| Author |
Message |
    
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 3930
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 12:45 am: |     |
Here it is, 12:40 in the morning and there's been a car alarm going off continuously for 40 minutes now, on a work/school night.
After ten minutes I did my good citizen duty and called the Maplewood PD. After another 20 minutes I called again. The gist of my conversation with the desk guy was, they had police in the area and "going to try and contact the owner." I suggested they tow the thing, and he said they couldn't if it was parked legally.
I inquired if an alarm going off all night wasn't against some kind of law, are they going to give these people a summons, and he said, believe it or not, it depends on whether they can contact the owner or not.
Do we have a noise ordinance or not? Is the Maplewood PD prepared to enforce it?
42 minutes and counting.
Maybe it's just the neighborhood, maybe we don't quite rate any kind of quality of life over in this part of town.
If it's going to be the law of the jungle, how about we start taking baseball bats and spray paint out to enforce some noise ordinances of our own?
44 minutes and counting. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 3179
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 1:14 am: | |
Tom
I don't know about Maplewood but in South Orange if your house alarm doesn't have an automatic shut off after a certain amount of time the police will cut the wires. I am pretty sure if a car alarm continues to ring there is some sort of penalty.
If it wasn't a malfunction, hopefully the alarm scared off whoever tried to break into it. I know with my car alarm, when it malfunctions it shuts itself off after 10 minutes or so. If someone tries to steal it, I don't think it resets itself.
Hope you were able to get back to sleep. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 3931
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 7:21 am: | |
After 56 minutes it finally went off for good. I'm glad the MPD was able to get to it (I assume it was them). JTA, what annoyed me the MOST was that the guy said there was nothing they could do other than contact the owner, including writing a summons. I find it unbelievable/unacceptable that this could go on until the car's battery died. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 10906
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 11:05 am: | |
Most alarms ring only for three minutes because so many municipalities limit alarms to that length. I wonder if Maplewood has such a law. I assumed it does, but reading this, maybe not. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 3936
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 11:16 am: | |
what was happening was, it would go through the three-minute (or whatever) cycle, stop for a few seconds, then start again. |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 6665
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 7:35 pm: | |
Did you recognize the car? Did you know who the owner was? If so, it might have been easier and more effective to call the owner yourself. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 3196
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 8:38 pm: | |
Tom R- I'm guessing the other tom didn't know who the car belonged to.
The other Tom
It's unreal nothing can be done when something like this happens. I don't uderstand why they would have to 'find the owner,' to write a ticket. When someone's parked illegally the police leave a ticket without locating the owner.
I'm guessing you don't know who owns the car, correct? Do you know what the offending car looks like? Maybe you could leave a note on the car letting the owner know about the problem with the alarm. If they are unaware of it, they'd be glad someone told them.
Hopefully the same problem won't occur tonight. |
Eightball
Citizen
Username: Eightball
Post Number: 9
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 10:05 pm: | |
Quote:So what is the Maplewood P.D for, anyway?
Eightballs! |
The Soulful Mr T
Citizen
Username: Howardt
Post Number: 1128
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 10:49 pm: | |
Eight balls? Who? |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 485
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 10:38 pm: | |
Anyone he can? |
johnny
Citizen
Username: Johnny
Post Number: 1457
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 12:38 am: | |
During Thanksgiving Weekend I watched a car drive around (illegal pass) two cars stopped at a red light, drive through the red light, and speed down Valley. All of this occured within 50 yards of a Maplewood police officer in his vehicle.
The cop did nothing. I couldn't believe it. If you tell me he didn't see it, then that means he wasn't looking at the road. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 11025
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 30, 2005 - 7:29 am: | |
tom, did you ever find out if there is a noise ordinance and if the police could have done more? I don't think you got an answer here, but perhaps you could at the police department or from the TC. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 4449
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 1, 2005 - 1:52 am: | |
Tom, excuse me for a slight drift on an issue that will only go away after the parking is returned to Elmwood Avenue...
A couple of years ago, when I fought for the litter, loitering, and noise ordinances to be enforced, in lieu of writing a NEW "No Stopping - No Standing" parking ordinance to prevent these same three abuses on Elmwood Avenue by employees of Winchester Gardens, I was pushed to the curb like an old shoe.
Actually, it was more like I didn't know what I was talking about! I was told the reasons for the new parking ban at that time was those three ordinances didn’t have any teeth in them. I think $1,000 fine and/or 6 months in jail sure sounds like teeth to me now!
FWIW, there is a noise ordinance, and a littering and loitering ordinance as well. The police can do more, and would do more if the township committee so directs! There in lies the problem.
Hey, maybe these new ordinances will change a lot of things around town? Maybe they can even return the parking to Elmwood Avenue next year? What do you think Vic, should we start the New Year, and your return to the TC off right? 
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