Westside : Car Alarms May Be Banned at Dealerships
Car alarms are supposed to give city dwellers peace of mind. Mel Weinstein says the devices have robbed him of his.
Weinstein, who lives next door to a busy Santa Monica auto dealership, says he has been virtually tortured day and night by the annoying whine from accidentally triggered alarms.
After complaining repeatedly to Kramer Motors on Santa Monica Boulevard, Weinstein this week took his case to the City Council, which may ban the troublesome gadgets from car dealership lots citywide.
Santa Monica planners said they will meet with a committee of auto dealers to discuss the problem.
“The only purpose a car alarm serves is to be as loud and distracting as possible,” said Weinstein, 46, a self-employed photographer who often works out of his home. “Subjecting a person to that noise all day and night . . . is like a semi-form of torture.”
Santa Monica is also cracking down on Kramer Motors for its use of loudspeakers and for other noise. Kramer has been given a week to correct the problems.
Of course, a complete ban on car alarms might not be in Weinstein’s best interest. His own car has one
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