Since last July neighbors and I have been forced to deal with an intractable problem. A man who lives just across the intersection acquired a professional-grade karaoke system and has held approximately 35 blindingly loud parties in a doorless garage. His music can often be heard five blocks away; this close it’s like a jackhammer to the brain.
When asked to turn the music down, the man smiles, nods — and goes right on doing exactly what he wants to do. Sometimes he responds by turning the volume up. The police come out. They make him lower the noise to something more tolerable (but still plainly audible inside our houses). He keeps it low for an hour or two. But his next party goes on at full blast.
I’ve never called the cops on him. Not my style. Others have done the calling. But I talked to him three times and when that failed, I got his landlady to chat with him. That — and winter weather — gave peace-loving neighbors a small break. For a few months we had to put up with “only” two parties a month, not the two a week we endured last summer.
Then suddenly this week we had springlike weather — and he threw three parties-from-hell in four days. The first brought two calls to the police. The next two featured lower volumes of music — but a crowd of people dancing and shouting in the street.
This emphatic return of jackhammer music and unneighborly behavior triggered a community crisis — and an awakening.
And the whole process feels like something freedomistas, or could-be-freedomistas, are going through in the wider world.
—–
People in this neighborhood pretty much keep to themselves. I’ve learned just this week that all last summer people were thinking pretty much what I was: “This is godawful. But surely it’ll be only temporary.”
Then we moved on to, “I can’t stand this one more minute. But nobody else seems to mind. Maybe I’m just some grouchy old weirdo.”
We would jam in our earplugs or crank up our own music and spend his party evenings gritting our teeth and fantasizing about clever, bold, devious — and entirely unrealistic — ways we’d get that bastard. We felt impotent. Our lack of ability to change the situation enraged us perhaps more than the actual noise did.
The first sign I saw that others were suffering came when one of the tenants in Mr. Karaoke’s building heard one of my requests for quiet, came to my house a few days later, and begged me to call the police. He said he didn’t have a phone, but also that he was too scared to call on a nearby pay-phone — that he feared Mr. K and his friends would punish him. (This despite the fact that Mr. K has never threatened violence to anybody.) Too scared.
He’s the one who told me the police had already been out several times. So others are upset. But who are they? Where are they?
Realizing I was no longer just speaking for myself finally gave me more gumption, more motivation. That’s when I got the landlady to buy us that (unfortunately temporary) reprieve.
Then came false hope. When a week would go by without a party, we’d all breathe a sigh of relief and think, “Thank God. Maybe it’s over now.”
Because we were in this state of hopeful denial, this week’s three noise-fests just devastated us. We finally had to face the fact that absolutely nothing had been solved and that as we looked with anticipation toward the coming months of better weather we’d also have to cringe with dread, knowing that every pleasant day might be turned hellish by this one man.
I know this thought process was common because this week’s return of chaos finally got neighbors talking with each other. Our angry, frustrated thoughts poured out. We belatedly realized that we were well-and-truly stuck with this situation and neither the police nor the landlady, despite all their visits to and talks with the culprit, were going to save us. We would have to come up with our own plan. We would have to stomp our own snakes.
But even after being smacked in the face with reality and making the first tentative beginnings of an organization, we weren’t quite ready to believe that we had exhausted all the possibilities of the “people in charge.”
And as it turned out, “people in charge” really did have one more part to play — even though I’m pretty sure it will end up being the part that goes: “Well, we really couldn’t have lived with ourselves if we hadn’t tried every, single last means of working within the system. Now we really know we’ll have to take care of it, ourselves alone.”
This whole thought/action process sounds ridiculously — and sadly — familiar doesn’t it?
—–
More tomorrow.
Many years ago in a city far away there was a young man who lived in a working class neighborhood that was slowly deteriorating. There were still a lot of good folks living there but many houses were being rented to unsavory folks. A rock and roll band rented a house in the neighborhood where they practiced at night…. every night…..into the wee hours. The other residents of the neighborhood tried reasoning with the members of the band with about the same results you are getting. Police were called frequently resulting in no lasting improvement. Eventually someone threw a brick through their window during a practice session and the band member’s cars were vandalized. Still the band played on. One of the neighbors decided to call the landlady _every time_ the band played. That seemed like a good tactic so several other neighbors joined the effort. After a couple of weeks of late night phone complaints by several of the neighbors the landlady evicted the band.
