So I got a Bylaw Warning Notice for Noise...

[FlamingInfinity]

Is there not a way that you could do a reverse lookup or something? Im sure if there was a filed complaint, you should be able to find out who put it in.

[frinkprof]

We had a similar situation a few years ago. It never got as far as bylaw, but there was a series of hand-written letters from a neighbour (other half of the duplex) and probably would have gone as far as bylaw/fines if it didn't get resolved.

My roommate at the time was a drummer. He was practicing inside the house with no dampers or really much of any soundproofing. It was all at seemingly "reasonable" hours. Usually middle of the day on his days off or in early evening like you, OP.

Eventually we got a letter from the neighbour who apparently worked the night shift so the middle of the day was their time to sleep. So my roommate spent however much money on the dampening pads, which I thought took a lot of the noise away. Sure enough a few days after that we got a letter saying that apparently wasn't enough and the vibrations (probably from the kickstand) were still too bothersome. The neighbour noticed we had a garage so they suggested my roommate move the drums in there and see if that was better. Problem was that we didn't have use of the garage since our landlord used it for storage. My roommate had to go so far as to work out a deal with our landlord for use of the garage and also worked out some times that worked with the neighbours, and that was the solution.

Having experienced this situation as a bit of a bystander, I could definitely understand both parties (my roommate who had a passion for drumming and wanted to play, as well as the neighbour and myself who could hear/feel the noise being made). It personally didn't bother me since it was all reasonable times for me, I didn't have a family or kids, and I really don't mind loud noises or music. I could most certainly see how it could be very unpleasant for others though, especially if you worked the night shift like our neighbour did.

Now to your situation. Seeing the posts so far, and having experienced similar circumstances, I have to agree mostly with CaptainCrunch. Frankly, you don't know which neighbour it is, what their particular situation is, why drumming at that hour is bothersome to them (and believe me, drums can be noticeable from almost a block away), or why they went to bylaw before trying to contact you first. I understand the first reaction of thinking of them as cowards or tattletales or other such things. However, there's lots of reasons why they might not feel comfortable confronting you about it. For our neighbour, they wrote us a letter instead of knocking on thecdoor because they were away at most reasonable visiting hours. As CaptainCrunch says, they could be elderly, a single woman, disabled, had a past bad experience with dealing with a neighbour, or just plain non-confrontational or not sociable by nature. In this day and age, it's just a reality that people aren't as willing or are hesitant to knock on doors or lean over fences and talk to people they don't know for all sorts of reasons.

I'm not saying you shouldn't go knocking on doors yourself, because that's what eventually led to the solution in our case. I'm just saying that it isn't a lot of people's first avenue toward solving such problems, and many people have understandable reasons for that being the case.

All that said, I would suggest you not aggravate the situation more by continuing drumming for the time being. I would try knocking on doors and politely trying to work a solution out with whichever neighbour it is (find a reasonable time). If that doesn't work, or there's no reasonable time that works for you, I think you should be prepared to spend some money on dampening pads.

[valo403]

Hanging old carpet on the walls will help a bit, it won't kill the sound but it deadens it pretty good, especially if you can grab a couple layers worth.

[Phaneuf3]

The solution is obvious: Burn their house down.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Bylaws and bylaw officers exist for good reason. The neighbour went through proper channels.

Sounds like the gig is up for Drummer Boy.

[jayswin]

When did Reggie Dunlop turn into a full on troll?

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

I didn't say "Intimidate them".

The type of person who won't go talk to there neighbour is likely scared of confrontation.

In my experience, when you approach these people in a reasonable fashion and they realize you aren't the boogy man, they become a lot more reasonable than they are in the anonymous situation.

If they aren't reasonable people, they will likely be intimidated that you now know who they are, and who cares for what reason they stop complaining, they're dickwads anyway if they aren't grown up enough to knock on their neighbours door to discuss a concern. Whether it's the 50's or not.

Says the 6'8" guy.

[kyuusei]

5pm? Seriously?

If you find the neighbor who complained, ask him why he didn't come to you. Maybe there's a time where you're usually home and he's not, who knows.

I once had neighbors b!tch because I was playing music on a Friday night at 8PM. (in a townhouse complex. No parties or anyone over, I just wanted to play music.) The neighbor and his girlfriend came over to whine... and somewhere in the conversation he said 'how would you like it if I started playing music at 3 AM?' I looked at my watch and asked him 'are you !@#$ serious? Does this look like 3 AM to you?!' and shut the door in their faces.

Methinks I buzzkilled their sexytime or something.

[Frank MetaMusil]

I've had many noise complaints over the years......I think you've got a decent case here if its only for 30 minutes.

Continuous Sound in Residential Developments
28. (1) No Person shall cause or permit to be caused a Continuous Sound that exceeds
the greater of the following Sound Levels:
(a) 65 decibels (dBA) Leq measured over a one (1) hour period during the
Day-time; or
(b) 50 decibels (dBA) Leq measured over a one (1) hour period during the
Night-time;
at any Point of Reception within a Residential Development.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), where the Ambient Sound Level for an area is at
or above the maximum allowable Day-time or Night-time Sound Levels referred
to in subsection (1), measured over a one (1) hour period, a Sound Level must
exceed 5 decibels (dBA) Leq over the Ambient Sound Level before it becomes
an offence.
(B/L 28M2004, 2004 March 15)

So essentially they would have to record your decibel level for 1 hour. If you aren't playing for that long I don't really see how they could ticket you without some proof.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Bylaws and bylaw officers exist for good reason. The neighbour went through proper channels.

