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Neighbourly behavior

Some people think a good neighbour helps you out when you’re in need, others think that all it takes is to mind one’s own business.

What makes a good neighbour?

Some people think it takes someone who helps you out when you’re in need, others think that minding one’s own business is enough to make a good neighbour.

It is important to be as courteous as possible to everyone around you, but when we live in such close proximity to one another, problems inevitably crop up.

And when they do, to be a good neighbour, it is important to address those problems head on.

Speak to your neighbours directly, and give them a chance to either clarify a misunderstanding, or rectify the situation.

Before you call the police to file a complaint about your noisy neighbour, knock on their door and politely ask them if they don’t mind keeping it down.

Because if you’re not careful, you may end up in your own “Stereo Wars” with your speakers facing the wall, each turning your music up louder and louder until one of you can’t stand it anymore (like a certain newspaper publisher I know).

I know that it can be intimidating to confront a person who is doing something you believe to be  inappropriate.

But it is far better to face these problems head on, rather than trying to shame or force them into changing their behaviour.

Golden’s Fire Chief was accused of not respecting the Town’s watering restrictions. Should he have been given the opportunity to clarify or rectify the situation before the accusation was made public?

He was not given the opportunity to say that he does abide by the municipality’s watering restrictions, and that he respects the community and its laws.

Life is full of misunderstandings. Maybe there was a lack of knowledge about what the watering restrictions really are. Maybe there was some confusion as to who really lives where, with several fire department vehicles being parked in several officers’ homes.

Regardless of what was going on, everything could have been cleared up by simply having a face to face conversation.

The Fire Chief dedicates his time to the community of Golden, making sure someone will be there to help out whomever is in need. And he, like all good neighbours, deserved the benefit of the doubt.