Let it be known that it is 4am in my area and despite having to work on a software engineering project late into the night tomorrow after work I am not asleep. I may also be slightly incoherent.
Why?
Because my stupid neighbors are having yet another fight. I can hear stuff breaking, copious amounts of swearing, all the cliches like "I love you so much I'll die for you" or "I love you to death" intermixed with many references to a female dog. It sounds vaguely humorous on screen but its pretty disturbing in person.
They've been like this most of the term since I moved in during September, almost like clockwork every couple of days. In fact, when I first moved in the landlord actually called the cops on them three times. I am not privy to the details obviously, but the cops didn't seem to do much and didn't seem too concerned while walking away after having what I would guess is a talk.
I suppose its safe despite that I hear an awful lot of stuff breaking and even pseudo-cries of help from the woman (help me, my arm). The swearing every other yelled sentence is especially annoying. I should be more concerned except that I've been hearing similar things for three months now with no apparent injuries or death.
The truly amazing part is that they actually once knocked on my door during dinner hour when they were calm. They opened up with all sorts of accusations about me calling the police on them and how it was causing trouble (it was probably the landlord).
I'm thinking, "I damn well *wish* I called the cops. Holy crap." but my bad instinct of surprise was simply to tell them the truth, that I hadn't called the police although I don't know if they believed me. They threatened me with getting involved (?) if the cops were called more and vaguely threatened to cause trouble. I don't think they're above vandalizing my car or breaking into my apartment ... oy. The kicker is that the woman was taking the lead, despite I can hear her being attacked, crying, and yelled at constantly.
And here's an even weirder part, they claimed the landlord said that I called the police on them to push them out so I could get relatives into their place (there was an odd racial undertone that I can't quick describe). (The accusation is completely a lie, the only question is whether they're lying to turn me against the landlord or whether the landlord was to try to create the impression of a united front).
This was roughly a month ago and they're still at it every few days, this day later than most.
Anyways, trying to sleep again with the pillows covering my ears *Sigh*
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
I've got loud neighbors, but they're not that bad. They just play the tv loud enough for me to hear the infomercials through the floor at 2 am.
The easy way is probably to play some music in your room to drown them out. But that lets them get away with threatening you, and I don't like that. They're bullies, and that means they'll be back.
I'd probably advise going down to the police station and asking what your options are. They could probably tell you how to document future confrontations if nothing else. If they've gotten it into their heads that you're responsible, they'll probably be back, and I just want you to be ready.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
I would advise calling the police. While the police will just talk to them...it might at least get them quiet for that night.
If one of them actually hit the other that night, the police will take one of them down to the station. That will definitely quiet them down for the night. When you call, make sure you tell them the part how the woman said "help me" that will get them down there quicker.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I agree - call the police each and every time you hear a threat, sounds of violence, or a call for help.
I don't know what the applicable laws are there, but if it's legal, you might want to hit "record" on a cassette recorder when it happens.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
I'd call the police. At 4 am they have got to be violating noise ordinances at an absolute minimum. If it turns out that this is some kinky sort of sex play or something like that, then they need to learn to be respectful enough of their neighbors to watch the clock and their volume. If they're truly fighting... well, just think of how you'd feel if someone ended up in the hospital or dead and you had done nothing.
If this were taking place in my apartment building, they'd have been evicted already. The police in my village do contact landlords to follow up if there is a problem with a tenant, and my landlord added a rider to the preprinted lease he uses which included an agreement that 3 police contacts was grounds for eviction. Your landlord may have been trying to set something like that up considering he's the one that was calling in September.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
Dag, how could recording the sounds going on in your own apartment not be legal? It's not like anyone would be sneaking into their apartment to record them.
It may not be legal as, like, court evidence, but just recording what you can hear within your own four walls can't be illegal. If it is, there's something grossly wrong ... of course, that may be no surprise.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
AvidReader: Thats actually a very good suggestion, I should really consider taking a day trip to the police station to get a good idea as to what my options are (including whether to tape them and whether thats useful).
Lupus and Goody: See, thats the incredibly weird part. I hear swearing, stuff smashing, something that sounds like struggling, and crying out each time. I'm fairly certain its not sex play, previously in September the landlord would occasionally bang on their door, prompting them to open the door and have an argument about shutting up.
However, when the landlord was actively calling cops in September they just seemed to shrug it off. (I could hear the neighbours pretending that it was no big deal and the police didn't seem to be terribly concerned)
Honestly, after three months of this, I've lost a lot of sympathy in terms of caring if anyone got hurt. The rest got vapourized when the woman complained (and threatened problems of "getting involved") in that bizarro conversation to me about the cops showing up and telling me to stop.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: I agree - call the police each and every time you hear a threat, sounds of violence, or a call for help.
I don't know what the applicable laws are there, but if it's legal, you might want to hit "record" on a cassette recorder when it happens.
Hard to imagine a situation in which a couple's yelling is so loud, it is audible in your own apartment, and they would claim a reasonable right to privacy. On the other hand, they aren't exactly rational people, so anything goes I guess.
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: I agree - call the police each and every time you hear a threat, sounds of violence, or a call for help.
I don't know what the applicable laws are there, but if it's legal, you might want to hit "record" on a cassette recorder when it happens.
And even if it's not legal, you've got YouTube viral GOLD right there.
--j_k is kidding. Maybe
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I just don't want anyone assuming it is legal based on my post, so I included the caveat.
Recording of others' conversations is illegal in a lot of cases, and I have no desire for someone to think I've told them it's legal in a specific situation.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I would agree with Dags-- call the cops every time. They may either get the hint and stop yelling, or move. Or, the cops will get so sick of it they'll issue a citation for disturbing the peace.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
I guess I'm just rather intimidated by all the throwing and smashing, I figure that people who have no problem with throwing and smashing stuff at one another would have no problems vandalizing my car or worse breaking into my apartment when I'm at work and my girlfriend is at home.
*sigh*
But I guess calling the cops next time is the right thing to do, all things considered.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
You can say that you're afraid of them and ask that the cops not disclose which neighbor called. Many won't anyway, it might not stop others. But you can try.
Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
I would definetely tell the police you are concerned about retribution and the earlier conversation you had.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
The problem with the first is that the building only has five units, one is vacant after the tenants left last month, and they already think its me based on what the landlord (or what they say the landlord said anyways). So there's not too much ambiguity as to who could have called.
But I'll definitely bring it up when I talk to the police.
Posted by All4Nothing (Member # 11601) on :
Fear of them damaging your property is exactly the reason you should be documenting their behavior and threats. Not to mention getting it on file at the police station. That way, if something does happen, you're not just standing there knowing who did it and not having any way to point the officers in the right direction.
I would try the direct approach first, however. Tell them that they are keeping you awake with their fighting on nights that you have to be up early. Tell them you've tried very hard to respect their privacy by not calling the police, but if they cannot begin to respect yours, you'll have no choice.
In the very least, when you do call police you can say that you tried handling it by talking to them and it didn't work.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
I'd also check with your landlord and see if he told them you called the police or if they just made that up.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)