Offensively noisy car ... illegal?
Discussion
Chaps,
I have posted about this problem on here before in GG, and lots of people made helpful suggestions. However, I need some more specific suggestions now.
Mrs zcacogp and I moved house about 4 months ago, and very nice the new pad is. Only one small problem - there is an annoying gent who owns an exceedingly noisy car, who regularly drives it along the street late at night. The noise is exhaust noise (not music) and is loud enough to set off car alarms as he passes. The street is a georgian terrace, and our bedroom is right at the front of the house, and we were (again) woken up at 2.45am this morning as the car drove past.
The police and the council have both been contacted. The car is registered in the name of a girl who lives in the street, but it is driven by her boyfriend who lives elsewhere. As the girl is the RK, she is the contact point. The police have been to see her, she said she would ask her boyfriend to stop making the noise but it has made no difference at all. The council have written her a letter. (Yes, written a letter. Don't tempt me to comment.) The police are now telling me that there is nothing more they can do as they believe that the car is taxed, insured and MOT'd correctly, and the council are showing about as much enthusiasm about pursuing it as the average turkey shows towards Christmas.
The vehicle in question is a Toyota Supra, with an exceedingly loud exhaust on it. (Obviously aftermarket - the whole car is something of a chav-fest.) I have tried speaking with the driver on two occasions (once on my own, once with another neighbour), and on both occasions he swore at me and refused to change his behaviour. On the second occasion, he made several unprompted racist comments (both he and girlfriend are asian, neighbour and I are both white).
The race angle aside, is he doing anything wrong? Does anyone know what powers either the police or council have? Given the track record of the council, and the fact that this problem is very much ongoing, I am more inclined to take the matter up with the police. Is there any legislation which I can quote, or ask them to enforce?
All help gratefully recieved.
Oli.
I have posted about this problem on here before in GG, and lots of people made helpful suggestions. However, I need some more specific suggestions now.
Mrs zcacogp and I moved house about 4 months ago, and very nice the new pad is. Only one small problem - there is an annoying gent who owns an exceedingly noisy car, who regularly drives it along the street late at night. The noise is exhaust noise (not music) and is loud enough to set off car alarms as he passes. The street is a georgian terrace, and our bedroom is right at the front of the house, and we were (again) woken up at 2.45am this morning as the car drove past.
The police and the council have both been contacted. The car is registered in the name of a girl who lives in the street, but it is driven by her boyfriend who lives elsewhere. As the girl is the RK, she is the contact point. The police have been to see her, she said she would ask her boyfriend to stop making the noise but it has made no difference at all. The council have written her a letter. (Yes, written a letter. Don't tempt me to comment.) The police are now telling me that there is nothing more they can do as they believe that the car is taxed, insured and MOT'd correctly, and the council are showing about as much enthusiasm about pursuing it as the average turkey shows towards Christmas.
The vehicle in question is a Toyota Supra, with an exceedingly loud exhaust on it. (Obviously aftermarket - the whole car is something of a chav-fest.) I have tried speaking with the driver on two occasions (once on my own, once with another neighbour), and on both occasions he swore at me and refused to change his behaviour. On the second occasion, he made several unprompted racist comments (both he and girlfriend are asian, neighbour and I are both white).
The race angle aside, is he doing anything wrong? Does anyone know what powers either the police or council have? Given the track record of the council, and the fact that this problem is very much ongoing, I am more inclined to take the matter up with the police. Is there any legislation which I can quote, or ask them to enforce?
All help gratefully recieved.
Oli.
Have you tried the "Environmental Health" just chcked for "Noise Nuisance" on my local council web site it pointed me to Environmental Health,
From site "Every year the council receives more than one thousand complaints involving domestic noise. These are often about loud music, barking dogs, burglar alarms and car alarms. "
From site "Every year the council receives more than one thousand complaints involving domestic noise. These are often about loud music, barking dogs, burglar alarms and car alarms. "
toni896 said:Nope, enviormental health directed me to the "Antisocial Behaviour Team." They seemed very reluctant to take it on, as it involves a car. Had it been loud neighbours shouting, or burglar alarms, or dogs barking, or playing music, they would have been happy to do something (or so they said).
Have you tried the "Environmental Health" just chcked for "Noise Nuisance" on my local council web site it pointed me to Environmental Health,
From site "Every year the council receives more than one thousand complaints involving domestic noise. These are often about loud music, barking dogs, burglar alarms and car alarms. "
Everyone wants to wash their hands of it, and pass it on to someone else.
Thanks for the idea though. (It's where I started too!)
Oli.
On a similar vein, the annoying loud American who lives in my street, born without any volume control at all, has a Piaggio with a (presumably) fusked alarm. He beeps it seven or eight times when (de)activiating it, to our great annoyance. It does seem a particularly loud alarm.
Words have been had. Not many of them were nice.
Is there anything we can do about it?
Words have been had. Not many of them were nice.
Is there anything we can do about it?
7db said:
On a similar vein, the annoying loud American who lives in my street, born without any volume control at all, has a Piaggio with a (presumably) fusked alarm. He beeps it seven or eight times when (de)activiating it, to our great annoyance. It does seem a particularly loud alarm.
