For a short time in the 1990s I lived alone in a small two-story apartment complex, maybe eight units total. I had a downstairs unit and the couple directly above me were the noisiest neighbors you could imagine. Loud conversations, loud music, REALLY loud lovemaking.

I never even considered knocking on their door and asking them to be more considerate because I figured people like this know they are loud and most likely don’t care.

So one night when they were watching TV and I could hear every word of dialogue through the floor, I slipped outside my back door and wandered over to the cluster of electric service panels. I tripped their main breaker, then hurried back into my apartment. There was silence upstairs. I don’t remember even hearing a conversation. It was glorious!

The rest of the night was peaceful. I think they were too stupid not to realize this wasn’t a widespread blackout. They certainly weren’t smart enough to go check the panel.

This technique worked several times in the following weeks before I found a new place to live.