So it finally happened, we have all heard the stories where people are having a little party, the neighbours are there and go home, then just after 10pm the police come round to break it up because its past 10 and your making a noise, urban legend?

Nope!

Happened to us on Sat, at a friends bbq, everyone's eating and drinking and having a good time, not really paying attention to the time, the hosts neighbours have been there for a few hours but have left now, when 2 plain clothed police turn up at 10:20 to tell us after a complaint from the neighbours to all go inside and be quiet or the host will be fined. To be fair they looked pretty embarrassed, and where not conformational at all.

of course that was the first we heard that anyone was being disturbed by us.

10.00pm? On a Saturday?? Not even midnight? Good grief! OK, I like my quiet too but would be a bit forgiving on a Sat night and for a harmless BBQ. Would have been nice if those offended had come over themselves and asked nicely if the noise could be contained a bit!

Apparently these rules aren't universally enforced. There's definitely a fair bit of people out making noise past 10pm around where I live during the summer. At least those stupid horns are gone.

Where we live (near Allmend Brunau, Wiedikon) I don't think anybody has ever really paid much attention to the 10 p.m. "rule". Obviously, if it's a private party and it gets way toooo loud late at night and/or weekends then somebody may say something, but as a rule it's a live-and-let-live type of neighbourhood

Are you seriously surprised that there is a law that prohibits "excessive noise" at night? I honestly do not think this is a Swiss idea, but the same in all countries I have lived in (Germany, the Netherlands). The difference is that here in the city, "neighbours" are different to what I am used to from more rural parts:

- you hardly know each other, so instead of talking people are more likely to call the cops.
- you live much closer to each other in apartments that share walls and therefore transmit noise quite well...
- the Swiss generally seem to like to make a formal complaint, so calling the cops for "nearly nothing" seems to be more accepted than in other places

So yes: I have seen the same happening in Germany and the oh-so-tolerant Netherlands for the same reasons:
- In NL, a right winged guys did not seem to like his Asian neighbours and called the cops every time they had visitors. Only difference was that they came in the full uniform and tried to look tough. They failed at this the moment they said "noise complaint" to me and I could not help laughing...
- In Germany, they visited my 20th birthday party, which was in a remote house specifically build for parties in the middle of a forest - till today I do not know who might have called them, I probably forgot to invite somebody

Anyway: "Nachtruhe" is not quintessentially Swiss, but a pretty normal concept in my eyes. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachtruhe
The only difference is that the Swiss idea of "excessive noise" might be a bit narrower than in other countries... or they simply like to call the cops

I live just off Niederdorf and I don't think any noise regulations are enforced. There's noise 24/7, oftentimes coming from my home theatre system

There's rules, but it depends also of the neighbours... some are more "easy" than others....

I'm guessing this could also be location specific.

I called the local police where I live after having a similar visit at midnight on a Thursday - what they said was loud machinery after 7pm and 'Sunday/Holidays' and excessive noise after 10pm when the next day is a working day can in extreme cases result in a fine - Saturday night for example I can make all the noise i want, but there are some other 'annoying neighbor' laws that can result in the police being forced to come by for a visit to check things out. so they advised notifying anyone who lives close enough to be bothered by the noise in advance as a precaution.

I know it's a cultural difference, but this is something I struggle with.

Back home, if I had a problem with my neighbor I'd speak to him directly, say my piece politely but firmly. He'd say his piece, and then we'd find a compromise, shake hands, drink a beer together, and go on about our lives.

Here, if you ask your neighbors they will smile and tell you 'no problem, we have no complaints, everything is fine' - and then turn around and issue an anonymous complaint. I've tried to do everything possible to be a good neighbor, but it seems that Nachbarstreit is a way of life here.

It's like living in a fishbowl on top of a powder keg.

On the flipside - what happens when you ask people to keep the noise down? On a number of times? And they don't?

You have no choice to call the Police.

I remember a programme on Noise Abatement Officers in Australia - and one guy saying "The party isn't that loud." "Someone has complained about the noise - the party is TOO loud"

The argument was repeated until, under threat of being arrested, the guy agreed and the party moved inside.

Personally, I think 10pm on a Saturday is a bit early to call the police - but past 11pm, in an area where there is a great density of families, then it is understandable.

I think it really depends on your neighbourhood. We live in a village that has a reputation for being lively. Well it seems our neighbours (they are all Swiss, by the way) are quite happy to be sure this is not a myth. When the new neighbours moved in and had a housewarming party, they sent their kids around distributing invitations. This is a good strategy.

Often we have neighbours sitting outside well past 10. I really don't care. Only once did we complain, it was 2 am and that was just too much. The next day the neighbour came over to apologize. They are young adults and I guess they just lost track of the time. Would I even dream of calling the police? No way. Personally I think if you have a problem, I think the direct approach is better.

It's funny that with 3 dogs and a parrot we are actually one of the quietest neighbours.

I really do feel for anyone who has had an anonymous complaint. That would annoy me a lot. I am sure the police have better things to do as well.

It's a shame really that on a nice evening one may have to go inside at 10. But as I said, this really does vary by where you live, how close your neighbours are, and what they are like. Some of us are luckier than others in this respect.

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I tend to agree that the neighbours sensitivity to noise will depend on how noisy the general environment is anyway.

For example at weekends there always balcony parties going on till the small hours, and I've never heard of anybody complaining. However that may well be down to the fact that street we all live on is a major rat run for the emergency services who think nothing of blasting down the street doing their blues and twos thing at all hours. Not to mention a good number of noisy revellers making their way home from an all nighter in the Langstrasse.

Even though the law's the same everywhere, in general if you live in a quiet area you're more likely to have a complaint if you're having a chat in the garden after 10 than somebody who's having a full on party at 3am in a pretty noisy area.

In fact I like noise, I have a terrible time getting to sleep if everything is dead quiet. I like the swoosh of the cars, the odd siren, and a few loud people going past. I find it kind of comforting.

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...allegedly.

Subtle bragging much?

Yes, its something that I struggle with as well. I've never lived in country where Nachbastreit is "the way of life". Even though this is like a village, we still have teenagers and people coming home from the city talking real loud. I also have new neighbours who are at it like rabbits every night after 10pm. Like clockwork and the noise they make carries over the sound of my telly.

I dont mind all these at all but my heart tends to skip a beat when I receive official looking letters, thinking that it might be a warning from the rental agency because I might have pissed someone off with my dog or instrument

I think I will need therapy after I leave this country.

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Remember when someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles to frown, BUT it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and b****-slap the mother-f***er upside the head.

our previous landlady admitted to enjoying a party across the road, leaving at a similarly early time and then calling the police when the party continued and she could hear it.

she felt she was doing her civic duty, (even though she had earlier been enjoying the party herself)

i was speechless.

Good to see the police doing their job. Remember, a noise annoys.

Urban legend, definitely not. Over 9 years in Lausanne I’ve been at 20+ parties that have ended with the cops turning up. Its always embarrassing, someone opens the door expecting new arrivals and extends a pissed greeting, which is always soberly received. There is then the obligatory "stripper" gag if there is a female officer present, the music goes off and everyone leaves sheepishly.

The police always seemed reasonable, but disappointed that obviously rational people seem incapable of sticking to the rules. The party goers are always disappointed that the female officer doesn't want to "take anything down".

I'd say its a seal of approval that the party was good and you're still a swinger!
p.s. not swinging in that sense

wow, just wow...

I'd rat her out to the folks at the party, would be doing my karmic duty

Sorry, right on Niederdorf, powerful theatre system...only neighbours are constantly absent engineering companies....

Well I hope she never gets invited again.