ARGH - basketball next doors

[broadway]

My neighbor has a teenage son probably a junior this year.
They bought a portable basketball hoop four years ago, and the son has his friends over to play some basketball.

The basketball hoop is about 20' from the bedroom that is my "office" and where I am typing this.

It isn't just an hour. Today it has now been 2 hours and still going strong.
Last year, they started at 6 pm and played until it turned dark.
At that rate I have another 2.5 hours to endure the constant noise.

Last year another neighbor spoke to the father, but the father basically did a FU.

It angers me that people are so inconsiderate of others.

 

[ivinsfan]

You can hear this noise thru your closed window? What are your hearing screaming, or the bouncing of the ball?

I'm trying to get an idea as to why this is so annoying to you. If the noise stops at dark, I don't think there is much you can do about it.

 

[Walt34]

It angers me that people are so inconsiderate of others.

It is annoying. Is it possible that your community has a noise ordinance that would affect it? Where I used to live there was a very effective noise ordinance that, while it probably would not have prevented this during daylight hours but most definitely would have at night.

I have one next door too, but not so close to the "office" at home. I sympathize with them because other than the pool in summer months there's not much around here for kids to do.

And look on the bright side. At least they're not becoming fat couch potatoes.

 

[broadway]

The sound of the basketball being bounced on the blacktop is like the sound of a hammer pounding nails. I absolutely hate. To me it is like nails on a chalkboard.
I most definitely can hear it through closed windows. They are only 20' from me. The houses are built close together to maximize profit for the builder.

They do stop at night. I had a co-worker who said he had a neighbor whose son and friends would play with the headlights of cars on.

There is nothing I can do about it. Just had to vent.

 

[MRG]

Earplugs. I like the foam inserts, some hate them. Be aware certain noises can pass right through any type hearing blocks.

I recall the guy who sat next to me with size 14 shoes, thinking he's a drummer, on raised data center flooring. Noise vibrated through my body. I remember turning up the volume of my Walkman's(yes) earphones to drown out his drumming. At one point he suggested that I turn it down as it might be too loud for others in the area!

White noise?

 

[broadway]

I tried the foam earplugs, but they get itchy after short while.
Also, not that effective against this type of noise.

 

[youbet]

The houses are built close together to maximize profit for the builder............

There is nothing I can do about it. Just had to vent.

Since you chose to live in a "compact" neighborhood (I do too), I agree there isn't much you can do about it. Unless there is a specific ordinance, it's hard to picture a city official or judge coming down on a driveway basketball game during daylight hours.

What you can think about doing is moving. Either pick an area where the lots are large (and likely expensive) and you'll be guaranteed nobody will be making noise closeby without trespassing. Or move to a community with covenants and restrictions that would protect you. Or perhaps an over 55 community.

If it's not driveway basketball, it's dogs barking, kids screaming at the neighbor's pool or a gardening neighbor who owns lots of noisy power equipment and likes to use it a lot. Sometimes ya just gotta get yourself situated where this kind of stuff isn't going to happen.

 

[capjak]

Turn on a noise in your house that you enjoy (Music, Fan, etc...) or is more tolerable that the basketball. Including headphones if it is really loud outside.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Have you tried some noise cancelling headphones, like these? I know basketball noise can be tough to block, but maybe you could add some white noise or some music.

 

[Just_Steve]

Kids playing outside, what a novel concept.
Glad I didn't have neighbors complaining when my kids were young. I would have given them the big FU also.

 

[aja8888]

Since you chose to live in a "compact" neighborhood (I do too), I agree there isn't much you can do about it. Unless there is a specific ordinance, it's hard to picture a city official or judge coming down on a driveway basketball game during daylight hours.

What you can think about doing is moving. Either pick an area where the lots are large (and likely expensive) and you'll be guaranteed nobody will be making noise closeby without trespassing. Or move to a community with covenants and restrictions that would protect you. Or perhaps an over 55 community.

