In response to Murray Mason’s Oct. 7 letter of too much traffic noise, I have to disagree. Noise is youth, noise is “look at me ... I am still young and proud of it”, or in a mid-life crisis (I am on my third) and trying to hold onto the youth of our past as long as humanly possible.
I believe tolerance to noise is related to hearing loss and part of the aging process. I have observed at large car shows when a supercharged race car with no exhaust system revs the hell out of the engine, everyone under 30 almost runs to the noise, while everyone over 50 runs the opposite way for cover.
I myself, with workplace hearing damage, have less tolerance for diesel engine noise and it scares me. The one thing I fear more than getting old is losing my love for youth and the noise that comes with it.
At what point in our life is loud music, loud cars, motorcycles, etc. no longer acceptable? When is the joyful scream of a child annoying? At what age is “the day the music died” and we avoid anything with volume? I will do everything in my power to hold onto the youth and the noise that comes with it. This is no disrespect to seniors, after all not all seniors are old. My friend Al Lestage at 70 has a loud old truck and still smiles at the sound of squealing tires. He is a role model of how to be a senior and still enjoy life.
As for Southeast Asia, I have been there more than 25 times and the engines are quieter there because they have little horsepower. Traffic noise appears quieter because there is so much traffic noise it all blends in. (If you go to a village or town there, the only volume level on a stereo is full volume.) Here traffic noise is quieter, but a single vehicle that is loud stands out — breaks the silence so to speak. Some motorcycles come from the factory loud, new high-performance cars come louder than 10 years ago. Maybe Murray Mason should move to Saigon and quit harassing the youth enjoying life as we did when we were young.
The RCMP also have better things to do than waste their precious time listening to every vehicle that appears youthfully loud, the city council has more important issues to address than the odd vehicle noise that disturbs only those not young at heart. It appears Murray Mason is bored with his life or upset he is not one of the youth making some noise. How much noise did he make when he was young? I know I sure made a lot of noise. We become hypocrites as we get old.
My best advise for people is to have a “late-life crisis”. Buy AC/DC Back in Black and crank it. Also buy some leathers and a hog (Harley Davidson) with loud exhaust and enjoy life. Can you still remember the words “Wee” and “Yahoo” as not being computer related?
Cliff Martin
Penticton