Everyday Traffic Noise Harms Children's Health and Well Being

Cornell News ^ | 22 May 2001 | Gart Evans, Cornell University

[quietAmerican]

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Even the low-level but chronic noise of everyday local traffic can cause stress in children and raise blood pressure, heart rates and levels of stress hormones, reports a new study by a Cornell University environmental psychologist and his European co-authors.

"We also found that girls exposed to the traffic noise become less motivated, presumably from the sense of helplessness that can develop from noise they couldn't control," says Gary Evans, an international expert on environmental stress, such as noise, crowding and air pollution.

[carpio]

Folks, this is more liberal foolishness. Trying to find a crisis where none exists and playing the blame game

Baloney!! A band of Muscle Car enthusiasts moved into my neighborhood with their intrusive noise a few years ago. They have destroyed the health of my entire family. Our home is nearly uninhabitable. I live on a one acre lot in a 1500 square foot home and there is no where in our home to escape the noise.

Not having the physical strength or money to move we have recently decided to fight back. If you do not think this is a real problem you are not thinking clearly about property rights. They are roaring the engines as I type. It overwhelms my television not to mention my thoughts.

I spent two tours on an artillery firing Bttry in Vietnam. I was several times under mortar and rocket attack and always afraid it was about to start again. That time was relaxing compared to the Hell these car enthusiasts have put my family and I through. When they are not making the noise we are constantly on edge knowing it will always start again.

By what authority do these barbarians intrude into every corner of my home and deny my family sleep and relaxation? They and others like them do not deserve to live IMHO

[w1andsodidwe]

Even the low-level but chronic noise of everyday local traffic can cause stress in children and raise blood pressure

Your problem doesn't sound like what is described in the article. I think that if A band of Muscle Car enthusiasts moved into my neighborhood with their intrusive noise a few years ago, I would be just as distressed as you are.

[carpio]

I would be just as distressed as you are.

But you would be surprised at the number of Muscle Car Enthusiasts on this Forum who claim the noise is just a necessary by product of a righteous and never ending quest to attain their Holy grail of High Performance!

And that innocent neighbors are expected to suck it up and take it like a man rather than whining about sleep deprivation and high blood pressure. One such cretin here brags that he likes to "Rattle his neighbor's windows" then waxes pompous on FR "Prayer Threads".

The noise mentality is beyond my ken but I am girding myself to do battle with them. and they will rue ever having made my family suffer brefore it is over. that I pledge.