Learning to respect the rights of others was one of the basics of my upbringing. In our neighborhood we knew who was elderly and needed to feel safe. We knew who was sick and needed a quiet space to heal. We knew who was having a baby, getting a divorce, graduating, marrying……so much of life in a community.
So when stock car races at a nearby fair grounds started making Saturday nights about noise pollution, my father went to the city council and presented his case for disturbance of the peace.
How ironic that I now find myself in a similar situation with loud blaring music for 12 hours non-stop just across the street from my “home in paradise.” Makes you want to redefine the word!
Even though there is a noise abatement act, the person in question has defied most attempts to lower the decibels much to the suffering of his neighbors. So I looked up some information on high levels of noise.
When you converse normally you are speaking in about the 60-90 decibel range. Louder sounds such as farm tractors and city traffic are at the higher end.
From 95-115 decibels can cause damage to your hearing if prolonged. Power mowers, motorcycles, factory noise and applause in a large stadium are examples of the lower ranges. Going into the 100’s would be sounds such as a sand blaster, train, or large rock concert.
When sound is upped to 125-155 decibels pain is the result over the short term along with hearing loss over the long term. Examples include an amplifier within 5 feet, a shotgun, drag car racing, a cymbal crash and emergency vehicle sirens.
As a health care provider I know that noise pollution affects both health and behavior. Unwanted sound can damage psychological health along with causing hypertension, tinnitus, sleep disturbances and increased coronary artery disease.
If you live in a situation where noise pollution is affecting you, take the necessary steps to demand your rights for peace of mind and body. I have done just that.
