Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania Readers Bothered by Boom Boxes
PUBLICATION: Sunday News
DATE: April 9, 2000
SECTION: Perspective, Pg. P-3, Letters
DATELINE: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kevin and Yvonne Thatcher

The Sunday News in Lancaster, Pennsylvania printed a letter to the editor from two readers in Elizabethtown who are concerned about car stereo noise. The letter is reprinted here in its entirety:

"For the past nine months, a group of concerned citizens in Elizabethtown has attempted to resolve a major problem that plagues our town, namely the excessive and unacceptable noise levels caused by inconsiderate people who drive through town blasting their car stereos at all hours of day, including late into the night.

Their behavior shows that they have no common courtesy toward others, let alone any common sense. But our town officials and other state and county officials, despite being made aware of this, refuse to do anything and do not enforce the laws -- including noise ordinances already on the books here in Elizabethtown.

As residents, we have the right to quiet enjoyment. By refusing to enforce our rights, our town, county and state officials that have been contacted are doing a great disservice to our community.

The sound of these car stereos not only vibrates our homes, but it can actually be felt! Therefore, it is literally a form of physical assault, known to cause major migraines and mental anguish in many people.

Living on or near the main street is next to impossible! These drivers are guilty of disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and negligent driving, yet our police have actually been observed looking the other way. The residents of our town are forced to put up with this major annoyance and, thanks to the apathy of our town officials, the perpetrators are getting away with it.

April 12 is National Noise Awareness Day. We challenge Elizabethtown officials and our police department and other county and state officials to actually do something about this ongoing problem. All those who live in Elizabethtown who have had enough of the excessive noise should make their voices heard so that officials have no choice but to enforce our rights!

If other towns can write citations for these drivers, then we expect Elizabethtown to do the same. No excuses! These people are lowering the quality of life in our town. And no, if we don't like it we will not move away. This is our town, and those who drive through it will respect our rights! And those who supposedly run our town will enforce those rights! We will not tolerate this problem any longer."

Kevin and Yvonne Thatcher
Elizabethtown