Car/Neighbor with Modified Exhaust... Suggestions Please

[StarSeven]

A neighbor and his wife and kid rented the house next door Feb 1. He must work in the race car industry... I think his system is fancy as I have heard several types of sounds. Maybe he sells these things, who knows? I have been waiting for books to fall off my shelves due to the shaking.

He is very proud of his fixed up Beamer with an exhaust that rumbles so loud I can hear it in the shower with my fingers in my ears. He revs it up early in the AM for a while (i think he just loves the noise) and goes much faster than our 25 mph speed limit when he comes and goes. He has also come home late and woken me up then too.

I have spoken to the cops as he has woken me up many times, mostly in the morning. Hours for disturbing the peace are before 8 am and after 8 pm. Last time the cop said call them if it happens at night again since he'll be home. Honestly, the cop(s) didn't sound all that concerned.

Also we live pretty far out (15 -20 minutes) from the station so I question if a cop would ever come. I am reliant to talk to him in person. He seems nice, the one time I said hello, but macho and totally invested in his car. No one else in the area seems to mind but honestly my whole house seems to rattle and he wakes me up. It's getting so I am afraid to go to sleep. On the weekends he might come and go several times. Torture! Yes we're up a hill, too.

I am looking for ideas for the best way to handle this. 1) talk to him (then if he ignores me, he will know who called the cops when they show up) 2) move (expensive, as we own our house) 3) anonymous letter. 4) ?

My ears ring for hours after he leaves. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Alternately, has this or something like this happened to you? If so, what did you do? This is so stressful. All ideas are welcome.

 

[SugarMagnolia]

I feel for you StarSteven. I think calling the cops is not a good idea because your neighbor might resent you. He has power over you and you don't want him to use it against you out of spite.

Speaking to him in person would be better than an anonymous letter. A letter is unlikely to elicit sympathy and the anonymity might not go over well. If you speak to him, there is less chance of misunderstanding. You will be a non-threatening person, a person he can feel sympathy for. Instead of demanding that he stop making noise, you will be asking him to help you.

Perhaps you can slip your request into a social visit. Invite him over for a beer or a cup of coffee. Express interest in his car and get him to like you. Then tell him about you condition. If he likes you, he might be more willing to make some accomodations.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Offer a monthly payment?...

 

[StarSeven]

I agree with you SugarMagnolia, thank you, i think you spelled it out nicely. The logical solution.

However my experience is that people put things like this in their cars because they love to annoy people and even hurt them (they think, so what?). It's deeply ingrained. Thus once a vulnerability is exposed we become targets to his/their making even more noise.

I guess it can't hurt but I wonder if I have to frame it right, like that it might cause a heart attack or something where he has legal liability. He has "rumblers" and all sorts of vibratory sounds so even when I shut my ears with my fingers, the bone conduction gives me the tinnitus for hours. I have heard all sorts of noises so I think he actually has a menu of sounds. He takes a good minute warming it up in the morning... then goes 40 or 50 mph with an exhaust with both low and high sounds and everything in between. Putting my fingers in my ears can't stop the effect it has on me.

Actually I do have some medical conditions where this noise could put me at risk.

 

[SugarMagnolia]

However my experience is that people put things like this in their cars because they love to annoy people and even hurt them (they think, so what?). It's deeply ingrained.

Alas, this has been my experience of people as well. But you've got to try something, and I think the friendly approach has the best chance of success.

Thus once a vulnerability is exposed we become targets to his/their making even more noise.

I share this fear and I understand why you would conceal your vulnerability if you can. Since you have other medical conditions, you could certainly cite those as your reasons for needing a reduction in the noise. Those other conditions might be something your neighbor will better understand and this might gain you more sympathy than hyperacusis, which is likely something he's never even heard of.

I do hope your neighbor turns out to be a good guy.

 

[Joey72]

All good advice from the folks here. If all else fails, maybe petition the neighbors and send the list to city hall for relief?

 

[nogg]

My city has noise ordinances and an anonymous complaint line. I haven't used it, but others have, and it does make a difference. People with loud exhausts typically want to attract attention, so I don't know that talking would work. Depends on the person. I read a story in the news a while back of a similar situation. Then one night someone filled his exhaust pipe with Great Stuff spray foam sealant and left a message on his windshield to fix his damn muffler. I don't know how that worked out, but I imagine it was rather satisfying for someone.