Shock, Vibration and Noise Blog

Interesting topic and one I have wrestled with. While I agree with Voltair, who said, "The freedom you have to swing your arm stops at the end of my nose.", it doesn't always work that way in practice.

In the interest of getting along with one's neighbors there has to be some give and take. Perhaps the neighbor doesn't realize how his noise affects you. Communication is key to any relationship.

If after talking to the guy (or gal) you can't come to an agreement then you may check other avenues to address the problem or learn to live with it.

Noise is in the ear of the beholder. Some of us are actually relaxed and comforted by hearing a neighbor at labor nearby. On the other hand there are some "country folks" (ex-wife)who become irritated by the sound of a chainsaw two miles down in the valley.

I noticed a letter to a UK newspaper last week ; An anti-noise group had been denied charitable status because the Charities Commission said their cause was "political". After thinking about it a while, I don't disagree with that decision - it didn't sound like they were going to hand out ear-muffs to the needy/help move people with differing views etc. The intent seemed to be to lobby for laws on the topic. ie, it is (in that instance) political.

Consulting my little crib sheet of admin thread-closure reasons, I find this comment ;

"Sorry, we're not going to have a politics section. It's outside the mission of this site. Additionally, people cannot discuss these issues rationally - we know this from experience. We have booted more folks from this site for losing their composure during political discussions than all other reasons combined."

"right and wrong", "free country " .....Fine by me if you want to chat about it, I'm just saying.

Somewhere there was a thread about 'what to do about noisy neighbours'. It developed along the lines of devices etc. If you go along that angle it might be a worthwhile discussion.

I'd never deviate from the CR4 mission _{How about strategically placed flood lights/garden hose 'accidents' ?}

There some of us that work a seven day, 8, 10, 12, or even more, hour job. We would really like to be able to have a quite time to relax and have a cold one.

We work turnarounds at refineries, power plants, steel mills, etc. We keep the world, as we know it going, so that you can work your 8 to 5 job, and go home to enjoy your new deck.

So please think, the next time you are irritated, that there but for the grace of God, you too might be doing your yard work as time permits.

Enjoy, but don't come and get in my face, I have worked hard all my life and you really don't want to make me mad!

Property owners have the right to the peaceful enjoyment of their property. If a neighbor violates that right, an avenue of dialogue needs to be opened. If that fails, you may file a complaint with the police. They can try to mediate the problem. There are leaf blowers that are quieter than others. I have the same problem with boom-boom car radios. Trouble is they are long gone down the road before the police arrive.

Consideration is the word!, Don't start hammering at 8 in the morning, inform your neighbours when you have a party, and if the neighbour has a garden party, shelve the leave blower and get some free drinks

A neighbor who runs a leaf blower or other noisy device for a few minutes or hours every now and again does not cause me any grief, because I consider it a necessary means to an end. I ride a noisy mower around the yard as infrequently as I can get away with, but it is noisy, too.

However, I have quite the opposite opinion of devices that produce noise for noise itself... wind chimes. These hellish devices are designed to chime at the very slightest breeze. Of course the high pitched tinkle tinkle tinkle doesn't stop at a neighbor's property line, but overflows into my yard and, on occasion, into my bedroom, during the wee hours of the night, disturbing my sleep.

I was preparing to file a legal complaint of private nuisance against a neighbor down the street, but buckled under pressure from family. So, I just grit my teeth, and suffer through the noise from the chimes.

I had a widow neighbor who had the television going all night long to "keep her company." As it happened, her son was my tenant.

I always sleep with the window by my head open, and if her window was open the t.v. was loud enough for me to hear the sounds of human speech, but not loud enough to understand what was being said. (I live in a city were the houses are only 25 feet apart) All I heard was a low murmur that was clearly human voices, but unintelligible. The volume was so low, that for a short while I thought I was hearing voices in my head and was loosing my mind!!! Eventually I figured out where the noise was coming from, and that I was not going mad.

Although I was not able to hear it every night, and even knowing the source, it interfered with my sleep. Since it was intermittent, I sort of lived with it for most of the summer.

One day I mentioned this to my tenant, the part about thinking I was mad, and that it was his mom's t.v. that was the cause. Apparently he passed the story along, and I never heard the t.v. again.

I would say its all about approach and attitude. If you go to them with an attitude that makes them mad they will get mad. If you approach them as if they are doing something wrong then you will again make them mad.

I have found over the years that a calm and meaningful conversation leading up to the problem is a bit more productive. I woould also suggest trying to schedule your outdoor chores at the same time he does his so you can both enjoy some relaxing quiet time.

mm

Noise pollution is the most bothering problem to sensitive people particularly olders.Where I recall my younger days I was troubling my family people with my craze loud music western rocks.In cuntries like INDIA noise is all that free of cost.Vehicular horns,Loud speakers on all occassions-religious,ceremonies,political campaigns,amplified FM music from industrial sheds,shops,loud T.V watching homes ,audio,video buses,vans,lorries.Till late night even at mid nights many loom sheds will be sounding high.The strange thing is in a noisy locality all are used to,excepting sensitive peop;e that nobody objects.

The ways to tackle noise botheration-barge in and represent with convincing request to reduce volumes,cordial neighbourhood relatons so that they can oblige.

Other major tools are carrying cotton/cotton plugs always to sow into ears.I am working on vacuum based ear plugs to get rid of the menace.Possible noise reflector pads.Engineers got a lot of potential noise safety equipments.Blocking the ears the most practical solution.

Here is an equitable solution: send out a memo or post on the community bulletin board your working hours, and your relaxing hours and I will be sure to reschedule MY working hours, yard work hours and relaxing hours to benefit your needs.

