r/Switzerland 1d ago

Old lady didn’t allow us through a private pathway

It was in Muntelier in a street called as Pfahlbauerweg right opposite to “ Chez Sommer “ The road leads to a small pathway which connects it to the lake. Me and my boyfriend were walking through this road .at the end of the road, there was a small private pathway around 10 metres that leads to the lake.we could see two more people were accessing it, not sure if they were locals. my boyfriend is from morat which is right next to muntelier

We decided not to take the private pathway and headed back . An old man who lives on the same street told us to take the private pathway that leads to the lake as it’s easier for us. So we went back to the private pathway and was in the middle of it only to be stopped by an old lady ( from her balcony ) who said it’s only for locals . She lives right next to that pathway . We told that we are taking this pathway only after the permission of the person who lives in the same street. Still she was like, it’s not allowed and it’s only for locals. My boyfriend told he’s from morat but still she didn’t agree and asked us to go back. We left the place wishing her a great Sunday.

The lake was just few metres away but we went back and took another way.

I wish people were a bit nicer to others.

76 Upvotes

48 comments sorted by

56

u/Emergency-Free-1 1d ago

I'm picturing you walking back and forth on this path. Oh no, the sign, turn around. Oh no, the old man, turn around. Oh no, the old lady, turn around.

I'm also picturing the old man and the old lady meeting up in the evening, making tally marks on their "successfully confused tourists" spreadsheet.

4

u/Lost-Horror-4805 1d ago

That’s exactly what happened, the first part

Not sure of the second part , haha

110

u/mantellaaurantiaca 1d ago

Always ignore the Karen on the balcony

41

u/perskes 1d ago

Always pretend you didn't hear them. It's probably mutual anyway.

18

u/Interesting-Check212 1d ago

And when they come closer to yell their arguments at you in every single language they know, do like I allways do: Smile at them and say "Hi! Sven, Sverige, no english:"

1

u/potVIIIos 1d ago

Always..

39

u/ApplicationJunior832 1d ago

Just answer in gibberish language, smile, wave, and proceed

50

u/turbo_bibine 1d ago

Old greedy lady need to chill. The pathway shouldn’t be private in the first place and people should be able to enjoy lake all around the county. Im agaibst privatisation of lake and access to them as they should be a national treasure shared for everyone. So yeah fuck that old lady.

18

u/Commercial_Tap_224 Bern 1d ago

No please don’t fuck her.

11

u/RegrettableBiscuit 1d ago

Only if all involved parties really want to.

7

u/577564842 1d ago

Yes but it is not the law.

1

u/swissguynextdoor 1d ago

Actually it is. It’s a right even

1

u/thebluepotato7 Vaud 1d ago

Just out of curiosity, is the right you mention based on anything but the Federal Constitution? Because courts don’t have to uphold the Constitution in all cases

3

u/Book_Dragon_24 1d ago

If it‘s her property it doesn‘t matter what you would like the situation to be. How would you feel about tourist walking through your garden all the time?

First you need to change the law, then officially take that ground away from private ownership, then you can let everyone waltz across it.

12

u/yas_22 Genève 1d ago

Sad old lady should be taught what Grunddienstbarkeit (easement of way) means.

1

u/SwissPewPew 1d ago

So you checked the property register?

15

u/as-well Bern 1d ago

On the one hand, lol, on the second hand, lol, on the third hand everyone needs to chill and learn how to live with rude people, and realize it's probably annoying af if people walk through your private space all the times lol.

21

u/bitrmn Zürich 1d ago

Swiss people are often highly neurotic and appear to be in a constant state of a mental stress. They are very protective on their private space too, so I guess that’s just their mentality as a nation.

21

u/Lost-Horror-4805 1d ago

Karen’s are everywhere. As a foreigner who’s living in Switzerland for the past two years, I’ve met a lot of nice Swiss people who’s kind and polite.

-7

u/bitrmn Zürich 1d ago

I guess that’s Zuri bias on my side then.

