Loud Neighbor Kids

[JohnBLZ]

What is the name of your state? KS....

Not looking for legal advice...just want moral/ethical advice..

Friday night 10:30PM I'm awoken by a very loud bass stereo. Loud enough that it's rattling my living room table. I go outside to discern where it's coming from and the neighbor kids 3 houses up and across the street are throwing a small get together. One of the kids that was over had apparently invested his life savings (or daddy's money) in a high powered amp and subwoofers.

I tell them that they have one opportunity to shut down the car stereo down or I'm calling the cops. Note: This woke me up from a drug induced sleep as I'm popping pain pills from a broken leg. I'm not a happy camper.

45 mins later as I'm sitting outside on my front steps letting the dog take a crap, the offending kids cut a 1/2 donut through my front yard and blast the stereo. Instantly I'm pissed and I crutch my way up to the house that's having the party. I tell them point blank that they had their opportunity and I've called the cops. They immediately tell me it's not their fault, it wasn't their stereo and they're only babysitting and some friends came by. My response is that it is their fault, they were hosting the offending party and they're going to have to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. I tell them point blank I have the right not to hear their bass blasting stereo and they had every opportunity to not blast the stereo twice, much less drive through my yard. (Yes I was hard on the 16-17 year old kids and yes I was a bit of a prick, but I'm not too much older than they are).

They apologize, which I told them I appreciated but I was still pressing charges because they hosted the party and they had every opportunity to kill the noise. I told them that if they were responsible enough to have a party they ought to be responsible enough to appreciate their neighbors rights. I did say that if the kids that blasted the stereo and cut through my yard apologized I would consider it a lesson learned and not press charges.

20 mins later the offending kids...both 17-18 come to my front door and apologize along w/ the kids throwing the party. I accept their apology and apologized to them for being so hard on them. I tell the police I'm not pressing charges.

Fast forward to this afternoon... I have two parents on my front door yelling at me for 'threatening and being disrespectful to their daughter'. They went on and on telling me she's educated and etc etc etc. That I should have just called the cops rather than talking to them because they did not appreciate me discplining their child.

I'm on my front porch with my leg in a brace and they both decide to get up in my face so I tell them point blank to get the **** off my property. They don't and continue yelling at me (and speaking to each other in spanish which pisses me off). However I know that saying anything about them speaking in spanish makes me look like a bigot. Lose lose either way.

I tell them multiple times I have no lasting beef with your daughter, she took responsibility for their actions and apologized and I considered the situation resolved and that I understood their concern, but they had no right to come yell at me for standing up for my right of a peaceful and stereo free environment. They threatened to call the cops on me for 'threatening' their daughter because I told them to cut the noise or I'd call the cops and then yelling at them because they didn't.

Finally I just said the hell with it and praised them for having a child that took responsibility for their actions etc etc etc and that I considered the problem resolved...that I wanted no beef with any of my neighbors but that they needed to respect my rights as much as I needed to respect theirs.

Conversation over and I walked in the house...

but I'm left pissed off because

1) I was just standing up for my right as a homeowner to not have to put up with a bass blasting stereo late at night.

2) I taught these kids (they're only 10 years younger than me) a lesson, one that I had to learn when I was their age which was to respect your neighbors. Cutting them some slack caught me major flack with their parents. What the **** happened to responsibility in this world?

3) I don't want any beef with any of my neighbors...this is a quiet neighborhood and I just want it to remain so.

How could I have handled the situation better?

 

[Proejo]

Unless and until you have kids of your own, its a bit hard to understand how difficult it is to raise them to the standards that we want. Yelling and acting like a prick, while it worked, was way out of line. The better call would have been to contact the police and issue a complaint. The police are trained to speak to kids effectively and nip a lot of problems in the bud so that conflicts between neighbors aren't instigated. Otherwise, you should have simply gone to the kids and spoken to them about the problem you were having with your condition and how much don't want to spoil their fun, but ask them if they could help you out at that moment, and then maybe another night when they wanted to have a party it might be okay. Kids need options so that they can make smart choices. Sorry. I know you were right in theory, but in practice I think it could have been better handled.

