B.A.L.L.S.: A new symphony
“All the doors in this spaceship have a
cheerful and sunny disposition. It is their
pleasure to open for you, and their satisfaction
to close again with the knowledge of a
job well done.”
“Please enjoy your trip through this door,” said the door.
— Douglas Adams
It seems there is a growing symphony in our modern society. You hear it at night, you hear it in the morning, and you jump as it joins the chorus as you walk by … the sound of honking as another car door is locked joining the collective music of the urban landscape.
We are bombarded by barrage of noises every day in our environment: the Harley Davidson, trucks backing up, trains going by and planes flying high, bells, screeches, construction and the deep bass of car stereos. You can feel the BOOM BOOM BOOM of these car stereos a block before they are anywhere near you. It starts with a slight tickle at the base of your spine and ends with a white-knuckled apprehension that one would feel if a bunch of bats just swooped into your car. You hazard a glance through a smoky, tinted window to see a slow head bob, sunglasses and a self-satisfied smirk that comes and goes with the slow sway of a pair of garters hanging from the mirror.
I acknowledge that a car alarm system denotes the fact that it is active, but does it have to be a horn? How about the headlights blink, or a light flashes on your keychain, or a big A is projected on the windshield, or a calm voice says, “Alarm is activated, enjoy your day?” Maybe a system can be set up where you download alarm activation messages like we do for our cell phone ring tones.
Instead there is a honk. The honking of a car horn is a noise that is associated with caution and warning. A sound that makes our cortisone levels rise as we go into defense mode. These alarms are a form of unnecessary anxiety in our environment. They are noise pollution at best; they are evasive, loud and unnecessary.
There are a number of posts on this subject online. There are also a number of posts by people who are embarrassed that their car honks every time they lock their door. I suppose this issue (as I see it) is in the hands of the manufacturer. That being said, how many times have I been beside a car when someone hits the button to lock it? I mean I am right beside the car, do they not think that a honk would startle someone? Could they not wait 10 seconds?
The federal government has left the definition and enforcement of noise pollution to the municipalities. Locally, noise pollution is defined as:
“... A sound that does or may disturb the quiet, peace, enjoyment or comfort of people who are in the vicinity” by the Guelph municipal government
and
“Unwanted sound”
by the Toronto municipal government
I suppose I am like a honking car in some ways as I pen these comments. The thing about me though, is that I can be ignored.
“An inability to stay quiet is one of the most conspicuous failings of mankind.”
— Walter Bagehot
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
“Please enjoy your trip through this door,” said the door.
— Douglas Adams
It seems there is a growing symphony in our modern society. You hear it at night, you hear it in the morning, and you jump as it joins the chorus as you walk by … the sound of honking as another car door is locked joining the collective music of the urban landscape.
We are bombarded by barrage of noises every day in our environment: the Harley Davidson, trucks backing up, trains going by and planes flying high, bells, screeches, construction and the deep bass of car stereos. You can feel the BOOM BOOM BOOM of these car stereos a block before they are anywhere near you. It starts with a slight tickle at the base of your spine and ends with a white-knuckled apprehension that one would feel if a bunch of bats just swooped into your car. You hazard a glance through a smoky, tinted window to see a slow head bob, sunglasses and a self-satisfied smirk that comes and goes with the slow sway of a pair of garters hanging from the mirror.
I acknowledge that a car alarm system denotes the fact that it is active, but does it have to be a horn? How about the headlights blink, or a light flashes on your keychain, or a big A is projected on the windshield, or a calm voice says, “Alarm is activated, enjoy your day?” Maybe a system can be set up where you download alarm activation messages like we do for our cell phone ring tones.
Instead there is a honk. The honking of a car horn is a noise that is associated with caution and warning. A sound that makes our cortisone levels rise as we go into defense mode. These alarms are a form of unnecessary anxiety in our environment. They are noise pollution at best; they are evasive, loud and unnecessary.
There are a number of posts on this subject online. There are also a number of posts by people who are embarrassed that their car honks every time they lock their door. I suppose this issue (as I see it) is in the hands of the manufacturer. That being said, how many times have I been beside a car when someone hits the button to lock it? I mean I am right beside the car, do they not think that a honk would startle someone? Could they not wait 10 seconds?
The federal government has left the definition and enforcement of noise pollution to the municipalities. Locally, noise pollution is defined as:
“... A sound that does or may disturb the quiet, peace, enjoyment or comfort of people who are in the vicinity” by the Guelph municipal government
and
“Unwanted sound”
by the Toronto municipal government
I suppose I am like a honking car in some ways as I pen these comments. The thing about me though, is that I can be ignored.
“An inability to stay quiet is one of the most conspicuous failings of mankind.”
— Walter Bagehot
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
