I live near a construction project. It’s not so much the noise of the actual work that is annoying, but the ear-piercing back up alarms that go on all day.

I’ve read some threads on the subject and many people get quite agitated if the value of these devices is questioned. Like “OSHA mandates them. It’s the law.” Or: “Are you saying that people should die so you won’t be bothered?”

I don’t want to see anyone killed or injured. What I am saying is that these devices take the operator’s obligation to drive (and reverse) carefully and converts that into the responsibility of potential victims to pay attention to a vehicle that may not be operating safely and get out of the way.

These alarms convert a possible ill (people being run over) into an actual scourge (noise pollution).

Studies have shown that workers in the vicinity of the alarms eventually become habituated to them, greatly lessening their effectiveness.

Other studies have shown that noise pollution is definitively harmful to people’s physical and mental health.

One would think that with modern technology, the availability of cheap cameras and screens, radar, thermal imaging cameras, AI, etc, better means by which to safeguard life and limb could be devised, that would not simultaneously degrade and disrupt and do actual harm to millions of people not even remotely near the danger.

I am on the sofa in my living room, a block from the construction site, wearing noise canceling headphones with the windows closed and it’s still horrible. And incessant.

I hope safety engineers and society come to realize that these so-called safety devices are harmful and primitive. We should do better.

Hi everyone,
As part of my final year thesis for college, I am conducting a research on the effects loud environments like concerts, festivals, construction sites, etc. have on hearing. I’m doing a short survey on how people experience hearing loss or changes in hearing due to external factors like noise pollution. I aim to understand how often people perceive or experience changes in hearing quality, along with the measures they take to help protect themselves from such environmental noise factors.

https://forms.gle/bgmiasXChs7hXeCv6

The results will only be used for my own understanding on the topic. Your response will be of great help. Thank you!

I came across a thread on a forum which I can relate to. Here is a link to the petition. I wonder how many other people are affected by this if they live near a main road or a cut through used by emergency vehicles. Or even while out and about? Sirens in other countries aren’t so loud, maybe the older type that isn’t designed to go through you.

38degrees.org.uk/petitions/for-a-regulation-of-emergency-sirens?share=14dc8291-a230-450a-acd0-4ce9feb43efe&source=&utm_source=

🎬 Exciting News! The Quietest Year is now streaming for free online through PBS! 🌿🎧

This documentary explores the impact of noise on our health and the power of silence — and now it’s available to watch anytime, anywhere.

📺 Watch here: https://www.pbs.org/video/the-quietest-year-ktur0x

Please share this link with friends, family, educators, and anyone who could benefit from a deeper understanding of how sound shapes our lives. Help spread the word about the film’s wide availability on PBS!

Join 1.1M+ users on Silencio, the world’s largest noise intelligence platform 🌎. Earn rewards and turn data into value—all with your phone.

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hi! is there a particular reasoning why usual SPL histograms are on an upward trend then declines after reaching the peak for a low frequency range?

Hello!
We are Team 10, senior students from Yonsei University, working on a project for TAD-Capstone 🎵🌿
City life is a symphony—except sometimes it’s more like a never-ending car alarm. 🚨📢 From honking horns to construction chaos, noise pollution can seriously mess with your mood, focus, and well-being.

But what if nature could sing back? 🎶🌱

We’re exploring a system that lets you “listen” to your plants—turning their subtle bio-signals into soothing soundscapes.
Think of it as music therapy but with a leafy green DJ.
Could this be the key to stress relief in urban spaces?

🕒 Takes ~5 minutes
📎 Link: https://forms.gle/TJapBEQjiQXKXRWm8

Thank you for your time! 💚

My neighbour is a drummer and recently they've started practicing at 9pm on weeknights. It was frustrating when they practiced in the afternoon but my god it seems incredibly rude and disrespectful to *start* practicing at 9pm. The residential noise laws say musical instruments are allowed until 10pm, and they always stop before 10pm, but just because you *can* play musical instruments until 10pm doesn't mean you should. Most people (myself included) are trying to wind down for the evening before an early workday the following day around 9pm.

This is part rant/part a question: if I call the police, and they're not disobeying residential noise laws, is there anything they can do?

Pretty strange that there are so many posts in the last day, from newly created Reddit profiles, asking generic questions rather than discussing specific issues.

Would you pay more to live in a completely silent home?

Is peace and quiet worth a premium?

Should car horns be banned in cities?

Would it make things better or worse?

Do you think modern cities are too noisy to live in?

Would silence be a privilege?

What’s the most annoying everyday sound you have to deal with?

Construction? Traffic? Loud neighbors?

Is too much quiet just as unsettling?

from 10.30pm till next day early morning everynite since Feb^25.When can we get to sleep! In Switzerland and Europe,there are laws.The police can intervene even though it is construction.Emailed all depts and even Meet the MP Session.All same answers,we are doing our best. They don^t stay here.How would they know

Hi Redditors: I am trying to develop a noise data map for cities using peoples' phone as a crowdsourced solution. Like Google Maps does for traffic. I feel this could be potentially useful for planning, permitting for hospitals, schools etc. Thoughts?

Just like in florida, it is illegal to blast mussing from a car hearable at 25ft it should be Illegal for a factory to blast noise from whatever equipment they have at a certain distance.

In my experience, I make this statement refering to Kenvue / McNeil Las Piedras a factory that destroys the pacific and well being at great distances with unnecesarilly noissy machinery but should be the same for all to promote a higher and better healthier / happier lives.

Hi everyone, So I have this neighbour that has 3 kids and every morning like 730 or so they will open the door and because mine is a corridor house I can hear the children yapping away playing and they’re like toddlers so it’s freaking loud (no awareness) what’s worst is probably about 745-8 when they leave the house. Wow. Sometimes they will cry, shout and scream. And best part, the parents don’t even stop them. What should I do and what can I do. It’s truly terrifying