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Loud music in San Antonio--how to contact the bar?


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1 hour ago, ezpz said:

It wasn't "one expat" complaining, it was a combination of Mexican neighbors and one expat in the area.  One Mexican family in the area had friends in Chapala.  The change in El Barco came about exactly at the same time the GR ran an article about the sound law and how 2 of the "worst offenders" were being warned they would lose their licenses if there were any more complaints.  Not a peep was heard from El Barco  as they put in TVs and also upgraded the quality of the music but much less was heard of it.  

The change in Plaza B to put in a gym upstairs came about exactly after there were numerous complaints to Chapala regarding a super loud rock group played there (rooftop, no walls, terrible 6 piece group) several times and the neighbors coordinated complaints to Chapala.  Not a peep was heard from that bar again.  AFter the gym was built, the bar moved to the 2nd floor right below it.  They hung in there another year having to endure the noise from the exercise classes in open air rooms.  Talk about karma.  They eventually went out of business.

Once an egregious noise maker receives complaints about their noise, it is nothing short of an act of hostility to keep repeating it.  Human decency would require that they mitigate that problem by at least completely enclosing and soundproofing the venue if they want to be in the noise business.  Torturing your neighbors is not a good way to go through even a portion of your life.   And, no, earplugs and white noise machines do nothing to mitigate the severe DB levels from these wannabe rock stars who are still trying to live out their high school fantasies.   Those things aren't even available here, and most Mexicans couldn't afford them anyway.  Earplugs would make it impossible to hear your other family members, especially the kids.   My MX neighbors don't have internet connections to get the UTube sleep videos.   No one should have to wear earplugs in their own homes because of someone else's complete ignorance of how to use amplified sound.  This noise issue is one area where MX lags far behind the USA where amplified sound was invented and developed over 80 years ago.  MX needs to get up to speed on regulating this noise pollution and strictly enforcing the regulations just like up north.

I remind all concerned that continuous very loud noise has been used as an instrument of torture by the US military in prisons in both Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.  You can give someone a complete nervous breakdown in a day or two.  Even a few hours will drive you crazy, repeatedly, it is seriously stressful.  I've seen comments on the cruzadacontraelruido FB page that said things like..."I want to kill my neighbor..."  

And don't forget that the Mexicans are well aware that the gringos are the first to complain about the traditional fiesta noise which happens only in limited times of the year.  Bars go on all year around all year around, very out of sync with a small traditional MX pueblito.

Mexicans must be so grateful to the NOB's moving here telling them how to run THEIR country..,????

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34 minutes ago, Ajijic_hiker said:

Mexicans don't like the noise either...but they aren't programmed to do much about it....(like NOB's are...)

I once spoke with an executive on vacation in Veracruz. It was noisy and I asked him how he tolerates it. He said, "In the US you honor silence, but in Mexico we honor noise. If I want to throw a two-day party in the street for my daughter's quinceanera, nobody complains because if they did it, I would not either".

They may not like noise, they just tolerate it.

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6 minutes ago, AngusMactavish said:

I once spoke with an executive on vacation in Veracruz. It was noisy and I asked him how he tolerates it. He said, "In the US you honor silence, but in Mexico we honor noise. If I want to throw a two-day party in the street for my daughter's quinceanera, nobody complains because if they did it, I would not either".

They may not like noise, they just tolerate it.

They do a pretty good job of tolerating us, too...and some of us can be downright obnoxious.

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10 hours ago, ezpz said:

It wasn't "one expat" complaining, it was a combination of Mexican neighbors and one expat in the area.  One Mexican family in the area had friends in Chapala.  The change in El Barco came about exactly at the same time the GR ran an article about the sound law and how 2 of the "worst offenders" were being warned they would lose their licenses if there were any more complaints.  Not a peep was heard from El Barco  as they put in TVs and also upgraded the quality of the music but much less was heard of it.  

The change in Plaza B to put in a gym upstairs came about exactly after there were numerous complaints to Chapala regarding a super loud rock group played there (rooftop, no walls, terrible 6 piece group) several times and the neighbors coordinated complaints to Chapala.  Not a peep was heard from that bar again.  AFter the gym was built, the bar moved to the 2nd floor right below it.  They hung in there another year having to endure the noise from the exercise classes in open air rooms.  Talk about karma.  They eventually went out of business.

