Who acts against neighbours from hell?

WITH reference to the letter in ZO published on 8 April ‘Noise pollution an unending problem’.

I have been reading a lot about municipal bylaws not being adhered to.

I have been trying for months to find out if vehicle reverse alarms in the residential suburbs constitute a noise nuisance – to no avail.

Every morning I get woken up by vehicle reverse alarms. In fact, I have to listen to at least five of them every morning – not to mention when this person is called out in the middle of the night or on weekends.

To top it all, all the dogs start barking once the vehicle alarm is sounded.

If I read the bylaws, this nuisance should not be allowed in our suburbs.

According to the municipal bylaws, the definition of a ‘noise nuisance’ is: ‘any sound which impairs or may impair the convenience or disturb the peace of any person’.

And also: Prohibition of a noise nuisance – 7a) states that: ‘no person shall cause a noise nuisance, or allow it to be caused, by operating or playing any radio, television set, drum, musical instrument, sound amplifier, loudspeaker system or similar device producing, reproducing or amplifying sound. (I would confidently say that a reverse alarm does that). Point 7d reads: ‘… build, repair, rebuild, modify, operate or test a vehicle, vessel or aircraft on residential premises, or allow it to be built, repaired, rebuilt, modified, operated or tested; if it may cause a noise nuisance.

There is an override switch which can be installed to switch this alarm off. Or simply leave the company vehicle where it belongs – at work.

I sincerely hope that people and companies will consider the noise that this alarm omits – especially during a period where most of us will be at home, trying to rest and forget about work.

My wonderful neighbour decides that it is a good idea to use a power tool (grinder) at all hours of the day – including Sundays.

My other wonderful neighbour, I am sure, runs a ‘garage’ from his home called ‘Ref right motors’.

He works on cars at night and weekends, resulting in us not getting any rest.

Who stops this noise pollution? Why are there bylaws if there is nobody to enforce them?

FED UP WITH NOISE