The moral of this story is: Inflict the pain where it will do the most good. As long as the landlord/lady is not affected by the noise he/she is unlikely to do anything. As soon as the pain effects his/her quality of life something will happen.
Good luck.
Just thinking out loud: *At what point does ear pain/discomfort become aggressive behavior subject to retaliatory threats and action?* (What do your dogs think of this noise, BTW?)
Woody, you’ve probably got the better idea, but after that history, I’m inclined to take more direct action.
~Can all of you take over the party, with all neighbors joining in? Or explain to the group — not to him — how repulsively noisy they are?
~Throw his karaoke equipment out on the street? Hide it from him? Or show up _en masse_ and threaten to take it from him or destroy it?
~Hold a huge, noisy block party of your own, preferably during his sleeping hours? (Does he work? Does he sleep during the day?)
~How to shun him altogether… Am not sure that would work, as he doesn’t seem to care what his neighbors think.)
BTW, did the people who sold you the house know about this guy, and not tell you?
Suddenly I think of roosters crowing…or classical music playing…at top volume…right around the time the SOB is settling in to sleep.
I’m not a particularly nice person, so I would be plotting how to sabotage his karaoke equipment.
But I think Woody has the best idea. And not just one nightly phone call to the landlady…EVERY single neighbor, calling her to complain, every single time it happens.
After all you and your neighbors have been through, I might be inclined to fight fire with fire.
What might happen if, every time he threw a party, you invited some neighbors over, brought your stereo out to your garage, everyone put in their earplugs, turned up the volume to MAX, and began playing whatever is the antithesis of what he is playing?
Tchaikovsky…opera…Ravi Shankar…Alvin and the Chipmunks?
If you do it, please videotape. I’d love to see how they react, especially to the Chipmunks.
Oliver
The sad thing is that guys like this who give power to the control freaks of the world. 99% of all problems like this would have been solved with a polite asking and half of the rest by a visit by the cops/landlady. It is that 0.5% like this person, who give the “powers that be” ammo to impose rules and laws controlling all aspects of your life.
I would suggest one last attempt with out the powers, call the cops, have them stop by and get him to turn it down and be considerate then as soon as they leave get everyone to walk up in mass and your biggest person quietly explain that was the last time the cops would be called because everyone was fed up and everyone would take action. That he would be well advised to lock up all his goods, his car, and keep all valuables he did not want hurt under his control at all times. Then walk away.
After that, when he does crank up the jams, chocolate “magic shell” syrup on a windshield on a frosty morning makes a big mess that is not easy to clean off but does almost no damage to a car. But it has to be right after the offense, like with dogs, you have to be quick or they don’t associate the bad behavior with the punishment.
http://xkcd.com/316/ Easy, particularly with several neighbors joining in from different sides/angles. Have a dish-making party! Search on
“Gardener’s Ellipse.”
http://xkcd.com/368/ A little more techy, but nothing you can’t buy in a noise-cancelling headphone.
Science. Because it works.
You could always get PSM to dance for them.
Power lines fail all the time (Grin). Mylar Party balloons that get let loose and wrap around powerlines and short them out can be an unfortunate result of careless party guests. No power… No noise. Added bonus of the power company comming to fix the problem… If it happens a few times, do ya think the guy throwing the party will start getting a big repair bill?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHp9IfubOs0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQAPbi0SljA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=YbV55v0g0AY&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLDBF8D850CB8A300B
It really does seem to me that the 3 AM calls to the landlady- from every affected neighbor- is the most Freedomista-like solution. Unless you can get ahold of a laser powerful enough to melt through some of his equipment from your house.
did you know that hunters use ‘scent’ concentrates to attract game or mask human smell
funny thing is that those scents (doe estrus, skunk, etc) can be injected inside a car through a hypodermic needle through the rubber window molding
that smell NEVER comes out (so I hear)
***
more serious thought: take it to this punk because if this is how he acts while things function imagine what he’d do post SHTF!!!
At this point, I would suggest that the NfH has figured out that nobody is going to do anything more than complain about the noise. He’s not fearing retaliation, or interference from the local government and has learned to ignore nagging neighbors.
