Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging by
the strength of the fumes.

Charlie S. wrote:
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

So you have to "put up" with it for, what, 10 minutes?

"Larry Bud" wrote in message
ups.com...

Charlie S. wrote:
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal
BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the
culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

So you have to "put up" with it for, what, 10 minutes?

Don't I wish. It's much longer than that. He must wait an hour before
lighting the stupid thing. Can't say for sure about the time, but I know
it's much longer than 10 minutes.

I will bet you complain about everything, you should move.

"Abe" wrote in message
...
A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the
culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.
Both approaches are unneighborly. Be a good neighbor. Tell him the
fumes bother you, and at the same time give him a gift of a Weber
charcoal starter. You can also explain how the food will taste better,
and that he'll be ingesting fewer carcinogens.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004U9VV

The best 11.99 plus a few bucks for shipping you'll ever spend in the
pursuit of good neighbor relations. You might even get invited over
for some grilled yummies.

I checked out the reviews. (see link below) They are all very positive.
May be the route to go. May get one myself. Will talk to the neighbor
beforehand. It could be that he's letting the fluid sit too long before
igniting.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cus...86168&s=garden

Curious though, do you cook on it too? Or, do you pour the charcoals to a
regular grill after they get lit.

Do the newspapers go on the bottom or along the sides?


Thanks for the idea. I had been thinking of buying a new gas grill or
revamping the old one. This seems like a better solution.

"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09...
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal
BBQ using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid.
I say, 'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were
quite powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not
sure who the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm
not in the mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might
be best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and
is quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive,
then tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then
call the fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only
judging by the strength of the fumes.

I wouldn't want to alienate my neighbor over that, but I hate the smell
of those fumes. I start my charcoal fires the hard way, using twigs and
newspaper for tinder, takes longer but I just like to do it that way.

Some nights it seems the whole neighborhood is permeated with those
fumes; the houses are kind of close together, too, but not that close.
They do dissipate after a short while unless. Unless what? Whatever
causes airborne molecules to stay near the ground and not be carried off
by a breeze.

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:57:10 GMT, "Charlie S."
wrote:

Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging by
the strength of the fumes.



I like the idea to buy him a charcoal starter and (tactfully) mention
the fumes are annoying. I use a propane torch to start my
charcoal--no fumes.

I must confess... I did call the fire department on a neighbor. He
had a bon fire going with 30-foot flames that was a little too close
to some trees on my property. But I'd never think about calling the
FD about a smelly BBQ.

"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
I will bet you complain about everything, you should move.

You are wrong. I get along well with my neighbors. We shovel each other
out and watch each other's houses when we go away. We also help if there is
major project going on.

It's just that this odor is excessive and suffocating. Can't sleep in my
room when it's on. My room faces the back of my house. Thus, I think it is
one of the neighbors behind me that making a stink.

Charlie S. wrote:
"Abe" wrote in message
...
A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the
culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.
Both approaches are unneighborly. Be a good neighbor. Tell him the
fumes bother you, and at the same time give him a gift of a Weber
charcoal starter. You can also explain how the food will taste better,
and that he'll be ingesting fewer carcinogens.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004U9VV

The best 11.99 plus a few bucks for shipping you'll ever spend in the
pursuit of good neighbor relations. You might even get invited over
for some grilled yummies.

I checked out the reviews. (see link below) They are all very positive.
May be the route to go. May get one myself. Will talk to the neighbor
beforehand. It could be that he's letting the fluid sit too long before
igniting.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cus...86168&s=garden

Curious though, do you cook on it too? Or, do you pour the charcoals to a
regular grill after they get lit.

Do the newspapers go on the bottom or along the sides?


Thanks for the idea. I had been thinking of buying a new gas grill or
revamping the old one. This seems like a better solution.




I've got one (I don't think it's a Weber) You loosely stuff a full sheet
of newspaper in the bottom, fill the top with charcoal, and light the
bottom. The paper burns up. The charcoals light and turn gray quite
rapidly. When the top coals look about ready, you pick up the chimney
and all the charcoal falls out the bottom onto your grate.

Best regards,
Bob

"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09...
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite
powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who
the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the
mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging
by the strength of the fumes.


I would go knock on his door tell him he is stinking up the whole
neigborhood. But I bet that leads nowhere, So call a layer and sue him it's
your only hope. Or maybe your feelings are hurt because he never invites you
over, oh I bet you can taste that stake right now . But then you could just
close your window. But then I can't believe how many people don't know
there neighbors', now if you new your neighbors you would not have to post
something like you did.

"Phisherman" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:57:10 GMT, "Charlie S."
wrote:

Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the
culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging
by
the strength of the fumes.



