Increase in Noisy Vehicles?

[Spare the Air]

Anyone noticed the increase in vehicle generated noise in the last few years?

Loud exhaust systems, boom-box car stereos, squeeling tires etc, seem to be on the increase. This is a form of "urban blight" in out communities that affects not only our collective "quality of life", but can also reduce your property values.

These types of vehicle noise are covered by existing state & local laws, but do not seem to be enforced by local police agencies... These laws won't be enforced unless we request that they be enforced.

[Roscoe_Beedle]

Yes, it's called AGING. As you grow older you are more sensitive to noise.

Cars are far quieter today than 30 years ago. Go to a vintage car show, like the Palo Alto Concourse. And listen to those finely restored cars. They make lots of noise. We forget from where we came.

[Spare the Air]

Roscoe, you have made an erroneous assumption... It's not about aging. In fact, I own an old classic car. And yes it's exhaust is somewhat noiser than modern cars with "factory-stock" exhaust systems.

However, I'm referring to cars with "modified" exhaust systems and boom-box stereos. These vehicles are far and away MUCH louder than any un-modified exhaust, old car or new...

The place for loud, modifed exhaust systems is on the track, not on our residential streets!

Also, as a sports car enthusist, I can tell you that most of these loud exhaust systems actually hurt perfomance, not improve it, because they have not been properly "engineered". Even if they help, what's the big difference between 80 hp and 82 hp in an older Honda civic? These cars are STREET cars.

By your comment I assume you have no issue with car stereos that are so loud that the bass notes can penetrate and vibrate objects in your home? If this is the case, I will assume you are not being truthful...

Loud Boom-Box stereos and loud modifed exhaust systems have no place on our residential streets. I'm just suggesting it's time existing laws were enforced.

[Roscoe_Beedle]

No those boom boxes and those especially noise creating harleys are a problem. But again, we live in a large urban area. This is no forest. I have not noted this increase you do and actually can recall much noisier times in Chicago. It is generally quiet out here.

What I would hate to see is more governmental regulation. That always leads to consequences we don't want. Such as mandatory inspections, fees and the rest of it. I'll live with some minor inconveniences if it means the government gets off my back.

[Aion]

You get it whenever you have kids in your neighborhood who are reaching driving age, especially now that car stereos are cheaper and louder, with more lower frequency response than ever before. The lower frequency sound travels MUCH further than higher frequency sounds. It can also be painful to some people, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with particularly good hearing.

[Diamond Dog]

Those obnoxious harleys are far worse, because they're mostly middle aged men who should know better!

Call it suburban blight.


You get it whenever you have kids in your neighborhood who are reaching driving age, especially now that car stereos are cheaper and louder, with more lower frequency response than ever before. The lower frequency sound travels MUCH further than higher frequency sounds. It can also be painful to some people, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with particularly good hearing.

[Spare the Air]

Those un-muffled harleys bother me also. As do loud, modified exhaust systems and boom-box auto sound systems.

If the local police just enforced existing city and state laws, this problem could be mitigated. But as long as there is no consequence, drivers of these vehicles will continue to generate these types of noise that damage the quality of life in our communities.

I'm not advocating any new regulation, just enforcement of existing noise laws...

If you care, e-mail your local police department.

I once heard a statistic that for every e-mail received by a government official, statistically it equates to the opinion of 5,000 people. If only twenty citizens in a community e-mail the police chief about an issue, that should elicit a response!

[jonvn]

I don't know how those Harley riders don't go deaf.

[scout]

Yes, it's called AGING. As you grow older you are more sensitive to noise.

Cars are far quieter today than 30 years ago. Go to a vintage car show, like the Palo Alto Concourse. And listen to those finely restored cars. They make lots of noise. We forget from where we came.

You are on to something here, for certain. All I have to do is simply observe the wife, and I can report that she gets more hyper sensitive concerning just about everything with each passing year and this trait is proportional to resistance to change, aka, stubborn and prideful.

The above equates to the unhappiness of aging, along side the inability to not only do anything about aging, but WANT to do anything about aging, which, I think, is far worse.

Aging, stubbornism, and false pride are the foundational evils of our human condition.

[Spare the Air]

The issue is not if we are less tolerant of noise, but about increasing noise pollution in our neighborhoods.

Modified exhaust systems are louder than stock systems in older cars. I have an old sports car and know of which I speak. Modern, powerful sound systems with sub woofers have become relatively inexpensive and are wa-ay louder and more prevalent than ever before.

I live in a fairly nice part of San Mateo and the sound of loud car sub woofers has occasionaly been loud enough to vibrate objects inside my house! Even with the windows closed, loud auto exhausts and sound systems often intrude on my ability to watch TV or listen to music inside my home. It occurs at all hours, even early in the morning or very late at night.

There is some truth to your comment about aging and becomeing less tolerant. I'm probably less tolerant of noise pollution than when I was 25, but I'm not that old either... In fact, noise pollution has been linked to increased stress and stress related illness. Don't take my word for it, do your own Google search.

The real point of my original posting was that we have existing laws to regulate these sources of noise pollution, but they are not enforced. If the community let the police & city council know that we expect them to enforce these laws... It will help to improve our community.