NY - Parents May Face Jail Over Kid's Backyard Noise

[STEADFAST]

. . . she herself brought it up by saying in the interview that the 5 dogs "don't even make that much noise", so they have to be pretty noisy and she knows that it could be annoying or she wouldn't have even mentioned the dogs.

Good point about the lady's remark. She does seem to be accidentally admitting that her dogs are very noisy! It could turn out that the neighborhood is just your regular noisy neighborhood with kids and dogs and lawnmowers and all, but that the girls' noise went far beyond what could be reasonably tolerated. No matter what, though, I will always picture this woman as looking and dressing like Mrs. Drysdale

I think the newspaper used the term "posh" on purpose to describe this neighborhood of plumbers, above-ground pools, and lots of family pets because it makes the story more dramatic -- mean old Mrs. Drysdales trying to destroy the happiness of little girls and imprison their parents.

Now, if the town had actually sent the parents to jail -- that would have been ridiculous!

 

[southcitymom]

I just wanted to point out the plumbers make an excellent living - particularly if they own their own company. GOBS of cash in plumbing.

 

[STEADFAST]

I just wanted to point out the plumbers make an excellent living - particularly if they own their own company. GOBS of cash in plumbing.

They sure do, as anyone who's ever needed one knows! But they earn their money through their own hard work and they CERTAINLY aren't isolated from everyday unpleasantness, as the newspaper tried to imply with the word "posh."

 

[southcitymom]

They sure do, as anyone who's ever needed one knows! But they earn their money through their own hard work and they CERTAINLY aren't isolated from everyday unpleasantness, as the newspaper tried to imply with the word "posh."

I hear what you're saying. I thought it was a bit slanted for the newspaper to use that word!

 

[JBean]

Actually the article said that it was a posh neighborhood. I assumed they were all pretty wealthy. The plumber could own his businesses I suppose. Posters are right that the kids shouldn't be screaming loudly for hours, but I guess the judge has to go by the law and hours that noise is considered a public nuisance? I was told that college students who held wild parties at all hours next door to me couldn't be reported until after 9 pm, and I know that it's not legal or code to have more than 3 dogs in the city here. I just figured that most cities have rules about how many dogs are allowed just as much as about noise or public disturbances since the article did make sure to point out that the lady has 5 dogs, and she herself brought it up by saying in the interview that the 5 dogs "don't even make that much noise", so they have to be pretty noisy and she knows that it could be annoying or she wouldn't have even mentioned the dogs.

What if this is a wealthy neighborhood? I am not making the connection between wealth and what is happening.

Maybe the neighbors dogs are a nuisance, I do not know. Did they mention complaints or that the dog lady was uncooperative in controlling her animals? I have only seen that she brought them up and, IMO, would probably imply she has no reservations or guilt regarding her dogs. Just an assumption of course.
As I mentioned, in my town, the neghbors can sign off on an exception to the dog rule here. if your neighbors are cool, they will let you have more than 3 dogs. The city considers our thoughts and will try to find out if the animals are a nuisance. But they do consider the neighborhood as a whole.

 

[JBean]

I hear what you're saying. I thought it was a bit slanted for the newspaper to use that word!

Hi SCM.
I think posh can just be used to describe a well appointed,beautiful neighborhood. Beautiful homes, and other upgrades. I'm not sure I see that as a "slant", but rather it is we who attach deeper meaning to it.

 

[southcitymom]

Hi SCM.
I think posh can just be used to describe a well appointed,beautiful neighborhood. Beautiful homes, and other upgrades. I'm not sure I see that as a "slant", but rather it is we who attach deeper meaning to it.

Hey JBean,

Perhaps it is just me - when I think of "posh" I think of the snooty rich with their rolling green lawns!

SCM

 

[JBean]

Hey JBean,

Perhaps it is just me - when I think of "posh" I think of the snooty rich with their rolling green lawns!

SCM

Exactly what I mean. I think we attach the negative meaning to it, not the newspaper. I think adjectives like snobbish, snooty, entitled, would be negative, but not "posh". JMHO of course.
When I hear posh, I think of well appointed, luxury homes.
I don't associate snooty with being rich. I associate snooty with the people, generally speaking.
But I do know what you mean.

 

[kahskye]

Just reading this and finally getting a chance to post. I saw this on the news the other day and thought how ridiculous this was to have gone to court. Maybe this was brought up, but I'm just wondering who lived in this neighborhood first? Were all the "complainers" already living there with the hopes of keeping the neighbor "older" and "quieter", and then this family moves in and disrupts their peace? I know unless a neighborhood specifies "retirement", one can't do anything about families moving in. We are in a family subdivision and there are kids all over the place. I've never minded because for a long time we had a big mouth cockatoo that could outscream any child. We live on a lake, and his squawk would echo right across it. I actually had inquiries as to what was screaming every afternoon, but never a complaint. We don't have the bird anymore and one of my neighbors actually said he missed hearing him.

Anyways, I'm just wondering if this particular neighborhood just didn't like kids, loud or quiet.

 

[Texana]

I've heard my own neighborhood described as "upper middle class." I think in the eyes of the media, middle class, posh, etc, are quite different than they are to the rest of us working stiffs.

 

[T-Rex]

To all the posters who think the kids should be able to scream as loud as they want, because they are enjoying themselves: Should I be able to play my music as loud as I want, if I enjoy it?

 

[Cubby]

I'm guessing this has more to do with not so kid friendly neighbors than the kids shreiking too loudly. It's amazing how many unkid friendly people you notice after having children, even when those children are quiet and well behaved.