Once an egregious noise maker receives complaints about their noise, it is nothing short of an act of hostility to keep repeating it.  Human decency would require that they mitigate that problem by at least completely enclosing and soundproofing the venue if they want to be in the noise business.  Torturing your neighbors is not a good way to go through even a portion of your life.   And, no, earplugs and white noise machines do nothing to mitigate the severe DB levels from these wannabe rock stars who are still trying to live out their high school fantasies.   Those things aren't even available here, and most Mexicans couldn't afford them anyway.  Earplugs would make it impossible to hear your other family members, especially the kids.   My MX neighbors don't have internet connections to get the UTube sleep videos.   No one should have to wear earplugs in their own homes because of someone else's complete ignorance of how to use amplified sound.  This noise issue is one area where MX lags far behind the USA where amplified sound was invented and developed over 80 years ago.  MX needs to get up to speed on regulating this noise pollution and strictly enforcing the regulations just like up north.

I remind all concerned that continuous very loud noise has been used as an instrument of torture by the US military in prisons in both Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.  You can give someone a complete nervous breakdown in a day or two.  Even a few hours will drive you crazy, repeatedly, it is seriously stressful.  I've seen comments on the cruzadacontraelruido FB page that said things like..."I want to kill my neighbor..."  

And don't forget that the Mexicans are well aware that the gringos are the first to complain about the traditional fiesta noise which happens only in limited times of the year.  Bars go on all year around all year around, very out of sync with a small traditional MX pueblito.

So many windmills to tilt at. "What shall we do?" quoth Don ezpz Quijote forever more.

quixote02.jpg

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Forget ear plugs for this kind of noise.  Buy some ear muffs.  Search something like "Sound Ear Muffs Hearing Protection with Noise Cancelling Technology for Shooting, Hunting, Working or Construction" in Amazon.com.

I use construction zone ear muffs frequently for intense cohete times, loud music next door, music concerts nearby.  Cancels 95% of the sound, enough to sleep (on your back) and function during the day.

 

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Nothing that I have found attenuates noise better than these earplugs. Many people do not read or understand how to use them correctly. If you just cram them in your ear you will be disappointed. Read and follow the instructions for a comfortable nights sleep. I much prefer them to the custom silicon ones made for roadies or the noise canceling over the ear headphones, the latter do not lend themselves to sleep comfortably.

5699-Xtreme-Protection-100-pr_800x.png?v 

 

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4 hours ago, gringal said:

They do a pretty good job of tolerating us, too...and some of us can be downright obnoxious.

MX needs to get up to speed on regulating this noise pollution and strictly enforcing the regulations just like up north."

And arrogant.  "Just like up north" ??!!  Really??!!!  Someone from a 200 year old culture is going to tell people from a 4,000 year old culture how to behave?    

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2 hours ago, Tiny said:

Maybe you should say Lakeside, not MX.

I didn`t say it. I was quoting someone else.

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2 hours ago, AngusMactavish said:

Nothing that I have found attenuates noise better than these earplugs. 

 

Does that mean you haven`t "found" construction zone ear muffs? :D  I`ve tried 33 db earplugs. Compared to construction ear muffs they remove much less sound.  Try èm. Let me know what you  find.

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3 minutes ago, bdmowers said:

Does that mean you haven`t "found" construction zone ear muffs? :D  I`ve tried 33 db earplugs. Compared to construction ear muffs they remove much less sound.  Try èm. Let me know what you  find.

2

Construction zone ear muffs seem to only have an NRR of 25. The NRR 33 Hearos beat that by a mile. Did you read and follow the insertion instructions?

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4 minutes ago, AngusMactavish said:

Construction zone ear muffs seem to only have an NRR of 25. The NRR 33 Hearos beat that by a mile. Did you read and follow the insertion instructions?

"Ratings" aside, I`m just passing along my experience.  I`ve tried a dozen types of ear plugs and found the muffs to block out more sound. And, yes, actually, this time ;), I followed instructions. 

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27 minutes ago, bdmowers said:

"Ratings" aside, I`m just passing along my experience.  I`ve tried a dozen types of ear plugs and found the muffs to block out more sound. And, yes, actually, this time ;), I followed instructions. 

Ratings change the subjective to the objective.

