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Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

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Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#81

Post by theonething »

seattle_spring wrote: post #29
drstewart wrote: post #2

This is one of the things I struggle with the most in life. I feel like most people don't seem to care about noise pollution and zero care is put into designing living spaces or cities to minimize it. I've moved into apartments and nearly cried because I realized that there was some noise pollution that wasn't apparent when I visited it (e.g. a water boiler that ran constantly at night, road noise during the day, etc…

People are so unbelievably disrespectful with noise in the US. Peaceful hike? Here's Katy Perry crackling out of my iPhone at full blast! Luxury apartment at $4k a month? No insulation between units, and the guy above you comes home at 2am and never takes his shoes off. Small country street? Here comes Chad with his straight-piped civic with the muffler removed!

and the dogs. Don't forget about the fucking barking dogs that get left alone outside all day long and sometimes into the night as well.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#82

Post by kdmccormick »

tayo42 wrote: post #27
shados wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not only do people not care, they actively push down and belittle people who do. They'll say it's just something that's notmaly and anyone trying to change it should move. Most source of noise pollution wouldnt be that hard to fix. Society just doesn't want to.

I had this "conversation" with my neighbor (it was more like me being yelled at) It kind of blew my mind they didnt care about noise interruptions at all hours and told me its my problem. Like maybe if you got a full night of sleep you wouldn't be so angry? I guess this study supports that. The noise in my current apartment is endless, car alarms, screaming and crying kids along with their loud toys, idling cars, the…

> instruments being practiced

As a musician... although I understand that, in the end, instrument practice is still noise, it hurts to see this listed among the rest of your items. Last year, I had to move out of an apartment complex because our neighbors would not tolerate even 30 minutes of practice a day (in spite of the ~2 daily hours of lawn care racket, but whatever) and complained to building management.

I get that listening to me repetitously work out a song or musical phrase for an hour might not be pleasant... but is it really as bad as noise from motorcycles, lawnmowers, and car alarms? For those who enjoy hearing their own music but still feel this way: how do you expect new musicians to come into existence, new music to be made? Is it not a racket worth its trouble? Is there any solace in knowing that the person making such noise is doing so with the specific goal of creating enjoyable noise in the future?

These are genuine questions. I want to practice a lot, but I hate noise pollution myself and don't want to be a nusiance to others.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#83

Post by vegetablepotpie »

Karrot_Kream wrote: post #59
drstewart wrote: post #2

This is one of the things I struggle with the most in life. I feel like most people don't seem to care about noise pollution and zero care is put into designing living spaces or cities to minimize it. I've moved into apartments and nearly cried because I realized that there was some noise pollution that wasn't apparent when I visited it (e.g. a water boiler that ran constantly at night, road noise during the day, etc…

It all comes back to code. Noise abatement materials are not part of most residential building codes in the US because most residential buildings are expected to be single family homes with detached lots. If you don't live in that situation then tough luck. Very little effort is spent politically trying to improve quality of life in any other form of domicile. Concretely I suggest reaching out to your city council an…

Calling city council sounds simple. I will say that if you want to get anywhere with local policy, you either need to have money, or lots of people asking for your policy. Both of those things come from organizing, which is a months to years long effort. That’s what you’re signing up for when you want to change laws.

You may get better mileage hiring a contractor, if you own a home, or talking to your property manager if you rent for upgrades to your dwelling.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#84

Post by bogota »

gonehome wrote: post #56
seattle_spring wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are so unbelievably disrespectful with noise in the US. Peaceful hike? Here's Katy Perry crackling out of my iPhone at full blast! Luxury apartment at $4k a month? No insulation between units, and the guy above you comes home at 2am and never takes his shoes off. Small country street? Here comes Chad with his straight-piped civic with the muffler removed!

I find by far the biggest disruption in US suburbs is lawn equipment. Suburbs are louder than cities imo because there is always a leaf blower, lawn mower, and weedwacker going at all times during the day within 100 yards of you. Often for hours. Moving from Palo Alto to SF things got way quieter.

They may be louder but do you have a dump truck waking you up at 4am several times a week? I really don’t know what to do anymore. Obviously they need to pick up trash that early to beat the traffic and save a few bucks /s. But the city doesn’t care and I’m constantly told that condos/apartments are a more sustainable way of living. Thats great but I’m about done with this nonsense and about to move out to the burbs so I can sleep through the night.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#85

Post by gonehome »

sarchertech wrote: post #67
gonehome wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find by far the biggest disruption in US suburbs is lawn equipment. Suburbs are louder than cities imo because there is always a leaf blower, lawn mower, and weedwacker going at all times during the day within 100 yards of you. Often for hours. Moving from Palo Alto to SF things got way quieter.