I know you are loathe to involve the local police and politicians. Look at them as a tool that can be manipulated for your benefit. If your local government has a section dedicated to code enforcement, give them a call and complain. They don’t care about the noise unless they can levy a fine that enriches the city. They do care about commercial parties being held in places that are not zoned for it. Once again the city might be missing out on fines, permit fees, taxes etc. Call and complain about illicit activites going on when the police keep showing up, the party-goers will get tired of it and stop showing up. Complain loudly about dangers of parking along the street etc. Ask if the neighborhood is zoned for commercial parties etc. The NfH will get tired of someone from the city constantly asking questions.
Keep the pressure on the land-lady as well, ask her if her insurance company supports this kind of party on her property. She could get sued if a party goer gets injured etc.
Maybe you could consult the Edward Abbey archives and see what peaks your interest. Skunks waddling through the party might be fun, bees, things that smell truly dreadful, all the neighbors taking up the parking along the street etc. Maybe you could encourage the Jehovah Witness or Mormon’s to continually drop by and proselytize the partiers.
Might be hard to do but get all the neighbors together & have a protest at his next party. I’m sure a bunch of people yelling at him to turn it down will put a damper on it. #occupyNfH
Never destroy property…. that is so foolish… Do not assault the guy physically. Find out ( experimentally ? ) what causes him the most aggravation. Is it music louder than his music ? Is it noise while he is sleeping ? Is it incredibly bad smells drifting into his garage ? Is it blocking the parking ? Is it water spraying gently into his garage ? Perhaps prizes.org can be used…. create a $10 contest about “how to stop noise pollution”. 99guspuppet
Reading these responses, I’m reminded once again of the power of helpful deviousness. 🙂
Although I actually posted the tale as the beginning of an analogy about the freedom movement, it’s also true that the “situation” isn’t over yet and may require non-violent, but even-this-moron-can’t-miss-’em solutions delivered by neighbors before it’s all over. (And I already do have a certain magical Merlin on my side in that endeavor.)
Pat, to answer your question, the folks who sold me the house didn’t know about this noise; the guy started up 11 months after I bought the place. Until then, he had lived in the neighborhood for more than a decade, apparently without giving offense to anybody. (To this day, his landlady keeps protesting that “he’s just the nicest guy.”)
Surely your familiar with this book: http://www.paladin-press.com/product/Get_Even/Revenge
Paladin Press has several more titles like it in their catalog. Lots of good ideas there.
I had some dirtbag neighbors a couple years ago-this guy would party, throw beer bottles and crap in my yard(which I threw back), and generally be obnoxious in an amazing variety of ways. What I did. Call the landlord when they were partying,and just walk outside with the phone and hold it. Every time, whenever it occurred. If I gotta listen to’em, so do you. They were trashing the place, as well. Landlord evicted them a month or so later(takes a month or two to do this legally). It cost me some time,two solar yard lights and a water hose(dirtbag neighbor stole them on the way out). Calling the cops, as another neighbor found out, does little other than antagonize the dirtbags and make it worse.
“…the guy started up 11 months after I bought the place. Until then, he had lived in the neighborhood for more than a decade, apparently without giving offense to anybody.”
Maybe this fellow has something wrong with him, mentally or physically, to just “start up” like that. He might now have dementia, be hard of hearing (or he will be soon if it’s that loud!), have cancer or other teminal illness, received bad news or lost somebody, so he just doesn’t care about anything anymore.
Saul Alinsky style tactics seem to be called for here (i.e., “put the pressure where it hurts”). You may have to sue the landlord as the house’s title holder she is the final solution to your problem with this man. To resort to violence or property destruction, vandalism, etc. should be viewed as a last resort only. Just my opinion; however I’m not the one being harmed by having to listening to his noise.
I had a tenant once who would use social service vouchers to rent apartments I owned or managed but wouldn’t ever pay rent. He liked living on the streets and just wanted a place where he could store his (tons) of stuff. I solved the problem by offering to buy him a (one way) bus ticket to anywhere in the US he wanted to go. It worked. Put him on the bus and never saw him again.
More good suggestions (and voice of experience from KenK), thank you.
Laird, yes I am familiar with those books. Even had a brief correspondence with their author many years back. (He was the most courteous gentlemen! Or lady, as the case may be; I never did learn, or try to learn “George Hayduke’s” real identity.)
Pat, I think the only thing wrong with this guy is that somebody sold him a gigantic karaoke machine about a year ago and he decided he and his friends have a gift of talent that simply needs to be given to the world. (More about that in part II.) He’s about 40 years old and (strictly guessing here) may have reached that moment where he realizes his life isn’t going anywhere and he wants to fulfill some dream.
