The Great Carpezio
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Mar 30, 2023 16:44:39 GMT
I know if you live in a very large city, there are likely many (maybe your area/neighborhood instead?)
I am not really talking about people without homes or people you run into once or twice that are offensive (or are around for a season or a few months), but I am talking about someone who has been around for years bothering people.
In my area, we have "Superman." Sometime, probably early 90s, a guy who kind of looked like Superman would dress up in a full Sumerman costume and parade around on the main street of my community (area of about 100K). We always knew it was summer when we saw Superman out. I had heard some rumors that he could be a jerk, but I know he also got some hecklers...but in those early years, I think people were mostly giving him the attention he was craving in a positive to neutral way. Sometimes Spiderman and other characters would even join him LOL.
Over the years he got larger in size and finally moved out of his costume and into just a Superman t-shirt and sweatpants. I am not sure if he always had an American flag, but I don't feel like he did at first---probably around 2001-war or terrorism time? (I know other locals are on the board and maybe can correct me). Over the years he got more and more vocal and was asked to move from certain properties.
Then, sometimes during Obama or the start of Trump-time, he was waving an American flag and a confederate flag....I believe he was kicked off our local state college for saying things to women and trying to intimidate people. Things really started to escalate in his behavior.
Now over the last few years, he mostly just drives around in his SUV with Trump flags, Trump stickers, F Joe Biden stuff all over it. Instead of just the summer time, I see him around town ALL the time. He has a "Dixie" horn, and I have seen him yell (sometimes back and forth) with people as he drives by. In the summer, he drives with his hand out of the sun roof. In the winter, I see him parked in a main lot on the main drag---because of where and when I drive my son to practice, I see him multiple times a week and sometimes multiple times in the same night in different parts of town. The other week, I was "lucky" enough to hear him scream back and forth with a couple guys...glad there were not young kids around.
Anyway, do you have long-time obnoxious people like this in your town? We have had other Trump trucks and "unique" characters over the years, but it amazes me that he has been doing this for at least 30 years and it has become worse, unfortunately.
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Post by wholarmor on Mar 30, 2023 17:07:36 GMT
We have a guy that goes back and forth between Moscow,ID and Pullman, WA. They are bordering towns. He drives the "free speech mobile" or truck with 4 big flags. I think they are interchangeable. They mostly say things like "F Biden" and "Trump 2024" and some other "America only" flags. He drives around the Walmart parking lots usually(probably complaining about the price of gas). He has a crazy Facebook page apparently. I've never bothered to give him the attention. He has threatened to kill people. I don't engage.
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Post by katlady on Mar 30, 2023 17:45:00 GMT
The city I live in is too big for me to see the same person all the time. I hear about a few on NextDoor, but I never see the actual person myself. It is usually the homeless people that people complain about, and we have a lot of them. Maybe if I lived closer to the downtown area I would know of one, but in my suburban housing tract, I don’t know of any.
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snyder
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Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Mar 30, 2023 17:52:57 GMT
Before I retired, I use to work in our downtown area, so not sure if this person is still around, but he use to walk the streets carrying a huge wooden cross. He would get up close to people and yell "you're going to hell and need to repent"! I know he was warned to keep out of people's space, but that didn't stop him from yelling at the top of his lungs about some religeous rant.
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Post by KikiPea on Mar 30, 2023 18:15:22 GMT
There used to be one in our neighborhood. He was loud and obnoxious, and would drive his truck through the landscaping. He had a skull and crossbones flag that he’d put out when his wife was gone. Eventually, they got a trailer that was parked (illegally per HOA) that he lived in after his wife kicked him out. Finally, he was arrested and she filed for divorce. (Smart move.)
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Post by workingclassdog on Mar 30, 2023 18:22:08 GMT
Downtown Denver used to be the robot man. Not sure if he is still around but he is kinda famous.
Robo Mike I think is his name. He really wasn't too obnoxious. I have seen him several times over the years. Not sure if he is still around or not.