Words have been had. Not many of them were nice.
Is there anything we can do about it?
If the alarm is knackered you could steal it!?
(For the benefit of our friendly policemen on here, that was a joke and I am not enciting theft!)
Chaps,
Thanks for your answers ...
... Munter, although I am handy with a spanner, I would personally find a can of builders foam easier to wield, and cheaper ...
Lambo Cop, Y(will)HM. Thanks.
Big Fat F'er - good advice, thanks.
Puggit, this is the next stage. (I have escalated it to several levels higher in the authority, and asked for more information as exactly what they are - or aren't - doing about it, noting that FoI can be used to force them to furnish me with this information. They are ignoring eMails at the moment - which is fine, as their deadline is not yet up.)
S2ooz - good, I'm glad you did well out of it. Why can one police force be friendly and helpful, whereas another is downright obstructive?
7db, all the best with your yank 'friend'. One might hope that as it is alarm-related, the local authority may manage a quicker response to it. Should I come across any pearls of wisdom here I'll let you know.
Thanks all.
Oli.
Thanks for your answers ...
... Munter, although I am handy with a spanner, I would personally find a can of builders foam easier to wield, and cheaper ...
Lambo Cop, Y(will)HM. Thanks.
Big Fat F'er - good advice, thanks.
Puggit, this is the next stage. (I have escalated it to several levels higher in the authority, and asked for more information as exactly what they are - or aren't - doing about it, noting that FoI can be used to force them to furnish me with this information. They are ignoring eMails at the moment - which is fine, as their deadline is not yet up.)
S2ooz - good, I'm glad you did well out of it. Why can one police force be friendly and helpful, whereas another is downright obstructive?
7db, all the best with your yank 'friend'. One might hope that as it is alarm-related, the local authority may manage a quicker response to it. Should I come across any pearls of wisdom here I'll let you know.
Thanks all.
Oli.
Lambo Cop said:
Whats the problem with Earls Court road ? Its part of my patch.
Obviously the main problem is it's "in my back yard".
I park up on Cromwell Road and walk down and across it most days. Since you ask, this is what I see each day:- Whilst the top end* (ie Cromwell Rd to Tube) is bad for cars as it drops from three lanes to two, with buses and parked cars doing "stuff", the worst bit is the bottom - probably no worse than most London streets, but particularly busy and unsighted.
- many drivers inattentive and on phones, despite close proximity of lots of pedestrians at Tube.
- frequent jumping of bottom lights (X with OBR)
- speeding from the tube lights (cars trying to muscle through gaps left by parked cars for 200 yrds to ECS lights)
- turning right into Penywern Rd and not yielding to pedestrians crossing
- cyclists either on pavement or going wrong way on one way
- Police cars on double reds outside kebab shop...
Realise that reads like Victor Meldrew, but pop down and take a look (obviously not in a big marked car, when you'll find that all driving is perfect**).
In case you are wondering, I don't think that there is any problem at all with the occasional little blue sports car that whizzes up Warwick Road when its clear... Do let us know if you drop by...
* I don't count the bit up to Holland Park.
** sadly I suspect not.
Vehicles have to conform to certain standards in respect of noise and decibels emitted. If these standards are breached then offence. It is highly unlikely that a production vehicle will fall foul of that part of the MV (Con and Use) Regs 1986 Reg 55A on.
Environmental Health Dept of LA/VOSA should have meter capable of reading.
Could well be that exhaust has been altered to make it more throaty and thereby offence under Reg 54 (2) committed.
It may well be that because of the close confines of the building line of the street this is amplifying the note of a legal exhaust which would make me look at Reg 97 - motor vehicle not to be used on a road in such a manner as to cause excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. Drivers attention has been drawn to the noise he causes and maybe he is throttling it too much in revenge? Other person of simlar mind as complainant would obviously help.
Power to arm of Lambacop. A stop and inspection should reveal what the score is.
dvd
Environmental Health Dept of LA/VOSA should have meter capable of reading.
Could well be that exhaust has been altered to make it more throaty and thereby offence under Reg 54 (2) committed.
It may well be that because of the close confines of the building line of the street this is amplifying the note of a legal exhaust which would make me look at Reg 97 - motor vehicle not to be used on a road in such a manner as to cause excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. Drivers attention has been drawn to the noise he causes and maybe he is throttling it too much in revenge? Other person of simlar mind as complainant would obviously help.
Power to arm of Lambacop. A stop and inspection should reveal what the score is.
dvd
Mad Dave said:
Nicking the exhaust is a bit of a faff. Smash the headlights instead - they'll cost a fortune to replace and in the meantime he won't be able to drive it at night
You cant just smash up someones wheels, thats not right. Best way to quieten up a noisy exhust pipe is with a can of expanding foam filler. If its fair then its fun.
Lambo Cop said:
Be careful on Warwick Road, it a favourite for some of the guys to do speed hits on. Bit from Old Brompton Road heading north towards Ken High Street
Noted. Although they'd be lucky at most of the times when I use it, unless the limit is 3mph. Saw someone pulled over at the top by HSK yesterday, however; must have been careless driving in that traffic.
If they want speed hits around there, surely the populous ECR would be a greater contribution to safety than Warwick Rd.
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