Scott, KenK, and others — your stories make me feel lucky. Other than the music, my NfH seems like a saint compared to some.
Keeping pressure on the landlady is definitely on the agenda. So far, she claims I’m the only person who has been calling her, but that will change if this keeps up.
Part of me hates to pressure her because she’s a nice person and overworked. But I did contact her again this week because I had to assume that there are clauses in her rental contract that give her the power to evict renters who create nuisances.
She’s dodging me on that issue, claiming (dubious) that she doesn’t actually have any such clauses and (true) that laws heavily favor renters over landlords these days. Actually, I simply think she likes that particular renter and doesn’t want to kick out a 12-year tenant in a run-down building that otherwise sees people come and go.
She’s trying to be helpful, in her way. But yes she is responsible if she knows about this and allows it to continue. And if her name and contact info get circulated around the neighborhood, I suspect she’ll be getting an earful.
Woody’s idea is awesome, but there is a flaw, phones and ringers can be turned off.
Years ago I had a similar problem and I had the same response from the cops as you. I ended it with a boom box.
I made a CD with a bunch of recordings (similar music), then played it at full volume at the landlords resident until the problem was solved. The cops were called on me of course, and I was cooperative as could be. I explained about her tenant and “the peace and tranquility” I was being denied. “Are you fellas going to enforce the law here and not at my place?” It worked, but took a bit for the eviction (I kept up the boom box treatment and played it for her every time the jerk played his for me, right up until he moved.
I had to replace the boombox twice (cheap speakers?). No surprise, not another neighbor was willing to help.
All of you guys running right to the guberment to solve your problems? Really? People like the NfH are the reason guberments get put into place to begin with. The other reason is the victims of the NfH who are to afraid to act on their own to solve their own problems. “I dont want to do this, so I will call someone else to do it for me. Then I dont feel so bad”
Here is the solution. Since the prpoerty owner seems to be reluctant to do anything either, directly contact the NfH. Not face to face, drop a letter in his mailbox at 0’dark 30. Explain in the letter that if he does not stop the noise that violates your right to peacefull existance that his neighbors will be forced to take direct action against him. He has now been put on notice. He is now responsible for the loss of property he will suffer if the noise continues. Come down hard on him. Make sure you tell him his music sucks and his voice sounds like a goat in a wood chipper.
Tell him his prospects for a career in music are good as long as he just wants to be a guitar tech.
If he continues then its open season. He obviously is not respectful of the privacy of others.
You have a crystal clear case for a nuisance claim against him, you can probably get an injunction against him. If he breaks your injunction, he can be arrested for criminal contempt. Grenadier1’s advice is a good way for you to be the one who goes to jail, instead of him.
Hypothetical situation:
Neighbor cranks up karaoke.
Unknown man in car with no plates pulls up, gets out with 12 gauge shotgun.
Man racks gun and walks up to stereo.
People back away, start calling cops.
Man puts 4 shots of #8 shot at point blank range into karaoke machine.
Man looks at crowd.
Man gets back in car and drives away.
OK, not a really smurfy answer, but direct and effective.
—-and immediate.
Get together with the neighbors, put all your stereos _just_ outside his property line, set them to 1dB below the legal limit, and blast them at him 24 hours a day.
Simply proportionate retaliation, and it doesn’t infringe against any of his rights, technically.
Ordinarily I’d be more concerned with the spirit of the thing than the letter, but as he obviously doesn’t care about _your_ privilege to coexist in peace (which is significantly more involved than simply not coming to physical violence), I see no reason to bind yourself by any consideration of his.
Don’t trespass or destroy property, though…that just reduces you to the same level of immorality as the state.
“Man racks gun and walks up to stereo………etc.”
This tactic assumes the man with the shotgun is the only person on site who is armed. Would you really like to take that bet? It could really rearrange your medical records if you guess wrong.
Maybe part of the answer would be engaging the neighbor in dialogue and enquire as to what caused this odd change in behavior?
yeah, Woody, I guess I wouldn’t want to take the chance…not worth having to exchange fire. Like I said up front…hypothetical.
But the onus on ‘no destruction of property’ is bogus.
yes, under any normal circumstances, consideration and compassion are called for, however this has gone WAY beyond the pale.
This individual has proved beyond any doubt that he is uncaring of others, and is willing to provoke people because he is safe in his apparently true belief that nobody will trespass on him.
