How can I get my neighbors to stop riding their 4-wheelers in the city limits?

Question

These are the facts of my situation. That's the best way I know to tell it.

1. Our neighbors got upset with us last summer because we didn't want them riding their very loud 4-wheelers on our property. We feel this way because my husband did a funeral for a 10 year old boy that was killed on a 4-wheeler. And 9 times out of 10 the kids you see on 4-wheelers aren't wearing helmets.

2.This spring our neighbors have decided to build a 4-wheel track around their property which is right up against ours.

3. These 4-wheelers are ridiculously loud and they are forever gunning them.

4. The father has a reputation for being a donkey's rearend so I know it would do no good to talk to him.

5. What legal rights does one have concerning a situation like this. The noise is so loud you can't sit out on your back porch and talk.

Answer 1

most likely the cops wont do anything unless it is late at night. they cant do much during the day for noise. also cops usually dont do anything anyway

Answer 2

Talk to the local police and see if there are any noise ordinances being violated.  If so, make a formal complaint.  It probably won't make any friends with your neighbors, but if they do damage, you can always sue them in court.

Answer 3

Check the laws in your community concerning noise. You might be able to file a complaint for disturbing the peace. However, you will be able to do little else as long as they stay on their own property.

FYI, you were right to ask them not to ride on your property. Your personal feelings about ATV's are perfectly valid, and your request is perfectly reasonable. Also, if one of your neighbors got hurt on your land, they could sue you for everything you have.

Answer 4

the only option you have is the police

Answer 5

you could get a decible meter. see what the allowable limit is for your area, then measure the wheelers. if they are louder, you can file for a noise complaint. i do not recomend this because your neighbors will get very anoyed and try to annoy you very much. at least that is what i would do. i feel that if somone is not on your property, you should not be in charge of them. they can't always be riding them. if they are as hard core as you say then they must break something at some point. use your deck at these times. also, you could ask them to stop riding at set times when you are out instead of calling the police. as for them getting hurt/killed without helmets, it is their responsibility. when i get on any motor vehicle, i know i could end up dead or hurt. this does make me not attempt some things but i still have fun. i recomend finding some fourwheeler crashes on youtube, really bad ones. then invite the kids over for a soda or soft drink and show them the videos. this will help them respect their wheelers. if they do end up dead, you will know that it was their responsibility and they made the choice. and, they will die at soemthing they love. i have always said that i want to die rideing a wheeler or snowmobile or doing something else that i love, not in some sort of painful cancer situation.

Answer 6

Call your police dept (not 911) and ask if there are any code violations that they are doing. Or just complain about the noise to the cops.

Answer 7

Same situation happened two years ago, I asked them nicely several times and nothing happened so I called the police department and they came by and warned them because they could not do anything because they never saw them.

The next time same thing and this time the police parked 1 block over and when they saw them the parents of theses minors were cited for this and that's the end to the story and no more riding their 4-wheelers.