The parents were within their right to be upset, but they, too, should have asked you to have an intelligent discussion with them about handling kids.

 

[mrs.jb]

in response to loud neighbor kids

I have children of my own (pre teen and teenagers) and they know the boundries of what "too loud" is. I also have a problem with my neighbors being too loud. These children are around the ages of 8 up to somewhere in the teens. I do take it into my own hands to tell the children they are too loud BEFORE calling the police, which I do quite often. The only problem with waiting for the police to repond is that they put this issue as a low priority on their list of calls that need to be tended to. It is not unusual for the police to finally arrive hours later, by then I'm missing out on hours of much needed sleep. (I work very early in the morning.) These children just go inside and later return outside to play their music, yelling, and playing games into the wee hours of the morning. Calling the police just doesn't always seem to be the better alternative. I think you were correct in telling the children yourself. Obviously there was no other reponsible adult around to control the issue and I'm sure you only did what all the other neighbors wish they could do but have to worry about what is "morally" wrong or right.

 

[JohnBLZ]

Thank you

Thank you both for your replies...

I honestly don't understand why I'm so bothered by this...I just am.

 

[StickyFingers]

Thank you both for your replies...

I honestly don't understand why I'm so bothered by this...I just am.

My reply differs from the others.

Although...I do agree that teens these days..Love that bass that tends not only to rock our dinning room tables...but bother our bodies also...(which I do like most of it and I am far from being a 'spring chicken'...)

There are rules.

I suggest you explore and become comfortable with your state/county/town noise ordinances. Or if you belong to a community that has an HOA, there may even be stricter rules concerning peace/noises. There are certain times that anyone may impede your peace...And there are times that it is prohibited.

Just look up your state statutes...and explore.

Unfortunately, at this time, I do not have the time to search them for you...Maybe someone else will stop by and help further.

EDIT: You may want to just place a call to the local PD (on the non-emergency number) and ask them your question.I am sure that they will provide a great answer!

 

[JohnBLZ]

Actually I'm a member of the board of directors for the HOA...we have nothing in our charter concerning noise...it's actually a very loose charter

Taken from the city codes:

Prima Facie Violation: The operation of any tool, equipment, vehicle, electronic device, set, instrument, television, phonograph, machine or other noise- or sound-producing device at any time in such a manner as to be plainly audible across a property boundary line in a residential area, or for fifty feet (50') or more in the case of a multiple-family dwelling, between the hours of seven o'clock (7:00) P.M. and seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this Section. (1984 Code §13-501; 1994 Code)

 

[StickyFingers]

Actually I'm a member of the board of directors for the HOA...we have nothing in our charter concerning noise...it's actually a very loose charter

Taken from the city codes:

Prima Facie Violation: The operation of any tool, equipment, vehicle, electronic device, set, instrument, television, phonograph, machine or other noise- or sound-producing device at any time in such a manner as to be plainly audible across a property boundary line in a residential area, or for fifty feet (50') or more in the case of a multiple-family dwelling, between the hours of seven o'clock (7:00) P.M. and seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this Section. (1984 Code §13-501; 1994 Code)

So...Since you have already been..and have now quit being polite....

Call the damn police!

It is within your rights...although..I probably would not call on the "911" line....It is not an emergency...just an annoyance.

I know that I have "plugged" the non-emergency line to police lately.....But I believe that unless it is life or death (or in some other cases)....911 should not be called.

Every time they violate the city code involving noise......call the law.

Make reports each time....See what the HOA does with those who have been violated.

 

[longsally111]

parents

I am also having an issue with the teenagers across the street and their friends. My husband tried to talk to the boy and he threatened my husband and flipped him off. My husband has now put the mother on alert that since she cannot control the kids, we will from now on with police reports out the butt. I think you were very kind to try to handle it without cops. If thats what the parents want, DO IT!!!!!
Do it over and over, then sue them in court for disturbning your peace and quiet. Sue them for emotional distress. They will wish that you never called them. Those parents sound like idiots!!!!!