My basic question is, what are your thoughts concerning a rock band practicing in a backyard in a residential neighborhood?
Around the end of our block, there are 3 boys, aged approx 11-14, who are forming a rock band. All of them are complete beginners at their instruments. As the weather warmed up, they began playing in their back yards. I am in the 5th house from the corner. The nearest one is 2 yards away from me in the second house from the corner. The other two are around the corner - the second and 5th house in, so their back yards are perpindicular to mine. (Does that make any sense?)
I like to spend a lot of time in my back yard. My wife and I do a lot of gardening. And we prefer having the windows open when possible. When they practice, you cannot conduct a conversation in normal tones in my back yard. And it is clearly audible inside my house with the windows closed.
When we called the one house, the mother said “I know whhat you are calling about. I’ll have them quiet down.” And she hung up on us. No apology or anything. And tho the volume was reduced, they started up again at full volume the next day.
On Sat, one kid was playing guitar chords at high volume in his backyard two yards down from us. We walked down and talked to the mom who was gardening in front of her house. When we said it bothered us, she said it didn’t bother her. And she said they checked the local ordinances, and it wasn’t expressly prohibited. Which I commented was real neighborly on her part. She said, “They’re just kids.” Which I suggested was all the more reason they should not be allowed to annoy the entire neghborhood. Needless to say, I was unsuccessful in convincing her of the reasonableness of our request.
On Monday, while I was at work, they started up louder than ever before. My wife called the cops. After asking/telling the kids to hold it down, they came around and told my wife that there was not an ordinance preventing loud noise during daytime hours, and the only thing we could do is pursue a private nuisance suit. We are both lawyers, and could do that if we wanted at little cost other than time and effort, but we really would rather not.
I should point out that we are not the only people who are annoyed by this. But a good number of folk are uncomfortable confronting the noisemakers. I know of at least one other household that has spoken with the parents of the band members, and called the cops.
Also, I should say I used to be in bands, so I have some exerience in how loud they are. IMO, it is pretty much a given that rock bands are too loud to practice outside in residential areas. Of course, I would make exceptions for parties and the like. But not just practice on a regular basis.
When I was a kid, I couldn’t imagine my parents allowing me to play my music at a volume that would bother my neighbors. Here, it seems as tho the kids are almost encouraged to do so. And I really hate the fact that in my efforts to express my desire to enjoy relative peace in my backyard, I am coming across (at least in some peoples’ minds) as the unreasonable party.
So - what do you think?