Posted on 01/12/2005 12:15:06 PM PST by NonValueAdded
Music to deter yobs by
By Melissa Jackson
BBC News Magazine
It will be music to the ears of anyone who's been plagued by vandalism and anti-social behaviour - a blast of Mozart or Vivaldi. It seems the classics can speak volumes when it comes to changing the mood music.
The experience of standing at a bus stop or railway station and feeling intimidated, perhaps by a group of teenagers hanging around, is not uncommon.
Dealing with it has led to a variety of expensive attempted solutions, including the installation of CCTV. But the idea of using piped classical music, for some years spoken of as a joke, is gradually being adopted as a widespread and low-cost solution.
For the cost of some speakers, and the necessary licence to play piped music, problem areas can apparently be painlessly resolved. Even the Co-op is giving it a go, outside some of its shops.
Tyne and Wear Metro was one of the first to recognise the pacifying force of the great composers when, inspired by the success of schemes operating in Canada, it began playing classical music at some outlying stations.
Spokesman Tom Yeoman says: "We had problems with youths hanging around, not getting up to criminal activities, but involved in low level anti-social behaviour, like swearing, smoking at stations and harassing passengers.
"Even if they didn't have a violent agenda, they looked like they might have."
Passengers complained and the company felt compelled to respond.
They introduced classical music at Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and Cullercoats stations.
"It has completely eliminated the problem," says Mr Yeoman. "The young people seem to loathe it. It's pretty uncool to be seen hanging around somewhere when Mozart is playing."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
OK, fess up ... when you heard this news or read the article, how many milliseconds elapsed before you have a Clockwork Orange flash? Or a more obscure film reference, Gary Oldman in Léon aka The Professional? Remember how his character felt about Mozart?
Yeah really. I thought classical music would ATTRACT them.
I didn't have a movie flashback but I thought of 7/11. They used that very same technique in some locations with really excellent results.
You're right. It was milliseconds.
I hear that this sound also works wonders.
Except in the UK, that sound is the sound of yobs, not safety.
About 0.3 milliseconds.
Still, it is true that younger people may be frightened away by music that requires more use of the head than bobbing it in rhythm. If classical music has the double advantage of being both beautiful and a youth repellent, I say mount them speakers everywhere.
Didn't some feminist say that Mozart was rape? I'm sure the ACLU could find something wrong with this idea.
What??? While nothing those dingbats say would ever surprise me, I hadn't heard that one.
Alex: That. Using Ludwig Van like that. He's done no harm to anyone. Beethoven just wrote music.
Dr. Brannon: Are you referring to the background score?
Alex: Yes.
Dr. Brannon: You've heard Beethoven before?
Alex: Yes.
Dr. Brodsky: So, you're keen on music.
Alex: Yes.
Dr. Brodsky: Can't be helped. Here's the punishment element perhaps. The Governor ought to be pleased. I'm sorry Alex. This is for your own good. You'll have to bare [sic] with us for a while.
Alex: But it's not fair, It's not fair that I should feel ill when I hear lovely, lovely, lovely, Ludwig Van .
Maybe they could play Mozart at UK football matches.
I'm SINNNNGGGGINNNG in the Raiiinnnnn!!!
PING
Actually that was a pretty cool part(s) of the movie.
But what baffles me is -- what were those pills supposed to be?!? They appeared to be gel caps (IIRC) that he broke with his teeth and his 'rush' was immediate. That's some heavy duty 'medicine'.
Yes and that it had themes of masturbation in them *lol*
I just saved that to my cellphone. That'll come in handy.
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