One night of roudyness leads to cops coming every night

[zing]

I agree that the cops are not at fault, nor are they harrassing him. When they get a call they have to show up. Simple as that. Suggestions to get the truck inspected and videotape it are also silly because there is nothing to say that he didn't make the noise when the tape wasn't running or modify the truck again 10 minutes after the inspection.

To the OP, I believe you are honestly upset by the issue and are not intentionally being malicious. I also think though, that you are being naieve about the impact of the noise from your truck. The chances the neighbours have a sensor that detects when it leaves the garage or are sitting in front of their window 24/7 are pretty remote. That means that the way they know every time the truck is running in your driveway, is because they can hear it from inside their house. People can usually be understanding about noise that is created due to necessity, like construction or lawn mowers etc, but very few people want to hear an obnoxiously loud vehicle, especially when they know that the only reason it is that loud is because you did it that way on purpose.
You also assume that this all started from the burnout, but for all you know that may just have been the proverbial straw. Your neighbours could have been annoyed and talking about that noisy truck for a long time and that is just what finally set them off enough to take action about it. All of this talk about noise ordinances ignores the issue of being a good neighbour. Just because you are not as noisy as the hogs driving by does nothing for your credibility. All it does it say that you are the second loudest unneceessary noise in the neighbourhood. It is certainly possible to be within the law regarding noise levels, and still be an obnoxious pain in the neighbourhood.

Like I said, I don't think you are being malicious. I do think though that when that fiance of yours becomes a mother, and you and she have spent 6 weeks on two hours of sleep per night due to a collicy baby, and someone with an obnoxiously loud vehicle wakes that baby up just because they think it is fun, you might just find yourself ready to take his windshield out with a baseball bat. Personally I think it is a sweet looking truck. I also think it can probably be a lot quieter if you want it to be.

 

[flyerdan]

Standing inside the house and hurling abuse at the cop is a sure way to be guaranteed that you'll be stopped the next time you leave the house and shot in the face before you can roll the window all the way down. Asking for copies of the complaints so you can show that you want to correct whatever code violation is the best bet.

 

[Bird]

Since I haven't issued a citation for loud mufflers in about 48 years, I decided to see what the Dallas, TX, ordinance says now.:laughing:

BookmarkSEC. 30-2. LOUD AND DISTURBING NOISES AND VIBRATIONS PRESUMED OFFENSIVE.


The following loud and disturbing noises and vibrations are presumed to be offensive to the ordinary sensibilities of the inhabitants of the city:

(7) The discharge into the open air of the exhaust from any motor vehicle, except through a muffler or other device that will effectively and efficiently prevent loud and disturbing noises or vibrations.

I'll probably never forget issuing a "loud muffler" citation to a wealthy teenager who was driving a new car, but with loud mufflers and he was making just as much noise as he possibly could with it. He came to court, with his father, to plead "Not Guilty". The father took the witness stand and said, "Judge, we asked the muffler shop to put some mufflers on that car that would make a little sound, but that car's not as loud as these old city busses." The judge asked if that was all, the father said it was, and he was told me to step down. Then the judge said, "We're not comparing your car to city busses, jet airplanes, and atomic explosions. We do the best we can with what we have. That'll be (about 4 times as much fine as if they'd just mailed it in)."

And yes, I put dual glass packs on my 1956 Mercury Montclair convertible and made lots of noise when I was 18, until the small town police chief just told me, one day when I met him on the sidewalk downtown, that I needed to hold it down, and I did hold it down, too.

I never got a ticket for the noise, and don't know who they talked to, but in the final interview when I was hired on the Police Department 6 years later, one of the questions I was asked was, "What kind of mufflers do you have on your car right now?" And fortunately, I had outgrown the desire for noise and had OEM stock mufflers on the Dodge I had then.:laughing:

 

[Beltzington]

Hey all.

First off I am gonna put this out in the open,I am a 25 year old, engaged guy, I bought my house almost two years ago, I keep the property immaculate, grass is always mowed, got a healthy garden going. Shrubs are trimmed. The biggest event I have had here so far is a few couples sitting around the fire pit bullsh*tting. This is by no means a party house.

First off the fact your concerned about it tells me you are a decent person. You just need to let the neighborhood understand. Consequences come in every flavor, step off a curb without looking and the bus driver isn't at fault. I'm twice your age and have been on both sides of the debate. If my neighbor was being a jerk a knock on my door with a sincere "I was being as stupid as you where at my age" would go along way. Past that, they will be as big as jerks as they want and nothing more you can do about it. Let it go.

