Tell me about it, looks like its at the end of Moray Rd.

'Excuse me Officer, could you stop chasing criminals in your helicopter cause it's keeping me awake at night'

For the past few weeks it has become more frequent, and it has felt like a pneumatic drill coming through my roof for an hour at a time, making sleep and rational thought impossible. Not sure if this is just my perception of it, but It seems to be the same times on the same days every week. I wonder if they're doing training exercises?

Marquis, I had the same impression, it sounded like they were hovering right outside my (third floor) window.

You seriously think the police would carry out training exercises in a helicopter in the early hours of the morning?

It's more likely they were looking for a burglar or high risk missing person or something just as serious. They don't put a helicopter in the air for nothing.

I think some people should stop whining about things like this. If it was your house that had been burgled or your elderly relative with dementia that had gone missing in the early hours, you would be very grateful that a helicopter was up looking for them.

You live in a city. Noise is to be expected!

Although Stroud Green is quite a nice area, we border some of the rougher parts of London. Andover Estate, Blackhorse road etc. In order to see those areas properly, the Helicopter would have to fly over Stroud Green and direct their cameras into the relevant areas from there.

You could apply that to the whole of London, which is basically one big shithole with little nice bits dotted around. I don't think my friends living in other parts of London have to suffer this. The blasted thing has been above my house for the past hour preventing me from sleeping for the 4th night out of 7. Perhaps you are a heavy sleeper, or you live further away from it than I do. I know they have criminals to catch, but doesn't it cost tens of thousands of pounds every time it goes up? Is this really the best use of police resources if it has to be up there for hours at a time most nights a week? How many criminals have they caught using the helicopter that they couldn't have caught using other methods? Why has usage of the helicopter increased so much in recent weeks? I don't know, I'm just asking the question. I wish I was asleep to be honest. It keeps going away and returning just as I think it's gone. I find I can still hear it with the windows closed and earplugs in. Is anyone else awake because of this tonight?

It's starting to annoy me now - has been coming closer again. Yes, it's frustrating that just when you think it's gone it comes back again.

It sounds like it's worse for you though - I don't think it'd really bother me if I l closed the windows - but the flat is quite warm and I prefer to sleep with them open.

Interesting though how much worse it is for you - I'm on Florence Road (opposite Ronaldshay) so quite close to UTP. Maybe they really are buzzing your house :)

Or maybe I'm just sufficiently deaf from listening to loud music that I'm less sensitive. Or just sufficiently old. I dunno...

roy

I seemed to carry on for yonks last night.

I often wonder whether the lost productivity, increase in accidents, and the increase in stress potentially caused by the chopper noise is sufficiently offset by rounding up some youths who have twocked a couple of vehicles. The incidents 'solved' using it are rarely high profile enough to make the news, and even the raids to catch the manhole cover thieves made the news.

Last night's outing for the helicopter was apparently because some yoofs broke into Crouch End swimming pool. I'm rather annoyed I was kept awake for hours and have been a total wreck all day because of that. Probably wouldn't mind so much if they had been chasing an armed gunman.

I think they've been reading this board and are just doing it to wind you up.

Anyway I live on UTP and haven't heard the helicopter, but I've had a hacking cough for the past month which has probably done more to keep my neighbours awake than anything else. You're welcome, neighbours!

I've been told it was up last night because Highgate Wood School was broken into. 6 people arrested for burglary. I'd say it was worth it.

They work with the police on the ground to pinpoint where the criminals are, and shine a big light on them. Has noone ever seen Police Camera Action?!

It's more for when people run into fields, woods etc, where you can't take a car. It flushes 'em out, like rabbits.

I think they may use heat-sensing cameras as well, or maybe that's something I saw in a film :\

makes good tv though