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casii
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Post by casii on Mar 30, 2023 18:40:53 GMT
I can say we have some characters, but none quite as unhinged as what you describe. I kind of miss the elderly man who used to drive around town on his lawn mower, sometimes pulling a trailer with his dogs in it.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Mar 30, 2023 18:52:30 GMT
I can say we have some characters, but none quite as unhinged as what you describe. I kind of miss the elderly man who used to drive around town on his lawn mower, sometimes pulling a trailer with his dogs in it. My mom's neighbor....everyone knows him in the area....Dave! He is in his mid-70s, has a couple golf carts and knows everyone's business. My phone, when it rings from him---and it does from time to time---says, "IT'S DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVEEEEE." (just so I get prepared) I usually answer just in case something is up with my mom, but sometimes when I know she is OK, I ignore it. 2/3 of the time he "meant to call Mary" (my mom LOL--some of those times are mistakes and sometimes he is just curious about something...he knows ALL the gossip). |
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Post by femalebusiness on Mar 30, 2023 19:20:36 GMT
We had one. From the time he was in kindergarten he raised hell and was destructive to everyone's property. His mother thought it was cute. As a young adult he drove his truck with the huge confederate flag and blaring inappropriate music and brought his low life friends into the neighborhood. He finally went to prison for a while. Then he got out and started up again. He hung himself in his backyard and I don't know of one person who was sorry.
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Lurkingpea
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Apr 24, 2022 18:37:20 GMT
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Post by Lurkingpea on Mar 30, 2023 19:54:17 GMT
Not a nuisance. When I was in college in Seattle there was a man that dressed up like Sammy Davis Jr. He would dance on street corners. Velvet suit. Ruffled shirt. We loved him.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Mar 30, 2023 19:56:08 GMT
When I saw your post I immediately thought of “Superman” or now he is more like a Trump Superfan. Even before I saw who posted.  I have heard from other people who are “in the know” that he is a veteran and has mental health problems. I have also heard that he was been in trouble for sexual assault but don’t know the extent of it. He seems to drive around the area pretty much all day every day and parks in various parking lots, sometimes yelling at people. |
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Post by Linda on Mar 30, 2023 20:10:23 GMT
I'm having a hard time with the labelling of people as nuisances. I think many places have local characters - some (many?) of whom have mental illnesses or autism etc... They often have sad stories.
But yes - there were people like this in my "home" town - and they are remembered fondly by many - judging by the posts on the If You Grew up in (town) FB groups. And there are a couple in the town I live in now. M, is elderly and homeless and I feel like she might have lost a child(ren) in her past as she pushes a baby pram with a doll and loves seeing and talking to babies and toddlers. There's a man who pushes his bike around town and always smiles and waves but doesn't seem to talk beyond repeating phrases...I supect he has autism and/or a developmental delay. I'm sure there are people who consider them nuisances but people also ask about them on the community pages if they haven't been seen for several days.
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TXMary
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And so many nights I just dream of the ocean. God, I wish I was sailin' again.
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Post by TXMary on Mar 30, 2023 20:14:13 GMT
We have one guy who hangs out on the busiest street in town and runs into traffic and hollers obscenities at passing cars and makes obscene gestures. He's been arrested a few times. He's in his 20s now. His dad is a doctor at the hospital (major medical center) and doesn't seem to take much responsibility for him and he clearly has huge issues. I think the mom died. I personally have never seen him but I don't hang out in that area much. DH works there. I don't know if he's seen him before or not. He's often the talk of the town Facebook group. Some people think he's sweet. Others think he's dangerous. He's always controversial. The town is roughly 82,000 with a small town vibe.
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Tearisci
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Post by Tearisci on Mar 30, 2023 20:25:52 GMT
When I lived smack dab in the middle of downtown DC (Shaw), there was a guy who dressed in a penguin suit and would walk around. I lived above a grocery store and he would sometimes harass people as they were getting into their cars. He seemed mostly harmless though.
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Post by pastlifepea on Mar 30, 2023 22:28:49 GMT
We have the Ybor shoe licker. He's very well known in Tampa area and apparently on Google too. I don't think he really is much of a nuisance but definitely a character and yes, he totally licks stranger's shoes but is apparently respectful about it.
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Post by ntsf on Mar 30, 2023 22:36:50 GMT
I lived across the street from a local asshole.. came to my door one day at 7 am to tell me what a lousy neighbor I was. yelled at my kids, etc.
he died. neighborhood folks were glad. the house has not been lived in since--in about 8 yrs.
it is being remodeled now.
this guy had serious alcohol problems.
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peabay
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Mar 30, 2023 22:39:47 GMT
Yes. This guy used to power walk his dog with no leash all around town blaring music and yelling at people to get out of his way. He was sort of benign for a while and then he started to become really menacing - so much so that the police had to become involved.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 31, 2023 4:30:25 GMT
Years ago my sister had a part time job at a small gift store in a shopping mall. There was this one lady who would come in multiple times a week looking around at everything in the store. She would point to all the stuff she liked and would repeatedly ask, “Is this free? Is *this* free?” Um, no… this is a store and everything in here costs money! 🙄 She was harmless but annoying and drove all the employees crazy every time she came in.