In my experience, people like this only understand pain, pleasure and force.
Singing a verse or two of Cum-Bye-Ya ain’t gonna cut it.
HE has initiated aggression………..
Think about going to the cop shop, and get a complete list of every complaint filed on the guy. Then send that to the landlady. Return Receipt.
Maybe you have an attorney among your neighbors?
Claire – you’re dealing with a bully. Most of us who survived public education have a pretty good idea of the dynamics involved. Why do they do what they do? Because they think they can get away with it.
Calling in authority figures, protesting, or giving them any warning has never worked – in my experience. I’d say that a good end result in dealing with a bully is that they won’t dare to raise their head to look you in the eye when you come around.
Obviously it helps to pick your time and place to make a stand – and no outcome is ever guaranteed. Try to not waste too much time on the matter either – they’re generally not worth the energy. (they can reform on their own time!)
I realise what I’ve offered sounds cold – but – past a certain point that’s how I see things.
Years ago I got the nickname of The Mental Mafiosa due to my talent at dreaming up elaborate venge fantasies. You guys have me way outclassed and I may have to give up the title. ;p
I wonder if there’s a bar or rec center in town that might be persuaded to invite this guy to move his equipment to their place to provide their entertainment. Maybe a bar would even pay him to come there. Assuming of course, that no such place is withing earshot of the neighborhood.
Bed. Karaoke machine. Does the karaoke machine have anything identifiable as a head? Fake blood optional.
Also, for educational use only, it won’t actually help anything: There are fun things that can be done with expanding foam and exhaust pipes…
And I know of a guy – who does not resemble a younger me in the tiniest way though any applicable statute of limitations has probably long since expired – who found a smoke grenade useful in ending a very similar dispute. Although that one did involve theft and not noise. I really hate a thief.
Yeah – actually, I got nothing. Sorry.
If he’s free to run his Karaoke at max volume, you are free to run this:
http://www.keepshooting.com/hand-crank-air-raid-siren.html
“an be heard up to 1/2 mile away”
Bolt it to the back of the truck, park across the street from him and crank away.
He has his little parties there because it’s convenient. Make it not convenient.
Karen, it’s certainly true that readers of this blog are an evil bunch. Ain’t it wonderful?
FWIW, I did suggest to Mr. K. several months ago that he move his operation to a nightclub, if one would have him. No response from him, of course. There are also several fraternal organizations in the area whose halls can be rented cheaply if he wants to rehearse.
Joel, please tell your younger self I’d have been proud to know him.
And Knitebane — you’re a freakin’ evil genius. As soon as I saw that, I wanted to do it. Then — ulp — I saw the price. But it did get me looking into the possibility of renting a truck-mounted loudspeaker. Ah well, a boombox (per Sam’s earlier comment) might have to do — and these days they can be gotten cheaply at garage sales and thrift stores. (And BTW, Sam, you must have some big brass ones to stand there in front of somebody’s house while boomboxing them that way. Glad it worked.)
Plug Nickel Outfit — might be cold, but might also be right. Whether he’s a bully or an idiot, it’s true that it’s going to take a metaphorical 2×4 to get his attention.
Samuel Adams. Hm. Didn’t realize a citizen could go to the cops and get such records without lots of complexities. It would certainly help persuade landlady that I’m not some lone loon.
But a lawyer in this neighborhood? I don’t think so. We’ve got cannery workers, lawn mowers, retired old ladies, folks on disability, and even two cops (one county, one state — both of whom unfortunately live outside the noisiest zone). But the lawyers are both literally and figuratively above us.
Get permission from the Land-lady to occupy the driveway. When it looks like a party is starting, you and the other neighbors take your lawn chairs, sit on the driveway. Chat up everyone that comes up the driveway, use lots of the inane chatter that drives people nuts. Soon enough the partiers will dry up.
My brother in law had this problem while in an apartment in college. The neighbors were determined to play Rap music almost every night at a level that he just couldn’t study. So, he borrowed all his Dad’s old country and western cd’s, put them in his cd player, put it on Random, turned the radio up to the max, moved the speakers right up to their wall, and left for home for the weekend. He had a note from the manger on Sunday eve when he got back, but never had the rap music problem again.
The other option is hire a guy in a black suit to walk around writing down license plates each party. That should thin the herd.
> You could always get PSM to dance for them.
ROFL. That was a good one.
