Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Police talk!


chase1410

Recommended Posts

Had a freindly chat with two fellows from Omaha Police Department today, because my old neighbor had to call them at 4pm to complain I was playing my guitar too loud...There were even pissed that they had to be there..And t boot it wasnt even that loud...The ol bat couldn't just come over and talk about it..she had to call the police...at 4pm in the afternoon...She just started a war..I've never had the police call on me until these two old folks move in less then a year ago from Washington...They talk to no-one and the whole neighborhood hates em...Any suggestions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 73
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Play anything by the Police.......

 

Offer them a beer......

 

Remind them that your great great great granddad was the towns first cop....

 

Wear your badge....

 

Complain that your neighbor is playing The Larence Welk Show WAY TOO LOUD ........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'D go over there and apologize IN PERSON. Then ask them why they thought it was too loud. And if that doesn't work, next time I'm in Nebraska, I'll have em whacked

 

My family and I have tried being neighborly to them...They snide us off like everyone else in our neighborhood...It make's me sick to have neighbors like this...and my mother is FUMING that they would call the police..I always tried to be respectful and always stop playing around 8 or 9 pm..So I dont know if I should attempt to sound proof the house as much as I can using matierals around my house...or turn it up even louder as a big middle finder...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first Rock and Roll gig (at 14) was broken up by the cops.....I've had well over 40 shows, gigs, practices, etc, broken up by the po po

 

since then.......One suggestion, well two.....Be nice to them.....Check your local laws, and get a sound meter; have a friend measure

 

your volume from the property line...Remember that there are two ways to meter the volume as well........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first Rock and Roll gig (at 14) was broken up by the cops.....I've had well over 40 shows, gigs, practices, etc, broken up by the po po

 

since then.......One suggestion, well two.....Be nice to them.....Check your local laws, and get a sound meter; have a friend measure

 

your volume from the property line...Remember that there are two ways to meter the volume as well........

 

Great idea Damian! How expensive is a simple sound meter and where would one be avaible?...Is the law "can be heard from over 50 ft" from the property line correct?

 

 

Interesting. The police here mightn't even bother to come.

 

What happens if they get called out for that again?

 

I'm not sure, they didnt say.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be careful and don't try for revenge as good as that might feel just talk to them if you can and Ignore them if you can't - just make sure you understand the laws and regulations in your area as they relate to disturbing he peace. It is unlawful to disturb the peace and quiet in most area's and they all have different measurement criteria some use a certain decibel level reading others use multiple complaints from several neighbors etc and almost everything changes in the evening hours so it's best to know the regulations and rules before you get in a pissing contest.

 

I had neighbors about twenty years ago that were a older mid 60's couple that rented the house directly across from mine they called the police every time I plugged a guitar in. It was a real pain I finally ended up getting a noise meter and measuring the sound at my property line and kept a chart of all the other things that were louder on the meter especially anything from them like the lawnmower, and yard blower the tv set they would turn up whenever I started playing, the car radio they would blare as lod as they could when coming home at night and happily there damn dogs that barked at everything non stop they had three big dogs. I even ended up in court once but it was dismissed in just a few minutes and they had to pay my costs [biggrin].

 

These people were horrible they called the police on average 4-5 times a week on something whether it was kids riding their bikes on the sidewalk, to trash cans left outside, they even called the police when the leaves from a neighbors yard blew into their yard they said it was littering. They even went so far as turning the sprinklers on in the front yard every morning for over a half hour because the kids bus stop was one house over and they wanted to make sure the neighborhood kids stayed out of their yard.

 

But they also walked their dogs across the street into my yard or the neighbors yard twice a day to let them take a dump in our grass, since they had a gravel yard and they would not clean it up ever they said dog poop was a natural thing in yards. I ended up taking pictures and videos of them letting the dogs take a crap so they could be cited three different times how sad is that.

 

Eventually the whole neighborhood turned against them and we used the same laws the did against them like their own barking dogs and other issues including them not cleaning up after the dogs to take them to court three times but they just paid the fines and didn't change a thing. until a judge got nasty after they failed mediation and told the judge told them the dogs had to be gone in thirty days, so they finally moved when it was that or lose their precious dogs.

 

We won in the long run I guess but it was really a sad thing and it really took it's toll on everybody that lived in the neighborhood nobody wins in those situations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great idea Damian! How expensive is a simple sound meter and where would one be avaible?...Is the law "can be heard from over 50 ft" from the property line correct?

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure, they didnt say.

 

Local laws will vary......Most sound disputes are civil violations as well....Meters can be found at Radio Shack, but shop online as well....You will want

a quality one, for accuracy...15 years ago, mine was around 75 dollars....A good investment; it can pay for itself in avoided fines....There are two metering

formats....Check with your city's " noise police " to ask which metering style they use...As for where they can meter from, usually it can be as close as the

property line....What works best is to work it out with the neighbors, but, as you know, often thats not realistic...Simple sound proofing is a science all

of it's own...So many variables....If you can prove to the police that you are legally not too loud, they'll stop coming around...If you can show them that

you are trying to resolve the dispute, that goes a long way, as police like cooperation....Keep us posted on how this works out...Summer is almost here,

and you'll want this resolved....The hertz of bass travels further than guitar, but, guitar hertz is more in the vocal hearing range, so it is percieved as

louder......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought most neighborhoods/cities have noise ordinances that don't start until late in the evening through the early morning. I find lawnmowers more offensive at 7 AM on Sundays on my only day to sleep in than someone playing some tunes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Play at lower volumes, or invest in a nice set of headphones.

