Noisy neighbor quad bike

ThisIsWeird

fender62 said:

just had a letter from the council about me playing loud music since i reported them, this is what i get in retalitation, and no i did not play music loud, i have rang the relivant dept about this letter explainig, it's like pass the buck.

Ok, so you reported them. What's happening (apart from their retaliation)?

You NEED to see this through, or else your life is going to be more miserable than ever. For this, as I explained, you need EVIDENCE.

If you haven't yet bought and fitted a couple of discrete CCTV cameras, you should do. Get ones (as most do) that take SD cards, and are WiFi. That way it'll record at least a week's worth before it over-writes; you just download all the important clips, and let the recording continue. Also, but a discrete recorder to wear personally whenever you approach this thug.

You have to keep telling yourself - what can he ACTUALLY do? What will he ACTUALLY do? Is he going to thump you? Almost certainly not - this is extremely unlikely. Will this dog attack you? Almost certainly not - this is extremely unlikely. And you don't let yourself get close enough anyway! If he, or the dog, approaches menacingly, you back away to keep your distance, but do not turn around. And you RECORD it all.

Give this yobbo enough rope.

If you obtain evidence of this thug's behaviour, this will almost certainly be sorted. If you don't, it won't - and he will be emboldened, as he clearly currently is. I mean, the guy would only report you for a false claim of 'excess music volume' if he felt cocky about doing so. Currently, NEITHER of you has actual evidence of the other's behaviour - this is a stalemate. But if you set up 24/7 recording cameras, it will not only capture HIS behaviour, but your lack thereof. EVIDENCE.

Fender, you either sort this or you don't. He will NOT stop until you do. Believe me, I've been there, and I know that knot in the stomach of wondering how the hell to make it go away. And I also know the weight off the shoulders when you actually turn the tables. But you NEED evidence.

These other neighbours - I'm guessing they don't want to become actively involved? But, would they be prepared to be 'interviewed' in their homes, even anonymously, as part of the Council or Police investigating?

Who is your MP? Are you lucky enough to have one from the new party in power? Remember, they promised to tackle anti-social behaviour. You need to hold these authorities to account, but you also need to do your bit, and that's provide evidence. Their hands are tied if you don't.

Believe me, the day you take action will feel goood! When you set up cameras, nicely hidden, capturing only video on your property, but audio beyond the boundaries such as the racket, and comments from him and his dog, and also equip yourself with a pocket camera (£15), you will start to feel the tide turn.

fender62

thanks for advice really appreciated, the noise is at the rear of our terraced house row, he's next door, this camera idea sounds good, but obviously i cannot have it so high it over looks and records his garden, if i had it low enough so it only show my garden, there such a camera that has a good built in mic to pick up that quad bike noise, im not very flush cash wise sadly, the sd version and or wifi would be good, any cctv's you know of or anyone else reading this, also that pocket camera, i have reported his address with that noise app says under investigation, maybe the quad will stop knowing he reported me for alleged noise - loud music etc, i doubt it though, as you say emboldened and ignorant.

ThisIsWeird

I'll try and find suitable cameras. As you say, you want them to video-capture only your property, so you won't need signs put up. But most have very sensitive mics, so will record the level and duration of the quad-biking, as well as any 'conversation' you may have with him. That is all valid evidence. You are allowed to record wrong-doing. (Just keep it secure, don't share it, and wipe anything that ain't required - this wiping will occured automatically in any case, as the card becomes full.)
To evidence what is causing the noise - young twitty on a quad - you could hold the pocket recorder either over the fence, or view through a gap on the fence.
The idea, at the moment, is to simply accumulate enough evidence of what is happening, so it is undeniable. Give the guy enough rope. Just record, write a dated and timed lid, and refer to the clips. 
Once you have enough info to prove what is going on, then you can be more bold if you like - eg being more obvious that you are recording the biking, so he challenges you. 
If you are challenged, then be calm, upfront, matter-of-fact; "I am gathering evidence for what I believe is a statutory nuisance. You should do the same for what you claim is my music-playing..."
If he F's&blinds, all the better - you have it recorded. If he uses his dog in a remotely threatening manner, then ditto. If you want to 'prod him with a stick', then you can add things like, "You'd better keep that dog under control".
Keep asking yourself - 'what can he actually do'?! You are recording him constantly, so anything he does try that's out of order, will end up nobbling him. Is he actually going to hit you? Of course not. If he going to let his dog loose on you? Of course not.
You, and he, will soon realise how impotent he is.
Then you report him - with evidence agogo.
You escalate the matter if anyone doesn't take it seriously. 
Have you spoken to your local councillor yet?

fender62

i have spoken to the council, about the whole thing yesterday and that i had a short video clip of sprog riding quad round garden 0 safety gear as well, and that i used the noise app? not sure if that actually works as described, and that noise was uploaded to tennant housing, i did hear nob shout the other day.. w@nker, i can only assume they got a letter of complaint ? and i should imagine from a lot of people, im sure im not the only one, i find it bizzare any parent would want a quad bike in a small garden, its like having an industrial generator in your garden, except for the revving stop revving ad infinitum, it's like blow the neighbors, im waiting for a phone call from the actual dept that sent letter, the letter did not even have our names on it, just occupant? iv had letters from the council with our names on it in the past, hopefully ill get all call next week, ill update this as to outcome, thank you for your help eases my mind.