Sounds like the gig is up for Drummer Boy.

Yeah, great opportunity to work out a mutually beneficial agreement so that one person can enjoy a passion and it doesn't interfere with the life of another.

The neighbour is just as bad as the drummer if he/she doesn't give an opportunity to work something out.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Yeah, great opportunity to work out a mutually beneficial agreement so that one person can enjoy a passion and it doesn't interfere with the life of another.

The neighbour is just as bad as the drummer if he/she doesn't give an opportunity to work something out.

A mutually beneficial agreement? What the hell is the neighbour gaining? All they want is the status quo.

If you can't afford to keep your drum noise to yourself, you can't afford to play the drums.

The neighbour isn't infringing on the drummer. The drummer is infringing upon the neighbour.

[troutman]

Chicks dig guitar players silly.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

A mutually beneficial agreement? What the hell is the neighbour gaining? All they want is the status quo.

If you can't afford to keep your drum noise to yourself, you can't afford to play the drums.

The neighbour isn't infringing on the drummer. The drummer is infringing upon the neighbour.

Do you know how drums work? They're percussion instruments, keeping them to yourself is pretty difficult unless you want to shell out for electronic drums, which aren't the same thing as playing real drums.

The drummer has the right to play his drums in his house. I've been in a band and I personally don't think that it's that disruptive, especially at 5 PM. By this logic, the drummer has no freedom to play his drums in his house because someone else is being prissy.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Yeah, great opportunity to work out a mutually beneficial agreement so that one person can enjoy a passion and it doesn't interfere with the life of another.

The neighbour is just as bad as the drummer if he/she doesn't give an opportunity to work something out.

Totally disagree. The person making the noise is the one who needs to ensure their neighbours are not being bothered. I don't see how only bothering them a little is a compromise. No one should have to listen to your noise at any time of day, especially if it's as frivolous as playing the drums. A crying baby I guess I can understand. Drums? I'd be calling the by-law officer every day.

The fact that they didn't come to talk to you might peeve you... but the offense is the drum-noise, not the fact that the neighbours didn't swing by first.

The number of people in this thread who are ok with bothering their neighbours with noise is shocking.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Totally disagree. The person making the noise is the one who needs to ensure their neighbours are not being bothered. I don't see how only bothering them a little is a compromise. No one should have to listen to your noise at any time of day, especially if it's as frivolous as playing the drums. A crying baby I guess I can understand. Drums? I'd be calling the by-law officer every day.

The fact that they didn't come to talk to you might peeve you... but the offense is the drum-noise, not the fact that the neighbours didn't swing by first.

The number of people in this thread who are ok with bothering their neighbours with noise is shocking.

The number of people in this thread that are totally unreasonable is shocking.

He is potentially bothering his neighbor, for 30 minutes, at a perfectly reasonable time of day. Hell, they may not even be home from work yet by that time.

There should be a situation where this can be worked out. A 5 year old can handle a little bit of noise for 30 minutes.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Do you know how drums work? They're percussion instruments, keeping them to yourself is pretty difficult unless you want to shell out for electronic drums, which aren't the same thing as playing real drums.

That's the drummer's problem, not the neighbour's.

The drummer has the right to play his drums in his house. I've been in a band and I personally don't think that it's that disruptive, especially at 5 PM. By this logic, the drummer has no freedom to play his drums in his house because someone else is being prissy.

No, the drummer has no freedom to play his drums in his house because they are freaking loud, not because someone else is being prissy. This isn't a tv with the volume turned up. This is a valid noise disturbance.

Just because you don't think they are disruptive doesn't mean that everyone shares your opinion and you do not get to be the judge or what is or isn't disruptive.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Locke

The number of people in this thread that are totally unreasonable is shocking.

no kidding...

What do you people do when you neighbor is mowing their lawn?

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Just because you don't think they are disruptive doesn't mean that everyone shares your opinion and you do not get to be the judge or what is or isn't disruptive.

Further to that, I assume it's the By-Law Officer's job to judge what is or isn't technically disruptive? They seem to have made their call in this scenario.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

That's the drummer's problem, not the neighbour's.



No, the drummer has no freedom to play his drums in his house because they are freaking loud, not because someone else is being prissy. This isn't a tv with the volume turned up. This is a valid noise disturbance.

Just because you don't think they are disruptive doesn't mean that everyone shares your opinion and you do not get to be the judge or what is or isn't disruptive.

Niether do you, which is why this would go to court anyway. Once in court, the onus would be on the accuser to prove this noise is nuisance and also above the acceptable DB level for that time of day.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

no kidding...

What do you people do when you neighbor is mowing their lawn?

Apparently call the bylaw officers because your neighbor is clearly an inconsiderate prick.