usualy wherever i go people are amazed to see my truck.
you should be able to drive at a PUBLIC park, i do it all the time and i go into the baseball place and stuff, if some park officer or somthing came up and told me to stop or leave i would, but usualy there are none.
as for your neighbor, i think i would have told him off! (unless he is taller and stronger than i am, then i would refer to him at SIR) LOL
one again if you do it at a reasonable time i see no problem with it, whats he going to do?
and most people that have rc cars (adults anyways) do have a life and can afford to spend money on rc cars CAUSE THEY HAVE A LIFE