Noisy neighbor quad bike

FlyMeSomewhere79

Alderbank said:

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

GDB2222 said:

It’s possible that this particular child has some difficulties, which might explain what sounds like fairly obsessive behaviour, riding round and round a fairly small garden for hours. If so, then the authorities may side with the child, and the op is just going to have to work round the problem. That might mean wearing headphones, or simply staying inside whenever the child is riding around in the garden. 

...There's no justifying what the neighbour is doing, he needs to take his child elsewhere to use the quad like a decent parent would do.

It's illegal for the child to use the quad bike in a public park, a car park, a children's play area or anywhere to which the public have access. No decent parent would do that.

The only place the child can use it legally, and the only place the police recommend, is in their own garden.

So this neighbour bought a child a quad bike they can't even use anywhere! What a stupid and certainly not decent parent! 

powerful_Rogue

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

Alderbank said:

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

GDB2222 said:

It’s possible that this particular child has some difficulties, which might explain what sounds like fairly obsessive behaviour, riding round and round a fairly small garden for hours. If so, then the authorities may side with the child, and the op is just going to have to work round the problem. That might mean wearing headphones, or simply staying inside whenever the child is riding around in the garden. 

...There's no justifying what the neighbour is doing, he needs to take his child elsewhere to use the quad like a decent parent would do.

It's illegal for the child to use the quad bike in a public park, a car park, a children's play area or anywhere to which the public have access. No decent parent would do that.

The only place the child can use it legally, and the only place the police recommend, is in their own garden.

So this neighbour bought a child a quad bike they can't even use anywhere! What a stupid and certainly not decent parent! 

They can use it in their garden.

FlyMeSomewhere79

ThisIsWeird said:

GDB2222 said:

It’s possible that this particular child has some difficulties, which might explain what sounds like fairly obsessive behaviour, riding round and round a fairly small garden for hours. If so, then the authorities may side with the child, and the op is just going to have to work round the problem. That might mean wearing headphones, or simply staying inside whenever the child is riding around in the garden. 

There is nothing here to suggest that scenario.

Based on the info we have been given, it's more plausible that the guy a door down is a knuckle-grinding moron, owns a dog with a known & deserved reputation for literally ripping people's throats out, has a threatening and intimidating manner which includes bragging about being imprisoned for GBH, and is utterly inconsiderate even to their immediate, elderly, neighbours. The child's inconsiderate behaviour is almost certainly a direct result of this quality upbringing.

Exactly! This is why societal problems worsen because people look for excuses to justify or defend antisocial behaviour.

It's not obsessive, the kid has to ride it round and garden because they can't take it anywhere else, the father deliberately something for his kid to annoy the neighbours with. Why does any child need a quad bike for a back garden! They aren't safe things, plenty of people have flipped them and ended up underneath with severe injuries!

GDB2222

ThisIsWeird said:

GDB2222 said:

It’s possible that this particular child has some difficulties, which might explain what sounds like fairly obsessive behaviour, riding round and round a fairly small garden for hours. If so, then the authorities may side with the child, and the op is just going to have to work round the problem. That might mean wearing headphones, or simply staying inside whenever the child is riding around in the garden. 

There is nothing here to suggest that scenario.

Based on the info we have been given, it's more plausible that the guy a door down is a knuckle-grinding moron, owns a dog with a known & deserved reputation for literally ripping people's throats out, has a threatening and intimidating manner which includes bragging about being imprisoned for GBH, and is utterly inconsiderate even to their immediate, elderly, neighbours. The child's inconsiderate behaviour is almost certainly a direct result of this quality upbringing.

The OP's first post states:
"my neighbor who lives a door up in a council house bought his child a motor mini quad bike, he goes round and round there garden with rev rev round round etc, all hrs everyday, not in school as he's at in the morning afternoon and night,"

I think we have to take the OP's word for that. Children do like riding bikes, and a mini quad bike is undoubtedly fun. Most children would ride it for maybe an hour or two a day before getting bored, not as the OP describes it.