I like the idea to buy him a charcoal starter and (tactfully) mention
the fumes are annoying. I use a propane torch to start my
charcoal--no fumes.

I must confess... I did call the fire department on a neighbor. He
had a bon fire going with 30-foot flames that was a little too close
to some trees on my property.

"But I'd never think about calling the FD about a smelly BBQ."

Good point. Didn't really even think of calling the FD until I wrote this
post. Plus, it wouldn't be a good idea as I may need to go onto their
property this fall. I have a few overhanging trees that need trimming.

Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite
powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who
the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the
mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging
by the strength of the fumes.


I would go knock on his door tell him he is stinking up the whole
neigborhood. But I bet that leads nowhere, So call a layer and sue him
it's your only hope. Or maybe your feelings are hurt because he never
invites you over, oh I bet you can taste that stake right now . But then
you could just close your window. But then I can't believe how many
people don't know there neighbors', now if you new your neighbors you
would not have to post something like you did.

Getting to know one's neighbors in back of this house is not so easy. There
isn't a conduit to their properties. We get along with the neighbors
directly behind us. But, it's difficult to get to know them. The owner
doesn't speak English and isn't very sociable. The other properties are
even more difficult to talk with your neighbor. Fences and yards put
distance between us. We know all the neighbors in the front of the house
and get along well with them.

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 18:20:41 -0700, Abe wrote:

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.

Sheez... What a frickin puss. Deal with it Home Moaner!!!




Click here every day to feed an animal that needs you today !!!

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Paul ( pjm @ pobox . com ) - remove spaces to email me
'Some days, it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.'
'With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine.'
HVAC/R program for Palm PDA's
Free demo now available online http://pmilligan.net/palm/

What are they using as lighter fluid? Normal charcoal lighter fluid isn't
that volatile to create the fumes you describe. It's only a little lighter
(no pun) a petroleum fraction than kerosene. Something in the naptha
family I think. That's why when you light it the flames spread gradually
at first and it doesn't go "poof" like a more volatile fluid would.

There's also the electric starter. My family used those for years. They
eventually fail because inevitably one doesn't remove them from the now-
very-hot charcoal fast enough but they're cheap. We always got several
years use out of each. Needing a cord is the only drawback.

In article GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09,
says...

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

Call the fire department and tell them what? You don't like the smell
of your neighbor's barbecue? Is that a fire code violation?

Call the health department and tell them what? You don't like the smell
of your neighbor's barbecue? Is that a health code violation?

What exactly would you report him for, and what outcome do you expect?
Do you have any reason to believe he's doing anything illegal?

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html

MYOFB

--
Jim McLaughlin

Reply address is deliberately munged.
If you really need to reply directly, try:
jimdotmclaughlinatcomcastdotcom

And you know it is a dotnet not a dotcom
address.
"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09...
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the
culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging
by
the strength of the fumes.

It's really none of your business how he lights his fire. Leave it alone.

--
Steve Barker



"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09...
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite
powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who
the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the
mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging
by the strength of the fumes.

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:57:10 GMT, "Charlie S."
wrote:

Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each other.
Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I
thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the culprit
is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging by
the strength of the fumes.



A high powered rifle will solve the problem and if you can hit the
neighbor in the head and the grill as it exits his head, you will also
ignite the fluid in his grill as he dies. That takes practice....

Charlie S. wrote:
"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
I will bet you complain about everything, you should move.

You are wrong. I get along well with my neighbors. We shovel each
other out and watch each other's houses when we go away. We also
help if there is major project going on.

It's just that this odor is excessive and suffocating. Can't sleep
in my room when it's on. My room faces the back of my house. Thus,
I think it is one of the neighbors behind me that making a stink.

Fan.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:57:10 GMT, "Charlie S."
wrote:

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging by
the strength of the fumes.

What does it feel like? Are these feelings different if he uses a
third of a can or a half can? How do you judge fumes?

Oren

Abe wrote:
It's just that this odor is excessive and suffocating. Can't sleep
in my room when it's on. My room faces the back of my house. Thus,
I think it is one of the neighbors behind me that making a stink.

Fan.

That'll just blow the fumes around the room, not remove the fumes.


This will...

http://bigassfans.com/default.asp

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."

Abe wrote:
It's just that this odor is excessive and suffocating. Can't sleep
in my room when it's on. My room faces the back of my house. Thus,
I think it is one of the neighbors behind me that making a stink.
Fan.
That'll just blow the fumes around the room, not remove the fumes.

Fan blowing out the window. Out the window facing the source of the
malodorous fumes. IOW, prevent their entry in whatever way possible. Maybe
even close the windows and seal them up (except for the hole for the fan, of
course). If all else fails, gas mask.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

"Charlie S." wrote:

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid.