IF the kids are a problem, there are plenty of "senior 55+ only" subdivisions and neighborhoods around.

jmo

 

[Cubby]

To all the posters who think the kids should be able to scream as loud as they want, because they are enjoying themselves: Should I be able to play my music as loud as I want, if I enjoy it?

You are welcome to play it as loud as you like, so long as it is not after midnight.

How many cars do we hear blocks away......... what do they call them laundry machines or something like that? I'm surprised at times side panels don't fall off hearing loud music in cars.

 

[eleven]

I'm guessing this has more to do with not so kid friendly neighbors than the kids shreiking too loudly. It's amazing how many unkid friendly people you notice after having children, even when those children are quiet and well behaved.

IF the kids are a problem, there are plenty of "senior 55+ only" subdivisions and neighborhoods around.

jmo

I think you hit the nail on the head, Cubby. I'd be willing to bet that the neighbors don't have kids of their own, which oftentimes goes hand in hand with having a certain amount of "uptightness"---definitely not all people w/o kids---so nobody flame me--LOL. Many people are just plain Kid-Haters period, and the mere presence of them irritates them.

I've known several couples who seemed uppity, uptight, unhappy and just plain unfriendly, and they completely changed once they had children. I know not all people w/o kids aren't like that, so I'm not lumping everyone in that category.

If people don't like the sounds of kids playing, they shouldn't have moved to a family neighborhood. People who are kid-haters don't realize that the very kids they are chastizing and wanting them to act like little adults are going to be the ones who are taking care of them when they are elderly and feeble.

 

[eleven]

Just reading this and finally getting a chance to post. I saw this on the news the other day and thought how ridiculous this was to have gone to court. Maybe this was brought up, but I'm just wondering who lived in this neighborhood first? Were all the "complainers" already living there with the hopes of keeping the neighbor "older" and "quieter", and then this family moves in and disrupts their peace? I know unless a neighborhood specifies "retirement", one can't do anything about families moving in. We are in a family subdivision and there are kids all over the place. I've never minded because for a long time we had a big mouth cockatoo that could outscream any child. We live on a lake, and his squawk would echo right across it. I actually had inquiries as to what was screaming every afternoon, but never a complaint. We don't have the bird anymore and one of my neighbors actually said he missed hearing him.

Anyways, I'm just wondering if this particular neighborhood just didn't like kids, loud or quiet.

I would not mind hearing your sqwaking bird---not one bit. I'm an animal lover, and I don't doubt that your loud bird would bring a smile to my face every time I heard it.

 

[nanandjim]

I've heard my own neighborhood described as "upper middle class." I think in the eyes of the media, middle class, posh, etc, are quite different than they are to the rest of us working stiffs.

I rarely hear or see children playing in our neighborhood. I however hear my neighbor's two large dogs barking very early every morning. We have tried to talk with these people to no avail. There is an ordinance against this type of nuisance. However, I just hate calling the "cops." Thank God we are moving soon!!

I personally think that these children are a nuisance. They have a pool, a trampoline, etc. Noise does travel much more than people realize. What sounds normal in your own backyard is sometimes amplified as it travels.

I think that the neighbors are unfriendly because they are at their wit's end. I did hear the father say on an interview that he would talk to his children as he didn't want to be causing problems. I saw his wife. Sorry, I think that she is the inconsiderate one...

 

[goddess]

And this is where I stopped reading. I have my answer.

Bwahahaha, my conclusion exactly!!

 

[goddess]

I live in the ghetto, and we scream all the time here. The cops only respond if it is at *least* 75+ decibles. *sniff, snoot

The kids can move here and be just fine!!

 

[Details]

To me, it seems that kids need some time, some place to just let loose sometimes - their own backyard seems like a free zone to play as they like. I also don't think all complaints are reasonable, and I don't follow unreasonable complaints - so, if the neighbors complain about - for example, driving at 15 mph down our 15mph street (they'd decided that as a dead end street, this was going to be a safe place for a 2 year old to ride in the street without parents watching, the street was the playground - even though they were mere feet from our local park) - I don't necessarily figure that's anything to worry about - no matter if a few of them are doing so.

You need to compromise and work together in a neighborhood, and sometimes a group of neighbors (like those complaining - as opposed to the other next door neighbor who saw no problem) decide that they want this neighborhood to conform to their desires, period. I could see the group of 6 just as some people friends with the ringleaders in this case, all going along with this idea of the quiet neighborhood.

The 5 dogs - where that pings my radar is that I wonder if she's had to deal with noise complaints or problems with her dogs (she acknowledges they're noisy), and figures if she has to obey the rules, then she'll push them at everyone else. I've known a few of those types - when they get caught breaking the rules, they hate it, and start going after everyone else using the rules as their weapon - not sure if it's to try to feel better that everyone breaks the rules, or for power, or to get a little revenge on the people who complained - but it's a common scenario I've seen a few times, a few places.

 

[nanandjim]

... I could see the group of 6 just as some people friends with the ringleaders in this case, all going along with this idea of the quiet neighborhood...

Interesting....Six neighbors are all in cahoots. How many neighbors would it take before you would take a complaint about noise at your home seriously?? :waitasec:

I just come from a different point of view where if ONE neighbor complained to me, I would make an effort to do something about it.

I do understand that children need to play. However, their own father said that they were known to get rather rambunctious...And, that's their own father admitting that...

More neighborhoods are incorporating very strict rules about nuisance noise and the right to peaceful enjoyment of one's property into their bylaws. Unfortunately, that's because people are more and more inconsiderate. It's really sad.

Heck, I can see on this thread that many people think that it is perfectly fine; and everyone should just accept it.