Hello Everyone,
Once again I am turning to SD for an opinion on something before I act. The problem I am having is a stupid kid and his insanely loud car stereo. Every morning on his way to school at 6:30 in the stupid morning he stops at the stop sign outside of our home and his stereo is so loud you can FEEL it inside the house. Of course it wakes everyone up and gets the morning off to a not so pleasant start.
My initial reaction is to wait outside next to the stop sign and have a talk with the little moron. However, since he is a minor that probably isn’t a good idea. Not to mention doing that can escalate a situation and I am not looking to do that. I just want for myself and my family to not have to awake to his awful taste in music every morning. It is at night as well, but the times vary.
I went by the local Sheriff’s department and they told me that they can do something, but will they is the question. I was told that there are laws in place that deal with this, the noise in general and one specific to car stereos. The problem is they have to catch him in the act and cannot guarantee that they can have someone out here to catch him, even though I explained that he is like clockwork. The deputy told me to call it in each morning and the “squeaky wheel gets the grease” and sooner or later the dept will get tired of me calling and send someone out to wait on him. I was told the ticket he will get is quite expensive. The other option he gave me is to wait out there and get his license plate and the officer will go to his home and talk with him.
Now, at one time I was a snot nosed kid with a loud stereo (although I surely didn’t drive through residential areas early in the morning with it turned up, because as soon as my father found out I would have no longer had a loud stereo). Part of me thinks that possibly he has no idea the problems he is causing and sending the law on him might be extreme. I am thinking that maybe I should follow Mr. Snot Nosed home and have a talk with his father. The only thing keeping me from doing this is the thought that Dad might be a moron too and I might be causing myself more problems.
So, the question is, do I let law enforcement handle it even though they might not and if they do he might be in trouble with not only the law, but his parents. Or should I try to go talk to his Dad and explain the situation and see if he will take care of it? Oh and get of my lawn.
How about a video? I emailed photos and a short video to the Chicago Police a few weeks ago. Easy enough, and proof of the stereo being too loud with the sound in the video. (At least here, if it can be heard outside the vehicle, it’s too loud.) That would also cover the plate number, get a pic of the offender, and a really good description of the car.
I would likely go talk to the dad first, if it was someone I felt comfortable having a conversation with. If it doesn’t stop get his license plate and report him.
Not all kids who turn on loud music are jerks. Sometimes they don’t realize how loud it actually is. Sometimes they know how loud it is and don’t care (these are the jerks). Most kids with loud music just enjoy the loud bass the stereo is putting out.
Go talk to the kid about it. I would recommend you refrain using the same aggressive tone you displayed in this thread when talking to him. If you explain to him “Look, your music is too loud. In fact, it is waking people up. Could you please reduce the volume?”, i’m sure he will understand.
Kids are cowards and when approached by an adult, he will most likely back down. If he doesn’t, go to the parent. Getting the cops involved in this is a little too extreme and you should only use as a last resort.
This is no practical solution but I’ve been fantasizing some type of tiny miniature stinger missile system that can be launched towards the general direction of invasive loud house rattling music that would lock onto any loud subwoofer/zero in and destroy them.
I would really just attempt to talk to him first. That’s what I tell my workers when they come to me with a problem, to take it up with the offender first before you bother me with this crap. You couldn’t do that with a big bad murderer, but you could say something to a kid with a loud stereo. What’s he going to do? At worst? It’s just a kid who likes to feel like he’s got great big balls. Go deflate them a little.
The whole world is full of jerks who just don’t realize they’re jerks until someone says hey, you’re a jerk.
First the OP does not say he knows who this kid is or the family, so personal intervention other than walking up to the car at the stop sign is out.
Second, though it is likely the kid will be cool, if he ends up being a future hall of fame thug you don’t want to be on his radar.
Finally, depending on the police agency, they may appreciate intervening with this kid at this stage to see if he will become a real problem in the future, or shape up and not be a problem from now on. As boring as it sounds, an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure even in law enforcement.
If you want to make the job of police easier chart the times the kid goes by for a week or two. Then they will be able to establish the routine (and it shows it’s a daily problem) which makes the need for intervention greater and the job of doing it easier.
Get the license and have the sheriff go to his house. He won’t get a ticket but he will hopefully get the message. Also, his parents will then be aware of the issue so they can keep an eye on it.
I guess it depends on your feel for the neighborhood. Years ago I was living in a less than savory area of town and had a similar problem. I tried speaking to the guy but it didn’t do any good. So next I called the police, who came and talked to the guy. Next morning, all four tires on my car were slashed. I called the police again, but although it was obvious who had done it I didn’t have any proof. The police officer suggested that I consider moving. Hopefully you’ll have a better outcome.
This is exactly what I fear if I try to talk to him or the family. Some people have an attitude of “me first” and questioning them leads to big problems. Like I said, I am torn between being neighborly and letting the police handle it. I don’t want to get the kid in trouble, because quite possibly he is unaware of what he is doing. However, I doubt that because how could you be that dense not to realize that your portable bass generator can be heard from 300ft away?
I have no doubt that dude knows exactly how loud it is. He surely does not sit in his parents’ driveway with it that loud, and doesn’t crank it until he’s down the street. Take video or pictures discreetly and let the police handle it.
(Former obnoxious 1600-watt sound system owner)
Well, since he’s stopping at the stop sign every day, why don’t you start by taping a big sign to it (don’t obscure the sign though, obviously) asking him to turn it down? “Hey you in the (color) (make of car), please turn your stereo down in the morning! Thanks!”
It’s anonymous, harmless and may work…especially if his parents see it. If not, get his license plate number and give it to the police.
Good idea, but I forgot to mention it is a rarity that he actually stops for the sign. More like a brief decrease in speed and then a powered roll through. I have thought about a sign, if I do one I will be sure to post it here for all to see.
I live on the street leading to the high school, so lots and lots of loud stereos vibrate my house during the morning “commute.” I’ve learned to treat them as a call to prayer and/or exercise. Might as well make good use of the “annoyance”–and sometimes now I actually enjoy the reminder.
However, I think you may have hit on another tactic in your last post. Why not call the police and say there is this car that runs the stop sign every morning–it’s a danger. You’ve noticed it because the stereo is so loud. But someone is going to get hurt…
I think you should run down to the stop sign just before he arrives and as soon as you see him you should dance and gyrate to his music in a lurid manner. It will freak him right out.