Crazy Neighbor-- need advice

[Rodyland]

I say tell her to fuck off, and then remove the computer for a week. Then when she complains about the vibrations, invite her in and show her that the computer is 'in the shop'.

This of course assumes it's not actually the computer that's the problem.

[Dildo Faggins]

Ive dealt with some crazy bitches in my life, so let me help you break this down.

First off, stuff like this is usually a sign of a mental disorder. Anxiety and lack of sleep because of it, and chills is a degrading process. When i knew someone who fell into this cycle of gaining anxiety, they then did what most people would do. Instead of admiting there may be fault with them, they searched for an external cause to blame it on. The major problem with this, though it may be some sort of psychological protection is that it feeds the anxiety upon itself, as what they choose will nearly always be something they have little control over.

I say that to help you understand, that this lady is most likely spying on you. She is probably listening to you through the floor, possibly with a stethoscope or similar or through the vents. Even on nights you arent using the computer, she probably dutifully hops from bed worried, and will listen. She wont hear things that dont exist, she isnt insane yet, though, and will try to go to sleep, but wont blame you for it when she cant.

The person I knew who had a break down started out similarily. Mental disorders dont form overnight or over weeks like in the movies, if i had known at the time what to look for, I would of noticed signs about 4-6 years before it became apparent that she was basically going insane. This is part of a vicious cycle that will feed upon itself indefinately.

So how do you combat this? Dealing with someone who is going crazy is a gigantic pile of shit, and i wouldnt stick my hand in it unless they were a REAL good friend, so you cant ask her to get help, which is what she needs. You need to learn to think like she does. Do you use speakers? If you do, stop. Buy a pair of headphones and switch things out. As for the computer vibrating at those frequencies she listed as possibly dangerous, admit that they could be dangerous, but get proof that your computer doesnt emit those frequencies. What speed is your fan, your HD...

If she continues to insist that it is you, make it her responsibility to prove that your computer does any of the harmful things. Its a pretty easy responsibility to give, because it doesnt. Ask for her to prevent evidence that any computer part ever produces harmful effects like that when running. She wont be able to produce anything. If your landlord wants to press and try to get you in trouble for using a computer, it shouldnt take much effort to twist that back at him. Ban someone from using their computer, what about TVs? You could call the local news agency and tell them that your complex wants to ban TVs and computers, they might actually run a story that rediuclous.

And of course, there is passive resistance. If she keeps complaining, complaina bout rediculous things in a serious nature yourself. Every time she runs a faucet or takes a shower, complain that the water pipes are vibrating and giving you headaches. Call her and file complaints at the office. Every time her washer is run, complain about the noise. Complain that on teusday nights you smell rancid farts coming from her place. Every little detail, complain.

Dont argue against her ideas, just argue against her use of them, Do directly defy her or the landlord, and you should be safe.

Of course, you could just get a job and buy a house like a normal fucker.

[Blumpster]

She's fucking nuts. How the hell can vibrations from a computer keep someone awake? I'm feeling the side of my computer case right now and with my hand DIRECTLY ON IT I can barely feel anything. I have 3 case fans, 2 fans in the PSU and my CPU fan. I sleep with my computer running every damn night, the mother fucker lulls me to sleep with its pleasant humming and promises of gaming glory in the morning. Your computer is either extremely loud for some reason (probably the case fans, just disconnect them for a few days and see if she still notices it) or she sleeps on the floor and is attempting to cause beef for whatever reason (my guess is insanity).

I'd try to remember if there's anything within the past month you've done to offend this crazy lune. If she starts complaining to the landlord just bring him into your house and show him all the shit you've down. I mean, your computer is sitting on a foam pad. That's fucked up by itself.

[Taranatar]

The best way is to either make her the one to solve the problem, or if you think she's the type to go ballistic, take it to court... yes, court.

You could probably easily enough get a restraining order on her, due to the fact she continually complains about something so trivial. At this point, the only thing she can do is escalate it within the legal system, which I think if she would bring it to court it would be thrown out on a 'ridiculous charge' ruling.

[Ronne]

She is out of her fucking gord. Either move or get her to move, as even if you solve the 'vibration' problem something else will keep her up, I garauntee it. She mentions you and your wife going to bed at 12:45 in one of her emails, which means she is actively monitoring your behavior, unless you're fucking hosting Animal House in your apartment untill exactly 12:45.

Show the landlord your computer, and unless you happen to have the Ultimate Nullifier sitting in your living room, he'll instantly see that she is insane.

[Opulis]

I had an idea while I was outside thinking about this:

Do you have a long lease contract with your management company / landlord? If so, and I'll pretend it's a year for sake of argument, it may be a sheer act of genius for her. Let me explain.