If it's not driveway basketball, it's dogs barking, kids screaming at the neighbor's pool or a gardening neighbor who owns lots of noisy power equipment and likes to use it a lot. Sometimes ya just gotta get yourself situated where this kind of stuff isn't going to happen.

Have to agree, it comes with the territory. We moved from a young neighborhood like that three years ago into a 55 + community. Now it's the loud ambulances running through the streets at night when someone has the "big one" or falls and can't get up.

 

[timo2]

you could go play with them?

 

[timo2]

My neighbor has a teenage son probably a junior this year.
They bought a portable basketball hoop four years ago, and the son has his friends over to play some basketball.

The basketball hoop is about 20' from the bedroom that is my "office" and where I am typing this.

It isn't just an hour. Today it has now been 2 hours and still going strong.
Last year, they started at 6 pm and played until it turned dark.
At that rate I have another 2.5 hours to endure the constant noise.

Last year another neighbor spoke to the father, but the father basically did a FU.

It angers me that people are so inconsiderate of others.

Here in Colorado, one of my co workers has a different neighbor problem. the house next door has a work shed just across the property line near her home office window, and the new owners smoke cannabis in the work shed, so she gets the odor from that. (they smoke in the shed to keep it from the kids inside). Apparently they bought the house just because of that work shed.

 

[ivinsfan]

Ever tried a white noise machine during work hours

 

[aaronc879]

I have teen neighbors with a basketball hoop two doors down and hear it very clearly and it's very annoying. That's when I am very happy I bought a house with a finished room in the basement. I don't hear the basketball at all down there. If I want to be upstairs but they are playing then I put ear buds in and watch a tv show or listen to music. Ear plugs alone don't block out enough noise. That's all you can do if it's day time hours unless they are yelling and screaming then I would think the police would put a stop to it.

 

[Dash man]

Listening to music, especially with a good set of headphones is your best option.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

We have a portable basketball hoop out on our driveway, too. If someone complained about it being used during daylight hours, I'd have told them to pound sand. If you nicely explained the situation, and asked about setting some reasonable "office hours" where it wasn't used, I might give that some consideration.

Agree with others recommending noise-cancelling headphones.

 

[socca]

Peace & quiet is a precious commodity. I lived on a golf course for 8 years where the groundskeeper would be out on his tractor at 6 am. More recently, kids shrieking around a neighbor's pool are an occasional nuisance. Endlessly barking mutts are a constant threat; fortunately, not in my area (currently). Back when I lived in an apartment, I put up with my neighbors' loud stereo systems and wild sex.

 

[Amethyst]

And people wonder why we live on 3+ acres, with all the work and expense that go along with it.

Even here, since there's no HOA, people manage to make a lot of noise, mostly by running power equipment. But kids are seldom outdoors. When they are, the noise is mainly from dirt bikes (horrid noise) or go-karts.

 

[pb4uski]

Can you take your laptop and move to a different room while they are playing basketball?

 

[Lawrencewendall]

If you can't beat them, join them. A little exercise and community involvement goes a long way. Just saying.

 

[socca]

The last week or so, an adolescent snowy egret has been hurling itself against my dining room sliding glass door, causing enormous racket and even waking me up from my nap (nap time is sacred around my house ). I shoo the bird away, but it keeps coming right back. Food, shelter, or sex - what is it looking for? Do I look like a female snowy egret? Don't think so ...

 

[savory]

I'm not sure what is worse but we started lawn mower season in our neighborhood. You can't go outside without hearing one and once the windows open, the same terrible noise is inside. I love the season but hate the noise.

 

[CardsFan]

Sorry. But I have a hard time finding sympathy. A few high school kids are playing hoops, in their driveway, for "hours". Don't they know they are supposed to be inside gaming, or roaming the streets causing trouble?

If you were the dad, where would you prefer they be?

 

[zinger1457]

Made me laugh because I was that kid when I was a teen, playing pickup basketball games at my neighbors driveway. They even had spotlights on the garage so we could play at night, never heard any complaints. There is a lot worse mischief those kids could be getting into beside playing hoops.