Ah! Attack of the weird Bogan!

[Polyal]

OK people I need some advice.

I moved into a new place last November, and since then I really haven't got to know my neighbours. But the one on the left of me introduced himself quite rudely this morning. He is about 55 and I think his single.

There has been one case when apparently he complained about my exhaust noise. Now my car is no monster but I did get a "sports" exhaust put on from a reputable company. So as far as I am aware it's fully legal. It's just a 2.5' mandrel bent zorts with 1 straight through muffler. Cat hasn't been touched but I'm not sure if that makes any difference to the noise factor.

It defiantly has a note, but apparently 4 months ago he complained to my gf when I wasn't there that I rev my car and make a lot of noise.

This is BS.

Now this morning he came running out of his front door as I was reversing out of the drive way and started yelling at me. I bit my tongue and just went along with his rant cos I was late to work.

He accused me of "sitting there revving the car". I always warm my car up in the morning (I did it for 1 minute because a) I moved the gf's car out of the way, and b) Geelong is freezing in the morning)).

If he makes a complaint to the Police what do I do? I honestly do not sit there and rev it; if anything I try to keep it as quite as possible.

Could the Police make me do some ADR check for the Db level? What woudl you do?

Oh and to make things worse he says I do it all the time. Its teh first time ive driven my car in 1.5 weeks!

Not a great way to start my week! ing_sm

[MrQuan]

Hire an assassin.

No seriously, is there any peacefull solution? I don;t wanna sound like a wimp, I mean I'm all for assissins and fist fights, but can you bake him some scones? HAHAHA Omg I'm funny in the morning. What I mean to say is, can you knock on his door, appolagise and just explain it to him, maybe he's just a ****er - but it can't hurt giving that a go.

Besides if the cops are called, offer them a scone but also you can tell the cops you spoke to him kindly about it etc.

PS: 1800 ASSASSIN, I keep their card in my wallet

[mcflux]

Well as long as A) the exhaust is under the legal sound limit (and it seems like it is) and B) you're "making noise" during the DAY - such as in the morning to go to work! - , I don't see what he can do about it.

Don't burn your bridges with him though! I'd simply state that you're in the right, sorry if it upsets you, and it needs to be done.

Well, I never bother to wait for mine to warm up, I just fire her up & take off. V8 + exhaust + cold morning + steep uphill street = woken neighbours :

But in my case, they don't seem to mind!

-Dave-

[MrQuan]

Oh I should also mention, the sound polution timezone (e.g. time when you can be loud) begins at 7am. So If you are rather loud before this time he may have a good arguement.

[merlin]

start it up and warm it up in the garage then when its ready quickly open the door and idle off slowly making minimal noise on your own street - tis what it do.

of course the above opinion hinges on you having a garage _2:

[Polyal]

haha yes I have a car port. Im renting so there is no way Im going to pay up for an enclosure just for that.

I think I will go over and explain. But he seems like the alco type.

This was at 8.15 this morning btw.

lol..assissan hey...Ill give him a couple of days!

[Pilch]

If your making every effort to be reasonably quiet and your car is under the decibel limit you should be right. My only concern would be your rental agreement will say that you shouldn't make noise that will upset nearby neighbours. *MAYBE* that is an argument to have you kicked out, but I wouldn't have thought so...

btw, I wonder what my new neighbours thought of a 351 @ 2000rpm @ 7:45am???

If you are going over to have a chat to this old tosser, make sure you have your gf with you for a back up, of the ensuing conversation. Otherwise the old fart could say that you harassed him or whatever, when this isn't the case.

Perhaps take over a bottle of (cheap) wine or similar as a 'suck up' gift to him. Anything is worth a try.

[cogdoc]

Go over and introduce yourself. Don't even mention the car. Try and find some common ground, do him some sort of favour, it's hard to be upset with someone you like. If it turns out he is simply angry at the world, give him what he needs and tell all your friends where he lives. Get them going on the flaming dog poo in a bag, cemented letterbox, all the good old tricks, and he'll be too busy trying to track down these hoodlums to worry about you. The joys of rentals....

[MrQuan]

Originally Posted by cogdoc

If it turns out he is simply angry at the world, give him what he needs and tell all your friends where he lives and get them going on the flaming dog poo in a bag, cemented letterbox, all the good old tricks, and he'll be too busy trying to track down these hoodlums to worry about you.

