The sharp beeping sound made by trucks backing up, and now also basically any type of construction vehicle when it moves, is in my opinion one of the great examples of a ham-handed solution to addressing a safety issue with no regard for noise pollution. While it is supposed to warn someone in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, I can after hear these sharp alarm-like sounds over a block away, often inside my apartment with the windows closed, where I obviously am in no danger of this vehicle.
If only a bit if thought had been put into the design of this, such as having a directed sound (a physical bell?) that is clearly audible in the immediate vicinity but does not radiate long distances.
What is most frustrating to me is that it seems there is no one you can complain to, no one you can point to and say please fix this, as it obviously is based on some regulatory requirement. If only those who design these type of noise-making devices would be required to also consider noise pollution.
Improved reversal sounds have been invented - the classic beep isn't just bad from a noise pollution perspective, it's also an artificial sound that's difficult for people to process and determine its point of origin. There's been a gradual rollout of white-noise reversal beepers, which while they might seem strange are easier for people to locate aurally - as a result they can be played at a lower volume, and even if it was played just as loud is a much less unpleasant tone.
Of course it'll probably be many years before old-school beepers are phased out.
I've seen some which are self-adjusting too; so in a quiet environment they only make their "angry crow noise" quietly, but on a busy site it'll be a bit louder. Clever stuff.
Thanks for sharing that video. The white noise solution is a huge improvement over the sharp beeps. I looked into if there is any movement in the US re requiring the white noise option but all I found was this non-committal response from OSHA: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2004-...
I had been wondering about this! The first time or two I heard it I really thought it was just a specific vehicle malfunctioning, but they've become very common around me the last couple years. I kind of figured this was what was happening but never remembered to look it up.
For me it's yard equipment. Mowers, blowers, weeders, chainsaws, chippers etc. are usually not muffled or so high powered you can hear them for miles away. It's air and noise pollution. Electric equipment might replace some of it soon but not all.
I love heavily wooded suburbs, but logically speaking it's not efficient and not sustainable compared to more centralized housing, for many reasons.
Just on the noise front, statistics dictate in a given block, every day at least one house will be doing loud yard maintenance.
We live in a small subdivision. Around half acre lots - very flat. We have a lawn service, and they use riding mowers and are done in ~20 minutes. We have neighbors either side. One is retired. The other has a flex schedule. They both love doing outdoor stuff, like... riding mowers. Each take ~2 hours to do their lawn. This is their enjoyment. It's like a vacation for them. Sitting on a loud engine, driving around... smiling happily the whole time. One will sometimes leave his mower running next to our window while he goes in to use the bathroom.
They stretch this out and.. it's just horrible. I'm often away from the house, but my wife sometimes can't get away at home (they'll start in the middle of her cooking, for example). It bothers our pets - they'll be hiding under the beds for hours.
I get it - mow the grass. But... it really doesn't need to be 3+ hrs. One neighbor mowed for 2 hrs on Thursday. SUNDAY AFTERNOON he mowed for another hour. The grass was not longer. He just likes riding a mower. Next to our window. Then... edger/blowing. Another 30 minutes, and again... leave it propped up facing our window - running - to go in and get a drink. I'm not even sure how/why it's possible to have an edger running without a human holding it.
Adding on - neighbor 1 may start at 11, then ride until 1 or so. The other neighbor sees #1, then decides to go out, then they edge. We'll get loud engines within 50 feet of the house from 11a-4p with very little break. and they love it. This is their relaxation, fun time, 'day off work', etc. We've tried to move but are essentially priced out of any housing that would offer much of a difference (anywhere else we can afford is roughly same issues with nearness to neighbors). Had land at one point to build, but covid made that way too expensive. We're .... sort of trapped for the time being. Should have moved 4-5 years ago. :/
We've got one (electric). It's ... noisy, but not quite at the same level (at least to my ears). And... my wife uses it but... 5-10 minutes - we have the same size yard as the neighbors, but they seem to love taking 30+ minutes to redo the same areas over and over. It doesn't need to take more than 10 minutes.
I can relate to this so much right now haha. Some houses next to me are having work done (prep to sell) and it has been nonstop noises the last few months...
Just in the past few days: Roofers came on Saturday morning and spent the whole day banging and hammering... Pressure washer guy all day Sunday... 8am this morning, the lawn service guys are already out in full force... All of this literally across the street, ~100ft away
I was just thinking about car alarms this morning as I was listening to a mockingbird mimic one… I’ve actually started hearing the stereotypical car alarm siren noises dramatically less lately, it seems these days the vast majority just use the car horn, which isn’t great, but has improved things.
If only a bit if thought had been put into the design of this, such as having a directed sound (a physical bell?) that is clearly audible in the immediate vicinity but does not radiate long distances.
What is most frustrating to me is that it seems there is no one you can complain to, no one you can point to and say please fix this, as it obviously is based on some regulatory requirement. If only those who design these type of noise-making devices would be required to also consider noise pollution.
And don't even get me started on car alarms...