Fencing your property can be helpful to both the aesthetics and safety of your home and those around you, that is, if it is your property to begin with.

How would you handle a random person reaming you out for a fence that is nowhere near your property? This guy took to Reddit about how he took on exactly this.

Here’s what went down.

I can’t fix a fence I don’t own

I was walking my dog past a rowboat club place where they do races and lessons.

Sometimes for events, the parking lot gets pretty full, and it was one of those days.

As I walked past the parking lot, an angry gentleman got my attention.

Not how you want your daily dog walk to start.

Disgruntled rowboat boomer: “You really need to fix that fence, it’s been like that for 6 months.”

He gestures to the fence between the rowing club and the house next door, which is broken and has fallen across part of the parking lot.

Me, confused but trying to be sympathetic: “I’m sorry, I don’t work here.”

A reasonable response.

Him: “I know that! But that’s your fence, so you need to fix it. Listen, I know it broke because of all that heavy snow we got this winter, but it’s been 6 months! It’s taking up 2, maybe 3 parking spots!”

Me: “Oh, that’s not my house either.”

He scowls in utter disbelief. “What do you mean, that’s not your house?”

Probably exactly what he said.

Me: “I’m just walking my dog, I live half a mile away.”

Him: “I’ve seen you around there! It’s not that hard, you pick up a phone book, you look up fence repair… it’s absolutely ridiculous, every time I come here it’s a giant pain to find parking.”

Me: “That’s really annoying but I don’t live there so I can’t help you.”

This guy is being way too patient.

Him: “Well she’s your neighbor then, can’t you tell her to fix her fence?”

Me: “She’s not really my neighbor, like I said I live half a mile away.”

Him: “But you talk to her! I saw you talk to her! This has been going on for 6 months and nothing’s changed!”

A lot of learned helplessness here.

I realized he just wanted to yell at somebody so I finally walked away.

I wished I threw his “phone book” comment at him and told him he should look up any random person and yell at them instead, they have just as much to do with this as me.

A wise realization, especially for an interaction happening in the moment.

Let’s see how Reddit weighed in on this one.

Some started with the rational takeaway.

Others cracked jokes.

One person related to the original poster.

Another pointed out how fruitless the man’s rage was.

And a person who worked for a fence company even chimed in.

Good neighbors don’t always make good fences.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.