So, unless the OP has grossly exaggerated the hours, the child seems to be showing some sort of obsessive behaviour. Also, he's not in school, and the parents don't sound like they are home-schoolers.

I'm not diagnosing this child at long distance, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is a diagnosis. 

"The child's inconsiderate behaviour is almost certainly a direct result of this quality upbringing."

Or maybe the child's got his parents' genes. 

Titus_Wadd

Back to the Noise App.  We were told to use this a couple of years ago for reporting noise (breach of a planning condition and ASB) because the Out of Hours service was withdrawn by the council.  The Out of Hours service had worked perfectly well...noise on a bank holiday, for instance, and the out of ours officer came out when we texted a dedicated mobile number.  Caught them in the act and took photos (and reported being verbally abused).

Over the past couple of years and 100+ noise app reports and we have heard nothing; not a peep from the Council, expect to confirm the App works when I asked if there was a problem with it!  I was giving them a way to "save face" and come back with something by allowing them to say it might have been faulty!

But, and it's a big BUT; the council has done the square root of nothing with anything reported, even when supported by time-stamped photo or video evidence to support the source of the noise.  I may be bitter (I am), but the whole "keep a diary", "fill in log sheets" and "use the NoiseApp" are little more than gate-keeping strategy to allow the reporter to feel they and the council are working towards a positive outcome.  We're not!  And the Council is not!  It just keeps you in a holding pattern whilst leaving you open to further abuse and possible violent or destructive retaliation.

Possibly you might be able to get a sympathetic councilor onboard to ask the relevant council for updates.  However this is more likely in a local election year.  Our MP has been useful, up to a point.  Queries from the MP prompted a flurry of additional gate-keeping from the council!

Ear plugs are definitely worth trying or listen to your TV, radio or music through noise-cancelling headphones.  Don't regard this as accepting the noisy status quo, but to help you measure your reaction to the on-going noise nuisance.  I can guarantee that if you retaliate in any way the neighbour will report you, so keep on the moral high ground however painful it might be; this will stand you in good stead should you ever end up in court.  If you have any form of Legal Protection Cover (perhaps with house insurance) contact them for any legal advice queries going forward.  I don't think them writing to the neighbour, at this stage, will be helpful because it may result in retaliation which the council and police can't really shield you from (in my experience).

I'd consider moving; in which case simply stop reporting stuff.  I know you're supposed to declare current and past disputes but since the council won't consider "children playing noise" as either anti-social behaviour or noise nuisance then mention it as deemed "resolved".  (this won't be popular advice and I'm ashamed to be saying it because it's what our vendors told us before we bought our house next to the 3 neighbours from hell!).  Trust me when I say we have tried to find a solution, even got an injunction 2 years ago.

Wait a while and report the dog to the council housing department or to your dog warden if your area has one, it's possibly a small victory.

Why am I so bitter?  Getting our council to do anything has been a terrible strain.  But if they are trying to save tax-payers' money they have spent £1000s researching legal excuses to do nothing constructive, including hours of meetings with us and other bodies even though they will not swerve from the path of inaction!  For the first two years we naively thought they would do something - they have numerous policy documents on their website that give this impression.  From an ASB perspective, we have had 2 Government Ombudsman complaints upheld and one Police complaint upheld but these have been pyrrhic victories and achieved no relief for us or other victims in the area.  I'd consider moving.

One final piece of advice.  Don't film the child!  If you have photos of him, delete them.  And best of luck, let us know what happens because there might be something useful to other forum members.  Don't waste emotional energy trying to fathom the behaviour; they just aren't wired like normal law-abiding folk (in my experience).

fender62

Titus_Wadd, i think you maybe right about the noise app not working, plus i never got a call back for the dept that sent alledged compalint letter to me, although i phoned and secretary said she would tell the person to ring me, plus i emailed said dept, no reply. as they say it's like pumping a dry well, the quad seems to have calmed down, could be because of the weather, i can see grass seed has been put down, as for moving erm, i have sunk to much money into my house, fish pond ornimental fencing various plants bushes, paved patio area, it's very nice and took many years, but i thank everyone for advice suggestions etc, i see there are good people in the world, and im not alone.

