Do you think you are a good neighbour? Do you like your neighbours?

Question

Sometimes I wonder if I’m a decent neighbour. I usually try to avoid situations where I have to interact with most of my neighbours. I live in one of the top floors of high rise building, so I never used stairs because that would be inconvenient. If I see people waiting for the elevator, I’ll wait or take another route so they don’t recognise me. It’s not that I’m antisocial or an introvert—sometimes you just have bad days or are dealing with a lot in life, and all you want is to go home and unwind. I just need some time for myself.

Since moving to a new place last year, my neighbours next door were friendly and approached me soon after I moved. They seem excited and started asking a lot of questions about me and some of them were personal. I’ve tried to stay polite but since then I keep my distance. I make sure to smile and greet them and help them when they need help. I never ignore elderly people or kids. It's just I don't want to be invited by anyone as I need some time for myself and don't want people to get overly friendly It makes me wonder if I could be a good neighbour, even if I’m not very social.

So, what about you? Do you think you are a good neighbour? Do you like your neighbours?

FunkyMonkee · Accepted Answer

Yes! I think I'm a very good neighbor!! I like most of mine that I've met. So far, only one has been a real fucking asshole towards me and I have NO IDEA why!!! I've been here 6 years and hardly said more than 3 words to them!! "Hi!" and, "Thank you."
I'll talk to just about anybody! But, one guy that just moved in 2 months ago is from the middle east and doesn't speak English at all so, all we do is wave to each other. So far, his little girl says hi to me when she rides by on her bike.
Another person that I ASSUME is a woman won't talk to me when I talk to her and has never bothered with me the whole time we've been here!! She's very skinny, no discernable tits under her grubby t-shirt, long grey hair in a loose ponytail, always frowning and she LOOKS like a guy. But, I've heard her talk to the assholes next door and even refer to herself in the feminine.
Other than that, nearly everyone up here has been very friendly, even though I've never met most of them.

Purpleronnie · Accepted Answer

I like this question and I have often thought the same thing because perhaps like you I don’t consider myself anti-social or introvert but I also can’t stand making polite chat or recycling the tired trivial comments or conversations because I feel that it’s all pretence. Like they want to know you for the gossip or to befriend you into coming to their wife swapping club… or their naturist club.. but perhaps that’s all in my head 🤪.

I have an ex army lad and his trophy wife on one side and “new” neighbor on the other side that’s replaced this actually really great newly weds that just left … she has a Russian accent and and very standoff-ish so clearly she is a sleeper agent spy 🕵️.

Joking aside , I know exactly what you mean. We want good , decent neighbors but always at arms length 😇

Apulu_backagain · Accepted Answer

My neighborhood consists of government officials, IAS officers, Army officers, professors and also a medical officer, all of them are retired. My parents are one of the few members who are still working. And one of my neighbour is corrupt as hell. Other than that its quite peaceful and I have so many grandparents that I don't complain!

A retired sociology professor gave me two books out of his library- yes he has his own library in his home which has like hundreds of books all collected throughout his life, some as old as 65 years (the oldest one is his alphabet book which is 70 years old!). He has donated bunch of them to libraries but they just don't seem to finish and he has read all of them! And he is still reading!

Vevv123 · Accepted Answer

I’m pretty sure I am, I’m on the bottom floor and I know my neighbors on the top floor, they’re couples. I usually just say hi, or they say hi and we’ve had short convos. As much as I prefer not to say hi I feel bad if I don’t because I remember when I used to work at a restaurant and someone told me that I seemed stuck up for not saying good morning to my coworkers 😆 I think it’s a cultural thing, we usually also say good morning even to stangers haha (I don’t 😂) I like to take advice from the elderly, so ever since then I try to say hi at least. But if they don’t see me, then sometimes I walk the other directions to evade it 😅😭

Kori1236 · Answer

We’re polite to each other, there’s a language barrier between us but we exchange the pleasantries. My other neighbor is my landlord. On the street there’s only one person I don’t really get along with and it’s more their attitude towards their aggressive and reactive dogs as opposed to just outright disliking them. They probably hate me for kicking their dog when it went for my puppy, as well as threatening to call bylaw if it happens again since those same dogs attacked my roommates dogs causing over a grand worth of vet work for him.

But overall I’d say I’m a good neighbor and neutral to my other neighbors.

aaron13547 · Answer

Sometimes, I'd like to think that I am. But I probably do things that still aggravate my neighbors from time to time. I think what makes me a good neighbor or a bad one is as simple as caring about them. I got a good example no one said you can't mow the grass on Sunday in my neighborhood. But no one does it, because no one does it. It's an unspoken rule of respect. We all have to exist together being a good neighbor can be as simple as being aware of that. I'd say you are a good neighbor just for thinking to ask the question.

