AIBU to report the fuckwit with an anti child alarm next to the school?

[YetAnotherUser]

So, walking my youngest to school over the past few days I've been noticing a high pitched whine. I didn't pay it much attention at first, but it happens every time we walk past a pair of semi detached houses (unclear which one it is).

It appears someone has installed one of those anti-child alarm things, RIGHT NEXT TO A FUCKING SCHOOL. I'm in my mid 30's and can hear it quite clearly, goodness knows what it must be like for the actual children it's supposed to repel as they walk to their place of education

Is it a child deterrent or an animal one? My neighbour has a cat repeller and it sounds like what you're describing. Does my head in when I'm in the garden.

Have you told the school? There's probably not much they can do about it but at least they may understand why some children come in agitated.

Start driving to school and blocking their drive with your car. That’ll learn em

Given that you're in your 30s and can hear it I suspect it's an anti-cat alarm not an anti-child one.

One of my neighbours has something which emits a loud, high pitched noise. It's supposed to scare cats, and as far as they're concerned, it's just unfortunate that children and a few adults can also hear it...

Why is it your business? This person is entitled to not want kids congregating outside his house. Good for him! It's his house. Also, it probably is an animal deterrent alarm. Even if it weren't, just don't stand around outside his house...

This is a thing? Fucking hell, that's insane!

I hear those alarms all the time. It's more likely to be for animals than children and a lot of people don't know that people can also hear them, especially if they can't. My grandad has one and he can't hear it, we have to turn it off whenever we visit or we can't stay for more than 10minutes.

I suppose it could be an ant-cat alarm, but it goes off every time someone walks past the front of the house which makes me think it's more anti-child.

I was thinking of reporting it to the council for anti-social noise... I'll try and pin down which house it is and leave it up to the authorities to decide...

Anti child alarms should be illegal. I think some people forget that children are humans.
Imagine a black person deterrent? Or an elderly person one?
I feel the same about the 'anti homeless spikes'. Bloody awful.
I'd speak to the school about it, maybe they'll investigate and find out it's an anti cat alarm then at least you've done your bit.

Cross post. Good plan.

Claire90ftm-you really think it's acceptable?

Surely it's for a cat

AIBU to report

Report to who and for what? He's not actually breaking any laws.

Hate hose things. I can hear them and they make me miserable. One of my neighbours has one and I have to have the TV, radio etc on constantly because I can't bear it. I even wear headphones now at night. I can't work out which neighbour it is and no one else can hear it which is even worse. They should be illegal.

It's most likely a cat scarer, our neighbour has one. I can't hear it but DH can, drives him mad especially since neighbour has admitted it doesn't even keep the cats away. He's always threatening to go round in the middle of the night and take the batteries out!

It'll be a cat sensor. We have them to stop our own cats crapping all over our veg plot. He's obviously got it pointing towards the front boundary to stop any cats even thinking about hopping over the wall / fence. You will defo set it off as you are taller than a cat and it won't discriminate.

@pacer142 if it is an anti child deterrent right outside a school (where they have to go) then it could be considered antisocial.

It's almost certainly intended as a repellent for cats or rodents, but you are right that it is likely to be uncomfortable for the children. Like you, I can still hear them at 35 but many adults won't be able to. I would approach the council but also contact the school to see if the children are noticing it.

I didn't know they existed - where can I get one???!!

Not at all sure they are legal is someone makes a complaint - or rather, the machine may be legal but its use may not be!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11984317/Couple-face-5000-fine-for-installing-anti-child-noise-repellant-outside-their-home.html

And I can hear them, it is an fucking awful noise! I am in my 50s and was told I was making it up. It took a couple of months before I could find someone to take me seriously and have my neighbour stop using it at night, under my bedroom window - where he thought it might deter young burglers!

Thank god he moved!

What a fucking knob. You can't buy a house right next to a school and then get infuriated so much about the noise of children to install an anti-child alarm. Yes, I know it is likely technically an anti-cat alarm but we all know what its purpose to him is

Strikethrough fail

Slightly off topic but I'd never heard of an anti cat device. I've just ordered one that can be set to deter fox and mice. That might keep my garage rodent free and the front garden fox shit free. Luckily we live on a very quiet road and our neighbours are a fair distance away so no humans will be harmed or irritated.

I've never come across such alarms myself, but it sounds like a nightmare, if you're able to hear it. You should ask the school whether they're aware of the alarm, they probably are, as I'm sure you're not the only parent who is concerned about it.

It might well be worth talking to the home owners before taking things further, as they may not be aware of the noise; clearly not everyone can.