I think he'd already have a prime suspect (i.e. Ployal!!!!) :P

[BJ]

We had this problem many years ago when we first moved it were we are today. I started to mow the front lawn and take there bins in for both my neighbours, after about the thrid or fourth time they started to become a lot more neighoburly shell we say and i had no more problems till this day. He may just think that you are just one of those hoons he has read so much about, go and prove him wrong Polyal and show him who is the bigger man.

If the exhaust is legal then you should have a drama. If he is unapproachable then ignore him.

I had a similar problem 10 years ago and just plain ignored the neighbour when she complained, she eventually gave up.

[Heeno]

dont worry bout the old man, he's probably got his own issues and needs someone to take it out on! i guess your the lucky one :hihi: oh well your exhaust should be fine, just get it checked to make sure.

[Sox]

Let him call the fuzz, it's very unlikely you'll end up with problems, you're doing everything right.
Demonstrate to the police how you warm your vehicle up, doing it with the neighbour present will be even better.

Police aren't really interested in getting involved with issues like this, particularly considering you're just going to work.
The old guys argument won't be good.

I wouldn't confront him about it, as he sounds like an unreasonable old pr!ck and you will likely end up cracking him which will land you in a whole lot more trouble.

Rick.

[shane3]

Yep let the old fart call the cops, you may find that he has nothing better to do and is known as a trouble maker.
My wife and I had a lady like that in the block of units we lived in, If my car was 1" over the painted lines in the carport she would knock on the door and start haveing a go at us, one day as we were loading the car up to move out when she started haveing a go at Christine (my wife) so I told her to go and get a F**KING life, well she had a go at me then went off and called the cops, cops showed up and had a word to her then told us that she (the old lady) would ring them up daily to complain about some one or some thing.
She died 6 month later from a heart attack after haveing a go at the older couple that moved into the place we moved out of..... :

[XRated]

You've got to love grumpy old bastards who like complaining for the hell of it.

I am pretty sure having one straight through muffler without anything else is on the border line of illegal or unroadworthy (I've got the same set up hehe). If the EPA does do a test then they might inform you that it is over the limit and you will have to waste your time getting it fixed. Just start your car and drive off without warming it up, you're certainly not going to kill it - as long as you don't thrash it when the engine is cold. It should only take five to ten minutes of sedate driving to warm her up.

Good luck - you don't want those EPA ****s to come over.

[OzJavelin]

I agree, let him call the cops. They won't be interested unless (maybe) he calls in the middle of the night .. 8:15 in the morning .. who cares! The idiot council have been out with earthmoving equipment in my street at 7am for the last few weeks.

If your car is legal, don't worry about it. If it is EFI, then just leave it idling, but don't rev it. That's probably what upsets him. I leave BOTH my SV8 and AU V8 idling in the back yard at 6:20am for a few minutes before I move them out of the yard (stoopid dogs!!). I try not to rev them and don't use the headlights (only parkers) until I'm out on the street. If you make it look like you are trying not to upset people, most neighbours seem to accept that.

BTW: I used to have a XC GXL 351 with twin 3" exhausts ... it would shake the neighbours windows and all their pictures on the wall. They never said anything to me about the noise .. I think they were scared of it

[brenx]

I used to live next door to an old man like this, when I moved I coped another old lady :

The old man accused me of making noise all the time. He demise was when he dobbed me in to the real estate agent saying I was making noise all weekend. I had proof I wasn't making noise. I was in Echuca all weekend for a wedding (250k's from home)! The secretary of the real estate agent also lived accross the road and knew we were quite people.

The old lady complained all the time. The stipid woman left the front door open all the time. Of course you'll hear everyting! I eventually stopped talking to her. When she rang my wife and I told her to get a life of her own and f**k off. She complained no matter what car I owned. Here's a list -:

1) V8 Kingswood V8 sports exhaust (had slight rumble, well as much as a 253 on gas could have).
2) 1984 Ford Telstar stock
3) Escort RS2000 sports exhaust (was quite also, much quiter than the Kingswood)
4) 1995 Hyundai S-Coupe 100% stock
5) EL Falcon 100% stock
6) My XB which is db legal ;)

Go get your exhaust tested. I honestly reckon it's over. My reason is stock standard Falcons post 84 (eg EL) are are 89db from the factory. The limit's 90db. So any change or wear will put it over the limit.

