Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Problems with the law.
- Thread starter The modifier
- Start date
This brings up an interesting point.
As a mobile entertainer who does a lot of private parties and upscale events, part of my routine is to know the noise ordinance in the area and make my client aware of the possible problems that could result if (when) it gets loud. My contract also makes it clear I'm not liable for noise ordinance violations and the client will pay any fine that results. I refuse to foot the bill because the party got rolling and the client insisted I turn it up.
I rarely see an ordinance these days worded so as to rely on SPL levels, or measureable levels of any kind. They are all worded so that a general, undefined "community standard" becomes the measurement of what constitutes "too loud."
That means if your neighbors think you're too loud, in the eyes of the law you are. Plain and simple.
Anyone making noise in a tight-knit community, whether it's in the basement, garage, back yard, wherever, would be wise to understand your noise ordinance, strike up a healthy working relationship with your neighbors, and don't push it beyond what the community is willing to accept in terms of levels and duration.
Yep.
Most noise ordinances work that way today. Luckily, they weren't in the town I was living in at the time.
Of course - it has TONS and TONS of exemptions for irritating noises, just not music in general. Except the un-amplified human voice - that can be as loud as it wants anytime.
Yep.
They won't let you be very loud.
The thing to note is that the measurement has to be taken either from a neighboring property, or the public right of way. So distance is your friend.
You need to hit about 90dB at 1m out in the wide open to hit 60dB 100 feet away. Put that noise source inside a garage with all the doors closed, and you can be even louder before you hit the limits at the property boundary.
I found we could hit about 110dB in my garage before we started popping over the 60dB limit at the road - that is, at least according to my cheap SPL meter.
Never mouth off to a cop, or be disrespectful in any way. There's no percentage in that, even if you believe the cop is wrong. He is trained and probably quite familiar with employing violence to ensure your compliance. That's how compliance is ultimately enforced, and it's not worth it to tempt the fates with insolence. You get the best return through your efforts in court.
Try to have compassion for the officer as well- he's doing a vital job, for the most part. It's too easy to bag on cops when they have to stop you from doing something you like, and forget the good they do day in and day out. I know that if I lived next door to a really loud band, I'd like to have the option of not being subjected to it. Particularly if they suck.
There are a number of videos on YouTube regarding your right to refuse entry to your home to an l.e.o. (law enforcement officer). Unfortunately, if you were disturbing the peace, or violating a noise ordinance, you pretty much gave up your right to keep the cop off the property or out of the house.
When you go to court, one of the first things you should tell the judge is that you would like to express to the court that you appreciate the professionalism and courtesy that the officer displayed during his call, and you would like the records to reflect this. Say this with a straight face as if you mean it.
Ultimately, you have to ask yourself if you were out of line or within your rights. I'm not offering an opinion on that.
Try to have compassion for the officer as well- he's doing a vital job, for the most part. It's too easy to bag on cops when they have to stop you from doing something you like, and forget the good they do day in and day out. I know that if I lived next door to a really loud band, I'd like to have the option of not being subjected to it. Particularly if they suck.
There are a number of videos on YouTube regarding your right to refuse entry to your home to an l.e.o. (law enforcement officer). Unfortunately, if you were disturbing the peace, or violating a noise ordinance, you pretty much gave up your right to keep the cop off the property or out of the house.
When you go to court, one of the first things you should tell the judge is that you would like to express to the court that you appreciate the professionalism and courtesy that the officer displayed during his call, and you would like the records to reflect this. Say this with a straight face as if you mean it.
Ultimately, you have to ask yourself if you were out of line or within your rights. I'm not offering an opinion on that.
I talked my way out of a ticket for an illegal U-turn at a "no U-turn" intersection AND crossing the double-double yellow line just by being agreeable with the cop who watched me do it.
"You did an illegal U-turn and crossed the dub-dub." "I know, sir." "Well, you can't do that." "I know." "Wait a minute." He goes back to his car and chats with his partner for three or four minutes, comes back and says, "Well, sir, I'm just going to give you a verbal warning today, but be more careful with your driving." "Yes, sir. Thank you very much." "Have a nice evening."
Believe it or not, my wife was totally pissed. "He didn't even give you a written warning!" "I know."