Another obnoxious smell is the metallic odor of lawn weed killer. Just
as my garden's in spring bloom, the peonies and iris and lilacs are at
their fragrant peak, some neighbor is bound to spray weedkiller and
stink up the neighborhood.

Ah, well, I'll take bad smells any day over loud music or the sound of
leaf blowers.

HellT

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:57:10 GMT, "Charlie S."
wrote:

:Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each other.
:Everyone has a small yard.
:
: A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
:using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I
:thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful.
idn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the culprit
:is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up
:with it for another summer.
:
: Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
:best.
:1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
:quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
:2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
:tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
:fire or health department.
:
:I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging by
:the strength of the fumes.

I'm on your side 100%. On the Memorial Day weekend, I went with family
to Angel Island in S.F. Bay and there was a party upwind from us who
were barbequing. The lighter fluid fumes were irritating me bigtime and
they lingered and lingered.

I've been annoyed many times in the past by lighter fluid fumes. I think
you should try either or both of the measures you indicate above. Pay no
attention to posters who suggest you should live with this.

When I barbeque (it's rare nowadays, but I used to not uncommonly) I'm
very frugal with the lighter fluid. I put my briquettes in a bottle and
squirt in a little fluid, cap the bottle and jostle things around to get
the briquettes wet and I let them sit a while to absorb the fluid. Then
I put them on my barbeque inside of a large coffee can that has both
ends cut out. This facilitates the lighting of the briquettes. Then
remove the can and spread things out and in a few minutes you are ready
to cook.

Anyway, the point is it's important to not use excessive lighter fluid,
and it is an imposition on your city dwelling neighbors, no matter how
little you use, in my opinion.

Dan

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 11:17:20 -0500, Hell Toupee wrote:

:"Charlie S." wrote:
:
: A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
: using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid.
:
:Another obnoxious smell is the metallic odor of lawn weed killer. Just
:as my garden's in spring bloom, the peonies and iris and lilacs are at
:their fragrant peak, some neighbor is bound to spray weedkiller and
:stink up the neighborhood.

Uh, huh. Agreed.

:Ah, well, I'll take bad smells any day over loud music or the sound of
:leaf blowers.
:
:HellT

Do you get to pick your poison? Probably not.

What you are experiencing is the work of an amateur. I went
to a barbeque last Saturday and sat less than 10 feet from
the grill. There were no lighter fluid odors. The guy
running the grill knew what he was doing.

Contact your local health department. Ask about regs on
noxious fumes and ask if they have officers working on the
weekends.

Dick

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 01:41:34 GMT, "I Love Lucy"
wrote:


"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09...
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal
BBQ using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid.
I say, 'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were
quite powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not
sure who the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm
not in the mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might
be best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and
is quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive,
then tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then
call the fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only
judging by the strength of the fumes.

I wouldn't want to alienate my neighbor over that, but I hate the smell
of those fumes. I start my charcoal fires the hard way, using twigs and
newspaper for tinder, takes longer but I just like to do it that way.


You're sure he's not lighting some of those
never to be sufficiently damned citronella
tiki-torches an hour or so before his
cook-out? That would explain the long
hang-time and the excessive stench.

"Steve Kraus" wrote in message
nk.net...
What are they using as lighter fluid? Normal charcoal lighter fluid isn't
that volatile to create the fumes you describe. It's only a little
lighter
(no pun) a petroleum fraction than kerosene. Something in the naptha
family I think. That's why when you light it the flames spread gradually
at first and it doesn't go "poof" like a more volatile fluid would.

You have a good point. Maybe they are not using lighter fluid. I can
remember starting many BBQ's using lighter fluid. The smell was pretty much
contained to a small area. Wherever these fumes are coming from have to be
100 feet away or more. Next time I notice the smell, I'm going to
investigate.

"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:GJHlg.1484$ia6.1213@trndny09...
Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each
other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ
using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say,
'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite
powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who
the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the
mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be
best.
1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is
quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then
tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the
fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging
by the strength of the fumes.
I can just imagine what his food tastes like. If it is the lighter fluid and
not a tiki torch, why don't you make him a present of a bag of Kingsford
Match Light. It might help.
Bob

The Other Funk wrote:
I can just imagine what his food tastes like. If it is the lighter fluid and
not a tiki torch, why don't you make him a present of a bag of Kingsford
Match Light. It might help.

Or maybe the smell is coming from Kingsford Match Light, which smells
suspiciously like lighter fluid to me. And because it's burning, the
smell travels far and lasts a while.

