Posted on 12/13/2005 4:18:37 AM PST by beyond the sea
A shop manager's annoyance over problem teenagers hanging around his store is being tackled head on with a noise nuisance device.
The Mosquito, which sends out high-pitched soundwaves, is persuading gangs to move on.
Robert Gough, who runs the Spar shop in Barry, says the new nine-inch box is a success.
As treasurer of PACT (Preventing Anti-Social Crime Together), Mr Gough hopes more businesses will be helped.
It's like a buzzing noise. I didn't know where it was coming from, it's not terrible. Shopper Gerda Hunt
The box, placed on the outside wall of the store, emits an 80-decibel pulsing frequency between certain hours.
Many older customers cannot hear it - but teenagers, who previously congregated in the evenings - have complained to Mr Gough about the noise.
"Not everybody can hear it but definitely most teenagers can," he said.
"We just put it up and said nothing to the teenagers, then they came in to complain. They were literally begging me to turn it off.
"I told the kids it was to keep the birds away because of the bird flu epidemic. They waited for their friends and left covering their ears," added Mr Gough.
Robert Gough says the problem of youngsters is worse at night
Mr Gough says gangs of around half a dozen up to 30 people have been hanging around the shop.
"They usually move on if I ask them but the problem has always existed," said Mr Gough, who has run the shop for 15 years.
The shopkeeper, aged 34, said: "I can hear it as well. My son's 14 and my daughter's 12 and it really irritates them. If we are standing here they say 'Come on dad, let's get in the car'."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
That's interesting that older shoppers can't hear the noise but teenagers can. I was wondering as I read the article why the noise didn't deter legitimate shoppers.
I remember there was a mall having trouble with teens hanging around so they played classical music....no more teens
Heck, I hear that noise all the time. It's called tinnitus.
what is needed is to give the little perps some time in the hoosegow. and if necessary a lead, .357, aspirin.
Apparently, as we get older, we oldies cannot hear the higher pitched sounds. I heard this story on a morning talk show this morning, but it was told in a slightly different way.
It was reported that some brilliant engineer in Wales, irritated by the loud and incessant music coming from his children's rooms at home, rigged up this high-pitched soundwave "machine" to play when their music was turned on.
They played their music very seldom from then on.
;-)
lol
For loitering?
Vaquero, I think you've been out on the range too long.
Although after installing the device, the shopkeeper misses the previously more frequent ka-ching sound.
LOL....... that'll do it.
No not for loitering.....but if it escalates to something along the lines of terrorizing and robbery, then the appropriate response would be to eliminate the problem with extreme prejudice.
and I beg to differ...I haven't been out on the range enough, and if this cold weather keeps up I will have to head to the indoor range soon.
Also great for mesquitos, flies and nats!
Your hearing gets worse as you get older. The ability to hear high-frequency sounds goes first
They did that in Cincinnati, said it worked well.
Where can I get one?
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