noise ordinance/disturbing the peace

[sbx22]

For those who have been there done that, or are actual law enforcement guys on here. I live in the county, outside the city limits. I have a neighbor (their teenage kid) who sits in his S10 and bumps gangster rap intermittently throughout the day. Every now and then, will bump his music around midnight to 2 AM. I actually have a 1000 watt sound system in mine but I think it's respectful knowing when and where to play your music. So finally today when I was replacing my master brake cylinder in my front yard, I had enough of it. I went over to the fence (still on my property), get his attention and basically tell him he's not welcome to do that anymore and that this was his last warning. I have the Sheriff's # on my cell, ready to dial if need be. How have you guys handled it if you have had this experience before?

[bake74]

     Where I live now (thankfully we are moving as soon as I can find a house to buy) there was a neighbor that lived behind me across the fence that was a renter.  They would have the music going and bumping until 1 or 2 am every night.  It was bad enough that it kept me up and I could not sleep, so I contacted the owner of the house to be friendly and ask them to do something.  Oh course they did not, so I just started calling the police about 20 times a night, they would come out and tell the renter to shut if off, 20 min later they started it back up.
     Long story short, where I live there is a law on noise ordinances and repeat police visits.  Basically 3 visits in a month and the owner of the house would get fined.  Since I called every night for about 8 days, they finally started fining the owner every time they went out.
     One day I got a phone call from the owner stating that he is evicting the renters and asked If I would stop calling the police because he is getting fined everyday.  I told him when the thumping music stopped and I could sleep I would stop calling, in 2 days the renters where gone and no more problem.
     Oh course people who own the house might be different, have you tried to go next door and talk to the delinquents parents to see if they give a crap that their son is keeping everyone awake ?

[Stewart G Griffin]

i think the best thing to do is to contact the authorities directly and not to approach the "offender."   Even 50 yr old guys can get put off if you ask nicely and express your concerns about noise---as i've found out.   They get annoyed when you ask a reasonable request.


Or get ear plugs.

[sbx22]

Actually, I have talked to the kids twice now. First time, I think I was pretty respectful. The second time, I had to raise my voice a little bit and be more assertive. I also gave them "this is my final warning" statement. I think stupid people listen more when someone is yelling at them rather than take it nicely the first time. No, I have not had the time to talk to their dad, I've noticed him and his truck have not been there for 2-3 weeks now? Just the kids, I think that's why they're doing crazy stuff throughout the day and night. I think when he comes back, the kids are going to tell the father and the father's going to be on their side. But so far today they have been quiet since then. Thanks for the tip bake74. I will just have to keep calling the sheriff's multiple times if they repeat. And yeah Stewart, I don't want to get shot at. Next time they disturb us, I'm calling the Sheriff's.

[Stewart G Griffin]

So, here is my updated and revised procedural list of what to do in this type of situation(s):

1) Write letter to the "offender."  This could be anonymous or not.  Probably best to be anonymous at the initial stages and then leave it that way.

2) If no results, then contact the authorities.

3) If still no results, there are ways to "interfere" with the offender's music using a CB and linear and some other "stuff" that i don't really know about.  If you really want to know we can research further.......


P.S.  My first "confrontation" with noise did not go so well.   A certain somebody who insists on tooting a certain siren everytime he passes by another certain somebody got "offended" when i questioned why he needed to do this;  i sometimes sleep late due to working an irregular schedule sometimes.  Now, all of a sudden i'm the jerk simply for asking.    Mind you the offender is, well let's say over 35.   Let's go further than that, let's say the offender is the same age (or possibly older) than the president.  But yet he still has to play with his siren......

[VileZambonie]

I think you'll find you need to connect with people and it makes everything so much easier. Telling a kid in his teens to turn his music down especially if you yell at him is not only going to aggravate him more but potentially cause him to retaliate. There's a kid that rides his quad with a wicked loud pipe all the time and does wheelies up the street. He has bonfire parties all the time and blasts music etc. I went over and introduced myself and got to know him and he's actually a cool kid and his father is super cool. Turns out his barn is a secret garage with a lift set up just like mine and he restores old trucks. Now we drink beer and help each other out. Amazingly his quad and his tunes don't bother me anymore and if they did I could ask him to cut the crap and he would since he respects me.

