not taking a poll here but i am genuinely interested as to what their actual rights are vs. mine

quick backstory: about 3 weeks ago, he came over at like 1:30am on a Saturday night, telling me my music was too loud. Said it was the "bass". Now, I was listening to some rap but it wasn't something that was particularly bassy. But whatever, it was late, I turned it off and moved on

so now today. About an hour ago, 10:30 on a Friday night, doorbell rings. And he starts out acting like a prick. I open the door. "you know why i'm here". I said "no ? ". Your music is too loud. We've been hearing it for the last 2 hours". Turn it down I have to work tomorrow. What was I listening to? Stevie Wonder. You know, Stevie Wonder, King of Bass.

here's what i don't understand. It's winter. my windows are closed. i presume his windows are closed too. This isn't an apartment. i would never blast music in an apartment regardless of hour. this isn't the city- our houses aren't right on top of one another. they aren't acres apart, but there's a reasonable amount of space inbetween. I just don't understand how someone could hear enough, enough that it would disturb them enough to confront the person to stop

guess i'm just wondering what exactly are my (or his) rights? if the cops did become involved (which I don't really want), who is in the right? sure, 2, 3am i can see. but 10:30 on a friday night? he told me he has to work in the morning, well what the fuck is that my problem.

i feel like he's just being a prick, and in talking to the neighbors on the other side (who shockingly have lived there years longer than these people and never had an issue with the volume) they are just assholes in general, have complained about their kids playing too close to their cars, shit like that. basically they're in their 20's and act like they're in their 90's

If he steps on your property w/o your permission, you have a constitutional right to shoot him. #Truth

Bingo!

10:30 on a friday night and this prick is coming over to your house? Your private property? Fuck him! Don't lie down and let this shit go, this is worth fighting for. He has to work in the morning, who fucking cares?! That's his goddamn problem, not yours! This is not 1:00 on a sunday night/monday morning, you shouldn't have to tip toe around this son of a bitch's schedule. People have gotten too confident, this guy should have been trembling with anxiety and fear when thinking of confronting you. I understand you don't want things to be hostile or awkward with your neighbor because you have to live next to him, but you can't have this guy walking all over you. What has this fucking world come to when you can't play loud music in your own home on a friday night? You dragged your ass around for an entire week busting your ass to support yourself in anticipation of unwinding finally on friday night and this prick is trying to take that away from you, don't let him.

the thing i am in fear of....is that i am on probation for another matter for another 6 months, basically
i don't really want to have any kind of police interaction at all, whether i am right or wrong. at this point i feel like i have to play nice, even if i am in the right. after that time, sure, i'll tell him to go fuck himself. my fear is that he'll get the cops involved and in my situation- right or wrong- i don't want that

You kinda answered your own question here. If you continue to play your music too loud, the neighbor is almost sure to call the police to file a noise complaint. When the Officer shows up and you turn up with a criminal history and on probation, the officer is very likely to take your neighbors side and your problems will escalate. Be glad the neighbor walked over twice to give you the chance to lower the volume, rather than calling the Police right away. But after a couple incidents, he may well decide that you are not getting the hint and decide to see if the authorities can make more of an impression.

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Go Cubs!!!!

It sounds like the neighbor is a jerk. In any case, your music should not be loud enough to be heard outside. Only bad music needs to be played loudly to be enjoyed. Jmho. Best of luck.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Sounds like the guy is being a cock. Be patient and wait out the 6 months. Then play your music at whatever level is generally acceptable and engage in a pissing match with him if need be.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

funny that the neighbor on the other side of me, who has been there years longer than these people and who lives an equal distance away from me has never had a complaint.
these people are assholes. they've complained about the neighbor kids playing to close to their car....they act like 80 year old men.
as we walked away in a huff he claimed he had to work in the morning. here it is nearly 8 and his car is still there.
see steve from elmhurst, people can be assholes just like you and unfortunately it comes down to a he said/she said situation.

What a terrible response. Bagels already said that this jerkoff complains about everything, and the neighbors on the other side of him have no complaints. Steve, if you really were a cop (who knows, you have been caught lying before), I can assume that you were a complete asshole, who overstepped his bounds. You make it sound like Bagels should tremble in his boots at the mere thought of them showing up.

Bagels, let this asshole call the cops. All they can do is tell you to turn down the music, and you can tell them that he bitches about everything, and the other neighbors have zero complaints. If they do come to your door, go outside and talk to them, and close and lock the door behind you. DO NOT let them in the house, don't even let them look inside the door. All cops are not assholes like Steve. The fact that you are on probation for a separate matter is completely irrelevant. If they keep getting calls from this idiot neighbor and his constant "crying wolf", eventually they will ignore him, or tell him to suck it up, and stop wasting their time.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Move

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Is that what you did when the Wild Hare was too loud?