 

[Jstpssng]

I would be tempted to use the truck to do some yard work. Then if an officer shows up, he can show you exactly what the problem is; or have talk with whatever neighbor is complaining.

 

[Dftodd]

You can call the local poloce or the next time the officer stops by for a noise complaint, you can ask him where to get a copy of the reports for your address. Once yoi find oit who it is, leave them be!!!! Just plow every one else out and make them shovel there driveway. At some point having the cops called everytime you start it, it becomes harrassment by whomever is calling. You have as much right to do what you want on your property. If it keeps happening, contact a lawyer!!

Back years ago when my wife and I were dating, I had a cheap apartment in town. Some kids moved in that liked to party all night. Other tenants called and complained all the time about them but nothing would happen. They kept us up one night till 3:30ish in the morning. Wife happened to have her sons dodge diesel with a 5" exhaust. She just happened to be backed in, in front of the kids apartment. 5:30am she went out and fired it up to let it warm up for a few before she went to work. Snowed the night before just before she left, she noticed there lights come on. Bout the time they stepped out of there apartment, she romped on it a few times knocked all there crap off there walls :thumbsup: She made it a point to back the dodge in front of there apartment after that. A couple times and they got the point :laughing:

 

[KubotaToy]

I feel for the OP. You will never rehabilitate a bad neighbor once they have it set in their head they seen bad or been wronged.

I once lived at the end of a 1/2 mile road, had about 10 folks up and down the road. After a few months living there, pulled the Harley out of storage to ride to work, it has aftermarket exhaust but not loud. The first day I rode, my wife asked me to deliver some cookies to one neighbor she made friends with. I did, then I drove to the main road, turned to make the ride to work and coming towards me was sheriffs car with lights so I slow to let him pass and he pulls sideways in front of me. I stopped in the road wondering what the "Help" was going on. He draws his gun and orders me to the ground where I get cuffed. As a former officer, I understand the rules and informed him I had a firearm on my person. Within two minutes more cars show up, finally one of the sheriff deputies comes over and takes the cuffs off, gives me back my wallet and firearm, then informs me they were called about a member of a bike gang terrorizing the neighborhood, pointing a gun people and breaking in homes. After a short discussion of what I had been doing just prior to getting stopped, I commended them on their rather robust and quick response and found out they all live less than five minuted from me and were going on shift when the call came in. They also told me they have made a more than a few trips to the neighborhood in the past with someone reporting prowlers, peeping toms and loud noises but they would not tell me who reported it, they thought this call may have been a real concern due to some biker activity in the recent past. I gave them my business card and told them if they needed anything or had any problems stop by or call. Over the three years I lived there, had many more complaints, so much so, I became friends with the deputy that stopped me that day, we put a lot miles on our bikes. BTW- I was carrying a firearm in the open that day (which was perfectly legal), after that I concealed carried to keep the complaints down.

 

[oosik]

Kubota Toy -
Your story outlines one of the major reasons I'm so happy out here "on the far side of nowhere". My closest neighbor is miles & miles distant. Either because of fear, jealousy or anger - close neighbors can be a real PITA - and there is alway one, in almost every situation.

I see that you no longer live there.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

First, let me say I'm a car guy. My '59 and '60 both have "mild" glass packs. Having said that, I don't do burn outs nor do I do a lot of revving to hear them rumble and pop. I keep them both in the shop, out of sight. Having said that, I do have three young grandsons that often stay here with us, and have the run of the yard. If you want to do burnouts and rip and rev on my street, you will eventually have problems. My suggestion is that you put some stock mufflers on the truck, put on some cut-outs if you want, but only use them at the drag strip or other appropriate place. Be a gentleman, drive responsibly and don't provoke the neighbors.

 

[KubotaToy]

Kubota Toy -

I see that you no longer live there.

Over the past 20 years, I moved every 3-7 years due to the type of work I do. Unlike the OP, if I had a bad neighbor, I had an out to find another one in another neighborhood.

I made my last move a few years ago and have homesteaded here in Tn, brought ag land 10 miles out town with no neighbors but the old farmer retired and sold off land all around me, so now I live in the city again. I get animal noise, smell, and gunshot calls all the time by the sheriffs deputies. People behind me just bought the property and are building a house. They want me to put a gate in my fence so they can use my property since it is cleared to ride 4 wheelers, they also asked me to move the goats and donkeys, they smell and make too much noise.