quality of life

Photo by PoPville flickr user Rukasu1

“Dear PoP,

I have a quick question regarding noise complaints. I live on a very noisy block, which comes from two sources. A group of kids play craps using the streetlight directly in front of my house, and an older drunk neighbor (about 50) two houses away who buys alcohol for these kids and goes around yelling “I’m getting it in” all damn night long.

These kids are nice enough, but they trash my yard and make way too much noise. I’ve asked them to move, which means they go down one house or directly across the street. This works slightly better for me, but I’m just making it my other neighbors’ problem.

The police recommended I call the cops every time I hear them. However, I’m not sure I want to be known as “that guy.” Should I give them some ground rules along the line of calling the cops every time I hear them after 10? Or should I just start calling the cops? Any advice or older posts would be much appreciated.”

I’d say if they are willing to listen – then give them some ground rules. Set a clear hour if possible like 10 or 11pm (side question what time do you think people should start being quiet at night?). If they then don’t follow the ground rules – you really will have only two options – you can become “that guy” or try to block out the noise. It’s a shitty situation – but if you truly can’t sleep and/or it is seriously affecting your quality of life – I’d probably recommend becoming “that guy”.

So yes we realize we live in a city but in my opinion, living in a neighborhood on a side street is not the same as living on 18th St, NW in Adams Morgan. If you live on a side street in a neighborhood with families – what do you think is a reasonable time to expect people to quiet during the week – 10pm, 11pm, midnight?

If you faced the situation above – how would you deal with it in hopes of maintaining positive relations with the noisy neighbors? (Final side note – I’m assuming the kids are 21 years old – would you change your advice if these kids are under 21 years old?)

Photo by PoPville flickr user maria jpeg

“Dear PoP,

I have noticed a lot of cracking down on usual city annoyances lately in letters and here is another.. Due to hot humid weather it sometimes brings out the nasty in people and I mean that literally. Last night for two hours there was a couple parked in my little dead in corner having jack rabbit sex.

They were so close to my window (not to be obscene) I heard bodies smacking. Now I KNOW I wasn’t the only who heard them on our corner. Not because they were screaming and moaning but after an hour inside their car they decided to venture out on TOP of there car or some other car. I was petrified to shut my window because I did not want them to know they woke me up. My dog barked at them finally but to no avail. I did not sense it was a prostitute but I looked out my window only once and it looked like young kids 17-20? I just played the pacifist let them get on with it and got absolutely no sleep.

I do not think I would have even called the cops because that sounds a little extreme for me. Has anyone else had an experience like this and if so what did you do. Things like this remind me of how small of a city/community/living space we all live in and it does feel a bit too close for comfort at times.”

It’s at that point I’d play my radio pretty loudly – I think it’s ok if they know that they woke you up. I’d blast some The Story and see how they liked the smooth sound of host Dick Gordon.

“Dear PoP,

Can you get the scoop on the construction on Rock Creek Parkway? My normally hellish commute has become twice as hellish because of the construction on the south bond Rock Creek Parkway during the morning rush hour. What in the hell is the Park Service thinking doing construction during rush hour? Why not in the middle of the afternoon? Or at least way early in the morning? It seems that they do the construction between 8am and 10am during the week (correct me if I’m wrong but I only notice when I’m on it, which is every morning and evening and sometimes on the weekend).

Please find out. I called the park service and they said that the construction would go on for 18-20 more months. I don’t know what I’m going to do.

I enter Rock Creek parkway from 17th St NW in Mt Pleasant. They have been closing the right lane starting on Calvert St, causing a gigantic backup.

When I talked to someone at the Park service, (the superintendent maybe?) he stated that that they were replacing pipes and then installing handrails. (I don’t remember much of the conversation). He stated that in about a 18-20 months, Rock Creek will look “really really nice.”

In any case, I understand that they are just doing their job. But I just don’t understand why they have to do it during the morning rush hour commute, when closing that lane will cause the most headaches to people.

Why can’t they do this construction work when it’s not rush hour?”

Anyone know why construction has to take place during rush hour? Is it because it would be too difficult to remove/cover the areas under construction? Anyone else experience this back up?

“Dear PoP,

What are you supposed to do when someone’s car alarm goes off, on repeat, all night long??

The one in question is currently parked on 15th and T st NW and has been going off every 30 minutes since 2 am. Obviously preventing me from falling asleep for anything longer than 15 minute intervals.

any tips/ideas?? i am getting desperate.

it’s been going on for three days and the car already has two tickets.

We all have been calling the cops about the car, but the cops tell us they can’t really do anything!!!

so we are all very frustrated and don’t know how to make it stop.”

Ugh, this sounds brutal and extremely frustrating. Anyone have any success in dealing with a past situation like this?

“Dear PoP,

My partner and I live in Columbia Heights. We live on 13th St NW near the Giant grocery store. Last year we noticed that the landscaped area on the Holmead St side of Giant had turned into one large trash area. This spring, Giant had a crew come out, clean up the trash, trim the rose bushes and put down new mulch. It looked nice again. Then we noticed that people started to throw trash in this area again. So we decided one day that every time we walked by this area we would pick up at least one piece of trash. Mind you, we walk by this small landscaped area on the way to work, home from work, on the way to the gym, walking home from shopping, etc. etc. We soon found ourselves picking up a lot of trash.

It really opened our eyes to how much people use the street/sidewalk for a trash bin. Each time we would only pick up one or two items, but slowly the place was cleaned up again. In honor of Earth Day I wondered what would happen to our city if everyone of us just picked up 1 piece of trash on the street in which we lived on our way to work, or coming home from work, or on our way to the shopping store, etc. Maybe in some small way all of our “little corners” of our great city would become cleaner. We found it quite easy to simply stop, pick up an old beer can, banana peal, empty potato chip bag, discarded lottery ticket, etc. Why not give it a try in your neighborhood? It might just change how you view the place you call home.

Happy Earth Day!”

I think it’s a great idea. If we all pledge to pick up just one piece of garbage a day I think our combined efforts can make a bit of a dent. It’ll be a Sisyphean task but as long as we do it everyday I hope we can make a small difference like you and your partner have done in the photo above.

Who else is in?