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

thanks Chus...it's not that i'm trembling in my boots, I just would prefer not to even have the cops involved. but this has been twice now. if it happens a third time...and like the jerk store thing i'm mad i didn't react quick enough when i answered the door and he said "you know why i'm here, right?"

but the thing is...i seriously don't understand how he's hearing anything at a level such that he feels the need to complain. ok, i if i was listening to something with trunk rattling bass and my floors were shaking, sure. but last night aside from 1 rap album i listened to Todd Rundgren, Yo La Tengo, Stevie Wonder....not exactly Slayer or Motorhead.

Pass the hatchet, I think I'm goodkind.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Fuck this Guy, some people are just a pain in the ass n miserable ...I doubt the terms of your probation say anything about a specific. Decibel level on your speakers...let this turd call the police n tell the cops this Guy is an asshole.

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it was And Then Nothing Turned Itself....like the most mellow album ever. i think there's MAYBE one or two songs on there that even approach the level of 'rocking'

i'm a hardened criminal. beware

Or, you could try being polite and respectful of other people. Rather than being a nuisance. Just depends on what kind of person you are, I guess.

He said that the volume was at an acceptable level, and it hasn't bothered anybody else. Some people just like to complain, and it sounds like his neighbor is one of them.

Bagels said this asshole has already come over twice. One would think if Bagels was such a nuisance, and he was ignoring the reasonable request from his neighbor, certainly the cops would have been called by now.

_________________
Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Touch'em all Q-Bro

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Have you tried putting on your music and then walking out to near where his house is to see if you can hear it. If you can't hear it from outside your house there is no way in hell he's hearing it inside of his.

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uh, i turned it completely off both times he came over. i wasn't turning it up loud specifically to say "hahaha i'm going to annoy you neighbors" . so fuck off with your bullshit

I would go talk to him today during daylight and strike up a conversation. Apologize that he thought your music was too loud and you certainly aren't trying to be disrespectful. Say it was Friday night and you were in a good mood and enjoying it and ask him if he has any requests for next Friday /chuckle chuckle. If he can't accept that olive branch and laugh it off then yes he is a true asshole and anything above volume 2 will have him complaining at your door. But I think a non-confrontational conversation can go a long way to smoothing things over and not have him at your door all the time.

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i understand that
my point to 24 guy above, was that i wasn't aware i was doing something wrong. when confronted, i corrected the matter, even though i felt i was right, i didn't argue at all. i turned up something really loud just now and went outside, as spiral stair suggested, i could hear some bass a bit when standing near their house, but nothing else. so i can't believe that INSIDE the house they're hearing enough to be bothered
but yes, i will lay low and be careful until such time i feel i can fully challenge them
i would really like to know what the law is though, i mean if someone is playing polka on their transistor radio on their patio next door is that enough for me to file a noise complaint? is it totally subjective? i'm not in an apartment, bound by a lease or part of a condo association or anything...is there something that says from x hours noise can't be so many decibels? i'm just curious

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but is your neighbor burrito? I mean, him coming over to complain could all be some ruse to get in your zubaz.

No, I was right (along with a number of other people) and they got shut down.

So Bagels needs another 100 people to agree with him and then he is OK.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

People are such douchebags. It seems everyday there is another example and this neighbor is one in a long line.

I would probably go with UMN's advice, play nice for the next few months and then when your probation is done with then I would do whatever I wanted. Let him call the cops. Let him look like the idiot.

In the meantime perhaps you can hire Q to light a bag of shit on fire and put it on his doorstep

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Couple thoughts/options:

1. Noise cancelling headphones of some sort for the home.
2. Check the noise level as you did for your bassiest tune. Walk over next to their place and determine where you cannot hear it. Annotate the spot on the tuner where it cannot be heard. If the guy comes over again it seems you could say you tested it so as not to bother the guy and marked the volume. Go outside with him to friendily check to see why it can still be heard.

Maybe someone else is really causing the noise?
If your home is a recent purchase, I guess the guy could have surfed the public records, gotten you name, run a background check and determined he could mess with you/doesn't want you next door. Maybe he rifled your mail and did the same? Pretty dickish move if the case.

Can't wait for the summer, after 6 months, when you start grilling too close to his precious building. The smoke, it burns ohhh it burns.

....maybe he just doesnt like you?

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

/

_________________
Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way