In addition to continual dialogues with the landlady, and that bit of investigative work, if there are plenty of you, then just showing up en-masse and crashing the party every time might do something, particularly if you have bullhorns, and/or the capability of out-louding the karaoke machine. I once cured the neighbor kids of their car-stereo problem with a few applications of Enrico Caruso.
FWIW, I do consider this sort of thing to be assault. Amplification has made it possible for people to do, from a distance, the equivalent of barging into your house and yelling at you. And if the latter justifies a certain level of response, then so does the former.
Hi Gus.
Having had to deal with several sets of horrible neighbors through the years … fighting fire with fire probably wont work, it’ll just exacerbate the situation. Calling the landlady every time the parties start, one neighbor after another, has a high probability of success. Suing the landlady and the tenant for disturbance of your ‘peaceful enjoyment’ of your property … one lawsuit after another, from each neighbor, so the LL and tenant have to spend time & money tracking back and forth to court, paying fines etc. is another way to go. Personally, I’d start with the phone calls, then go to lawsuits.
@Claire: “Samuel Adams. Hm. Didn’t realize a citizen could go to the cops and get such records without lots of complexities.”
I believe that sort of thing is public record in most states.
“It would certainly help persuade landlady that I’m not some lone loon.”
Yup. On the other tentacle, I find your lone loonitude to be among your charms.
I would suggest that, if you look at it sideways, your solution is obvious: Crash the party!!!
Get some big strong guys for intimidation, and one tone-deaf, weal meaning old auntie to take over the microphone, and sing a slow, soulful, and off-key version of “It had to be you” over and over and over. Make sure that there is a karaoke version of it for her to sing along to. If that doesn’t do it, there has to be some other genre of music that the host can’t stand, and if he won’t give you the microphone, set up a competing karaoke party next door to completely ruin the mood.
In this case, your target is not the obnoxious host, but rather all his guests – you want him to throw a party and have nobody come, ever.
But I would still call the landlady every time – every hour, on the hour, for as long as the music lasts.
The bully mentality is definitely at work here. Only two ways to solve it are greater power or greater deviousness. I grew up small in stature and thus strong on the latter, though I found velocity to be an excellent substitute for mass.
I’m inclined to think this karaoke stuff doesn’t run without electricity. I’d look at ways to stop delivery of that to his house at least on those nights. The power company is, after all, co-responsible for making that offensive device operate.
Where are the guests parking? Fill up the legal parking places for a block (the average distance people are willing to walk) on ‘game nights’. Get citations issued for illegal parking if they try that one,
Perhaps as the guests arrive, neighborhood cars can be brought out of their garage and driveway parking places to squeeze the newcomer’s cars in such a fashion as they can only depart if they can drive sideways out of the parking space.
What is the fire code limitation on guests for that house? What does the sanitation department have to say about toilet facilities for large gatherings?
What a great opportunity for a neighborhood meeting and brainstorming session. You could end up with some really great neighbors out of this. Nothing like a shared enemy to bring harmony to a group.
I agree with calling the land lady en mass, but in the mean time. Try a burglar alarm siren. They aren’t terribly expensive, can be wired up to run continuously at the flip of a switch. Point the siren directly at the offender,at the edge of your property, and if the cops show up to see whats going on at the sound of an alarm going off ; it’s your “obnoxious party alarm” that runs continually till the offending party stops. I can’t imagine anyone being able to carry a tune with on of those things blaring.
Half-asleep say I,
Get together with neighbors and quickly build a cheap sound-proof (-ish?) enclosure around him while he sings,.. call it an acoustic keriokie sound enhancer?
Also, whatchya gonna spend a lot of time and aggravation stressing out about next? I mean, what do you suppose the next bad neighbor will do?
Have the slick gooberment guys or their buds been dropping the “re-vitalization” lingo in your area suggesting such might solve your problems?
Will you give in and simply pay the man not to sing?
You could move,… rent the place out and create an income where a debt was, then rent somewhere quiet yourself?
I will tune in to next weeks episode to find out more,… When Neighbors Go Bad
Do you know someone with a very loud motorcycle? Not just loud but very loud (drag or straight exhaust Harley) who would do you the favor of stopping in front of his house during the parties and revving the engine for a while? Perhaps you could invite a whole motorcycle club over for a keg and some hot dogs.
