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bradentonian
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24 Dec 2008, 9:38 pm

I live in an apartment, and neighbors in an adjacent building, very
close, have put up very loud wind chimes. A few months ago I left them
an anonymous note on their door saying very politely I was a neighbor
and was wondering if they would please consider taking down their wind
chimes since I am bothered by their possible 24/7 noise. They still
haven't removed them.

Any creative ideas as to how to deal with this?

In my view, wind chimes were invented for one purpose: annoying
neighbors. A web search reveals many people extremely annoyed by wind
chimes. I am not alone on this.

I guess these people find them relaxing. But suppose I put a CD player
on my porch playing constant Hawaiian music, on medium to low volume,
yet always there to be easily heard, because I find that relaxing.

Anyway, now I am thinking of talking to the management at the complex.
If there is a tenant who is respectfully asked to take down their wind
chimes, yet they refuse, what should the management do? But I am
concerned this looks too ridiculous and i would be laughed out of the
office, since wind chimes have an almost exalted image in this
society, even though they are a way for neighbors to provide
incessant, possibly 24/7 noise.

Any thoughts about how to handle this? In my shoes, would you go to
management or consider some other possible, creative solution?



SeizeTheDay
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24 Dec 2008, 9:46 pm

I'd passive agressivly hang some even louder windchimes. It might make you crazy for a while, but I think they might get annoyed with that. That's just me...but I like windchimes...so that might not work for you. :?


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Callista
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24 Dec 2008, 9:57 pm

I've been there--but I was lucky because the wind chimes were on my own porch, hung by my landlord. They're in a drawer and out of the way. I wish I could figure out a solution for you. They're very annoying.


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bradentonian
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24 Dec 2008, 10:16 pm

SeizeTheDay wrote:
I'd passive agressivly hang some even louder windchimes. It might make you crazy for a while, but I think they might get annoyed with that. That's just me...but I like windchimes...so that might not work for you. :?


I don't know -- these people shout and laugh loud all the time and have friends on the balcony talking loudly all the time. They are noisy junky people (what do you expect from people who won't take down the chimes when respectfully asked?) and probably wouldn't even notice my chimes, and then I would end up being annoyed for no purpose. Thanks for the suggestion though, but I don't think in this case it would work.

If they were in the apt below me I could stomp around loudly at all hours. But they are in different building -- about 100 feet from me.



bradentonian
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24 Dec 2008, 10:19 pm

Callista wrote:
I've been there--but I was lucky because the wind chimes were on my own porch, hung by my landlord. They're in a drawer and out of the way. I wish I could figure out a solution for you. They're very annoying.


One time some neighbors put chimes on a tree a few feet from their porch. I did a 3:00 a.m. foray to remove them. These people though are on the 3rd floor and no way could I get to the chimes, except maybe shoot the chimes down with a gun with a silencer (LOL), which I don't have and probably wouldn't do anyway.



neshamaruach
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24 Dec 2008, 10:32 pm

Earplugs would work. That's what I do when I'm at home and distracted by sound.



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24 Dec 2008, 10:43 pm

I used them once because i had a noisy neighbour - screaming kids, endless backyard parties etc. I found hanging some wind chimes on the clothesline gave me my own noise to focus on and i was less bothered by the neighbours noise. It was interesting, although they were 'soft' noise, a bamboo chime, the neighbour noticed them and was a bit uh perturbed. ha. I think you should create your own noise, whether it's your own windchimes or something else. Sometimes you can be too quiet and people get used to thinking you don't exist.



bradentonian
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24 Dec 2008, 10:48 pm

neshamaruach wrote:
Earplugs would work. That's what I do when I'm at home and distracted by sound.


Yes, but don't they hurt your ears over time? That's been my experience. Plus I overlook a lake and there are lots of interesting water birds out there that I like to hear. I'd have to always miss out on that.

I guess the main thing is how would the managers office react to a complaint about someone who when courteously asked, refused to take down wind chimes. For me, if i was the manager, and someone came to me with this problem I would be totally sympathetic and would order them to take down the chimes. But people don't think like me. LOL

If anyone has ever complained to mgrs about something like this I'd love to hear how it went over.

Maybe if mgt refused to do anything I could say OK then I'll start playing hawaiian music on my blacony 24/7 -- it relaxes me. That may force them to think about it. I mean like, what's the difference?



neshamaruach
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25 Dec 2008, 12:55 am

bradentonian wrote:
neshamaruach wrote:
Earplugs would work. That's what I do when I'm at home and distracted by sound.


Yes, but don't they hurt your ears over time? That's been my experience. Plus I overlook a lake and there are lots of interesting water birds out there that I like to hear. I'd have to always miss out on that.



I've used earplugs to sleep every night for over 20 years and my hearing is just fine. I can understand about not wanting to miss the sounds of the waterbirds, though.

This reminds me of a line in the movie about the Dalai Lama. When the Chinese invade, they play loud martial music. One of the monks says to the Dalai Lama: "They have stolen our silence." I could totally relate. I really love silence.

Maybe you need to move to a rural area. I live in one and it's quite peaceful. The loudest things are the tree frogs in the summer.



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25 Dec 2008, 1:19 am

I hate wind chimes. My neighbor used to have at least 20 on their front and back lawns. 'Used to'. :wink:



Danielismyname
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25 Dec 2008, 1:46 am

I like [bamboo] wind chimes; it's a nice sound to me.



25 Dec 2008, 1:47 am

I like wind chimes. I think the sound is very pretty.



DentArthurDent
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25 Dec 2008, 6:07 am

I like Bamboo wind chimes, however I think I would find my neighbours very annoying. I would need to get a couple of my own. In answer to your question I doubt that you can stop them, the only way would be to explain your disorder and the effect the chimes are having and hope that they have empathy for your situation.


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25 Dec 2008, 4:19 pm

I love my big wind chime. I wish we could get more wind in the summer so it'd chime more. That said, I don't know what the neighbours think of it... My neighbours are all very quiet.


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bradentonian
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25 Dec 2008, 6:39 pm

Greentea wrote:
I love my big wind chime. I wish we could get more wind in the summer so it'd chime more. That said, I don't know what the neighbours think of it... My neighbours are all very quiet.


Yes and I love playing Hawaiian music. Maybe I should start playing hawaiian music on my balcony 24/7 - loud enough that neighbors can clearly hear, but not loud enough to violate noise ordinances. Then if neighbors complain I could say they are being way oversensitive and if they don't like it they should move.



orngjce223
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25 Dec 2008, 9:41 pm

Just loud enough so that you don't hear the windchimes.


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