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Niklaus Iten put up street signs in Therwil BL himself because the load from trucks drove him mad. It’s just stupid: Putting up street signs yourself is illegal.
Marian NadlerEditor News
The city council and resident David A.* (61) have been fighting for years because of a section of road on the slope above the town of Maienfeld GR. The conflict has now culminated in a roadblock that A. implemented without the city’s permission. It is not the first dispute over the right of way in Switzerland. Other curiosities have also caused disputes. A look back at the worst disputes between neighbors in recent years.
David A. wants his peace: “I want a driving ban in front of my house”(02:25)
Senior sets up his own street signs
In December last year, Blick reported on Schilder pensioner Niklaus Iten (79). The trucks on his private road were such a thorn in the side of the garage owner from Therwil BL that he put up street signs himself. Just stupid: His action was illegal. He did not want to accept the penalty order and a fine of 1,000 francs. The case is now being heard by the criminal court in Baselland.
Pepper spray against children and wheelchair users
A wild neighborhood dispute has been raging in Trimmis GR for over 20 years. Emil Bizenberger (74) attacked his neighbors in 2018. The pensioner defended the common driveway against other residents with all means, drew “his” border with a spray can on the ground. He also did not shy away from using pepper spray against a two-year-old child and a wheelchair user. Family father Mathieu G.* (41) feared for the life of his family at the time. The police had to move in and arrested Bizenberger for 24 hours. Online, the neighborhood terror described the police officers as criminals using “Nazi, Stasi, GDR, Rambo and Guantanamo methods”.
Automated gate locks couple out
A dispute in Kehrsiten NW made headlines in 2011. At that time, a rich entrepreneur from Bern blocked the Allemann couple’s access to their property with an automatic gate. The reason: the driveway led across his premises. Only the businessman and emergency services could open the gate, the Allemanns were locked out. The couple had to park their car in front of the gate and walk to the chalet via a 150 meter long narrow path with around 40 steps. Torment for Gabriele Allemann, who suffers from arthrosis. The post, the garbage disposal, the gardener and the craftsmen could no longer get through to the Allemanns’ house. The case ended up in court.
Strange cars are blocking the access to the parking lot
In 2015, the “Aargauer Zeitung” published a report on a clinch between two families in Kulm AG. On several occasions, a family has deliberately blocked access to their shelter for their neighbors, according to the allegation. A neighboring family complained and claimed that they had been denied access to the parking space five times with the help of other people’s cars.
This is how the right of way works
The right of way formally describes the right to use someone else’s property for passage. Neighbors in Switzerland can conclude a publicly notarized easement contract with one another for a right of way, for example for the passable route to the nearest public road, and have it entered in the land register. It must be clearly defined where and how the affected property may be crossed.
The exact routes must be drawn on a plan that is part of the easement contract. A property owner can enter someone else’s property in order to get to his own property. The right to walk or drive can also apply to tenants, housemates, visitors, suppliers or customers of the legitimate property owner, provided that the exercise is directly related to the use of the property provided for in the easement agreement.
For example, the establishment of a sales business on the property owner’s property does not have to be tolerated by the neighbor who has rights of way. Property owners and neighbors can make their own agreements about the maintenance of the path or road.
If there is no agreement between the parties, the so-called right of way comes into force in Switzerland. Within the framework of the right of way, people can assert in court that they are granted an emergency way – but with full compensation for the neighbor.
The right of way formally describes the right to use someone else’s property for passage. Neighbors in Switzerland can conclude a publicly notarized easement contract with one another for a right of way, for example for the passable route to the nearest public road, and have it entered in the land register. It must be clearly defined where and how the affected property may be crossed.
The exact routes must be drawn on a plan that is part of the easement contract. A property owner can enter someone else’s property in order to get to his own property. The right to walk or drive can also apply to tenants, housemates, visitors, suppliers or customers of the legitimate property owner, provided that the exercise is directly related to the use of the property provided for in the easement agreement.
For example, the establishment of a sales business on the property owner’s property does not have to be tolerated by the neighbor who has rights of way. Property owners and neighbors can make their own agreements about the maintenance of the path or road.
If there is no agreement between the parties, the so-called right of way comes into force in Switzerland. Within the framework of the right of way, people can assert in court that they are granted an emergency way – but with full compensation for the neighbor.
The foreign vehicles were apparently visitors to the blocker family. What followed were mutual accusations. The father of the neighboring family simply could not drive a car, the blocker family raged. The neighbors had no “brains”. The court ultimately decided on acquittal. It cannot be proven whether there was a violation of the right of way. According to the newspaper, however, there are always disputes between the two families that would end up in court.
Unrest in the countryside in Lyss BE
In Lyss BE, residents have not been fighting over the right of way since 2020, but have been fighting over cowbells. The bells of farmer Ueli Springs (57) cows apparently annoyed a neighbor so much that he wanted to obtain a ban. The dispute between farmer and newcomer occupies the authorities. Spring’s family has had animals on the farm for generations. The neighbor who lives in a building next to the farm wants one thing above all when he retires: peace and quiet! The two brawlers found a compromise. Instead of 15 cows, only one cow wears the Glöggli.
Neighborhood trouble in Lyss BE: That’s why Bauer Spring relies on cowbells(02:04)
Man sees red because neighbor is grilling lamb
In May 2022, a bizarre video also caused a stir on social media. It shows an angry man attacking his neighbor with a pickaxe and a fire extinguisher. The reason for the freak: the neighbor wanted to grill a lamb on an open fire. The grill master fended off the pimple attacks with a grill tool and alerted the police. However, he could not protect the grilled food: it received a good load from the fire extinguisher. The bizarre scene happened in Goppenstein VS. The attacker received a conditional fine of 45 daily rates of CHF 65 each. In addition, he has to pay a fine of 500 francs and the costs of the proceedings of 750 francs. The barbecue friend also demanded 1,000 francs in damages from his neighbor for the feast.
Because of grilling: Here a man with a pimple attacks his neighbor(02:03)
* Names known