Free Speech or Noise Bylaws? (Or can they be compatible?)

[aimeeandbeatles]

One thing that bothers me immensely is when people blare their loud, thumping music out of car stereos, often times with rude words that if I repeated would probably get me insta-banned . Anyways, here's an antedote: One day I got stuck beside one at a traffic light, so loud that my ears were hurting. My ears were still ringing 48 hours later. Even today, once in a while my ears will ring really badly. Its never happened before that day.

There's not really any laws or bylaws about this in my area other than you can't play anything loud after 11 pm (the neighbors all suddenly go quiet at 10:59 pm). I know that some people would consider it free speech to do that. But at what point does the rights of other people to conserve their hearing over the right to free speech? What if someone is able to prove they have permanent hearing damage because of this, which they have no control over (other than to live in a rural area, always wear earplugs, and never leave the house)?

How about other things. Oftentimes I've been trying to study and the neighbors were having abnormally loud sex to the point where I was worried there was domestic violence going on. Or people tearing up and down the driveway in cars that lack mufflers (around here, you can get a muffler from an auto-wreck place for pretty cheaply. I know this because one time the muffler fell off of mom's car. Also, this isnt just off and on, its gone on for weeks and weeks and weeks.) Or kids running around the backyard, screaming ceaselessly for hours.

Thoughts on this?

 

[emzie]

You have a right to say things. You don't have a right to make others listen to you.

 

[History_Buff]

When you start getting into the range of potentially harmful amounts of noise, or it's just some idiot making noise to show off (motorcyclists, morons with straight pipes, I'm looking in your direction), then I have no problem slapping them fines.

Your couple having loud sex is the case where I can't imagine the law getting involved. It's unfortunate and uncomfortable, but really something to be discussed with your co-residents, or perhaps subject to a condo agreement. However, I bet if you call the cops on them once about a suspected domestic abuse incident, they'll quiet down a little.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

One time there was a motorcycle rally going on in my town and I got stuck at an intersection where they were all driving by and my mom was unable to turn the car around. I nearly had a nervous breakdown.

 

[Newbunkle]

Extreme noise can damage hearing. Some people are also sensitive to loud noises and can get get very stressed. I think I read somewhere that some autistics have very sensitive hearing for example, and prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause distress. Obviously the freedom to speak doesn't mean you have the freedom to do it loudly.

Noise can be really irritating:


Link to video.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

There's not really any laws or bylaws about this in my area other than you can't play anything loud after 11 pm (the neighbors all suddenly go quiet at 10:59 pm).

Have you considered going to your municipal council about this? Here in Red Deer, the noise bylaws are enforceable 24 hours a day, although the cops don't tend to take it very seriously unless it's extremely excessive noise or it's after about 10 p.m.

 

[Polycrates]

"Free speech" really boils down to "freedom of political(/religious/etc) expression" - i.e. the freedom to express unpopular views (verbally or otherwise), not the freedom to just make a whole lot of pointless noise. Sure, it might entail your right to listen to whatever music you like, but playing that music loud enough to cause physical damage to peoples' ears isn't exactly "political speech", not even if it's your favourite rage against the machine tape. Just like how free speech won't protect yelling "fire" in a crowded theater - that's not expressing a viewpoint, that's just being a dick.
So it's not really any different from an argument about whether you can use a chainsaw at 3AM on a crowded street - it's a matter of striking the fairest balance, but I don't think there's any reason to get loaded and absolutist terms like "free speech" involved.

 

[Leoreth]

That would be the stupidest interpretation of free speech I've ever heard.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Have you considered going to your municipal council about this? Here in Red Deer, the noise bylaws are enforceable 24 hours a day, although the cops don't tend to take it very seriously unless it's extremely excessive noise or it's after about 10 p.m.

I dont' know, theres other things to worry about, such as the town council member who somehow managed to get up close to $30,000 in spending expenses (?!?!?!).

 

[Leonel]

It's called Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Shout

 

[emzie]

"Free speech" really boils down to "freedom of political(/religious/etc) expression" - i.e. the freedom to express unpopular views (verbally or otherwise), not the freedom to just make a whole lot of pointless noise. Sure, it might entail your right to listen to whatever music you like, but playing that music loud enough to cause physical damage to peoples' ears isn't exactly "political speech", not even if it's your favourite rage against the machine tape. Just like how free speech won't protect yelling "fire" in a crowded theater - that's not expressing a viewpoint, that's just being a dick.
So it's not really any different from an argument about whether you can use a chainsaw at 3AM on a crowded street - it's a matter of striking the fairest balance, but I don't think there's any reason to get loaded and absolutist terms like "free speech" involved.

Rage against the machine tape? Old person! Get him!

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I dont' know, theres other things to worry about, such as the town council member who somehow managed to get up close to $30,000 in spending expenses (?!?!?!).

Misspending is important, but so is your hearing. Asking the council to make the noise bylaw enforceable 24 hours a day instead of just after 11 p.m. is not unreasonable.

Never be afraid to tell your local council when you think they're not doing something right.

 

[GhostWriter16]

It's called Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Shout

This. You can say what you want, but if the loudness is harming other people, you should be asked to quiet down. This isn't an issue of freedom of speech really. Freedom of speech is the right to say things other people may not like, or may consider offensive.