[grayharville]

I agree with vile, me being 19, I tend to be loud sometimes. We have a fire every weekend and all of my vehicles have loud exhaust. We live on a secluded dead end road with 3 other houses. The other day my neighbor stopped me and politely asked that I wait till i get past his house to floor my truck (I never did that at a ridiculous time, just during the day) because his wife just got out of surgery.

Im an understanding person and had no problem with that, however, If he would have came outside yelling and screaming in my face; I would have driven through his house. Ill respect anyone that respects me. simple as that.

I must also add that I play my music a little too loud some nights, but at the same time my neighbor will be outside running a table saw/circular saw etc.
he piles old wood and scraps outside from his house remodel, and I pile old trucks around in my yard. Neither me nor him complain about the others junk or noise, as we understand each has their own "thing" hope this helps.

[sbx22]

Well the thing is i did respectfully ask the teen to turn down his music as i was enjoying a nice saturday morning out working on the truck. This was the first time. Moments later, he does it again. I take that as a sign of him disrespecting me. Therefore i did what i did and stood my ground. Now hes cussing out a storm and i being the adult remain calm. Now hes acting like hes annoyed by me all the time now and flipping it on me. I agree that it all comes down to respect. But now im afraid we're past that point.

Again, im fine with them if they were tuning their sound system or trying out some new speakers, but for them to just sit in their truck bothers me. Im fine with power tools, lawn mowers, etc. As well.

I called the sheriffs office today asking what our noise ordinance is. They're saying doesnt matter what time of the day, if they are disturbing the peace of my wife and 7 week old, then i should call them and they'll send a unit out. First time is a warning, second is a citation, and on and on.

[VileZambonie]

Ok seriously? It sounds like you're obsessing over it. You get further with sugar than you do with vinegar. Don't start a neighborhood feud. Even if you call the cops and they come out doesn't mean squat. The cops aren't going to be there every minute of every day. Do you really want to be looking over your shoulder all the time?

[grayharville]

So if I left my lawnmower running outside all day you would be fine with that? I understand your frustration, i'm just saying... Thats like me saying im fine with hearing my neighbors circular saw, but God forbid he turn on that wood planer.. lol

[bake74]

     I would say it depends on each individual situation, sometimes you can be respectful as possible, there are those few times that you are dealing with a person who just does not respect anything or anyone and only cares about themselves.  In those situations the best thing to do is leave it to law enforcement, that is what we pay them for. 
     It just isn't going to end well most of the time if you take matters into your own hands.

[ssapach]

All of this is why I LOVE living out in the country...

[Lt.Del]

If, after being civil about it only to find out they couldn't care less about respecting their neighbors, call me.  I'll wait until 8am, which is probably when the teen is deep in sleep and pull into his driveway and turn on my siren for a few minutes.  And, I'd stand at the door and ring the door bell for a half hour, or until he answers it, whichever is first.  If that doesn't work, I'd call his phone for a half hour.

When he complains, I'd simply say, "So it's ok for YOU to bother someone else sleeping, but not for me to bother you?  Care to explain that?"

Well, that's what I'd feel like doing.  Actually, I would wait until 8am and ring the door bell and bang on the door until he answers then explain that he is bothering his neighbors at 2am when they sleep.

[Irish_Alley]

i work 12x8 with thursday and friday off when i lived in a apartment the guys below me would throw partys on the weekend so it would mess with my sleep. i wouldnt say anything cause for one they where air force then need to have "some" fun. but on my days off some girls would come over from the wifes work we would drink listen to music not to loud or late, but wouldnt you know it they had a problem with it cause it was on the weekend when they had off

[joel]

I wouldnt recommend doing this but i had a similar problem some years ago when i lived in a duplex. the next door neighbors were college kids and i ignored a whole lot, but they would come home at three in the morning and turn up the music and dance the night away. i asked em to turn it down. i called the police, who never came. finally i went over with the pistol and threatened to beat the devil out of them both. never had a minutes trouble after that , but i would not recommend doin that at all.