Comments on: Playground Equipment: An Example of Sharing Resources with Neighbors http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Eric http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-755981 Eric Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:07:05 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-755981 I hope there are still folks who will receive this but…..we use a FREE website in our area to stay connected, post upcoming events, communicate neighborhood watch issues, list items we’d share with each other etc….

Someone starts a “network” (could be your street, subdivision, or local friends). The others join that network and share. Only those on your network see your items or comments…it’s your private network. You can create and join several networks.

I hope it helps some of you.

Regards.

]]> By: Nik http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-669075 Nik Thu, 21 May 2009 19:23:34 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-669075 @Karen from comment #26, I wasn’t really ‘just trying to start something.’ You don’t know whether or not Trent lets his kids play on the equipment unattended as he didn’t say so specifically. We both reasonably assume that he doesn’t, but I was just pointing out how you can make some very rotten judgments about someone based on such little information as he had in his previous article. In the previous post, he basically said the same thing about someone who was sharing a tip on how she saved a bit of money while being able to indulge her kids a bit and he took it as an opportunity to deride her for wasting money foolishly. The same could have been said in this situation.

]]> By: Johanna http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-667965 Johanna Wed, 20 May 2009 14:51:20 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-667965 @Prasanth (#12): That’s a pretty rude thing to say. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?

]]> By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-665836 DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad Mon, 18 May 2009 12:21:17 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-665836 Don’t take this the wrong way, but my wife and I laugh about these backyard playgrounds. We see them in almost every yard by us and we never see kids on them– to us they are expensive lawn ornaments.

Furthermore, my wife tells me she sees people trying to give them away– FREE on Craig’s list!

Trampolines are another item we get a kick out of seeing!

]]> By: Jamie http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-664328 Jamie Sat, 16 May 2009 12:44:14 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-664328 We have a very small yard and one of our neighbors has an empty second lot. Their house is going up for sale behind us and one over and we have really encouraged some of our friends to get the house so we can do this. We have 3 little girls(6,4 and 7 months), our neighbors to our right have 3 kids about the same ages, our neighbors beside them have 2 little boys and our neighbors directly behind us have 2 kids as well. We have discussed just how big a play set we could get with 4 families pitching in. We figured the family who owns the lot would not have to pitch in for the equipment since they are supplying the area. Hopefully another great family with children will get the place so we can see this through.

]]> By: Borealis http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-664076 Borealis Sat, 16 May 2009 06:53:00 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-664076 The neighbors were smart in that the entire play equipment is on one property. Splitting the ownership is a huge headache. It is great that neighbors cooperate and probably doesn’t cost any more on insurance. But trying to draw up split ownership and liability would be a nightmare.

]]> By: Karen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-663481 Karen Fri, 15 May 2009 17:11:06 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-663481 To Nick at comment #12 – I am 46 years old and enjoy playing with my nieces and nephews on their playground equipment. Makes me a kid again! No where did Trent say he just let the kids run loose. Are you just trying to start something….???

]]> By: Michael http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-663422 Michael Fri, 15 May 2009 15:33:27 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-663422 If someone purchases the property on which the playset resides, he is legally obliged to allow the neighbor continued access to it. He cannot ban the neighbors from using the playset and he cannot completely obstruct access to the playset with a fence. The legal term is “easement.”

Generally, liability for injuries in/on the easement falls to the party who maintains the easement. So if the Hamms alone maintain the playset, they would be liable IF they would have been liable for an injury on a normal playset (i.e., not shared with the neighbors.) If both neighbors share the cost they share liability.

I’m probably missing a few Iowa nuances but sharing property usually works this way.

]]> By: ida http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-663353 ida Fri, 15 May 2009 13:29:52 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-663353 What a nightmare! I could write a book about all the things that will eventually go wrong here. A great idea but in the end, not practical.

]]> By: Laura http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-663352 Laura Fri, 15 May 2009 13:28:52 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-663352 Your ‘moderation’ (i.e. deletion) of my previous comments reeks.

“…most of the families are loathe to interrupt this…”

Loath is an adjective meaning reluctant.
Loathe is a verb meaning greatly dislike.

You have used loathe incorrectly. If you want to be a writer, this is something you should know. Really. It is on the most basic lists of misused words.

