re: Problematic Neighbor

Blare Pakistani music from your new expensive stereo system.

I had a neighbor like this. I asked nicely if they would keep the noise down since I had a newborn and his other neighbor was a 93 year old lady. There were also other families with small kids in the neighborhood as well who were annoyed by him.

He laughed me off and asked “what are you going to do? Call the cops on me?” I told him that I wouldn’t do that but that I can make noise that bothers him. He thought I was bluffing. After going door to door asking permission from the neighbors I got the go ahead to cause a ruckus early in the morning after he was disturbing everyone.

A couple of hours after he passed out drunk in his backyard after playing music and lighting off quarter sticks I fired up my 881 Stihl and revved the crap out of it in my yard about 15 feet from where he was sleeping. Never had any noise issues with him again.

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I've really tried to be cordial over the last 3 years and it's just not working

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You are his bitch and he knows it.

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but I don't' know what else to do.

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Yes you do. You need to establish dominance. To do this next time he blasts music you punch him square in the face, take a shite on his front lawn, and screw the closest female in his life, record it and rub it in.

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He came by to let me know the cops "didn't do shite to him so it was a waste of my time to call".

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Again he knows you his bitch.

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This is the best place for advice so I figured I'd start here, what does the OT say I should do to solve this problem?

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The only other way besides establishing full dominance is to go to Sonic.

There is no reason to live with that B.S. You need to pursue this both civilly and criminally.

Here's what you need to do, and you should probably consult with an attorney first:

1.) Look up your local muni ordinances to know what the legal decibel levels are at various times of the day. Obviously, higher levels are allowed during the day than at night.

2.) Purchase a calibrated sound/decibel meter that comes with a certificate of calibration. Expect to spend anywhere from $150 to $500, but you can definitely find calibrated meters for under $200. Do your homework and buy one that is sensitive to bass volumes - as some are not good at measuring bass.

3.) Take sound measurements that you record on video so the time and place is obvious. All you need to do is do it from your property line, not from inside your house. Log each instance that he violates the noise ordinance whether you call the cops or not, but you should probably call.

4.) Call the police to report the violation. Keep a log of the police responses. It will be obvious to the officer that you are keeping a log. You want to log the item number and time (that's the police dispatch item number and is basically a permanent record of the dispatch), the officer's (or officers' plural) name and badge number, and the resolution (i.e. warning, citation giving, no action taken, whatever).

5.) You may consider letting the neighbor know via letter or email that you are building a case, hope to avoid having to follow through, and hope to resolve the matter amicably. This will show you acting in good faith and making effort to resolve the matter. This makes you appear more sympathetic in court.

6.) If the police officer does not want to do his job, request to speak to a supervisor or the patrol Captain.

If the officers know that you are keeping a record and building a civil case, they'll know that they are likely to be subpoenaed and that may motivate them to enforce the friggin law.

After you have sufficient calls for service and log entries, then you may consider filing a civil suit. Your attorney can help you build damages (emotional distress, etc., pray the defendant retrofit your house and his with sound proofing insulation, etc.).

You may also consider installing security cams, because shytheads like your neighbor are likely to get aggressive as this progresses. You want to capture him on camera acting a fool: yelling at you, throwing trash on your yard etc.

With any luck the cops will do their job and cite the guy. They probably will not do it on the first call or two or three. Once he has to pay a few tickets and/or possibly go to jail if he keeps doing it, he may back off. That is the hope anyway.

The negative is that the cops may get tired of you. That's why you have the log book and the proof of violation using the calibrated sound meter.

I probably would not call them at 11:00 on a Saturday night (for example). The shift could be kicking and dealing with this minor crap could be annoying. Yes they should do their job, but if you let them know that you try to avoid making complaints when they are likely busy, then extending them that courtesy could work in your favor.

This is an investment so be prepared to spend several thousand dollars, but if you win, you'll ask the court to make your neighbor reimburse you via damages. I say make this muthafuka's life hard from here on. Good luck.

Note: another reason for using a meter and videoing it is that the fight ahead can develop into a 'cat and mouse' game...i.e. neighbor knows you are going to call the cops and he also knows that it'll take them a while to get there. He may start blasting the stereo for 10 minutes in the middle of the night and then turning it off by the time the cops arrive. You definitely want to speak to the cops. DO NOT call it in as an anonymous complainant. In 10-89 anonymous complaints, the cops often drive by, roll down the window, don't hear anything and close it as unfounded. Asking to speak to the officer allows him to see your proof, know the dhead is playing a game and it forces some accountability.

“Go there and take your pistol. Don't take it out, just make sure he sees you have it.”

Never show a gun to anyone as an implied threat unless you’re willing to use. Good way to get yourself kilt

I have moved because of a next door neighbor before.

It has been 8 years and I have never regretted the decision

Careful, don't get Big Lee'd....

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Here's a link to Jefferson Parish's noise ordinance.

LINK