After detailing my profound hatred of ultra-loud car stereos in last week's blog, I now want to focus on the cult of noise (yeah, I'm calling it that), as well as its physical and legal consequences.
About decibels...
Merriam-Webster defines the decibel (dB) as a “degree of loudness,” or more precisely “a unit for expressing the ratio of two amounts of electric or acoustic signal power equal to 10 times the common logarithm of this ratio.” The higher the decibel count, the greater the risk of damaging your hearing. The human threshold of pain is 120 dB, a night club gets close to 110 dB, and a quiet city street is 50 dB (Source: Psychoacoustique, Marie-Claire Boete, Edition Inserm.)
One time is enough
Myth: Only frequent exposure to loud noise leads to hearing loss.
Science has shown that people can develop troubles like total or partial deafness, hyperacusis, and tinnitus after listening to a single loud noise.
What's more, alcohol and fatigue are some factors that inhibit our sound sensitivity; the risk of hearing loss increases because you tend to crank up the volume higher before you start to feel any pain.
You vs. others
If you want to go deaf at a young age that's your problem, but like I told you last week, this doesn't entitle you to make people around you suffer. There are laws in place to counter noise pollution in many cities across Canada, including Montreal:
PENAL PROVISIONS
Any person who contravenes this by-law is guilty of an offence and is liable:
(1) for a first offence, to a fine of $100 to $300;
(2) for a second offence, to a fine of $300 to $500;
(3) for a subsequent offence, to a fine of $500 to $1000.
(Source: ville.montreal.qc.ca)
“My stereo's louder than yours!”
While searching for this blog, I couldn't believe the insanely powerful sound systems certain folks fit to their car. For instance, I came across a Scion xB with a 15” subwoofer, eight amplifiers, and 24 batteries. Of course, that's nothing when compared with a Ford F-250 that has 12 subwoofers, 48 amplifiers, and 72 batteries for a combined 72,000 watts of sound!
These vehicles have to use armoured glass and bolted doors to cope with the sound pressure generated by their stereos. I know it's all for competition purposes, but to me it makes as much sense as trying to gulp the most hot dogs in three minutes. The difference is that those eating champs make a quiet carnage.
Bottom line
We live in a society where one's freedom ends where another's begins, and there are laws against noise pollution to deter those who like to blast their music through the entire neighbourhood. Offenders must remember that they'll lose not only a chunk of money, but more importantly, some or even all of their hearing ability.
Please keep the volume to a reasonable level!
Source: rqcb.ca
About decibels...
Merriam-Webster defines the decibel (dB) as a “degree of loudness,” or more precisely “a unit for expressing the ratio of two amounts of electric or acoustic signal power equal to 10 times the common logarithm of this ratio.” The higher the decibel count, the greater the risk of damaging your hearing. The human threshold of pain is 120 dB, a night club gets close to 110 dB, and a quiet city street is 50 dB (Source: Psychoacoustique, Marie-Claire Boete, Edition Inserm.)
One time is enough
Myth: Only frequent exposure to loud noise leads to hearing loss.
Science has shown that people can develop troubles like total or partial deafness, hyperacusis, and tinnitus after listening to a single loud noise.
What's more, alcohol and fatigue are some factors that inhibit our sound sensitivity; the risk of hearing loss increases because you tend to crank up the volume higher before you start to feel any pain.
You vs. others
If you want to go deaf at a young age that's your problem, but like I told you last week, this doesn't entitle you to make people around you suffer. There are laws in place to counter noise pollution in many cities across Canada, including Montreal:
- Noise whose sound pressure level is greater than the maximum set by ordinance, or noise
- specifically prohibited under this by-law, constitutes a nuisance and is prohibited as being
- contrary to peace and order.
- Any holder of a motor vehicle that produces a noise whose sound pressure level is greater
- than the maximum set by ordinance contravenes this by-law.
PENAL PROVISIONS
Any person who contravenes this by-law is guilty of an offence and is liable:
(1) for a first offence, to a fine of $100 to $300;
(2) for a second offence, to a fine of $300 to $500;
(3) for a subsequent offence, to a fine of $500 to $1000.
(Source: ville.montreal.qc.ca)
“My stereo's louder than yours!”
While searching for this blog, I couldn't believe the insanely powerful sound systems certain folks fit to their car. For instance, I came across a Scion xB with a 15” subwoofer, eight amplifiers, and 24 batteries. Of course, that's nothing when compared with a Ford F-250 that has 12 subwoofers, 48 amplifiers, and 72 batteries for a combined 72,000 watts of sound!
These vehicles have to use armoured glass and bolted doors to cope with the sound pressure generated by their stereos. I know it's all for competition purposes, but to me it makes as much sense as trying to gulp the most hot dogs in three minutes. The difference is that those eating champs make a quiet carnage.
Bottom line
We live in a society where one's freedom ends where another's begins, and there are laws against noise pollution to deter those who like to blast their music through the entire neighbourhood. Offenders must remember that they'll lose not only a chunk of money, but more importantly, some or even all of their hearing ability.
Please keep the volume to a reasonable level!
Source: rqcb.ca
 |
| Photo: Philippe Champoux |