>Suburbs are louder than cities imo because there is always a leaf blower, lawn mower, and weedwacker going at all times during the day within 100 yards of you. That's hugely hyperbolic. But in the city there really are constant sirens, car horns, diesel trucks, construction noises, roadway noise etc... The most comprehensive study done on this (admittedly a long time ago in 1970) shows a clear correlation between po…

It does sound ridiculous but I’ve lived in DC, London, and SF now and all were quieter than the suburbs I’ve lived in.

Mostly because of lawn stuff and garbage pickup. Also probably a factor that I’ve been in new city buildings with good insulation and not on the ground floor.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#86

Post by savanaly »

kdmccormick wrote: post #82
tayo42 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had this "conversation" with my neighbor (it was more like me being yelled at) It kind of blew my mind they didnt care about noise interruptions at all hours and told me its my problem. Like maybe if you got a full night of sleep you wouldn't be so angry? I guess this study supports that. The noise in my current apartment is endless, car alarms, screaming and crying kids along with their loud toys, idling cars, the…

> instruments being practiced As a musician... although I understand that, in the end, instrument practice is still noise, it hurts to see this listed among the rest of your items. Last year, I had to move out of an apartment complex because our neighbors would not tolerate even 30 minutes of practice a day (in spite of the ~2 daily hours of lawn care racket, but whatever) and complained to building management. I get…

I was a trumpet player for years in high school and college, practiced all the time at home and so did my brother so I experienced the situation from both sides. My opinion now is that it is irresponsible to make playing an instrument your hobby or profession (an instrument that can't avoid making noise that will bother others) unless you have access to an appropriate practice space. There are churches, music schools, music stores that will rent out space. Yes it sucks but that's the breaks. Either make sure you have access or don't pick up that trumpet/violin/tuba. Or switch it out for a keyboard (which can be electronic and practiced with earphones in) or guitar. This is what I did in my young adult years after I had put down the trumpet and was playing piano as a hobby while living on my own in an apartment.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#87

Post by theonething »

gotaquestion wrote: post #33

Anyone who has ever lived next to someone with a barking dog knows how the spikes of adrenaline at random times of the day and night can raise stress levels significantly.

Living in southern California, I don't think I've ever lived anywhere where there wasn't at least one annoying dog. This includes everything from apartments, condos to single family housing. I just hate it.

I wish designated dog free neighborhoods was a thing.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#88

Post by ab-dm »

I recently worked through a bout of stress induced sleep onset insomnia, which my sleep psych suspects was triggered by a series of sleep interruptions over 3 years from horrendous neighbors in the last few years (a party that started at 3 am apparently was what broke the camels back)

It took me a month of CBT to break the back of it, and everything is (mostly) back to normal now, but it just blows my mind how insensitive people are to those around them. I just don't understand it.

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#89

Post by angled »

gonehome wrote: post #56
seattle_spring wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are so unbelievably disrespectful with noise in the US. Peaceful hike? Here's Katy Perry crackling out of my iPhone at full blast! Luxury apartment at $4k a month? No insulation between units, and the guy above you comes home at 2am and never takes his shoes off. Small country street? Here comes Chad with his straight-piped civic with the muffler removed!

I find by far the biggest disruption in US suburbs is lawn equipment. Suburbs are louder than cities imo because there is always a leaf blower, lawn mower, and weedwacker going at all times during the day within 100 yards of you. Often for hours. Moving from Palo Alto to SF things got way quieter.

Relevant New Yorker article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/25/blowback

Re: Sounding the alarm: How noise hurts the heart (2021)

#90

Post by mechanical_bear »

gonehome wrote: post #56
seattle_spring wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are so unbelievably disrespectful with noise in the US. Peaceful hike? Here's Katy Perry crackling out of my iPhone at full blast! Luxury apartment at $4k a month? No insulation between units, and the guy above you comes home at 2am and never takes his shoes off. Small country street? Here comes Chad with his straight-piped civic with the muffler removed!

I find by far the biggest disruption in US suburbs is lawn equipment. Suburbs are louder than cities imo because there is always a leaf blower, lawn mower, and weedwacker going at all times during the day within 100 yards of you. Often for hours. Moving from Palo Alto to SF things got way quieter.

I fucking loathe leaf blowers. I can tell what day of the week it is by which neighbor is going for an hour or two straight with the leaf blower. Get a damn rake!
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