Noisy Neighbours and what you can do about it

Do you have noisy neighbours?  Or are You the noisy neighbour?  Well, I want to discuss noisy neighbours and noise regulations in Canada and the USA in this short but succinct article.  What is too loud?  What is too long?  What day should there be no noise?  What time should there be peace and quiet?

What I have seen in Canada’s and America’s neighbourhoods

I have seen people trying to take a nap on a  sunny Sunday afternoon in their backyard only to be disturbed by lawn mowing.  I have also seen families trying to rest up from a hard week and people bringing out their chainsaws on Sunday to cut down trees and logs for hours on end.  I have seen sickly people trying to get better after a spell of bad fortune only to be hindered by neighbours running their outside generator for 1 week straight to water their lawn.  I have seen neighbours trimming their lawn edge every single day of the week to have the prettiest yard (or so they think) in the area.

And what I have not seen is anyone ever complain.  How is that possible?

Americans and Canadians do not want peace and quiet

It seems that Americans and Canadians alike do not want peace and quiet.  In fact, I think that the vast majority does not even notice the neighbour being noisy and disturbing their freedom to rest.  And if they do notice, they are either to afraid to say something and have a confrontation or want to be noisy themselves and, therefore, shut up about it.

What is the obsession with noisy machinery?

This begs the question what this obsession with noisy machinery (lawn mowers, trimmers, chainsaws, dirt bikes, quads, etc.) is all about.  I believe the North American does not want much quiet time during the day or Sundays.  He is quite contend with loud noises and the energy it seems to give him.  I have seen this particularly with retired people.  The less they have to work to make a living, the more they start buying machinery (gas powered garden equipment, etc.) to work on their houses and yards or to have fun (see dirt bikes, quads, etc).

What can a person who wants peace and quiet do?

• If you want at least your Sunday to be quite:

Well, there is not much you can do other than complain to the neighbour and tell him to give you some quiet and peace at least on the only day that is not meant for working.  The law is not on your side and you will be at the mercy of your neighbours character and attitude.  Canada or the US do not hold to even One quiet day a week.  Any day is fair game when it comes to being noisy and disturbing the people around you.

• If you want peace and quiet after lunch or in the evening:

Again, the laws for the noise regulation during certain times of the day vary from community to community but in general you can only expect to be free of noise between 10 or 11 pm at night to about 7 am in the morning (and that includes the weekend).  Now, that is the theory.  In reality people might still have parties or play music and laugh and talk in their backyards in the summer till well after midnight.

People that need rest from noise are screwed in North America

Now comes the kicker:  There really is no well policed quiet time in Canada or the US.  Maybe because most people don’t really care or need rest or because the policing of the law is too relaxed.  As a person that wants safe, dependable quiet times during the week, I suffer from this attitude.  The Loud are not regulated and the people who need quiet are not listened to.  Wake up North America – some people need rest and do not want to hear your noise all the time.  Stop and think about the people around you – you are not the only person in the world.  You might affect others in a bad way without even giving it a second thought.

Author of:  Tilt and Turn Windows Vancouver, Tilt and Turn Windows Calgary , Frameless Doors, Invisible Doors, Tilt and Turn Windows Canada