We Kid You Not Childfree Forums

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/...96996.html

TORONTO - Marika De Florio is using bare breasts to win a feud with her neighbours.

The 56-year-old says she is sick and tired of her neighbours' five-year-old grandson driving a loud all-terrain vehicle for hours on her quiet street in Seeley's Bay, near Kingston. So she found a solution under her shirt.

De Florio has discovered that if she goes out topless, the boy's horrified grandparents rush the child into the house.

And she said she will continue to go topless every time the child rides the ATV.

"It is maddening," she said of the noise.

"I'm going mental. I can't breathe and I'm not moving, but I need some peace. I can't believe I did this, but they pulled the kid inside and then called police because of their small-town mentality."

De Florio says the problems with her neighbours, Mike and Nancy Berry, started two years ago when she moved to the area.

Leeds OPP, which covers Seeley's Bay, have received complaint calls from both De Florio and the Berrys.

She is not breaking the law, because in Canada women are allowed to be topless.

"There is not a criminal charge for that ... not since 1996," said Toronto Police Const. Isabelle Cotton.

De Florio says she decided to go topless to solve the problem because police wouldn't do anything about the ATV noise. She said it's the bravest thing she has ever done.

"I'll do what I have to to eradicate this problem," she said.

Mike Berry says he is also at the end of his rope.

"I'm not happy with what has been going on," he said. "We need a little give and take. It isn't right to go around topless in front of kids."

Bare-breasted protesting has gained notoriety and popularity over the past decade.

Former University of Guelph student Gwen Jacobs caused an uproar when she strolled topless down the street on a hot summer day in July 1991.

She fought all the way to the Ontario Court of Appeal and won the right for women in the province to go shirtless in public, so long as they are not seeking commercial gain or displaying overt sexuality.

Protest groups, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have grabbed media attention around the world by protesting activities ranging from bullfighting to wearing fur with staged PR stunts using topless women.

And women across North America have engaged in a number of topless protests over the right to breastfeed in public.

I applaud this woman's ingenuity. What kind of loon allows a five-year-old to ride an ATV unsupervised? Are they trying to get rid of him?

I love the solution. Why a five year old is on a motorized vehicle is beyond me. I wouldn't trust one on a tricycle yet alone a vehicle that can do in excess of 25 mph.

I really wish the article had some facts about the noise issue along with the legality and safety of the off private property use of the ATV by a small child.

In Ontario, there are noise laws, ATV's are not legal for public property and a small child is not legal to use them in any public setting.
There is also the issue of endangering the child.
Enforce the damn laws- 2 years of this crap is torture!

Awesome!!! I love this woman!

ATVs SUCK and kids on them really suck. One of our neighbors has a friend who brings his over periodically. Because we live on a dead end street all the neighborhood brats go ripping up and down - back and forth for hours... (some are UNDER 5yo, btw!) without helmets. I consider it a form of natural selection. But a highly annoying one.

I have to say I'm surprised the police won't stop the kid from riding the ATV - in the States they aren't legal for street operation - you are not allowed to ride them where cars are. Not that this law stops our neighbors - oh no! BUT - technically it IS illegal. They have no license for the street.

Good for her! A very ingenious idea.

I too would like to know why a five year old is driving an ATV. I'm sure there must be a law about that.

She can't be the only person who is annoyed by this. There must be other neighbours she can join forces with. If enough people complain, there will be something done about it.

NKB, people are routinely afraid to complain about neighbors. We have a friend whose new neighbor is an obvious crack dealer. She won't call the cops because she's afraid they'll do something to her. That may be a USAian thing, but it's very common. I am willing to take my chances, but BJ always gets agitated when I do. She also thinks a misbehaving neighbor will try to do something to us, the property or the dogs if we call the police.

Good for her! I certainly wouldn't do it, but it seems to be working for her, plus it's not illegal there.

I wonder if the irate Duh who is bitching about bare breasts in front of the chyldrun is one of those hypocrites who also believe that women should be able to breastfeed in public!

I wonder if I did that, the people upstairs would keep their brat from screaming all the time for no reason. No, not crying.. screaming like someone is killing it..

eslbee makes a good point. Neighbors can do some sick and twisted things if they think you are responsible, especially if you have animals. Calling the cops doesn't always work because if there is no obvious proof then they'll just write up a report which will end up in some file cabinet to collect dust. Even if there is proof of wrong-doing by the neighbors you get the joy of dealing with the court system which is a joke at best and a punishment to the innocent at worst.

Our neighbors are scaredy-cats, so to speak. We have one neighbor who is a freaking cop and he won't say anything to our overgrown frat-boy neighbor who has parties until 4AM with people screaming and yelling. He's afraid, I guess.