JUST HOW NOISY ARE THEY?

JUST HOW NOISY ARE THEY???

this story makes me very scared to visit or live in north america.

by frank eltman

It's what kids do: squeal in delight when they're having fun.

But to some Long Island residents those squeals were unwelcome noise, and they wanted two neighborhood girls playing in a backyard pool to pipe down.

The complaints fell on deaf ears Wednesday night when Bayville's acting village justice dismissed a summons accusing the girls' parents, William and Rachel Poczatek, of violating a village noise ordinance.

Poczatek said he was shocked when he and his wife were slapped with a summons. Sure, he said, Ashley, 11, and 5-year-old Chloe make noise when they're outside enjoying their aboveground swimming pool.

"What, are you telling me that a kid can't make noise?" he protested. "It's not fair."

The Poczateks were cleared because the ordinance is usually reserved for "the shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors, which disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood," their attorney said.

"The statute didn't apply," insisted attorney Andrew Campanelli, who got no argument from the judge or prosecutor.

Before the hearing, neighbor Sheila Brown said the children's squeals were not your usual brand of merriment.

"I have five dogs," Brown said. "Five dogs don't make this much noise. This is not something that started yesterday. They have been asked politely, but this is an ongoing issue far beyond children just playing in the pool."

Poczatek offered a conciliatory message: "Yes, we will try to keep them quieter."

Comments

[polly]

Tess--this reminds me of something that recently happened here where i live in Virginia--we're in a rather rural area about 30 min from a larger city....anyhow, a neighbor called the dept of social services/child protective services on her next door neighbor b/c the kids were 'playing in the street'--the street in this case was a quiet cul-de-sac and they played at the end of it where no traffic came....this person had to be told that "this is why people move to this county, so their kids CAN Play in the street!!!" ie. it's quiet and safe....

[Tammy]

It's a miserable person who doesn't hear the squeals of a child as music to their ears. Ear plugs aren't very expensive.

Morons.

[knobody]

i have to wonder how loud/high pitched these kids are. if mine get too squealy or loud, i'm usually the first person to tell them to quiet down. if their own parents (who have to listen to their squeals all the time) aren't offended, just how loud can they be?

[Kate]

Before I decided where I 'sat' on this issue, I listened to the tape on ABC of the noise and I have to say it was LOUD. All 7 or 8 neighbours (some several doors away) could hear it every evening until 9pm and I have to say I actually felt bad for them. It was much louder than I would of thought...

[joeinvegas]

I can understand both sides, but kids are kids, and in response to her, don't tell me that five dogs are quiet.