Three words: Try Jewish Lightning
Get or make an electronic cricket. Check instructibles. Random, loud, sharp noise from a tiny little black box. Hide in a pot of flowers, art object or other object and leave at his door. Program the cricket to start squaking a week or so later. Every few minutes off it goes with a loud squak, then silence. Then it starts up again. How you get it in his garage or apartment is the hard part, after that is easy peasy. Maybe you could hang it from a string down his chimney?
Lawyer,
Who said anything about letting him KNOW who sent the letter to him?
If it makes you feel better send the same letter to everyone on the street including yourself.
It gives the impression that someone from nearby but not directly on your street is responsible.
I think its important to put him on notice prior to engaging in any retaliation.
SO2
Well, if it were the Superbowl or pheasant shooting or Harley mufflers I don’t think the complaint would be as it is. People are biased against Music for some reason.
Also, the Libertarian answer would be that you have the freedom to choose to not tolerate this nuisance, you can remove yourself from the situation by moving. Calling the cops, technically, is being Socialist in nature, and it seems most folks here hate that idea.
A neighborly answer might be to join em’ and have a freakin’ good time! C’mon they have Conway Twitty karaoke tracks!
Arab,
I was wondering when a libertarian purist would speak up. Surprised it took this long.
For the record, I have considered moving, and will consider it further if this keeps up. However, if that’s the only libertarian solution, this world is in even deeper trouble than it seems. (And BTW, why should I lose $10,000, which I probably would in this housing market (plus whatever bite real estate commissions and government fees take), just because a neighbor has no manners?)
As to why neither the SuperBowl, pheasant shooting, nor a Harley draws this much rage and resistance — easy. And nothing to do with “bias against music.” Those noises aren’t sustained for hours and hours, month after month. Some guy with very loud car (whose engine he likes to gun) lives in the same building as Mr. K, and a young man across the street has a car with a thumping stereo. But those things go on for minutes.
As to joining in … I’ll take it you’re being sarcastic. Loud parties and bad singing aren’t some folks idea of fun.
Obviously the cops are useless.
Ditto the land lady.
Chip in with the neighbors and start a civil lawsuit against him. Calculate all the time he’s stolen your collective peace & quiet, put a nice, fat dollar figure on it and file. Work the system in your favor.
The judge will place an injunction against him – especially when he sees his courtroom packed with disgruntled citizens.
If the “neighbor” violates that injunction, the the police will have no choice but to arrest him. If they don’t – go to the judge and let him know that the dude is still disturbing the peace, and laughing at the judge’s orders. The judge will then issue an arrest warrant – which definitely WON’T be ignored.
The civil case can then be turned into a criminal case – disobeying the injunction and disturbing the peace.
Pretty soon the continued expenses will financially ruin him. If he can’t pay the rent, then I’m sure his land lady will shed no tears in kicking him out.
Libertarian – not really. But unless you are willing to just go over there and smash his toys (and probably get arrested yourselves), this is the best way to go.
I am sorry, repeat that again?
The ONLY libertarian option is to move away?
What kind of nonsense is that?
The NfH is in clear violation of the property rights of everyone around him. HE is the one with the problem. You have no moral obligation to abandon your property if someone else is initiating force against you. This is a use of force. While it may be non leathal and only a physcological effect it is force by every definition of the word. Resond with a level of equal force.
What about inviting the landlady over for dinner at your house sometime when you expect a party to take place so she can hear just how bad it is and how much of a pain this person is being to the whole neighborhood. Seems to me that if she would tell him to either knock it off or find somewhere else to live.
You moving isn’t the answer because who’s to say that you wouldn’t end up across the street from the exact same situation where ever you went.
I must be lucky: been in the same house well over 30 years, nothing remotely this bad. Oh, there was a rock band that practiced late, but usually on weekends (not good enough to get a gig?) but not for long. Worst was a group of 5 college coeds who rented a house across the street one year. Here in MD, we don’t get much snow usually, but this year was one blizzard. I had cleared out spaces for our two cars in an alley alongside our house, and the girls (who couldn’t be bothered to even clear off their own driveway) parked there. Funny thing, next morning, their cars were covered in snow to a depth of 3 ft. Didn’t know snow could fall so selectively. But it seems that fighting noise with noise, or covering up the available parking spaces might be your best bet, too.
I love Jake’s idea… good to know ha ha ha ha
sorry to hear that u have to deal with a nasty neighbor who seems to care about himself and not others, I bet I know who the land lady is! surprise she isn’t helping more!
Bet you miss living in the high desert now. LOL