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Let’s campaign for more bicycles !



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 21st 20, 09:26 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
colwyn[_2_]
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Posts: 345
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

We can’t go back to our old noisy world
Lockdown has made us appreciate how much damage is caused by the
drumbeat of modern life

Jenni Russell
Thursday May 21 2020, 12.01am, The Times

One of the great compensations of lockdown is hearing less noise, at
least of the external, ungovernable kind. One’s own children at home,
quarrelling or competing, is another matter. At least one can shout back
at them. Everywhere people are marvelling at hearing the complexity of
birdsong, the peacefulness of streets with so little traffic, the
pleasure of walking in parks without aircraft rumbling overhead.

The drop in noise is so marked that it has been picked up by the British
Geological Survey as a dramatic fall in ground vibrations. The planet
itself is quieter because we are. At the end of last month they reported
that the noise generated by our daily lives at 100 measuring stations
had dropped by between 20 and 50 per cent.

The falls were greatest near railway stations, airports, big roads and
construction sites. A seismometer near King’s Cross station in London
recorded a 30 per cent fall; even Twickenham is down 25 per cent. The
same pattern is being seen across the world. Brussels’s noise has fallen
by a third, and Germany’s car traffic is down by 50 per cent.

This is a remarkable, temporary liberation from one of the greatest and
least considered sources of stress in our lives. Most of us are battered
by noise every day but it is worst for those who live in towns and
cities, or who travel to them.

The imposition of noise and the level of it has risen sharply over the
past 40 years. It is not just more planes, more cars, and more
construction, but the rise of amplified sound in almost every private
and public space, from the piped music in shops, bars and restaurants to
the interminable, ear-splitting, repetitive announcements on buses and
trains, the thudding from car radios, boom boxes or a passenger’s
headphones, the inflicting of a neighbour’s party music at midnight on
everyone a few hundred metres away.


We feel impotent in the face of this onslaught. Rising noise feels like
an unavoidable fact of life, one that we care deeply about but cannot
influence. More than a third of people dislike piped music; fewer than a
third like it. This year the organisation Action on Hearing Loss found
that 80 per cent had cut short their visits to a pub or restaurant
because of noise.

A 2014 survey found that in a typical year more residents complain to
their local councils about noise than about any other issue. They are
right to care. Noise is not something we should shrug off as an
intrusion we must learn to live with or be more tolerant of. It is
destructive both for our bodies and for our minds.

Our understanding of the damage it causes is accumulating with every new
piece of research. In February Joshua Dean from the University of
Chicago found that noise is an undetected performance killer,
undermining the brain’s ability to focus. When the same task was given
to 128 workmen to perform against different noise levels, a slight
increase in noise, of just 10db — the equivalent of a vacuum cleaner
rather than a dishwasher — reduced productivity by 5 per cent. The
workers were quite unaware of this, as noise affected their cognition
rather than their effort.

As Dean points out, there are several significant aspects to this.
Companies are always desperate to push up productivity, which in Britain
has scarcely risen in a decade. A 5 per cent difference in performance
is dramatic. Just for context, British productivity has increased by a
miserly 0.3 per cent a year for the past ten years, down from 2 per cent
annually in the decade before.

The findings have implications for every job performed against high
noise. Anyone who must take in multiple sources of information and
focus, from a factory foreman to a traffic policeman, will function less
well than they should.

Our minds may try to accept noise; physiologically, our bodies cannot.
It affects our hearts, blood pressure, our chances of stroke. Last
autumn the European Heart Journal showed how long-term exposure to
traffic and aircraft noise increases heart disease. A five-year study of
500 adults found that for every 5db increase in average noise over 24
hours, there was a 34 per cent increase in heart attacks and strokes.

Brain imaging exposed the mechanism. Higher noise levels triggered
activity in the amygdala, which processes stress and fear, and increased
arterial inflammation. Other studies have shown that even noise we are
unaware of, heard during sleep, raises adrenaline and cortisol and
disturbs our rest.

In America, a 2018 study by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention found higher rates of hypertension and high cholesterol in
those exposed to loud noise at work. In a German study, people vexed by
noise had a higher risk of having their hearts thrown out of rhythm by
atrial fibrillation.

As a killer and a pollutant, noise has never grabbed public attention in
the way climate change and environmental pollution have. Perhaps that’s
because its effects are, paradoxically, silent and hard to see, except
individually, in our racing hearts. The government officially considers
noise “an inevitable consequence of a mature and vibrant society”. We
all want jobs and prosperity but now that we have glimpsed the effects
of greater peace this shouldn’t happen just as before.

Let’s campaign for more bicycles, quieter road surfaces, lower speeds,
fewer planes, minimal announcements, restrictions on the construction
hours the government has just, mistakenly, extended. It’s what our
hearts and minds not only want but cannot flourish without.
Ads
  #2  
Old May 21st 20, 09:37 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
TMS320
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Posts: 3,875
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:
We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern life


The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to make a
noise.
  #3  
Old May 21st 20, 12:32 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
jnugent
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Posts: 11,574
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:

On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:


We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern life


The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to make a
noise...


