Armed with an inconspicuous gray camera that fits in the palm of his hand, noise vigilante Dietmar Detering looked for his next target in one of the noisiest places in New York City: Times Square.
There was the wax museum Madame Tussauds, which Detering said blasted “insane” screams outside its entrance for Halloween until he intervened. There was Applebee’s, which had a loudspeaker out front until Detering said he started filing complaints. He said he waged a long battle with the Margaritaville Resort, which finally removed its outdoor speakers playing Jimmy Buffett tunes. Detering took pride in the number of businesses finally in compliance with the city’s noise rules – except for the restaurant Yard House, which boasts that it has “great food, classic rock and the world’s largest selection of draft beer.” A speaker was outside the entrance, blasting music.
“It’s down to Yard House right now,” the 52-year-old Queens resident said.
They had to be stopped.
“We see noise pollution spread like cancer in neighborhoods,” Detering said. “If one store gets away with it, the neighboring store says, ‘Why is that store getting my walk-in customers? I want that, too.’”
It was a typical night for Detering, who states in court papers that he spends dozens of hours each week documenting businesses allegedly violating noise rules barring amplified sound from being blasted onto sidewalks. Under a law dating back to 1972, citizen complainants can submit evidence of a noise violation to the Department of Environmental Protection and serve as prosecutors in administrative law court if the city doesn’t promptly investigate the complaint. If the violation is upheld, the complainant gets at least 25% of the fine once it’s paid.
Detering uses a small camera covered in duct tape to record businesses he suspects are violating the noise code.
Giulia Heyward
The system seemingly worked without major controversy until Detering – and one other vigilante –…
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