If she is relatively new on the lease, again I'll pretend she is on month three of a one year contract, instead of working with the management company/landlord to pay exit fees or work through the court system to be absolved of her lease contract, she may be meticulously documenting a 'medical' problem which is relatively unverifiable in order to pester her way out of a lease.

For me, I was planning on studying abroad in Japan last quarter because I was accepted to a rather prestigious program in Yokohama through UCSB, but I did not go because I still had 7 months left on my lease contract that I couldn't get out of. I would have ended up paying for my apartment while I was in Japan which would have been a huge waste of money.

Applying this or similar ideas to her, if something has come up in her life that altered her short term plan (she is moving in with someone else around month 7 of the lease, or wants to go to a different city, whatever) she may just be trying to pester her way out of her lease through this 'medical' problem of sleep / vibration. If she continues it long enough, your landlord would probably be happy to see her go and let her out of the lease in order to stop dealing with the headache or avoid going to court.

Anyway, I defininately agree that you should invite your landlord into your unit, turn on your computer, then have him go upstairs to check into this alleged 'vibration'. Then, I would go as far as to tell him you are considering a form of vigilantism or verbal confrontation with your neighbor, because she is obviously spying on you (as shown through the email stating you and your wife went to bed at 12:45), or seems to know exactly what you are doing.

Tell him it is causing you and your wife to be fearful about the mental stability of the woman, to cry wolf over something so trivial and to be scrutinizing your daily life, and therefore feel obligated to protect yourself in some way whether through confrontation, civil courts, or police intervention because of late night phone calls or emails.

Anyway, I wish I had thought of trying something along these lines to get out of my lease. I'd have had one happy quarter abroad.

[PatrickStar]

All I have to say is the mere fact you haven't punched her in the face makes you a far, far better man than me. That bitch is crazy.

[mewkus]

put something heavy on top of the case

[kcxiv]

I live next to the train tracks, and i dont even wake up to the fucking horn. She's trippen.

Also, your fucked in the summer time when you have to turn on housefans.lol

[Mythas]

The way i see it do one of two things. Get you and the LL and with her permission enter her residence while you have the computer on see if you actually can hear / feel vibrations. If yes, uh, find something to do about it. If no, call her batshit insane on the spot and tell her not to bother you again.

OR

Make friends with a blacksmith have him create a shield, corinthian helmet, and a spear and with those equiped knock on her door and as loud as you can yell "THIS IS SPARTA" and stab her in the face

[Rotanee]

Buy a little fan that you can't hear, put it on the floor somewhere and turn it on. Leave it on 24x7. It might mask the problem.

Keep the computer from sitting on anything that is solid, and use lots of soft, soft cushioning. Foam won't work if it is thin or firm, assuming the computer is even the problem. Put the computer on top of a few folded up thick blankets, a folded sleeping bag or something (but not wrapped around it of course). I had a similar problem with this old lady I rented a room from back in college, and used a sleeping bag, worked great.

A stand or anything solid you set the computer on will just transfer vibrations if they exist into the floor.

[Aulirophile]

She knows exactly when you and your wife went to bed in that one e-mail. Dildo has it right, she's having a breakdown and spying on you.

[Burf]

Tell her that when she wakes up at 4am, you can hear her walking around her apartment, and it's keeping you from getting 8 hours of sleep. Then, when you're tired, run her over in your car. Her e-mail will be proof that it was not your fault because you were tired.

Seriously, though, she's crazy and getting herself worked up.

[...]

I also think she's spying on you. I'd really think other house noises and vibrations would be more prominent to her mutant vibro-senses. I think she's just crazy and/or using you as a scapegoat for her problems. No book written yet? She'll claim stressful living conditions to whoever she reports to about that.

[Vorph]

Originally Posted by Opulis

If she is relatively new on the lease, again I'll pretend she is on month three of a one year contract, instead of working with the management company/landlord to pay exit fees or work through the court system to be absolved of her lease contract, she may be meticulously documenting a 'medical' problem which is relatively unverifiable in order to pester her way out of a lease.

That's exactly what a couple assholes living below me in Atlanta did once.

This sounds more like just your run of the mill nutcase though. There is just no fucking way a normal person could stand to be in a room with a computer that vibrated so much that someone else could feel it through a ceiling.

Having said that, here's what you need to reduce noise and vibration to next to nothing in an aluminum case:

1 set per HD - Hard Disk Drive Anti-Vibration Screws - 4 Pack - FrozenCPU.com

For your PSU - Vantec PSU Vibration Dampener Kit - FrozenCPU.com

For case fans, look here - Fan Silencers | Page 1 | Sort By: Product Title A-Z - FrozenCPU.com

And finally, a Dynamat computer kit to finish it off. I'd probably buy that from Ebay, you can find kits for cheap ($10 instead of $30) there.

Edit: I don't which kind of feet your Lian Li case uses, but if you've got metal touching wood or thin carpet, you need something to go in between.