....in order to protect pedestrians.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so do not
so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect them/us from
a silent approach from an unseen direction.

  #4  
Old May 21st 20, 12:44 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Bod[_5_]
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Posts: 3,516
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 12:32, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:

On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:


We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern life


The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to make
a noise...


...in order to protect pedestrians.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so do not
so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect them/us from
a silent approach from an unseen direction.

Perhaps all pedestrians should learn the Green Cross Code before
attempting to cross a road.
Do you never look before you cross a road whether there is no noise?
I know that I do it automatically.
Many bicycles are virtually silent. There's no excuse to not check
first, if one has any sense.

--
Bod
  #5  
Old May 21st 20, 01:20 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
jnugent
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Posts: 11,574
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 12:44, Bod wrote:

On 21/05/2020 12:32, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:


We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern life

The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to make
a noise...


...in order to protect pedestrians.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so do
not so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect them/us
from a silent approach from an unseen direction.

Perhaps all pedestrians should learn the Green Cross Code before
attempting to cross a road.


That won't do us any good when approached from behind by a cyclist (or
an electric car, as unlikely as that is) when walking along a footway,
will it?

Do you never look before you cross a road whether there is no noise?
I know that I do it automatically.
Many bicycles are virtually silent. There's no excuse to not check
first, if one has any sense.


Whoosh...

[There was a very broad clue in my post, but you ignored it and went wrong.]
  #6  
Old May 21st 20, 01:34 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Bod[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,516
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 13:20, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 12:44, Bod wrote:

On 21/05/2020 12:32, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:

We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern life

The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to
make a noise...


...in order to protect pedestrians.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so do
not so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect
them/us from a silent approach from an unseen direction.

Perhaps all pedestrians should learn the Green Cross Code before
attempting to cross a road.


That won't do us any good when approached from behind by a cyclist (or
an electric car, as unlikely as that is) when walking along a footway,
will it?

Do you never look before you cross a road whether there is no noise?
I know that I do it automatically.
Many bicycles are virtually silent. There's no excuse to not check
first, if one has any sense.


Whoosh...

[There was a very broad clue in my post, but you ignored it and went
wrong.]

Will I get slapped lallys?

--
Bod
  #7  
Old May 21st 20, 01:46 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
TMS320
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,875
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 12:32, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:


We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern
life


The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to
make a noise...


...in order to protect pedestrians.


No. To protect drivers.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so do
not so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect
them/us from a silent approach from an unseen direction.


What on earth do you think I'm doing when I don't want this noise?

And it's not common sense.
  #8  
Old May 21st 20, 04:29 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
jnugent
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,574
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 13:46, TMS320 wrote:

On 21/05/2020 12:32, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:


We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of modern life

The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars to make
a noise...


...in order to protect pedestrians.


No. To protect drivers.


You'd have to try to make an argument for that.

But you won't succeed.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so do
not so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect them/us
from a silent approach from an unseen direction.


What on earth do you think I'm doing when I don't want this noise?


Who knows? Perhaps you want to be able to sneak up behind pedestrians in
an electric car on the footway like you do on your bike.

And it's not common sense.


I accept that for you, pedestrians don't matter. You have made that more
than abundantly clear. There's no need for you to labour the point.

  #9  
Old May 21st 20, 05:03 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
TMS320
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,875
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On 21/05/2020 16:29, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 13:46, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/05/2020 12:32, JNugent wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:37, TMS320 wrote:
On 21/05/2020 09:26, colwyn wrote:

We can’t go back to our old noisy world Lockdown has made us
appreciate how much damage is caused by the drumbeat of
modern life

The daft thing is that the rule makers now want electric cars
to make a noise...

...in order to protect pedestrians.


No. To protect drivers.


You'd have to try to make an argument for that.

But you won't succeed.


Noise is currently not fitted. If you want it, first try to
argue why it should be added.

You have made it clear that you don't care about pedestrians, so
do not so readily see the common sense in taking steps to protect
them/us from a silent approach from an unseen direction.


What on earth do you think I'm doing when I don't want this noise?


Who knows? Perhaps you want to be able to sneak up behind pedestrians
in an electric car on the footway like you do on your bike.


If it's you, I would take great delight in doing that.

And it's not common sense.


I accept that for you, pedestrians don't matter. You have made that
more than abundantly clear. There's no need for you to labour the
point.


Then I take it that after telling me that other peoples' safety is MUCH
more important than [your] convenience you will never be using a car again.
  #10  
Old May 21st 20, 05:49 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Simon Mason[_6_]
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Posts: 2,244
Default Let’s campaign for more bicycles !

On Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 9:26:24 AM UTC+1, colwyn wrote:
We can’t go back to our old noisy world
Lockdown has made us appreciate how much damage is caused by the
drumbeat of modern life


The recent lack of motor traffic has been great for both the improved air quality and lower backgound noise, but on the downside, we have a local neighbour who comes out every Thursday, plays Vera Lynn records and bangs pots and pans for the NHS.
 




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