 

th.jpg

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On 3/23/2018 at 10:05 PM, kimanjome said:

The new restaurant/bar on La Paz has some REALLY loud venues and I don't know if the new owners and/or  the Canadian Legion, whoever owns the place, is aware that part of San Antonio is a residential area. My neighbors say they have spoken to the owners about adhering to a noise ordinance, but nothing seems to have changed.  I cannot find a telephone number or contact information for the establishment. Does anyone know who would be the right person or persons to contact?

You have been given the information. Have you done anything with it?

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The expat's here like to complain..They like you to think that they are actually doing something.  

Instead of complaining on this board why don't they contact the owner of establishment in the case of Funky Finns, Catherine Is there everyday. But did the OP contact her.....NO.. Try to resolve the situation amicably first of all..If that doesn't work then Complain.. 

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24 minutes ago, TelsZ4 said:

The expat's here like to complain..They like you to think that they are actually doing something.  

Instead of complaining on this board why don't they contact the owner of establishment in the case of Funky Finns, Catherine Is there everyday. But did the OP contact her.....NO.. Try to resolve the situation amicably first of all..If that doesn't work then Complain.. 

I already mentioned that as a place to start for the neighbors of the noisy venues.  Please go back and read my other posts.  There are so many newbies here now, so I have to repeat myself.  But the neighbors need to be armed with a little information of their own.  It appears the Canadian has no experience with sound at all, or this super loud noise would not even be happening.  Plus that person must be new here to not be aware of the history of the noise problem in Ajijic a few years ago that went on for several YEARS, which I personally experienced.  There needs to be a bi-lingual group to speak to the owners as well as Chapala because most of the Mexicans in these small towns do not speak English, contrary to popular myth.

I have lived here almost 11 years and speak Spanish and have talked at length with many of my MX neighbors who feel the same as I do about the noise.  I am not relating a "gringo" point of view, I am relating a professional experience perspective on the noise situation which is extremely lacking here and that is a big reason why no permanent solution overall is arrived at.  Even the authorities do not know how to address this issue .  My MX neighbors have been happy for me to speak out for ALL of us because they feel that I, the gringa, will actually be listened to and they won't.  Which is sad.

 There is no solution to the noise problem that doesn't work for everyone concerned.  That would leave out these fancy earplugs which aren't even available here... and construction ear muffs???   Have you ever tried sleeping with those, gimmeabreak!  Even if available you can't expect the Mexicans to wear earplugs at home and not be able to hear eachother talk or communicate with the kids.  The only thing that works is for neighbors, gringo and Mexicans alike, to unite to fight with lots of complaints to Chapala.  It helps if one of the Mexicans have friends there, but that is not likely in the current situation.  You can wear these people down.  

 Once upon a time, cars were new here, but at a much later time after they were widely used up north.  Eventually, regulations had to be put in place, like speed limits, need for drivers' licenses, painting lanes on roads, signs, laws, etc.  The same principle applies to the noise issue which is a technical as well as aesthetic issue.  It happens that up north is far advanced of Mexico in these developments, plus other areas like garbage collection, recycling, environmental protections, etc.  If amplified music is going to be so widely used here, and it is always getting worse, they need to get up to speed with soundproofing of "indoor" venues, as well as zoning of outdoor venues of places that produce loud noise.  Sound waves do not obey zoning laws, though.

 Most Mexicans you talk to resent the incursion of all this loud foreign music in their once quiet neighborhoods, all just for commercial gain, unlike the fiestas which are completely organized and paid for by the people themselves; plus the fiestas are only temporary, not every day/week like bars.  I realize that very few of you ever actually talk to any Mexicans about community issues - oh, unless they speak English.  

In the case of this Funky Finn place, it is closely surrounded by modest Mexican homes inhabited by families.  My heart goes out to these people because I've been there.  It would be like the super loud rock band is playing in their own living rooms, how horrible!!  It is nothing short of sheer torture and a complete invasion of their privacy and right to do what they want in their own homes.  But these people remain invisible to the richer foreigners and Mexicans alike.

I was a friend of Nanette, the owner's (Tony) wife who died, and who also was a crusader against the local noise.  She must be rolling over in her grave to see what has happened to her home.

I fully support and enjoy the cheerful, vibrant, romantic, and pretty Mexican traditional music and culture.  A solution for the noise might be to ban all commercial use of amplified entertainment in favor of the many different styles of acoustic Mexican music which everyone loves here.  That would give more jobs to Mexican musicians.  If they want loud foreign abrasive intrusive noise, they need to soundproof everything.

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