Finchie40 · Answer

Some of my neighbors are cool but Ione of them is a wack job , that I no longer bother with , what’s nice about my home is the fact I don’t have neighbors right up on my ass , we got a lot of space in between us , so I love my privacy one of the reasons I bought this home. Neighbors can be cool but they can also be complete assholes that do not like you for whatever reason , so you are best to be polite but don’t tell to much about your personal life. Let them assume lol

lilyanony1 · Answer

I mostly mind my business, don't interfere In theirs. Don't ask them anything. If I see them I engage in very little but pleasant chit chat.
We do have one neighbour everyone hates and occasionally a few of us may end up bumping into each other on the landing and discussing the latest that's gone on, and if any action needs do be taken.

I try not to be offensive in anyway and tbh so do they. So we live relatively peacefully.

Tarifa · Answer

We have some eldery neighbours in the apartment upstairs, and an elderly lady downstairs who spends about six months a year on her 'summer holidays'. We are always available if they need us. Recently, we called an ambulance as our neighbour passed out and couldn't get back up. When they're away for several days, we have the keys to their apartments just in case.

AviatorTom · Answer

My wife knows our neighbors more than I do. I do help out our neighbors when they have things to do, and I'm often walking around our condo complex, picking up trash, trimming bushes, pulling weeds etc. Overall, I think I'm a pretty good neighbor.

leahzrc · Answer

My neighbors didn't like my parking one day and they posted a picture of my car and made fun of me all up on the facebook community page. My neighbors are not cool. I blast music idc if she hears she is nice old lady, nicer than my mom

Sunrising · Answer

I am the same, people seem to just want to do their own thing, and that is fine with me.

But if neighbours are friendly with me, I am friendly back and we've shared day's out, taken part in sports together, and had nights out.

We have neighbours, and sometimes we can build relationships too.

So don't miss out on an opportunity to get to know your neighbours, and you won't regret it.

strateguy632 · Answer

1, yes because i act in a considerate way. 2, no except one of them. 3, In your story, why did you avoid... if only "sometimes" you had a bad day. Sounds like a social anxiety interfered and that is not healthy. Something you should overcome or get help.

FreyaRed · Answer

Yes and no. I'm a good neighbor most of time until someones dog starts to bell for three hours in the middle of the night. I don't hesitate to call cops. I don't care if they are doctors, professor or lawyers

NoDecision · Answer

Are you talking State Farm - "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there" unless it is right after a disaster. Then they are hard to find.

Phoenix98 · Answer

I only interact with one of my next door neighbors and that's because he's a friend of my dads and I know him we usually run into each other when we're both out smoking out front and we'll often sit there and talk for 20-40 minutes about this and that.

MarcusHentz · Answer

I’d like to think I’m a very good neighbor. Or at least I try to be. For the most part my neighbors are pretty awesome. They’re mostly older unfortunately but still really cool. I could tell you such an embarrassing story about when I first moved out here hahaha

avery58 · Answer

I'm a good neighbor in that I mind my business. I don't care to become friends with my neighbors. It's a safe and nice neighborhood, and people are respectful, which is all I need.

sage2021 · Answer

I have been the very best neighbor that I can be. I have helped a lot of people who were my neighbors. The Bible says "Love thy neighbor as thyself".

Xawyx-2 · Answer

I'm just like you, but unfortunately - my building doesn't have an elevator :P If they are good to me, I'm good to them.  I always try to be good, even if they are not.

exitseven · Answer

yes, I mind my own business, take care of my property , never have loud parties and if they ever need help I am right there.

Agape93 · Answer

I am, but I don't have any neighbors anymore.

jamesgoldman · Answer

I'm a reasonable neighbour Of the two I interact with I get one a box of chocolates and the other a bottle of red at Christmas

AngryCarl2 · Answer

I'm an excellent neighbour, considerate of others but keep myself to myself. I'm currently lucky with my neighbours, they're a decent bunch.

virgo2267 · Answer

Sounds like you’ve been a loner your whole life… by choice maybe

HДLILБΞУ · Answer

I am a good neighbor, but since I live in a metropolitan city, I don't have much in the way of neighborly relations..

Nikki1989 · Answer

Yes, and we have great neighbors. They have to put up with a lot with our loud band jam sessions.

llorando · Answer

I'm pretty much a good neighbor and so are my neighbors pretty much good neighbors.

qwerty2469 · Answer

I hate my neighbors. They are racist Hispanics that have treated me like shit for 5 years because im white. They make fun of my landscaping abilities. Now im mowing their lawn because one is 50 and now divorced and the other is 67 with cancer.

red324 · Answer

My neighbors probably think im a weirdo. None of them ever talk to me.

Staximus · Answer

I'm a good neighbor and my neighbors are cool

RageBabe · Answer

I'm the neighbour who bakes cookies for my neighbours.

fish5505_87 · Answer

I mean, I'm not State Farm! But, I'm a good neighbor!

Allmenrsick · Answer

Well my neighbors are formal prostitutes and drug dealers

Raydergman26 · Answer

Yes I am a good neighbor i help my neighbors out

WhitneySnow · Answer

I am!

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

Yes I am and I have great neighbors

Fireguy17 · Answer

I try to be.

Athena7_ · Answer

I like think I am.

Bloodbreath · Answer

No i don't like strangers

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