Safety is no joke. Each and every single one of us wants to make sure that we and our loved ones live a happy and stable life, protected from burglars and would-be attackers. As such, some people choose to put up video or doorbell cameras. That way, they can be aware of who’s loitering around their home.
However, you might run into some issues! Things aren’t as simple as setting up the cameras, connecting the wires, and drilling in the screws. At least, they aren’t simple if you live in cooperative housing with others.
A redditor who lives in a co-op shared a story about how they were told they couldn’t have a doorbell camera due to the local bylaws. They used the same rules to remotely lock down the laptops in the computer room. Scroll down for the full story, as shared on the r/pettyrevenge subreddit, as well as the author’s update that wrapped everything up.
Bored Panda reached out to the author of the post and they were kind enough to answer a few of our questions. However, they preferred to remain anonymous. You’ll find our full interview with them below.
A person living in cooperative housing shared why they wanted to put up a doorbell camera
Image credits: Dick Thompson (not the actual photo)
However, they ran into some issues when a neighbor noticed them installing the tech. Here’s what happened
Image credits: Syntax_Error_0
Image credits: Polina Zimmerman (not the actual photo)
The person later shared how everything ended
Bored Panda got in touch with the author of the viral r/pettyrevenge post. They told us that they weren’t expecting their story to get that much attention on Reddit.
“I expected about 1/4 of the response that I got, it was mostly in support, a good 70/30 mix in favour of my actions, however as the update post states, I caved in favor of giving the group back their lab,” they shared with us.
We were interested to learn more about the OP’s neighborhood, as well as what it’s actually like to live in co-op housing. They shed some light on this.
According to the redditor, their neighborhood is “very safe.”
“I don’t need the camera, but wanted it—I’ve only ever had one package stolen, and it was toilet paper, so not a big loss,” they told Bored Panda.
“I also live inside a building with a controlled door, so even packages left in the hallway get to where they’re going.”
The OP noted that one of the biggest challenges of living in a co-op is “getting people to do their work.”
“There’s 36 units in this and every single one has at least one able-bodied adult, yet there’s paint cans from two years ago sitting near the recycling bins because ‘they’ll get them eventually.’ Or, snow will get cleared at 5 pm when they get home, instead of having it done when I need to walk to my car at 5 am,” they shared.
“So, it adds a bit of overall life stress and tension between members, but the members know who puts in work and who doesn’t, and they help out those who help others.” They gave us an example of just how neighborly things can get: “I didn’t need to hire a mover to move from one unit to the other—everyone pitched in and we moved in an hour.”
The OP explained to the r/pettyrevenge subreddit how they started worrying about their safety after watching a bunch of doorbell camera footage. So they decided to invest in a camera themselves. However, while they were installing it, one of their co-op neighbors walked by. Soon enough, the author of the post received an email from the condo board, explaining that public-facing cameras are not allowed in the building.
That’s where the dash of petty revenge came in. The OP then used those same bylaws to argue that the laptops in the computer room went against the same rules because they had cameras. So they remotely locked the computers and then removed them.
However, in an update to their post, the redditor explained that they eventually relented. “I decided my doorbell camera was not more important than the access and usage of the internet to low-income users so I returned the doorbell camera to Amazon, the company I bought the service from refunded me 80% of the cost, which I accepted because they literally could’ve told me to [eff] off but did the nice thing.”
In short, though the OP did lose some time, energy, and nerves in the process, everything seemed to work out in the end.
But the question of home safety still matters for many people around the world. According to the FBI, there are around 2.5 million burglaries in the United States every single year. And homes without a security system are three times more likely to be broken into—it’s something that burglars check for. Around a third of criminals break in through the front door of a house. Meanwhile, the police solve only around 13% of reported burglary cases.
So it makes sense to invest in some form of home security. However, cameras aren’t the only method to stay safe. Arguably, what’s even more important is maintaining good, solid relationships with your neighbors. When you get along with the people in your building and neighborhood, you’ve got friends who have your back and keep an eye out on your home, not just theirs.
Meanwhile, remember to close your windows and blinds at night so that your property isn’t visible to anyone walking past your home. You can also fight for better lighting in the area so that would-be burglars would have fewer places to hide. And last but not least—communicate! If you see someone shifty around your neighbor’s place, tell them about it. Consider getting the local homeowners’ association involved. Security tech won’t ever fully replace good neighbors.
The author of the story shared a few more details in the comments of their post
Some internet users shared their opinions about the entire camera and laptop situation at the co-op
The post Person Gets Told They Can’t Install A Doorbell Camera At Their Co-Op, So They Remotely Lock All The Laptops That Also Have Cameras first appeared on Bored Panda.
from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/ANrcGEz
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda
