Ugh! What have I done?

[MikeERWNC]

This is my first year with LOR...

So I have a one hour show, 32 channels and 23,000 LEDs.

I must admit my show is totally badazz.

My local area has exploded with positive things to say about my house and my show.

No one here has ever attempted to do anything extraordinary at Christmas time.

 

However, the right of way across from my house is now officially a mud hole.

The massive amount of visitors leave massive amounts of trash each night.

The mud on the roadway is intense each morning.

 

How do you guys handle such situations?

 

 

 

Most of my neighbors enjoy the light show, except my closest neighbor.

There is a lot of flashing lights in their windows... I did offer to decorate their house and they promptly shut me down. Grinch's!

[Jeff Messer]

Go RGB and make it brighter for them.

 

Jeff

[Don]

Years ago I saw someone 'drop' their water bottle on the street. I walked outside, picked it up and gave it back to them. "You dropped something," I said handing it back to them. 

 

Depending on the nature of the right-a-way, I might be considering finding a way to block that off. (If it's possible.)

As for the trash, I would consider adding a voice-over in between the songs reminding people not to litter. Or if you really wanted to have fun with it, have The Demented Elf record you a voice over from Santa saying he has to send the elves out to pick up trash every night. If people keep littering, "I'll have to shut the show down in order to get the presents ready for the children on Christmas."

[JHolmes]

Start working on neighbor relations NOW or else you could get shut down in the future.

Perhaps helping them blackout windows they are concerned with or something?

 

The Demented Elf is a great guy and has quite the commanding voice.

I am using his work in a charity show right now .

 

You can certainly start with that but if the crowds get to be too much it might be wise to ask for the police to make a couple extra passes on your road. 

[rainyoregonchristmas]

Wish I had a crowd......But NW Oregon folks are afraid of the snow and cold.... some day I'll get to clean up after folks.  In the right of way, is there enough room, or is it appropriate to put out some straw?  Could help.  Also, go join the crowd.  Find a Santa wig, hat and maybe tacky sweater, great your guests, pass out candy canes.  If they know your there, will be less likely to leave trash... or maybe just add a trash can for them.

[bhunt240]

I was going to say the same..

Maybe some gravel or straw for the mud and as for the trash maybe voice overs to politely tell them to be kind and not to litter etc.. and also getting out to see the crowds if they get backed up isnt a bad idea as stated above so they know your there and watching the crowds

[Surfing4Dough]

http://www.thedementedelf.com/remository/admin/

You can use the free generic voice over titled "neighbors" from the Demented Elf or pay him a small fee to customize one for you.

[MikeERWNC]

I have several announcements running, I had to start that early on as I live on a mountain with two decent curves very close.

People were stopping on the double yellow to watch the show and like every neighborhood, people drive as fast as their car can go.

So they do pull off to the right.

It holds thirteen cars from one curve to the next. There are always thirteen cars and when one pulls out another moves in almost immediately.

 

My announcements say," Please pull off to the right to allow traffic to pass." Some say a small factoid about the lights. All ask to make a donation to a local elementary school playground fund.

The garbage can might be a good touch... My guess would be that it gets stolen.

 

My neighbors are totally good with it with the only one exception.

My next door neighbors who aren't the happiest, friendly people in the world have their house for sale anyways.

The next residents will be better.

Who says no when someone offers to hang three thousand LED's on your house?

 

OK... I gotta go rake the dirt off the roadway and back into the ruts.

[FarrOut]

Well, I'm not exactly disappointed, but I am somewhat surprised.

I seldom if ever see anyone watching my display.

This is my first year with LOR but I've had massive static displays for years.

I'm not really looking for traffic clogging visits, but I did expect a little more.

Oh well, the wife and grand kids like so that is the important thing.

[Surfing4Dough]

Well, I'm not exactly disappointed, but I am somewhat surprised.

I seldom if ever see anyone watching my display.

This is my first year with LOR but I've had massive static displays for years.

I'm not really looking for traffic clogging visits, but I did expect a little more.

Oh well, the wife and grand kids like so that is the important thing.

As they say, if you build it they will come. It takes a little time for the town to realize you did something different this year. Word of mouth will cause it to grow from there. You will notice some near Christmas.

[dgrant]

I think I would put a simple sign up out where the trash problem is, to please not litter and put a cheap trash can there. Long ago, a now ex-wife of mine and I were in the car heading home. We had eaten fast food and all of a sudden, she tosses the trash out the window while driving down the road. I quickly pulled over and backed up. Told her to get out and pick it up. She refused of course saying everybody does it. I told her, I'm not everybody and "we" weren't going to do that. I got out and picked it all up, deposited it all in her lap and told her I would throw it in "our" trash can when we got home. She was not exactly happy with me, but years later, she told me she never forgot that.

[plasmadrive]

I think I would put a simple sign up out where the trash problem is, to please not litter and put a cheap trash can there. Long ago, a now ex-wife of mine and I were in the car heading home. We had eaten fast food and all of a sudden, she tosses the trash out the window while driving down the road. I quickly pulled over and backed up. Told her to get out and pick it up. She refused of course saying everybody does it. I told her, I'm not everybody and "we" weren't going to do that. I got out and picked it all up, deposited it all in her lap and told her I would throw it in "our" trash can when we got home. She was not exactly happy with me, but years later, she told me she never forgot that.

Good on ya... that would have frosted my butt big time..

[gwallman1]

Agree with so many comments here.  All of the neighbors enjoy the show, but I also recognize that could change if the right set of circumstances occurred.  So, I include in my voice-over to please respect our neighbors and be sure they are not blocking a driveway and to turn their lights to parking lights only.  Our website also compliments our neighbors for their support.  But of all things related to the show, impact on our neighbors is #1 in my mind and I'm always trying to think of ways to be sure the show does not impact them negatively in any way.  So anything, from signs to voice-over to others asking people to be respectful of the area and not litter could go a long way.  You'd think people would have enough common sense not to need told.

As for FarrOut - I agree with Surfing4Dough.  Word of mouth takes time.  But also look for creative ways to get the word out.  Our city newspaper runs a contest for the "top 10 displays in Indy" every year.  If yours has something like that, send them your info.  If you have a smaller community paper, contact them about possibly running a story.....especially if you have a charitable feature to the show you can tie in, such as visitors dropping off canned food items to be donated to a local food pantry.  Anything like that to help get the word out, even if only to a select few, because then they start talking.  Just remember today's "problem" in a couple of years when the traffic is heavy and you worry about that end of things

[Tim Fischer]

In your announcements you have to thank the neighbors at the end of every show. Mine was something like, "Special thanks to all the neighbors for allow us to entertain you." right before sign off. They hear it... I thinik it it goes far to recognizing that your not creating your show in a vacuume.

I can tell you from experience - if you have neighbors that hate your show, a simple little voice-over isn't going to do one iota to change their mind.  I'm not saying it isn't a nice gesture, especially if you have neighbors who do like/tolerate your show.  I won't dig up old stories but I can guarantee you it isn't going to help.

 

Go RGB and make it brighter for them.

Not trying to jump down your throat Jeff but I've never understood that mentality.  "My neighbor is pissed off - lets [Foul Language Used] them off even further".  I'm not saying yo need to stop the display or quit expanding, but if you're doing things specifically to [Foul Language Used] someone off... why?  A rotten neighbor can only make your life worse.

-Tim

[MikeERWNC]

I am extremely lucky that my neighbors are very friendly.

They are also really old and I help most of them out when ever they need a hand.

My only next door neighbors owe me so many favors that even though they are related to the Grinch, they won't do anything negative no matter how annoying my show is.

 

I did just check out the Demented Elf site.

So I am broadcasting with Christmas music and Weather 1 & 2 at the end of every song.

At quarter to six there were already people parked in the mud hole which I just smoothed out this afternoon from last night.

It is raining here today and tomorrow, so maybe a small hiatus will be OK.

[MikeERWNC]

If you include your neighbors you will be much better off.

 

This year I personally decorated three houses with my extra lights.

I don't live in a housing development. Just a mountain top where a lot of old folks retired.

 

I asked one of my neighbors if I could do his house and he and his wife were an immediate yes.

The week I planned to do it the weather was bad.

They left on Thursday morning and I had not done their house.

He was meaning to call me and tell me not to worry about it.

Saturday night they came home about ten before the timer I set shut the lights down.

He said when he came around the curve and saw his house, he never imagined it could look so beautiful.

All I did was multi colored icicles and multi net lights on his shrubs.

The closer was the fact that I took the time to sweep off his roof while I had a ladder there.

He is nearing 80 and it is the little things that I try to do to help out my neighbors which will keep them all happy.

 

I won't add a track to thank them, but I will thank them Christmas Day when they are having dinner at my house.

 

My goal is to just put a smile on some faces.

I wish other would just think about the season before they toss their cigarette butt out the window.

 

 

 

I do feel bad about all the people who came out tonight to see the show.

It has been raining hard tonight here in the mountains.

I don't know why you would want to see a light show in the rain.

They just roll up stop in front of the house, then motor on. I imagine sadly.

 

There has been a lot of hype on the community Facebook... Wednesday it hits the newspaper.

[rainyoregonchristmas]

For my closest neighbor, I got them hooked on the hobby, kinda.  I do the work, they enjoy the results.  We're both at the entrance to the cul de sac across from one another.  So it works great to have two houses lit up and blinking.  I got them to buy a ELL set and I traded some elements with a fellow lighter to procure a controller.  I then spent several days building / repairing the elements then a day putting up the lights at their house and linked it in.  16 channels and a little elbow grease and I have happy neighbors. 

 

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=B391FEB1972280F0!250&authkey=!AN3RwVWmppN01jA&ithint=folder%2c

 

(The neighbors house)

[NV1985]

I'm new this year and I've talked to all my surrounding neighbors.  My two closest are older and retired and both of them gave me the go ahead "because they can't hear anything anyways".  lol   I've had the show going since Thanksgiving weekend and haven't had anyone come by and watch it except friends and family.  I don't want tons of traffic, but I was hoping for at least a car or two.  I think we are the only house that does this in our county and it seems like sometimes people want to stop but aren't quite sure what to do with it.  I get a lot of very very slow drivebys.   

[MikeERWNC]

Put up your radio sign and a few will get it.

I used 91.1FM because it takes less lights and man hours to build.

Every one thought I was supporting 911. Then I added TUNE IN and it was like magic.

They all came in full force!