But really, and I'm trying to say the nice version of what some others
have already said, if this is the only problem you have with your
neighbors, I'd just deal with it. I recently moved to a suburb of NYC
where the houses are pretty close (about 10 feet on either side, but
with decent sized back yards suitable for parties), and there's all
sorts of stuff that goes on that I could get myself worked into a tizzy
about if I really wanted to be a jerk. The guy next to me blasts WKTU
whenever he's outside, for one thing, including the entire time he's
barbecuing. The neighbor in back of him encourages it; he says to turn
it up whenever he's out there. On the other side of my house, I seem
to find at least a couple of new empty Dunkin Donuts bags on my lawn
every day, and when a new fence went up over there, they trampled down
a whole bunch of my trees in back. And behind me, where I've just got
a chain link fence, my neighbor's got about five dachsunds that act
like I'm burglarizing their house every time I water my grass.

If your biggest issue with your neighbors is that you smell some Match
Light every once in a while, for god's sake, just close your windows
for a while and turn on your air conditioning. I'm sure you do some
things that could be considered just as, if not more annoying to them.

Honestly, if somebody came over and gave me a chimney starter as a
gift, I'd see right through it and think they were even more of a jerk
than if they'd just come right out and told me to quit stinking up the
place so much. I think the only options are to either be totally
honest or do nothing. And the best option is to do nothing and just
relax.

Abe wrote:
See right through what.

See right through their "gift" to what they were really trying to say.
Do you have some different definition of gift-giving than the rest of
the world? Most people give gifts when they're trying to make the
recipient happy. You're suggesting giving a gift in order to make the
gift *giver* happy. If it were me receiving that gift, I'd say "thank
you", close my door and tell my wife what an asshole that guy is. Then
I'd go right on doing what I always did.

What you suggested is classic passive-aggressive behavior. NOBODY
responds well to that.

What would you do if your neighbor came by and told you to stop
stinking up the place so much by grilling?

If I got along with my neighbors as the OP says he does, I'd ask what
about my grilling stinks so much and if he convinced me I was doing
something different than anybody else who grills, I'd change it. Note
that doesn't mean he *could* convince me, but if he can't convince me
by being honest then he's not going to convince me by giving me a
chimney starter as a "gift" either.

The point is there are two people involved here, the one doing the
grilling and the one who's annoyed by it. One of them is being
reasonable and one of them isn't. If these are two normal adults, they
can work out between them which one is the reasonable one - it may be
the griller, it may be the neighbor smelling it. Giving
passive-aggressive gifts is not being "neighborly", it's just being
annoying.

In article .com,
says...

The Other Funk wrote:
I can just imagine what his food tastes like. If it is the lighter fluid and
not a tiki torch, why don't you make him a present of a bag of Kingsford
Match Light. It might help.

Or maybe the smell is coming from Kingsford Match Light, which smells
suspiciously like lighter fluid to me. And because it's burning, the
smell travels far and lasts a while.

But really, and I'm trying to say the nice version of what some others
have already said, if this is the only problem you have with your
neighbors, I'd just deal with it. I recently moved to a suburb of NYC
where the houses are pretty close (about 10 feet on either side, but
with decent sized back yards suitable for parties), and there's all
sorts of stuff that goes on that I could get myself worked into a tizzy
about if I really wanted to be a jerk. The guy next to me blasts WKTU
whenever he's outside, for one thing, including the entire time he's
barbecuing. The neighbor in back of him encourages it; he says to turn
it up whenever he's out there. On the other side of my house, I seem
to find at least a couple of new empty Dunkin Donuts bags on my lawn
every day, and when a new fence went up over there, they trampled down
a whole bunch of my trees in back. And behind me, where I've just got
a chain link fence, my neighbor's got about five dachsunds that act
like I'm burglarizing their house every time I water my grass.

If your biggest issue with your neighbors is that you smell some Match
Light every once in a while, for god's sake, just close your windows
for a while and turn on your air conditioning. I'm sure you do some
things that could be considered just as, if not more annoying to them.

Honestly, if somebody came over and gave me a chimney starter as a
gift, I'd see right through it and think they were even more of a jerk
than if they'd just come right out and told me to quit stinking up the
place so much. I think the only options are to either be totally
honest or do nothing. And the best option is to do nothing and just
relax.


Hear hear. On any reasonable person's list of Important Things, lighter fluid
smell has got to be way down there. There's only so much "political capital"
one has with one's neighbors, and time and fortitude is much better spent
building up the capital (getting to know one's neighbors) and spending
judicously on more important things, like safety issues and things which may
involve property damage. (And, no, I'm not convinced there'd be a safety issue
in every vapor that may waft past one's nose).

Banty


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