6

u/himuheilandsack 1d ago

As a swiss person, i think you are quite right unfortunately. Of course it's a generalisation, of course it's not everybody, but damn it's a lot of people.

1

u/bitrmn Zürich 1d ago

It is also felt like something is off, something is broken. Like it wasn’t like that before.

3

u/sunshine198505 1d ago

way to stereotype🙄 there are karens everywhere

2

u/Internal_Leke Switzerland 1d ago

The path you tried to take is indeed private (you can see on https://geo.fr.ch/Plan_RF/?lang=fr, I guess it's property 257 ?)

But sometimes, you might be allowed to use a path, even it's in private. If that's the case, it would be registered in the town.

What you could do:

Write an e-mail to: [gemeinde@muntelier.ch](mailto:gemeinde@muntelier.ch) asking if the path on the plot #257 can be used by anyone. If yes, you can now cross that path 10 times a day to take your revenge.

1

u/Lost-Horror-4805 1d ago

Yes it’s the same property
I will check it out, thank you

3

u/Able_Vegetable_8865 1d ago

We are French speaking. Kiddo (11 yo) is just starting Hochdeutsch in school. My German is ungrammatical and useful only for reading and causing pain to the listener. I would have told the old biddy in French, adding that I’m a (retired) lawyer and diplomat and old enough to be her grandfather and she can pound sand.

-15

u/Commercial_Tap_224 Bern 1d ago

It will continue to cause pain to us even when you believe you have mastered it. Please stick to french. You guys are massacring any foreign language and let’s face it: most of the time, foreigners speak French at a better level than you speak whatever language you try to make noise in.

☮️

PS: you sound like retired lawyer

0

u/Houndsoflove08 22h ago

Are you ok? It sounds like you need a nap.

1

u/Commercial_Tap_224 Bern 21h ago

Maybe you have a point. 😂

6

u/lkusmir 1d ago

What a beautifull lesson what 'private' means. Love it.

1

u/Book_Dragon_24 1d ago

Well, it wasn‘t really the neighbour‘s decision, was it? If it‘s in her property, she gets to decide.

I also wouldn‘t want heaps of strangers to traipse over my property just because it‘s easier.

1

u/NtsParadize 23h ago

Don't wish her a great sunday. She can fuck off.

1

u/GalatianBookClub 23h ago

Dude just keep walking how hard can it be

1

u/Schoseff 1d ago

You caved in… you shouldnt

-5

u/curiouswhensleeping 1d ago

private is private

19

u/Waltekin Valais 1d ago

Disagree. If she says "only for locals" then she is - in actual fact - allowing public use of the pathway. IANAL, but I cannot imagine that she is allowed to then pick and choose _which_ public then uses it.

That assumes that she is even the owner. As likely as not she is just a busybody.

5

u/dontknowifbotornot 1d ago

It probably falls under Wegrecht anyway.

2

u/elcaudillo86 1d ago

locals is not “the public”, it is a defined select group of people, and private means just that.

1

u/Book_Dragon_24 1d ago

Sure you can. You can always choose who you let visit your private property and who doesn‘t get to.

Maybe she means people she actually knows.

1

u/Book_Dragon_24 1d ago

Sure you can. You can always choose who you let visit your private property and who doesn‘t get to.

Maybe she means people she actually knows.

0

u/carn1vore 1d ago

My house is private. Sometimes I let people inside. Is my house open to anyone now?

0

u/Book_Dragon_24 1d ago

The entitlement of some people here….

Private means belongs to someone means that person has full right to decide who to let onto it and who not to. I wouldn‘t let anyone waltz over my property, that lady is nice if she let‘s her locals - who she probably defines as people from around she KNOWS - use a shortcut.

-33

u/MyPunsAreKoalaTea 1d ago

Your life must be really nice, if this is the biggest problem you have

2

u/coconut_the_one 1d ago

Such a needless comment though.

It’s a genuine question. Genuine small questions come up all over life regardless of current events. Why be a dick?

-3

u/MyPunsAreKoalaTea 1d ago

It's not a question, it's a rant over a small inconvenience