Death to the Mosquito device

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Not sure if have mentioned this here and sorry for repeating old topics.

Last week came to stay at parents home,only to be floored and sent into meltdown by a brand new mosquito device on a corner shop nearby [hadn't known it was them then],dad managed to drag am in the house.

So today,have come to stay one day early for holiday and find out it's the corner shop that has got it installed up high on their front,dad said he had went in the week and asked the lady if it was a mosquito [he couldn't hear it],he said she refused to answer him,and the man who had seen he was there speaking to her and not buying anything pretended to be on the phone and ignored him.

It's still going-it goes constantly on and off,it's not triggered by movement.


Dad has said it's their fault that they have this teenage gang problem because they sell them alcohol and they built a useless low wall which all of them sit on, he's going to the general police department about the mosquito,and if they can't do anything,he's contacting the HQ of the shop about it and he's going to the local MP.
He said it shouldn't be reaching houses,and there is a noise act of 1996 which says there has to be lowered noise at night,but it is not lowered,this is all from the same shop that is well known for selling out of date food as fresh food,and having sold alcohol to people who are not supposed to have it because of age.

Hate it,lived here all childhood and cannot even have the window or door open for fresh air,or go out to be with cats in the garden.
They're targetting all under twenties as all being nasty,as well as ignorantly targetting Auties and Aspies of any age,and NT adults with sensitive hearing,hate it when people who do not understand say mosquito devices don't cause harm or pain-fools,they have not experienced it the same and if they would they would be immediately calling for their banning.

Does anyone know what am/dad should do,eg,who to complain to to,or is police and local mp the only ones?
would it be worth speaking to the NAS about it?


And have mentioned this before,but wouldn't it be great if there was a mosquito device database so Autists can know which places to avoid?
Anyone want to add specific places here?
Maybe even autie and aspie day centres,social clubs etc could have a full list printed out and stuck up so people know where not to go close to and who not to give money to.


The shop that am affected by is Nisa,it's a corner shop and is on Moss road in Stretford, Manchester.
Stretford is an Autistic hub....it's home to the Autistic society of Greater Manchester and Aspirations base [aspie/hfautie social club],as well as having a number of Autie residential homes,the ASGMA/Aspirations house is not far off Nisa so their local users might end up being especially affected.

Arg, I hate those things (along with CRT TVs), whenever I get close-ish to either one of those things, I usually can't do anything but just cover my ears, and it's quite difficult for me to think. (And painful!)

Are you talking about a bug zapper?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bug_zapper

Yeah the voltage that runs through those things makes a god awful buzzing noise.

No, the mosquito is a newish device which some shops have installed in Britain which can be turned on to emit a buzzing/pulsing sound constantly. It is primarily used for stopping groups of youths causing trouble by standing around outside the shop and being a nuisance, as it eventually gets the better of them and they have to leave the area.

It works by using a high frequency sound, which adults cannot hear as their hearing has deteriorated out of that range. The problem is it is non-specific in the sense that anyone with the abilty to hear it will, even if they have no intention to cause trouble.

The NAS has releases a statement already condemning it as unreasonable, and invasive/abusive.

The BBC website has numerous articles on it http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7241527.stm

Or here for a video which has a lowered frequency so anyone can here the sound it makes

Last edited by hitormist on 21 Mar 2008, 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If know any places that are using one,post their details,will add them all to a list-they don't deserve own money if they are using something to hurt though the general public think they only affect children/teens.

Might also find them increasing in Oregon,as they seem to be getting more awareness here,seems they're a easier way of getting rid of drunk teenagers than having their windows smashed and police out.

Glencannon,
think they are similar,but definitely not the same,they don't work or sound the same-the mosquito uses high frequency mosquito like noise sound to attack, there is a video of the mosquito- http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,, ... 24,00.html -click on the video on that page,it's not fully realistic because it's been made so that people who cant hear it can do,and there is warning before it starts.

Hitotmist,
[had already just posted] thanks! good to know the NAS is supporting against it.

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly. ... 59&a=15504

That links to the NAS statement condemning the Mosquito

The Mosquito is a £500 transmitter. Once activated, the Mosquito sends out a pulse at 18 kilohertz that switches on and off four times a second for up to 20 minutes. It is supposed to be 75 decibels at its loudest so the sound should not travel more than 20 meters.

If you can hear is at your residence, it is disturbing your peace. All you have to do is prove the sound can be heard that far away. Call code compliance or the police and ask them for a decibel reading. The meter should bounce. Try to get a younger officer, because he may be more sympathetic since he can also hear it.

Shop owners have a right to run the machine, but you have a right not to hear it outside.

For immediate relief, get some earplugs and earmuffs to help damp the sound.

Last edited by Mudboy on 21 Mar 2008, 3:13 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Another annoying one here in Oregon are Keno machines, which almost all little grocery stores seem to love putting by all of the entrances to the store, with amazingly painful CRT screens.

Wow, I didn't even know they had these. That's idiotic, and a violation of private property rights, this business has absolutely no right to pollute your airwaves with their god awful noise. I'd threaten them with a lawsuit, you should have good legal ground to stand on if you can prove that this noise machine is doing real harm to you and others while in public space or in your parents home. Of course I am not familiar with property rights laws in the UK but I'd have their asses if they pulled that crap here in the US.

That sounds awful! Although I used to be really hurt by the CRT high pitch, it seems I have something in my room that emits a similar tone that I can't locate or stop. As a result I've had to get used to it...by force... I still don't like it. When I lived in Milwaukee, there was some kind of factory and sometimes it would emit a high pitched sound...

I've read about the mosquito, but haven't yet observed it here. I read it can be used as a ringtone. Now why would someone pay to have that god-awful sound every time their cell phone rings?

i've heard about these too, on Countdown with Keith Olbermann in his Oddball segment. Basically it not only drives away gangs, but all potential customers under 25. If these were put into American stores, these'd be shot down by the first amendment (specifically the right to peacefully assemble).

I'm one of the people leading the fight to get these devices switched off... permanently. The campaign in my home town proved a success and as a result the Co-op have ceased their use.

I didn't realise that some Co-ops were using them - and they are a national supermarket chain (if only one of the smaller, minor ones). The stupid thing about it all, as some of the youths say, is that it doesn't stop anti-social behaviour, it just makes the youths walk another 50yds down the road to hang around. OK, the shops doesn't mind as they are not outside their place now, but it is just so irresponsible.

it sucks that people use those things. if they want to drive away teens they should just play classical music or something. some stores have done that here and it is effective.

Yeah, that sometimes doesn't work... what if you get rowdy teens that are into classical music? You never know...

Here's the page on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito