Photo credit: David McElwee
by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies
Here I am writing again about noise leading to a violent act. In this case, an Oakland, California resident was so angry at the cars that were loudly racing by his house, that he took his rifle and began shooting at the passing motorists. A 21-year old woman near his house was fatally shot. Murder charges are being filed against the shooter.
While it is certainly disturbing that we are now hearing cases of violence associated with noise, I would like to think that most people who are disturbed by noise or who are creating the noise are more likely to seek out ways to resolve the noise complaints without turning towards violent behavior. I also believe the increase in violent behavior is related to the increase in gun ownership.
In New York City, where I have heard from people who have sought my assistance in resolving their noise complaints, the most common response has been feelings of stress, discomfort, and unhappiness that they have not yet been able to resolve the noise problem. I have also been working with several groups in New York City who, disturbed by loud cars passing their homes, are organizing to stop the noise by working together to get the attention and support of their public officials. I have attended several meetings with these groups and retaliating with violence has never come up. Yet, it is still possible that several people awakened by loud passing cars late at night might have had thoughts centered on some sort of violent behavior.
I hope that these acts of violence in response to noise will not increase, but with the growing number of guns in peoples’ hands, especially those with mental disorders, we might hear more cases of noise being met by violence.
With noise being seen as a worldwide pollutant and its links to adverse mental and physical health effects being supported by many studies, it is imperative that public officials take a more active role in lessening environmental noise. While passing legislation to restrict noise is important, it is essential that legislation be enforced. It would also be helpful to have congress restore the funding for the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Noise Abatement and Control. This would provide a national call for less environmental noise.
