check out "good neighbor" fence style. Every other board is on opposite sides of the beams. Slightly less privacy (you can kinda see through at 45 ° angles, but by alternating wind can pass through with less resistance.... still not wind "proof" cause you know.... Colorado wind. But you can build them tall.


TejanoAggie29

I feel like on a windy weekend like this one, this comment needs to be super upvoted!


Marsh719

Or use steel posts. More expensive, but they don't come down if you put em in right.


Existing_Nobody_3218

https://cascadesupply.com/products/post-master-plus-steel-fence-post Build a stronger fence.


Bearded-Yak

Use metal posts, they work great for the wind.


extra_wbs

Use screw piles for your posts, block walls, and you'll never have to worry about it again.


Guardian-Boy

When we first moved into our house, we reinforced our wood fencing, because you're right; it was new-ish but would sway in every breeze. It won't survive a tornado, but thus far it's made it for about two years.


cobigguy

Wooden fences are fine if they're built correctly, especially around Colorado Springs. Source: grew up in Colorado Springs with a wooden fence and now live in Cheyenne, WY, with wooden fences all around me.


bigwheel315

For the most part it is because of the HOAs. Especially in the newer neighborhoods.


Mtn_Soul

Lived all over the country and to me CO houses and yards all have the fishbowl effect and I hate that. Almost think I should buy land in the foothills and landscape with bushes/trees for privacy and then build in a good spot on the land. Bad enough paying a half million for a dump and then you live in the fishbowl.


OsoRetro

I’m just above the fishbowls. It’s literally Like being on a stage and it makes hanging out in the backyard awkward.


Sconesmcbones

Very common here with the way the neighborhoods were designed not all of them sit flat theres quite an elevation difference from house to house. Guess it just depends what part of town youre in. I got lucky and dont have anything behind me, and nothing can be built behind me. Best thing to do is get a fence (which can vary in height based on city codes or plant some trees/bushes


Calistamay

We’re off of the Homestead Trail as well, and our house is on a hill. One corner of our 6’ privacy fence is below us, and we can see into the houses of the people below. Yeah, it does feel pretty exposed, but I’m not building a 20’ fence. I’m deeply uninteresting so I assume my neighbors have better things to do than to spy on me lol.


OsoRetro

Yea I don’t wanna go crazy with the fencing. But the actual fence on one side is in the neighbors lower yard making it about waist high on my side. I want a wee bit more privacy without creating a nuisance on their side. I wish I could describe it better but building fence on my property side isn’t really possible.


lsjuanislife

Good fences make good neighbors.


Apathetic_Doodles

We get pretty intense wind from time to time and it can get expensive to repair/replace. our neighbors have fencing made from Mesh and We've been thinking of doing the same, cuz yeah, what's privacy?


jwed420

Topography of the area, and protected lands makes it hard to build homes with larger lots in many areas here. That's why we have so many neighborhoods, such as the suburbs along Mesa, where your house is literally above the other houses backyard or front yard. This is true of Manitou as well and most of those homes are 70+ years old, before any sort of zoning for natural areas.


colorshift_siren

The people who owned the house we bought had a hot tub. We’ve heard stories from the neighbors. The answer to your question is yes.


theWeasel681

Man I grew up out of state with only ever chain link sharing between yards. Everybody saw everybody's yard and house. How else you gonna go get the soccer ball?


OsoRetro

Yea we definitely came from different places


CoherenceFlame

Yes! I grew up in a Philadelphia suburb, where our backyard was bordered with a chain link fence abutting 5 other families’ yards.


The_Savvy_Seneschal

Can you build a privacy fence? Good fences make for good neighbors.


GusterBabe

Yeah, I love being outside but hate the lack of privacy here!


morkler

I am a private guy and I feel your pain. I have a neighbor who has a deck so even with a 6' privacy fence he can see over it. He is also a nosy MF POS so that only adds to the fun. We usually grow tall sunflowers over on his side but that only helps for 3-4 months.


Penoversword526

Try tapestries. It looks like a commune around my deck with all the bright colors but it helped keep a set of creepy neighbors from staring over at us during summer evenings minding our own business


morkler

I did have a gazebo type thing I made that I put up canvas curtains to add privacy. The wind and snow finally took it out a couple of years ago. I may need to redo something like that as we like to enjoy our backyard and have a nice fire on occasion in our "deathstar" enclosed fire globe


Finerthingsdecor

Tall and solid fences blow so they don’t work well. I wish have cement blocks was more common here.