]]> By: Laura http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-663345 Laura Fri, 15 May 2009 13:17:38 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-663345 “…most of the families are loathe to interrupt this…”

You have used loathe incorrectly. If you want to be a writer, it is something you should know. Really. It is on the most basic lists of misused words.
loath: adjective meaning reluctant
loathe: verb meaning greatly dislike

And your ‘moderation’ (i.e. deletion) of my first comment reeks.

]]> By: getagrip http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-663313 getagrip Fri, 15 May 2009 11:57:46 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-663313 People worry about liability because even if the person or family doesn’t want to sue you, their insurance company most likely will as a cost recovery measure. Many medical insurance policies now include wording or require you to sign documentation to the effect that you allow them to sue someone in your name to recover costs and damages. So even if the other family didn’t intend to sue and figured their insurance would cover it, there’s a good chance their insurance company would sue you regardless of your neighbors feelings.

That said, I agree in essence that as long as you have a fair bit of insurance (I would recommend the umbrella policy), and a good agreement with your neighbors, this is a good thing. The probability of the kids getting more than bruises, scrapes, or bumps are fairly slim.

]]> By: S http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662902 S Fri, 15 May 2009 02:02:14 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662902 @ Dean the communist
socialized medicine is going to protect you if a kid breaks his neck and dies and the parents sue you for negligence.

]]> By: Dean http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662777 Dean Thu, 14 May 2009 23:45:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662777 How sad that people live in society where they have to worry about being legal liability for play equipment. Socalised medicine will solve that issue for you.

]]> By: steve in W MA http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662608 steve in W MA Thu, 14 May 2009 22:37:14 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662608 when I was a kid we all used to romp through each others’ yards and any of us kids felt free to cut across anyone’s property–respectfully.

There was actually a “trail” that threaded from our street, through two backyards, and two the next street that all the neighborhood kids used.

My how times seem to have changed!

Sometimes you just have to accept some risks to form relationships with people and realize everything can’t be “formalized” and protected against.

]]> By: Nik http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662470 Nik Thu, 14 May 2009 19:38:12 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662470 Given your last entry about haggling… ‘If you can’t afford extravagant playground equipment, why are you bothering buying it at all?’ Why don’t you play with your children yourself instead of leaving them to entertain themselves on the deathtraps that most playground equipment items are?
That sounds really judgemental and assinine, doesn’t it? That is very much how your statements in the previous entry sounded. Substitute ‘playground equipment’ for do-dads.
What? You’re building a sense of community? Maybe a bunch of kids being surpised by a few trifles will make a celebration a little more memorable and the kids can continue to bond while laughing at all of the silly little things the woman’s children picked out. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save a little money in both cases. You expanded your mind to get yourself out of that financial hole you were in, don’t stop now that you are comfortable.

]]> By: Just a guy... http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662451 Just a guy... Thu, 14 May 2009 18:58:15 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662451 I know this is off topic, but it makes me laugh at the irony of Trent’s 49 page book on a subject of everything you need to know on one page. Shouldn’t that mean there are 48 blank pages. Just kidding you Trent.

]]> By: Jules http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662436 Jules Thu, 14 May 2009 18:22:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662436 We used to live in an area where most of the houses had teensy tiny back yards, and to keep teenagers from tromping through the yards, most of the neighbors put up fences. Our yard, and those of our neighbors on either side of us, were the only ones without a fence, giving us (and our friends) a small football field’s worth of space.

]]> By: Joe http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662435 Joe Thu, 14 May 2009 18:21:09 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662435 It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. It’s more important to protect your hard-won assets than try to play nice with the neighbors. If you have this kind of arrangement, you should consider an umbrella policy. Personally, I wouldn’t gamble my house on the kindness of injured strangers. Recently, I had to put my foot down when our new neighbors started dropping hints about our treehouse, pool, and halfcourt.

]]> By: Marc http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/14/playground-equipment-an-example-of-sharing-resources-with-neighbors/#comment-662427 Marc Thu, 14 May 2009 18:10:05 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3600#comment-662427 Great post, my parents actually had a very similar arrangement when I was a child. The only difference was we had the playset but let the neighbours use it as they liked.

Eventually the neighbours put up a fence because they had a pool installed, of course they were very generous in letting us use the pool (supervised, somehow, of course).

It’s unfortunate that this kind of sharing/generosity might not happen because of legal concerns. They are legitimate since you never really know who can turn on you, but it’s a sad commentary on the obstacles to create a real community that exist these days. In my experience it was not an issue though, although fortuntely nobody was ever really hurt.

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