GDB2222

Whilst waiting for the council to do something about this, you can buy ear defenders from your local branch of Screwfix for £4. They will give you some respite, and  they are quite comfortable to wear for a couple of hours at a time. 

fender62

sadly dont stop the rumble, so iv put music on to try and disguise to sound and rumble, no doubt ill get another letter saying noise nuisance, it's that weird they had the quade out for 5 or 10 min, now its off, goading me, ill turn my low music off at 11pm legal req, they are at it right now as of 18:54 started a 18:00..

GDB2222

If you are in a terraced house, it’s pretty antisocial to be playing music as late as 11pm. I doubt that the lad is out on his bike that late. Two wrongs don’t make a right, you know.

ThisIsWeird

Fender, you either sort this the correct way, in a halfarrised way, or not at all.

Playing music to drown it out - if the music is loud enough to be heard by this neighbour, which it clearly is - as GDB suggests - h-a'd.

The proper way to sort this is for you to be unimpeachable in your behaviour. Do not do anything to grey the waters. You are Mr Reasonable, and your neighbour is a yob - all evidence should point to that contrast.

You have suggested in your post above, that the kid's been riding his quad for around an hour at 6pm, and you have only turned off your music at 11? If so, my sympathy is draining fast, and you are literally playing your music into his hands. You currently have no evidence to demonstrate, say, that he ain't just riding his bike - for only one hour - in retaliation for you playing loud music for 5. "Aw, maaan - the guy just keeps playing his carp music for hours and hours, doin' ma heed in, and my only escape is a quick blast on my bike - I'd go nuts otherwise..."

What's more, by playing this music for hours, the guy also knows that he's rattled you.

Your call, but if you DO want to put this yobbo back in his box, you need to start afresh. This is the 'pocket' type recorder I mentioned. I have no experience of this exact model, but I suspect they are all the same. They work. They record on to a micro-SD. You plug it into your PC to download. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387146336670?

I would also suggest a permanently-recording CCTV camera, so you can use it to evidence the times and duration of quad-biking, dog-barking, and - importantly - any altercation you may have with him even if you don't have your pocket camera going.

I don't know your house layout, but I'd set it up to video-capture only your premises, but close to the boundary so it'll capture any sound - its main purpose. The mic in mine is stupidly sensitive - birdsong is deafening...

This is a typical cheap model, but they work well. They do have limitations, tho', unless you can set up a means to remotely 24/7 record, like connecting it to a PC (I've tried VLC Media player on mine, but it only captures vid and not sound). The SD card (128GB max) will (should) record continuously, but if you wish to download, say, a whole day's recording (to demonstrate - PROVE - the number of hours of noise), then you may well need to remove the card and insert it into your PC first. I can 'review' recordings on my phone App, but not download them. The only bits that are separated for instant download are any 'person detected's, which is actually no good to me, and wouldn't be for you either (unless he actually comes into view to threaten you!). 

So, they are limited in function, but DO record constantly, so if you have a juicy day - the guy riding for hours, or - ideally - giving you a mouthful of abuse - then you KNOW you have it - you just need to remove the card!

If the garden racetrack is at the front, then you may wish to consider fitting this to cover the pathway and entrance to your house - that way it has a secondary useful purpose. But, personally, I would initially go for 'discrete', the idea being to catch the guy breaking civil rules and actual laws.

But, do not bother doing any of this unless you are prepared to (a) behave impeccably, politely, reasonably, but firmly yourself, and (b) are determined to escalate the evidence gained.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Septekon-Security-Surveillance-Waterproof-Detection/dp/B0B5Y7CJMD/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_d_2_i_2?

FlyMeSomewhere79

BarelySentientAI said:

It's a kid having fun in their own garden.

Parents need to be mindful of others, you can't just let a child be as noisy, disruptive and selfish as they want! That's why they grow up to be yobs!

You've got to be able to relax and be happy in your own home! It's tough mentally when noisy neighbours move in and alter your entire life! 

BarelySentientAI

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

BarelySentientAI said:

It's a kid having fun in their own garden.

Parents need to be mindful of others, you can't just let a child be as noisy, disruptive and selfish as they want! That's why they grow up to be yobs!

You've got to be able to relax and be happy in your own home! It's tough mentally when noisy neighbours move in and alter your entire life! 

Children playing in gardens has been determined, several times, to not be a statutory nuisance.  Examples include shouting while playing with balls and while using trampolines - both of which were complained about as being "noisy and disruptive". Part of living with neighbours, or being part of society, is that sometimes some people might do something that you don't like.  If you require silence to "relax and be happy in your own home", then your home should not be in earshot of anyone else.

Many of these complaints - and this one seems (although we have only one side of the discussion of course) plausibly to be an exception - boil down to "I don't like what they are doing, so it's wrong and should stop".  No give & take, no compromise, just "I want it my way".  What is "noisy, disruptive and selfish" from one point of view is "children growing up and having fun" from another.  What makes the first view correct and the second view not?

Take the classic situation of a football going over the fence into the next door neighbour's garden and not being given back.  You ask one side, it's "all these yobs out of control, smashing balls around all the time, spoiling peace and quiet, messing up my life", and the other side it's "evil neighbour just trying to make my kids unhappy by complaining any time they aren't silent, yelling at them if they ask for their ball back and staring daggers out of the window."  Almost always, neither position is entirely true.

That's why ThisIsWeird's advice on the thread is so useful - they talk about specific evidence, recording, no "tit-for-tat" - "The proper way to sort this is for you to be unimpeachable in your behaviour. Do not do anything to grey the waters. You are Mr Reasonable, and your neighbour is a yob - all evidence should point to that contrast."