Photo credit: Boon Low licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
I added the question mark to the headline from this article by Debra Pressey in the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette because I disagree with the headline. Pressey describes the research of University of Illinois professor Pasquale Bottalico, which found that even young people have difficulty conversing in noisy situations. He also asked them if the higher noise levels would make them less likely to dine in noisy restaurants, and they said, “Yes.” Professor Bottalico plans to repeat his research in an older population.
The only problem with the research–and the reason I added the question mark–is that most often there are no quiet restaurants to go to. This study by Greg Scott, founder of the SoundPrint restaurant noise app, documents the extent of the problem in Manhattan.
I anticipate that when sufficient data are gathered in other cities, similar sound levels will be reported.
Noise is a health and public health hazard. Ambient noise in restaurants is also a disability rights issue. If enough people complain to enough local city council members, maybe something will be done to make restaurants quieter.
If the U.S. could make restaurants smoke-free, it can make them quieter, too.
DISCLOSURE. Dr. Fink serves as Medical Advisor to SoundPrint, which is mentioned in this article.