What about neighbors on noise campaigns to purposely disturb your peace? Like cranking their Harley at full throttle next to your bedroom window at 2:30 am then again at 6:00 am. Races his car engines at full throttle for 15 mins. Decides to dig some holes in his yard with a backhoe? or how about the other guy driving in circles around his house for 10 mins honking his horn or ringing his "captian's" bell attached to his front porch to let you know he is home and drunk? Blasts their stereo at full volume all day and night at 12 hour intervals? I could give 100's of examples of these two individual's activities.

Shot into our home, while we were eating dinner. How about that and getting away with attempted murder?

Now, last but not least he has put out 10 - 20 electronic "pest" repellers pointed directly at our home. The Sound pressure level is at 120 dbs at times we awaken feeling like our chest is being crushed. The ultra sonic sound has a variable frequency with a warrble which causes vibrations and we have lost a range of hearing from 12 khz to 19 khz. It killed our cat too. She was tortured to death. The Sheriff Department says he has a right to own this stuff cuz it is legal? This application? 1 is needed for 4,000 sq ft. Hello, am I in American

We have a protection order and since Feb 14, 2009 until today May 9, 2009 we have been tortured by sound/vibration and other tech devices and the adverse physical symptoms are too numerous to count.

You posters on this site do not know how bad noise disturbances can get until you walk in my shoes.

Any lawyers out there that can motivate the authorities for us? Kootenai County, Idaho.

Thanks

Suggest you peruse the Idaho statutes, regarding nuisances, at... http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/idstat/Title52/T52.htm

If you want to get serious about taking action against the offending party, it is you who must take action by filing a civil complaint at the county court house, or by personally abating the nuisance.

I thank you for your assistance. I read the code section for private nuisance. I must enter his land, so notice is required. If I remove or destroy the devices myself shouldn't I have law enforcement present? This man is dangerous.

My intentions are to sue him for hearing loss, depreciation of home value, loss of quiet enjoyment, harrassment and violation of protection order, etc.

Thanks again.

I have had success filing a civil action against a neighbor for harboring a nuisance... barking dog. Shortly before the trial, the neighbor's attorney phoned to tell me, if I proceeded with the complaint, he would present witnesses, who would say they saw me cross the street and enter the neighbor's house early one morning. I told the attorney that I would look forward to hearing the couple perjure themselves at trial. Of course they didn't show up for the trial.

The city attorney actually represented me before the justice of the peace. At the end of the short trial, the justice instructed the dog's owner to prevent the dog from barking, because she didn't want to see her back in court on a future offense. It worked, and then a couple weeks later, the dog owner's house was struck by lightening, starting a fire in the attic. It's not a good thing to mess with me.

I am glad that you were able to find peace and heavenly vindication. I am not so fortunate. This has been going on for 2 years. I called the Sheriff Dept and asked to speak with a Sgt. I told him that I had a neighbor who was a nuisance, more than a nuisance, and was causing me harm, disturbing my peace, my ability to go into my yard, diminishing the value of my home, I told him that the neighbor had some devices that caused a high pitch ringing in our ears, a vibration. I wanted to abate them. He said What? I said remove and destroy them. He said that he new all about the situation and it wasn't illegal. I told him that I wanted them to come keep the peace while I dig the repellers out of the ground. I said that I would give the neighbor proper notice. The Sgt. said that it did not apply to this situtation. I said, I can't sleep, my ears are ringing off the hook, I've had diarreha for 90 days. I have lost a range of hearing 12 khz to 19 khz. I asked him if he wanted come over to my house for 90 days and loose his hearing and vibrate, see if this is a legal application. He said if I go over there and try to remove them they would probably arrest me for trespassing. I said good I would be glad to go before the Judge and tell her what is going on here and that Applegate is violating the protection order and the Sheriff's Dept are criminals, just as culpable as the neighbor. I hung up on him.

The sheriff's Dept is protecting a criminal that shot into our home. He and our other neighbor terrorize us, they are sepratists that are fixated on us and our destroying our lives. I need a good California lawyer. I have prepared a complaint, but need to add some P & As. I cannot wrap my head around this. These neighbors are dealers and make meth, we think the cops are dirty in this small town.

I am talking to the State Police they seem interested but haven't stepped in completely.

This is my home and it feels like I am homeless and have nowhere to go. I have to leave all of the time to get relief.

Move. You won't be the first to have to escape a neighborhood. Your life is more important than your home.

I have some land for sale in Up-State New York. You'd love it there, (on the water).

I too have been annoyed by loud cars, motorcycles, jet ski's, and four wheeled boom boxes.

I have had the idea for several years to build a high power pulse transmitter, and/ or an amiable high power microwave transmitter powerful enough to destroy the solid state components in such nuisances, and scramble the electronics in others.

I salvaged a radar transmitter from a Navy shipyard scrap bin several years ago, might be powerful enough to produce 100KW pulse to silence these nuisances. Haven't done anything further, but fantasize about pushing a button and watching a nuisance stop dead, and begin to smolder.

Also may cause sterility or cataracts, great for police officers with radar speed traps.

Regards CEKM

I'm okay with lawn mowers and leaf blowers because the owners are using them to perform a function and not as a means of annoying their neighbors. But the noise from a boom car is quite different. It is incredibly selfish to subject people in a one block radius for your own personal enjoyment and is an appalling lack of common courtesy. The owners of these devices are in essence saying F*** you and F*** the world. They don't know the meaning of common courtesy and are probably the product of bad parenting. Problem is, there is nothing you can do. Can't talk to them and ask them politely to try to be a human being. I think it's only a matter of time before someone goes postal and takes their high-powered rifle to one. I just hope I'm not near one when it happens.

CEKM, is the power pulse transmitter possible, practical and affordable? I think the world would beat a path to your door if you can market one.

Is the power pulse transmitter possible, practical and affordable? I think the world would beat a path to your door if you can market one.