Stubod

..I feel truly sorry for the OP, it must be awful....and there seem to be so many selfish people about these days that have no consideration for other people......I wish the OP the best of luck in getting this resolved...

Titus_Wadd

fender62 said:

Titus_Wadd, i think you maybe right about the noise app not working, plus i never got a call back for the dept that sent alledged compalint letter to me, although i phoned and secretary said she would tell the person to ring me, plus i emailed said dept, no reply. as they say it's like pumping a dry well, the quad seems to have calmed down, could be because of the weather, i can see grass seed has been put down, as for moving erm, i have sunk to much money into my house, fish pond ornimental fencing various plants bushes, paved patio area, it's very nice and took many years, but i thank everyone for advice suggestions etc, i see there are good people in the world, and im not alone.

I'm sorry to be such a downer and I sincerely don't believe you should have to give up your much-loved home any more than I should.  It's just a sad realisation that I've come to - that I'll have to move away for a quiet life (unless the whole horrid family is struck down!)  Ofcourse, at some point I'd then have to let go of the resentment at selling my beautiful home at a discount.  

As much as we've had good reason to complain about the police, they are at least accountable and are trying to help us finally.  The council staff are unaccountable.  Yes there's the ombudsman process, but I think the council factors into their budget a few £hundred payments they'll have to pay if the ombudsman finds that they were at fault or that we've suffered injustice as a consequence.  It's cheaper than providing an actual service...a bit like water companies budgeting for fines knowing they'll have to pump poop into waterways sooner or later.

Hopefully the child is bored with the quad bike and maybe the grass seed signals the family's new pride in their surroundings?

As a fellow sufferer I genuinely hope things pick up for you. xx

ThisIsWeird

Titus_Wadd said:

I'm sorry to be such a downer and I sincerely don't believe you should have to give up your much-loved home any more than I should.  It's just a sad realisation that I've come to - that I'll have to move away for a quiet life (unless the whole horrid family is struck down!)  Ofcourse, at some point I'd then have to let go of the resentment at selling my beautiful home at a discount.  

As much as we've had good reason to complain about the police, they are at least accountable and are trying to help us finally.  The council staff are unaccountable.  Yes there's the ombudsman process, but I think the council factors into their budget a few £hundred payments they'll have to pay if the ombudsman finds that they were at fault or that we've suffered injustice as a consequence.  It's cheaper than providing an actual service...a bit like water companies budgeting for fines knowing they'll have to pump poop into waterways sooner or later.

Hopefully the child is bored with the quad bike and maybe the grass seed signals the family's new pride in their surroundings?

As a fellow sufferer I genuinely hope things pick up for you. xx

I'd like to think that the council dept responsible for anti-soc behaviour is accountable, and you could escalate this matter if you felt inclined to.

We are not supposed to talk politics, so I won't mention that the new gov is intent on enforcing a clamp-down on anti-soc behaviour and suchlike.

In your, or Fend's, situation, I would carefully gather enough evidence, and then insist the issue is tackled. I'd escalate it as far as would be required.

ThisIsWeird

fender62 said:

Titus_Wadd, i think you maybe right about the noise app not working, plus i never got a call back for the dept that sent alledged compalint letter to me, although i phoned and secretary said she would tell the person to ring me, plus i emailed said dept, no reply. as they say it's like pumping a dry well, the quad seems to have calmed down, could be because of the weather, i can see grass seed has been put down, as for moving erm, i have sunk to much money into my house, fish pond ornimental fencing various plants bushes, paved patio area, it's very nice and took many years, but i thank everyone for advice suggestions etc, i see there are good people in the world, and im not alone.

Sounds positive, Fender. You don't put grass seed down only to plough it up again.

My guess is that they have been told to behave, and realise it would be silly to carry on.

Keep the evidence going. Report any further breaches. Keep the pressure on. As a tenant, they have a responsibility to maintain their garden in decent order.