OP and their wife were woken up at 2 am on a Saturday night to loud music and talking in the parking lot they share with a neighboring office building.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
OP went out to their balcony and yelled at a group of teens or young adults to be quiet, but they only received a mocking response. A neighbor offered to call the police, but OP declined. Five minutes later, the noise continued, and OP and their wife called the apartment’s noise complaint hotline.
The noise stopped, but OP couldn’t sleep and talked to friends who said they should accept the noise as part of being young. OP disagrees, stating that being loud next to an apartment complex isn’t right, even on a Saturday night, and people have different schedules. They wonder if they are in the wrong for wanting to sleep without disturbance.
It Was a Reasonable Response
Dealing with minor issues in life can sometimes be the most challenging. A measured and appropriate response is essential to ensure the reaction is justified, which is often easier said than done.
“NTA. 2 am in an apartment complex parking lot is excessive. You tried talking to them before calling security. Your building security isn’t going to arrest them, just chase them off – it’s not the same as calling real cops.”
Like many in this thread, this Redditor understands the OP’s response. Most would not have bothered to talk to the teenager first and would have reached out directly for the phone to contact security.
OP gave them a chance to do the right thing, and they refused. Therefore, some form of repercussion has to occur. As noted by the writer, the building security guard will simply move them on. They will face no legal persecution if they choose to leave quietly. All of this commotion could have been avoided had the young teenager listened to OP in the first place.
It’s Not Just OP’s Problem
It is essential to consider the consequences of OP doing nothing at all:
“NTA. They’re not 10-year-olds; they’re responsible for their behavior and should be aware of that. They indeed could’ve chosen a better place, and probably many more people could not sleep because of them, soooo yeah.”
This statement makes two excellent points. Firstly, they are not young children; they know exactly what they are doing. They could mess around where ever they like. However, they have chosen to stay in a private parking complex. They must be aware of the consequences of their actions.
Secondly, they are not the only people who will be bothered by the noise. Although the OP does not stipulate the size of the complex, there are likely to be tens, if not hundreds, of people who can hear the teenagers. OP has done the right thing by acting on the issue and tried their best to be reasonable and communicate their concerns directly to them. They must face the consequences if they were unwilling to see reason.
It Is All Relative
Redditors are in agreement that OP’s friends do not understand the story. If they genuinely are mocking him for his reactions, then they must not appreciate how annoying it is:
“There’s a reason why loud noises around residential areas is illegal in most places. Of course, your friends would mock you about it, but blast your loudest speaker at 2 am by their window and see if they’ll like it, LOL.”
This Redditor makes short work of an effective example to illustrate the situation to OP’s friends. However, they do rightfully suggest that OP’s friends will, of course, make fun of OP. In many friendships, gentle and controlled mocking brings people closer together. However, should OP disturb his friend’s sleep at 2 am, they may have more to say.
Nobody likes disturbed sleep. So it is clear that ultimately, OP acted adequately and fairly in the situation they found themselves in. Next time it happens, there is no reason for OP not to act precisely the same way.
Source: Reddit
