The issue of noise is the elephant in the room when it comes to urban living. People talking next door, in the street, on their balconies is not a real problem, but amplified sound is. Lately in Montreal, there have been several voices raised (to use an appropriate metaphor) against high levels of amplified music. Last summer it was residents of the South Shore who complained about rock shows in a park in the middle of the St. Lawrence. More recently it has been residents of the newly-gentrified area in the center of Montreal.
The latest incident comes from complaints related to musical events over the last couple of weeks. A limit of 100 decibels has been enforced, it seems, to the displeasure of some musicians, but not all.
Now, that level of sound does serious damage to hearing: there is no reason why that should be allowed in any other than very special circumstances. In residential areas, I'd say the level should be even lower.
This is a topic to follow. Let us hope that the controversy doesn't fall on deaf ears.
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4 comments:
There are many movements against excessive, aggressive noise. Here in Québec we find Le Regroupement Québécois contre le bruit (excessif) RQCB www.rqcb.ca
(website at least partially also in English).
People living elsewhere can easily find similar associations in their area.
I easily hear concerts in Parc Jarry, though at present I am from some remove from the park, from Mont-Royal and even the Old Port (and I'm quite a few km north of there). This afternoon, some idiot's car horn was stuck, if idiot was not being wilfully offensive. That bothered my cat as well as myself and several other human and non-human beings hereabouts.
The ambient noise in businesses, not only shops and stores but also restaurants and cafés, has become much louder.
I'm hearing the pleasant noise of a child roller-skating along the sidewalk right now! But as it is a warm, sunny spring day, I can guarantee that some macho cretin will soon impose his dubious musical tastes from his muscle car's sound system.
Mary, perhaps you could go around blasting people with chamber music?
An English-language excerpt from the rqcb.ca site on modified car-sound systems:
http://rqcb.ca/fr/systemes_de_son.php
Here are real examples of manufacturers' advertising. You don't see them because they don't want you to see them. They appear in magazines that are published by, and generate wealth for, the noise industrial complex.
It should give you plenty of insight as to the manufacturers' ethics , and the mindset of the boom car operators. There is no doubt that this is all about the money-making process winning out over the rights and health of human beings.
Our social fabric begins to rip thusly ...
"Either we love bass, or hate your neighbors"
(JBL, Harman Kardon)
"Disturb the Peace"
(Sony)
"All New Ways to Offend."
(Sony)
"Performance they'll hear a mile away"
(BoltOn)
"Shake the living; Wake the dead"
(Cervin Vega)
"Cold Blooded"
(Viper)
"Lethal Assault"
(Lightning Audio)
"...achieving the sound your neighbors fear."
(Sony Xplod Car Audio)
"No escape from the hellacious pounding of the subwoofers and the aggressive in-your-face power"
(Directed Electronics Corporation)
"It's not my remote---it's my detonator!"
(Sony XPlod)
"Disturb, Defy, Disrupt, Ignite"
(Pioneer Electronics)
"Put the over forty set into cardiac arrest."
(Prestige Audio)
"Head-Splitting, Heart-stopping, Ear-shattering, Mind-numbing, Retina-detaching MX Audio Thunder 9500 Subwoofer."
(MTX Audio)
"You want the bigggest badddest speakers and amplifiers you can afford. Of course you risk a certain lack of appreciation from your neighbors, or maybe the whole town, ... but what the hell."
(Electronix Warehouse)
This is the advertising as presented to perpetrators of sonic assault. It leaves no doubt that this multi-billion-dollar-per-year industry, and their patrons, know exactly what effect they are having on others. Allow us now to reiterate with confidence the claim that was made on this Web site home page:
" Our quality of life has been devistated through the unconscionable greed of the manufacturers who market the misuse of infrasonic technology and promote audio terrorism to those who have no sense of empathy or respect for the rights of others . "
By the away, the above comment was rather long - you are welcome to excerpt it as you see fit!
I'm over 40, and REALLY don't want to be put in cardiac arrest!
Thanks for this, Maria.
It really is a problem. I think there should be more education about the deliterious effects of noise: a new crusade?
M
The noise that constantly bothers me, very disturbing, yet everyone has accepted is vehicle noise.
24/7.
The only reprieve is when we get a big blizzard.
Then, the city is wonderful.
How many times a day do you hear engines turning over.
Horns too.
Beepers,yuk!
And ten, the choking fumes.
Complain, PLEASE!!!
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