After several months of various neighbors complaining to a subdivision HOA about their common area sprinklers "watering" the roadway, I solved the problem temporarily for all of us locals.
They run these darn things just about every morning at 6am. It's a well traveled route for vehicle and bike traffic. Yesterday AM was the last straw, I was biking down the road at first light on my way to meet some friends for our usual Sunday ride. The first vehicle of the morning comes up behind me causing me to pay attention to my road position, just then I get hit in the face with a stream of water. The sprinklers just came on, and almost scared me off the bike into the path of the car. Sadly I let my emotions take over and kicked the heads off three sprinklers before I felt vindicated. (Surprising how easy they break off, I almost lost my balance after the first one.)
I also have a black car and at least once a week I get caught in the spray and runoff from these sprinklers. It means I have to carry microfiber towels to wipe down the car each time. I even block their main entrance to wipe down, doesn't seem to phase any of the property owners.
Yes, I know I did wrong, but that's not my problem. I would probably ignore it, but I think they may have cameras at their main gate. My dilemma is:

1. Should I leave a note at the gate confessing and leaving someone else's name and phone number on it?
2. Should I shave my beard and cut my hair so I can't be recognized?
3. Should I stop riding my bike for a month or two until it blows over?
4. Should I go by again riding in front of the camera wearing my F150Online t-shirt with R-A-O-U-L spelled out across the back?
5. Confess to the HOA and pay for the sprinkler heads?

Yes, most of the crap above is fiction, but do any of you get upset at neighborhoods and businesses that let their sprinklers loose on the roads you have to travel. Am I the only one with such a short fuse it pushes me over the edge of sanity and causes me to go into rants with the owners?
An added insult is the fact that these are newer neighborhoods and they specifically drill wells for irrigation purposes while using the municipal water system for their homes. Those of us that are old time county residents are still on well and septic and are denied municipal water access even if we wanted it. (Of course, we still pay taxes at the same rate.)

 

Confess to the HOA and say, "it's Bush's fault." You have a greater than a 50 percent chance they will let you off. Hell, they might applaud you for doing it.

 

NEVER live anywhere there is a HOA, move to the country and really LIVE..

 

Amen!

 

Those sprinkler heads can be adjusted pretty easily. Either call a sprinkler place and get the tool for about $5 or take a screwdriver down there and get at it. I Personally like the way you "handled" the situation in your story.

 

option 6 dont worry about it.

 

The best way to solve this issue is get the HOA to reset the timers so the sprinklers run in the middle of the night. 2 to 4 am should have minimum impact on people and is actually the right time to water. Then again, if they are too unconcerned to adjust the heads, I doubt they would do that either. Morons. That's what you get when you use low bidder or "sweetheart" contract for facilities maintenance.

 

x3, although I'm still in the burbs, I searched for a long time for no HOA period. was a deal breaker.

although I do recommend a low profile for awhile & anonymous restitution.

 

My bike bag always has one of these and a bar of soap.
I take advantage of ill-turned sprinklers at every oppurtunity and they seemed to get re-adjusted the same day.

Sincerely,
the naked raoul
battling HOAs one woo-woo at a time

 

 

Oh...My...Gosh!

 

I'm not a fan of bicyclists because lance armstrong's buddies have almost gotten me killed more than once but that little bike bag idea has my support.

You can also give the .22 method a try. Hide a .22 rimfire and a box of ammo under your truck at about midnight. Get up a bit early so that your laying under your truck (for cover from cameras) when the waterworks come on. Just shoot the base of the water streams. You can lay in the bed of your truck if you have a tonneu cover. That will protect you from cameras and neighbors...might also give you an opportunity to get rid of that pesky neighbor's cat.

 

X4...and 5...and 6!!!

But seriously, if the cameras caught you, confess and state your reasons for going off on their sprinkler heads. Offer to pay for new heads but request that when they are installed, the new ones be adjusted so they aren't watering everything except the grass.