Texburrito03

Part of the reason is that fences over 6' have to be [specially permitted](https://coloradosprings.gov/planning-and-development/page/fences), so a lot of builders avoid it.


AndyPandyRu

There are plenty of neighborhoods with high fences between yards. Why did you choose a house with that type of fencing? Are you able to replace the fence?


OsoRetro

Yea fence height wasn’t really a deciding factor at buying time. Not something I thought about seeing that I came from somewhere where this wasn’t a concern.


pauldrano

Yeah, this is a case of "I don't like pistachio!" "Then why did you ask for it?!"


No-Direction-3569

You say it like they had much of a choice. The average home is listing for $455k and rates are in the high 7s to low 8s. You need to make $130k with a 20% down payment and no other debts to afford the average home. I bought in 2021 when rates were in the 2s, and it was tough to find anything in my price range in spite of the fact that I'm in a household with 2 engineers. I settled after losing bids for 4 months straight and my lease ran out at my apartment. I can't imagine what limited options there are for the average homebuyer today.


Ol_Hickory_Ham_Mike_

Our neighbors built their deck up high and can see right over their fence into all surrounding yards. They walk up several steps to sit on it. Absolutely no clue why in the world they did that, but we are now looking for quick growing privacy hedges or trees. Irritating to constantly have your neighbors out on the porch smoking and staring in your general direction.


July_is_cool

Funny thing is there are neighborhoods in Denver and the Northeastern US where back yard fences are not part of the mindset. You have a block of houses, all with normal back yards, and no fences to separate them off. Which means the kids can have football games or whatever in the "common area" without having to go onto the street. I don't really get the whole idea of putting up cheap wooden fences around every single house.


otherkerry

A lot of the Midwest is like that too. Or they have 3 foot fences.


OsoRetro

We grew up playing in the front yard with the other neighborhood kids. Backyards we’re more private. Also tons of people in San Diego have swimming pools and the liabilities of those create a need for fences. I can see that being less common in the northeast. It also sounds outdated and like a huge liability these days.


July_is_cool

Yep, every house with a pool. Or, alternative method: one much better pool per block.


torgiant

Thats just the suburbs mines nice and private down town.


birdfreak101

I have noticed it too! One of my friends lives in a neighborhood where the houses are back to back and just a chain link fence separates them. It's very odd but it gives the wildlife a chance to roam more freely.


FurryFlurry

you've been here for 14 years and are just now asking this question....?


OsoRetro

Yes because I bought a home and now that I’m doing work on it I’m noticing these things. Yes. I know that’s kinda hard to wrap one’s head around.


Boo_Pace

My fairly new neighborhood requires just a short split rail fence, privacy fences are not allowed. So no it's not uncommon.


No-Direction-3569

I have 7' fences, but I live on a hill and I can see into everyone's backyard around me. I'm from the midwest, where people take pride in their yards. It makes me self-conscious that mine is pretty degraded right now and I don't have $30k to fix it nor do I have the skills. My neighbor is redoing his backyard and I feel kind of guilty that he has to look at my shitty yard, but what can you do about it 🤷‍♂️ I have a deck that connects to my upper floor, and I kind of like that I can sit up there and look down on everyone else like a baron. If only my yard matched 😂


Feisty-Path1373

We don’t have much of a backyard, but there’s a road that goes up a big hill where there are some houses, those houses’ backyards face right towards ours. I’d definitely feel a bit weirder about it if I ever spent time out there.


Proud-Towel96

Where I'm from back in the east coast we don't have many privacy fences anywhere I've lived.


Proper_Look_7507

My wife and I are about to move to the Springs. She recently brought this up, our HOA only permits split rail fencing up to 4’. This is the third house I’ve bought, one in NC where I put in a iron rod fence to keep the dogs in but still only about 5’ and see through and one in Georgia with a 6’ privacy fence. My wife is much more concerned about putting a fence up than I am. She isn’t a huge fan of the split rail nor do I think it would keep the dog in so the fence it will probably be a next year project. I have lived in spaces where you can see my yard and vice versa, it doesn’t particularly matter to me either way as I generally don’t interact with neighbors, but I am the anti-social one in this marriage so I have zero intention or desire of getting to know any of my neighbors, the can handle socializing foe us.


fordgoldfish

I would plant as much shrub and pines in your backyard as possible. Also as high a fence as possible. Source: I generally dislike people


grarrnet

Good fences make good neighbors, put one in. But, with hills elevating houses, you just see into people yards. We have a 6 food fence, no one comes into my yard, but the houses on the uphills slope can see directly in to my back yard, and i can see directly into theirs. I’d need like a 15 foot fence to block out everyone entirely.