 

 

I've had the cops called on me 3 times in the same night....

 

The last time they showed up they made me play them a couple of tunes before I shut down.

 

[thumbup]

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

We won in the long run I guess but it was really a sad thing and it really took it's toll on everybody that lived in the neighborhood nobody wins in those situations.

 

Wow, I'm sorry to hear about retro..now that some nasty neighbors!..But sadly mine are very close..I'm gonna try to keep it down, and make sure all windows are shut and such...If it happens again, I'll explain my situation to the cops, and hopefully they may understand, if they were the same as before...They caught me so off guard, I was kinda freaked out..( I was taking a ****, and heard loud repetitive knocking like a kid)..Had to quickly wipe my *** and run downstairs to two cops..So I didnt get to say everything I wanted to, but hopefully if it does happen again, I can get more definitive answers on how to solve this...Thanks to EVERYONE for there support and idea's...I really appreciate it..and as everyone knows its GREAT to vent... [thumbup]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plain and Simple, know your rights. If there's a Noise Ordinance in your city that backs them up, you have to wear headphones (I'd be moving out of any town that has an ordinance against sound after 4pm). If there is no law broken, kindly ask the Police to advise the complainants of your rights and thank them for their kind service.

 

Then carry on with your life just the way you did before they intruded upon your domicile. Yes, your peace was disturbed by your neighbors and you local police. If no law was broken, then you local police should have advised the old couple that they could call after 10pm if you were still playing, until then, they have to put up with you.

 

Tolerance is the other side of noise ordinances, it's not on the books just to make you shut up, the other side of the coin states the Neighbors have to tolerate the noise up until the ordinance take effect. You can be very nice and inflexible, it's your right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plain and Simple, know your rights. If there's a Noise Ordinance in your city that backs them up, you have to wear headphones (I'd be moving out of any town that has an ordinance against sound after 4pm). If there is no law broken, kindly ask the Police to advise the complainants of your rights and thank them for their kind service.

 

Then carry on with your life just the way you did before they intruded upon your domicile. Yes, your peace was disturbed by your neighbors and you local police. If no law was broken, then you local police should have advised the old couple that they could call after 10pm if you were still playing, until then, they have to put up with you.

 

Tolerance is the other side of noise ordinances, it's not on the books just to make you shut up, the other side of the coin states the Neighbors have to tolerate the noise up until the ordinance take effect. You can be very nice and inflexible, it's your right.

 

Sadly where I come from any noise no matter the level that is deemed to disturb the peace is an offense and after the second time the cops can take your gear and leave. I either use head phones or hire a rehearsal studio for the afternoon. I had no problems with my last neighbours but they sold and a young couple moved in. they came over and asked nicely if I could turn it down as their 6 month old was sleeping. I complied and they are perfect neighbours as long as I keep my stuff down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly where I come from any noise no matter the level that is deemed to disturb the peace is an offense and after the second time the cops can take your gear and leave. I either use head phones or hire a rehearsal studio for the afternoon. I had no problems with my last neighbours but they sold and a young couple moved in. they came over and asked nicely if I could turn it down as their 6 month old was sleeping. I complied and they are perfect neighbours as long as I keep my stuff down.

Just curious, is that an Australia thing or a city matter? Lots of big city's are that way because there's just to many people stacked on top of each other to make all the noise you want. But if that goes for rural and suburban areas, it's just wrong.

 

On a personal note, if a neighbor asks me personally (and civilly) to keep it down, I'll gladly comply. Come at me Cops First and I'll be right back at you, Rights First! Play the Cop Card then I better be in the wrong or I will stand on my rights. I'm very easy going until I run into Incivility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just curious, is that an Australia thing or a city matter? Lots of big city's are that way because there's just to many people stacked on top of each other to make all the noise you want. But if that goes for rural and suburban areas, it's just wrong.

 

On a personal note, if a neighbor asks me personally (and civilly) to keep it down, I'll gladly comply. Come at me Cops First and I'll be right back at you, Rights First! Play the Cop Card then I better be in the wrong or I will stand on my rights. I'm very easy going until I run into Incivility.

 

Thats a state level thing in Australia suburb or city. Our cities are less residential and more business. Consequentially you would probably have no problems playing loud in a city house cos your neighbours are gone at 5 lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of the posts here sound selfish and immature....

 

I am both a musician and a neighbour to folks I have total respect for

 

I never ever play sounds that would carry outside the house

 

I keep things in a room which is effectively soundproof even to the rest of the house

 

When I feel the need for a blast I hire a rehearsal room solo or with a band and have big fun without annoying anybody

 

I get annoyed even on the rare occasion I can hear someone's TV

 

Even if it's the same programme I am watching......lol...etc.

 

V

 

:-({|=

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...