I don't have any data to back it up, but my theory is that Nextdoor allows bad behavior because people have been trained by millions of comment sections that confrontation on the internet is fruitless.

That's a misguided instinct when the people you are talking to live two doors down. Get a handful of people who see them everyday to say, "knock it off", and they usually will.

It's entirely possible for folks living in the same neighborhood to not actually see each other all that often, especially not in any sense beyond waving at each other from across the street.

Yep. I don't even know the names of my neighbors, and I've barely spoken two words to any of them.

Years ago, I had a couple of neighbors I'd talk to, but they all moved away. Had a few friends I talked into moving to my complex too, but they've all moved away as well.

Your community is broken. I'm sorry to hear that.

I know my neighbors and wish I didn't.