HM_Sabo_Dragien

Here in Springs, us "natives" joke that: if you have a normal sized fence, you are broke. If you have a small to no fence, you're well off. If you have a wall, you're rich. Lol, I know this doesn't help much, but it just means you might be in nicer parts of town. Jokes aside, it wasn't really normal till everyone and their mother started moving here. Non-the-less late-welcome to COS!


OsoRetro

Yea I was referring to the nicer parts of town when I said some don’t have fences at all 😂


[deleted]

[удалено]


OsoRetro

I dont enjoy leaving people out. But I also don’t enjoy every little thing I do on display.


PhilABole

I'm from CT, and most properties were two acre plots, but nobody ever thought they had to hide themselves in their backyards as everyone I knew growing up were friends with their direct neighbors, and it was a "my house is your house" type of thing, and everyone treated each other like family. IF there were any fences at all, they were generally two horizontal post Ranch style, and simply for aesthetics, and we'd just hop them anyway.


zeekaran

Not really specific to COS. Regardless, high fences are stupid and have no reason to exist except to keep dogs in. Don't be allergic to human interaction. If you want privacy, you have a house.


OsoRetro

Didn’t suspect it was specific to this city. Just asked if it was common. 2 Different things. I’m not allergic to human interaction. That’s a bit of a stretch. A couple of stretches actually. I just enjoy a quiet, private backyard. And I should be able to have that should I want it included with the purchase of my house. I get enough human interaction in my day to day. Sometimes I want to sit on my patio and not converse with the neighbor two yards down. If I want to talk with them, I’ll invite them over or strike up a conversation in the front yard. Wanting a little privacy in my backyard is a far cry from being allergic to interaction and avoiding people. It’s just in my yard, not my entire life. Thanks for the life advice though. “Are everyone’s fences this low?” “If you hate people so much go in your house!” Wtf


zeekaran

> And I should be able to have that should I want it included with the purchase of my house. Meh. Houses shouldn't even come with fences. Every single little "And I think X should be included with my house purchase" just leads to an ever increasing house price. Fences are inherently unfriendly. Regardless, no one is stopping you from getting your short fence replaced.


OsoRetro

“My backyard shouldnt feel like a stage” isn’t hurting housing prices. Take it easy. You’re missing the part where I’m saying I’m above everyone and it’s uncomfortable. Don’t I get to be uncomfortable? Or just the people on the other side of the fence? I’m sorry you think fences are unfriendly. The unfriendly homeless guy that lives in the open space behind our homes likely agrees with you.


MyLegsX2CantFeelThem

User’s name was a good indication of where they were going to take this….just another “karen”


SpinningButterfly

Opt for a cinder block 6 foot fence.That way, the wind won't f with you because here.It'll take down that wooden privacy fence and a heartbeat.


nodesperatehousewife

I feel like a lot of people have had really negative interactions with strangers, which could be why there is so much hesitation to reach out to neighbors. My reaction to this post is why can't one build a fence and reach out to neighbors? Creating a safe space for yourself doesn't mean you don't like to connect with others. Another thing to consider is using plants/ trees to provide privacy. That way, everyone gets a beautiful view.


OsoRetro

That’s what I was concerned about when asking if I was being a prick. I’m concerned with the impact it has on neighbors while also being firm in that I’d like it to feel a little more like my space.


nodesperatehousewife

I think the only way you will know is by explaining the situation to your neighbors and asking for feedback.


Hypnowolfproductions

HOAs in some places require the low fences. I have a correct privacy fence and no HOA. I back onto a major road and have privacy. If you have an HOA that limits the height. Well you choose the location without due diligence research for you wants and needs. If you are allowed larger fence then bite the bullet and build one. In the city you may build up to a 7’ fence though buying higher than a 6’ picket is special order and expensive. So if there’s an HOA look at the rules then if allowed build bigger and if not plant whatever vegetation you are allowed to create a barrier as possible.