If it is legal? Just show anyone concerned the test date and certificate of compliance.

Brenden

[MITCHAY]

My exhaust is always louder in the morning when its cold. Once it is warm it gets quieter. I live in Canberra and it is even freezing right now. My car is covered with ice in the morning and i have the heaters goin which makes the car idle even more therefore making the car even louder. If its legal then you have nothing to worry about except for the inconvience if you have to get it tested.

[Des]

I leave home at about 5:00 every morning so the 8 makes a great burble at that time of day! I'm under a carport and the whole thing shakes until she's warm. Usually I go out and crank it then go back, lock up and idle it out and down the road. She doesn't get over 2000 rpm until I get about 5 or so Km's down the road.
Most people are pretty accomodating if you treat them as such, try it, if it doesn't work then just take it easy as I do, he'll get used to it.
L8r.... :

[max^power]

this guy's just a jerk! someone suggested above that doing things for him, the bins is a great idea, and shows you're trying to be nice, but wont inconvenience you much.

Failing that working...get a 2stroke motorbike (or borrow one) and rev the daylights out of that at 8am sunday morning

[gtfpv]

TELL HIM HE IS NOT BIENG RESONABLE AND YOU DONT MEAN TO PFFEND . MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS LEGAL. ask him what his problem is and if there is anyway you can rectify it. if he insists your a ***** then tell hin you'll show him what a ***** can be . ring the police on him and complain . tell them he threatens you, and ask them to search his house for guns and weapons . then on sunday knock on his door and tell him you will be tuning your car all day today and hope he isn't doing anything cause you'll be making some noise. but don't worry you will make sure that you dont go over the noise limit or times. then tell him if he settles down that next sunday you wont have to tune your car. some times a ***** needs to know he is a *****.

[Xephon]

The best way to get back at these people is to be nice to them. That way they won't be able to hate you, no matter how much they want to. It will end up eating him inside.
If that doesn't work, ^^^ As Above, 'Tune' your car every weekend (afer 8.00 am) until he LEARNS not to complain. :evil3:

[TURBOTAXI]

Do what you like. The plod are not interested in such crap, and will probably have this guy logged as a serial complainer.
Its you say vs he says unless you or he has any proof of wrongdoing. I did test runs with a 3 inch dump pipe up and down the road for two weeks no one said anything to my face. But hoe could they be angry, I am freindly and go out of my way to be nice.

[MO]

Don't bother being nice to the grump,just go about your business and ignore him.
From what you've said he's got nothing,so don't be rude,don't be nice just ignore.

He wants you to bite!

[K_Man]

Orange cannon + dead bird aimed at his living room window. If that fails, the sparker bomb in the letterbox works a treat.

And btw, yes, i'm j/k. :

[Chris]

What the f*ck is my dad doing in geelong?? :

If its my dad, leave a trail of empty jim beam cans leading around in circles - it wont solve your problem, but will keep you and the GF amused for a couple of hours

If its not my old man, a measured amount of gentle persuasion within humanitarian convention may be in order..........

or tell him to mind his f*cking biz. :dj:

[RAREV8]

Maybe turn the tables- I agree that it might be detrimental confronting him if you suspect hes an alco...could lead to a more acrimonious relationship. Why not call the cops on him? make sure that your car IS legal, but harrassment is a crime and much as though beating the living bejesus out of him could be fun, I think that because you have a gf there, you dont want her to feel threatened....that one always works! If you don't want to be involved, throw a package of illicit substance thru his window 1 min prior to the cops arrival........

[buickman]

Originally Posted by John McMaster

Don't bother being nice to the grump,just go about your business and ignore him.
From what you've said he's got nothing,so don't be rude,don't be nice just ignore.

He wants you to bite!

Good advice. But if he is a loose canon it might be you calling the cops.

I'am not that far of that age but got winged about by younger neighbours for my sons V8 capri being to noisy and me riding a monkey bike up the street before they were outlawed. Some people winge old or young & are selfish as they think of only their needs.

Ignore the ***** as he using his experince in life to try & put it over you & keep your distance when talking to him incase a unwanted fist comes your way if is a nutter.

buickman