"You did an illegal U-turn and crossed the dub-dub." "I know, sir." "Well, you can't do that." "I know." "Wait a minute." He goes back to his car and chats with his partner for three or four minutes, comes back and says, "Well, sir, I'm just going to give you a verbal warning today, but be more careful with your driving." "Yes, sir. Thank you very much." "Have a nice evening."
Believe it or not, my wife was totally pissed. "He didn't even give you a written warning!" "I know."
Ive done that too, only I also accidentally went through a red light first. Thankfully it was a dead intersection. The rest happened after he flashed his lights at me. I was lost on my way to a gig, running behind, and trying to figure out the directions. He asked me if Id been drinking. I had not, and the two ladies in the car confirmed that. He asked why I seemed a little off, and honestly, I was a little nervous, cops do that to me. He pointed me in the right direction of the gig, to a vodka bar. Then he asked me how much weed I had in the car, cuz he could smell it. I showed him my sack from out the center console. He told me to be careful and sent me on my way. No ticket. It pays to be an honest white guy in Beverly Hills, apparently.
Man...I keep hearing these stories of talking your way out of a ticket just by being nice, agreeable etcetcetc...it hasn't worked for me yet. And I'm the most agreeable, least agrumentative person ever! Matter of fact, I had almost the same scenario as this one recently, and still walked away with a ticket
I'd love to know the feeling of a cop deciding not to give you a ticket...
Wait a minute Matty...weed??? Unheard of! I guess the rumors are true...
I'm pretty darn jealous--I'm super polite and cooperative (and definitely not in a smarmy or smart-ass way) and I still get citations half the time for made-up "incomplete stop; left of center" stops (being on the road after sober hours).
I've known lots of good police officers that do their jobs and help out the community, but there are plenty on power trips as well, and these folks are happy to fine you just because you exist.
God help me if I ever followed my rights and told one of those guys I didn't authorize a search my glove box, trunk, etc. I'd be face down on the road with a k9 unit dog tearing up my pant leg.
Don't know where I'm going (other than down to vent-town) with that, but the TS could have easily ended up with a ridiculously costly ticket even if he hadn't been a smart ass to the officer. Everyone in the thread seems to assume he would have got off if he was cooperative and that's not congruent with my experience by a long shot.
I talked my way out of going 70 in a 45 with no license or proof of insurance. When the deputy pulled me over, she just shone the light in the car and was like, "Why on earth were you going so fast?" My reply, and this was just after Dio had died: "Honestly officer we were jamming out to some Dio in his memory and I guess I just lost track of my spedometer."
I still have no idea how that deputy let me go. The only think I can figure is I was absurdly lucky, and that my buddy was in the car so she figured there could be some one to drive home. Maybe she was a metal head @ heart too, I don't know. Either way it's a great story to tell.
I still have no idea how that deputy let me go. The only think I can figure is I was absurdly lucky, and that my buddy was in the car so she figured there could be some one to drive home. Maybe she was a metal head @ heart too, I don't know. Either way it's a great story to tell.
No, you can't. Pilgrim up there never heard of 'em, so therefore, no one could've, ESPECIALLY cops.
I'm pretty darn jealous--I'm super polite and cooperative (and definitely not in a smarmy or smart-ass way) and I still get citations half the time for made-up "incomplete stop; left of center" stops (being on the road after sober hours).
I've known lots of good police officers that do their jobs and help out the community, but there are plenty on power trips as well, and these folks are happy to fine you just because you exist.
God help me if I ever followed my rights and told one of those guys I didn't authorize a search my glove box, trunk, etc. I'd be face down on the road with a k9 unit dog tearing up my pant leg.
Don't know where I'm going (other than down to vent-town) with that, but the TS could have easily ended up with a ridiculously costly ticket even if he hadn't been a smart ass to the officer. Everyone in the thread seems to assume he would have got off if he was cooperative and that's not congruent with my experience by a long shot.
Funny thing about incomplete stops. I did a ride-along with the drummer in my band - he's a cop. It was a Monday morning and nothing was going on, so we parked in an alley off the main drag and watched for people rolling through a stop sign.
I'd say we watched over 100 cars come to that stop sign and, out of all the cars we watched, ONLY ONE came to a complete stop. Every other car rolled through the stop sign. So, we didn't stop anybody at that one, so we went to another one, and finally a guy zipped through at about 20 mph. He got a ticket.
So if you're going to roll through a stop sign, do it when there's more crime going on. The cops are always looking for action, and they don't want to be doing traffic stops.