When I worked as a loan processor we had this one lady in particular who would come in and apply for loans she had no hope of ever obtaining, pretty regularly and usually when the moon was full (no lie, it was weird). What sucked was that because of the lending regulations we had to follow, every time she came in and filled out an application for a loan we had to do our due diligence and do all the legwork for the application just to deny her every.single.time. It was so irritating and sad because it was such a huge waste of time and resources when we knew how it was all going to go the minute we saw her come in the door.
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Post by cecilia on Mar 31, 2023 7:51:32 GMT
Open Mic night has 2. One means we'll (I think) but is very weird in one on one social interactions.
Example:
Me: "Baby (rescue) has been with me for 3 years now".
Him: "I've been with women that long".
Me, to myself: "WTF?"
He also did really over the top reactions to me sharing that I had finally gotten allergy tests and got results.
Other one I only know by a nickname, travels around the US and comes to where I live during the winter. Same with other guy, very weird in one on one social interactions.
Neighborhood--
we have one who blares music; one who thinks everyone is out to get her and her husband; one who tries to police everyone's level of noise during the day; and one who refuses to keep dogs up.
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RedSquirrelUK
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Mar 31, 2023 9:05:32 GMT
In my English town of 30,000 we have characters, not nuisances.
Two who spring to mind are the alcoholic who is often seen trying to stay upright on street corners, and the elderly chap who takes his macaw to the supermarket. He's not allowed to bring it inside, but he sits in his Land Rover in the car park with it perched in the open window, leaving white streaks all down the door. He's really friendly, and very happy to chat.
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Post by malibou on Mar 31, 2023 11:40:51 GMT
I went to Berkeley with the naked guy. I had 2 classes with him and he participated in a study group I was in. He was trying to make a statement about what is considered normalcy. Many people found him to be a nuisance, and he got kicked out at the end of the semester. He was a smart, funny guy. Naked guy |
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Post by MissBianca on Mar 31, 2023 12:26:59 GMT
In our old town we have the guy that either waves or flips you off as you drive past his house. Some people think it depends on the speed you are driving but a few of us do the same speed every day and I think it depends on what kind of mood he’s in.
He has escalated to signs lately but we’ve moved so I don’t know what they say but I’ve heard they are pretty offensive.
We also have a few trump and confederate flag wavers but they seem to get their just desserts in town. One is now unemployed and the other had major car trouble and no one came to his rescue.
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Post by ferblover on Mar 31, 2023 12:48:06 GMT
We have a lady that gets into peoples cars and won't get out until you drive her to where she wants to go. She makes her way between like 3 neighboring towns and it is quite unnerving. You could simply be loading groceries in your car and she opens the door and gets in. If you have your kids in the car it is super unnerving. As soon as she hits the store parking lots in the town, Facebook and NextDoor announcements go out, "watch out car lady is on the prowl"
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:22:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2023 13:20:05 GMT
Oh my, I know exactly what city OP's Superman is in. He gets the award for persistence. I've also noticed he has morphed into being angrier (and in sweatpants) over the years. It has always surprised me that between him, and the many panhandlers on the corners, that they don't do more to keep them a safe distance from the major roads they are so close to. There is one lady that is willing to dart into traffic if you make eye contact with her, granted it's a stop light but when it changes, people GO.
I can think of some nuisances that have come and gone and I've seen many that must be their town nuisance in my line of work (thinking of you, cat house and rat house) but the one I remember is a guy from all the years when I was growing up. Every day he hitched a ride into town (at least 3 miles) in the morning to go to the bar and then late at night to get back home. Sometimes he'd end up passed out on the side of the road and it was a main state highway in a rural area. Not too many years after I went off to college, he had apparently died by getting hit by a car on his way home in the dark. I'm surprised he made it as many years as he did.
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Post by 950nancy on Mar 31, 2023 13:48:00 GMT
I am sure we have a few downtown, but I rarely end up there and avoid seeing the local "character." I guess character and nuisance are completely interchangeable depending on your perspective. If someone annoys you, they are a nuisance. We do have a few people who drive their large trucks some with balls and multiple Trump flags. I never see females in the trucks though.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:22:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2023 14:49:59 GMT
There's a local porch pirate that everyone seems to know but the police does very little about her until she steals a car, which she does within a month of being released.
There's an extremely racist guy that used to live in our previous neighborhood. He was awful. He's all over the local groups and news channel posting hateful things and conspiracy theories. He moved further out to the country where he can have as many signs as he wants because the township won't enforce their own ordinances.
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