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If you thought it was bad hating your neighbor's loud music, consider yourself lucky -- you could be forced to hate their terrible, terrible pasta salad. Two neighbors in Tampa with a 10-year history of feuding have found themselves forced to get along after a judge sentenced them to have monthly potlucks together.Tony Alli likes to listen to reggae and calypso when he gets off work. Jose Linares likes to call the cops about it. In January, Linares had a couple of beers with his grumpiness and started a verbal fight that quickly devolved into fisticuffs. Alli was found guilty of a minor battery charge. He was sentenced to six months of probation, 50 hours of community service, and six monthly potluck dinners with his neighbor.
For their first get-together, Alli's attorney will be bringing brownies (who actually pays for said brownies was not disclosed), and Alli might play some Indian music. Sounds like the beginning of a beautiful friendship to us. If we had to potluck with our neighbors, it would probably be Schlitz and Slayer.
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Wednesday 28 July
By Henry
What a great idea! I hope more courts follow this line of sentencing.
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Wednesday 28 July
By steve
a better idea would be to tell the scumbag to turn down his music and have some respect for his neighbors. And the drunk that punched him should be thrown in jail for not kicking his ass and smashing his stereo to pieces over his head.
another great idea would be for people to learn some manners and respect for their neighbors. if you cant afford to live where your stereo wont interfere with other peoples lives thats your problem.
Wednesday 28 July
By kit
My neighbor likes to play his rap music loud enough to hear it upstairs - which is loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear - causing the walls in my house to vibrate - I have called the cops numerous times- it is ridiculous that you can't have peace in your own home!
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Wednesday 28 July
By guy
That's a good idea! Have a potluck/BBQ. Got bad neighbors? Have a BBQ and under cook some chicken that's been left out for a day or so. Mabey a little cross contamination salad? Now I know what is meant by Montezumas revenge! I like how you guys think! HAHAHAHAHA.....
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Wednesday 28 July
By Angiebaby
I think the reggae-calypso guy should bring the brownies. I'm sure they'd get "high" marks!
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Wednesday 28 July
By Craig
This judge is a complete moron, on top of it the sentence is unconstitutional. If I were that guy I'd do the probation and community service, but I'd move away (out of state) and tell that judge to BLOW IT OUT HIS A**.
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Wednesday 28 July
By Marshall
Where are you coming from with this??
Wednesday 28 July
By Helen
I agree with you. I feel the same way!!
Wednesday 28 July
By TAR
how about having a neighbors that have a bonfire in the front yard and smell up your whole house. no way would I want to have a potluck with them.
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Wednesday 28 July
By Helen
You and me both, why punish the decent person to have a potluck with a SCUMBAG with no class. The Judge was wrong? He should have given a citation for the DISTURBER, and try to teach him/her to respect their neighbours.
Wednesday 28 July
By Kevin
A few years ago I had a neighbor who loved to blast his rap & hip hop music at all hours of the day and night. One night around 10:30pm another neighbor yelled turn that crap down .. the music went up even louder. About 5 minutes later we heard a gun shot and no more music. The stereo system was shot, the cops came and the guy blasting the music is the one who went to jail that night and was evicted the next day. The guy who shot the stereo system was a cop.
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Wednesday 28 July
By Helen
Loved it. This should be happening all over. What has happened to decency and respect? Thank you for posting, loved it.
Wednesday 28 July
By nick
I thought that was what Michele has been giving Obama???
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Wednesday 28 July
By Sandy
Had my share of rude neighbors. Eating with them did no good. I even watched their kids for free. Tutored them too. Finally, I signed a complaint with the police department for disturbing the peace. They would start the loud music, pounding the walls and pot smoke so thick it floated down the street like a cloud. Anaheim PD would do nothing until I signed the formal complaint for the noise. Two days later, I got an eviction notice saying I don't know how to get along with the neighbors and that since I'm not hispanic I needed to move to a "white" neighborhood.
So, I moved. What happened to those rude neighbors? They ripped the landlord off for some 6 months of rent. They took off in the middle of the night leaving the apartment unhabitable. Cost that landlord a bundle to repair the place.
Now I have another neighbor who thinks it's ok to party every Friday night until around 2am Saturday. Spoken to him about it so it did stop for a couple of months. Now it's starting again. I'll speak to him again but am ready to sign a noise complaint to get this stopped immediately. My bedroom window is up against his backyard.
My neighbor on the other side of me thinks it's ok to blast their music so loud that I cannot hear my computer even with external speakers. I use my computer as a tv. He says it's day time so it's ok. He'll be in for a rude awakening when I get around to having the police come to tell him differently. The landlord has already told him but he uses the excuse that he doesn't understand the landlord's english with the asian accent.
Maybe people just don't realize how far the noise travels.
Oh, on one occasion when some people living above me at a complex I use to rent turned their music so loud the pictures on my wall fell off and my parrot hid under the couch, I borrowed a very large professional speaker system. I had asked him several times to lower the volume for him to tell me he doesn't understand english. I went to a local college and got a language professor to write it in this guy's language and to teach me how to say it. Neighbor claimed he could not read his own language and he didn't understand me with my American accent. So, we hooked the professional system up placing the speakers against my ceiling. Put sound boards on the back so it wasn't loud in my apartment then cranked up the volume. The neighbor came running downstair saying "Ok, ok ok, I get it. I'll turn mine down!!" Wow, amazing how he suddenly learned English. But he was never bothersome after that.
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Wednesday 28 July
By ruthsgardens
Depending on what state you live in, if a cop can hear your system 6 cars away it is illegal. 75 decibles is the allowed rate here.That is the equivalent to a train horn at 6 car lengths.35 decibles is allowed here from 7 am-7pm in residential areas by residents.Construction is allowed more from 7am-7pm.People who blast their music is an identity crisis.They want people to hear it and agree with it.They want people to condone their actions.In other words they are lost sheep looking for other lost sheep to accompany or follow them.Or lead them in some instances.In either way it is pathetic.Those who say they like loud music,put headphones on and blow your own eardrums.Nope.They look for condoning from other lost sheep.Kind of like a cry out to the wilderness sort of thing.
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