THE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS OF ACOUSTICS - H. H. Arnold ...

348 13. Criteria and Regulations for Noise ControlTable 13.7. European Union Highway Vehicle Noise Limits.Unloaded WeightNoise Limit,Vehicle Description (metric tons) Power (kW) dB(A)Passenger car — — 74Mini bus 9 seats >3.5 12 >150 80Motorcycles≤80 cc 75>80 ≤ 175 cc 77>175 cc 80are widely used throughout the world, including Japan (which does not have1-dB(A) tolerance). The test site configuration is used for all classes of vehicles,including motorcycles, with the measurement distance set at 7.5 m.Boom cars, sometimes referred to as “boomers,” are vehicles that have audioequipment installed specifically to generate excruciatingly loud sound levels. Becausethe market is so lucrative, particularly among automobile owners under30 years of age, manufacturers aggressively engage in the promotion of ultrahighpower amplifiers and rather hefty loudspeaker systems. Boomer systems areusually operated at levels that generate a high degree of annoyance in residentialneighborhoods, which constitute a problem of increasing proportions (Raichel,2000). Loudness competitions are held, and levels as high as 175 dB (two and ahalf times louder than the Boeing 747 jumbo jet) have been reported. Much ofthe equipment advertising emphasizes loudness; and it is apparent that fidelity ofsound reproduction rarely figures in the setup of a boom system.The problem of boom cars is not confined to the United States. It is also becominga problem in Latin America (Raichel and Miyara, 2001). The phenomenon of boomcars compares to tobacco addition—a danger to vehicle occupants and a nuisanceto “secondary listeners.” Countermeasures against such public nuisances include:(a) enactment and diligent enforcement of municipal laws specifying limitationson sound levels, (b) education in school systems on the dangers of excessive noiselevels, and (c) public criticism of manufacturers’ promotional efforts that stressextremely high-level sound outputs. In Chicago boomer cars that can be heard from22 m (75 ft) are subject to seizure and their owners may be fined $615. Buffalo,Cleveland, and Pittsburgh police are cracking down on boom cars. In Papillion,Nebraska, owners of car stereos that can be heard from 15 m (50 ft) away canbe sentenced to 3 months in jail. The police in Lorain, Ohio have been regularlyenforcing the law approved in 2002 that prohibits car steros from being audible at15 m or more from the car. A first offense brings a $300 fine. A second offense