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Comment by antihero | Hacker News Reader

I’d prefer to put up with mild annoyances than seep ever more into authoritarianism. Yes the guy is a dick, but you’re blowing it way out of proportion.

Honestly quite sick of the ever more sterile, dull, and gentrified cities we inhabit (I live in London).

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Pollution limits aren't authoritarianism. Toxic fumes and noise are both significant and harmful externalities, and the "free market" is really bad at curtailing externalities like these.

This might be dull and boring to you, but that's probably because these externalities do not significantly affect you. If you want to seek (loud and dangerous) thrills you have almost unlimited opportunities today to pursue them.

There are “significant and harmful externalities” to authoritarianism, too. Have you considered them?

> Pollution limits aren't authoritarianism.

of course they are, but we accept them because of the negative effects that you mention.

> Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political status quo, and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voting.

From Wikipedia. Not sure how limits on pollution are anything like that.

That’s true, but you also can’t discount the fact that people choose to live in expensive urban areas like New York, after only sure fire way to get away from the problem would be to move.

Oh please. I'm living on the other side of the planet in a city that can't be any farther from New York in just about every way, and can relate to everything I'm reading here.

I live in a suburb and still relate to the complaints 100%. The only way to get away from people riding loud, stinky motorcycles/sports cars/monster trucks seems to be to live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Actually, those assholes are everywhere. I was raging to my brother about a modified bike that ripped a giant fart right next to a bunch of houses, and he was saying he gets those on his street all the time.

> Pollution limits aren't authoritarianism. Toxic fumes and noise are both significant and harmful externalities, and the "free market" is really bad at curtailing externalities like these.

Woah now, why is there anymore “toxic fumes” than any typical exhaust? Are you confused and think the louder the exhaust the dirtier the exhaust? While this can certainly be true, the muffler has nothing to do with emissions. That’s the catalytic converter. A loud exhaust simply removes some sound baffles so the air moving has less restriction. It should not pollute more if they’ve not modified the catalytic converter.

I find it amusing that people purposely move into dense urban cities, then complain about all the noise. Like what did you expect? It's endless random fragments of new sounds. People have different tolerances for what is "annoying".

The most Onion bit of news I've seen is NIMBYs who buy condos next to a music venues. Then complain/litigate about noise till it gets shut down.

>I find it amusing that people purposely move into dense urban cities, then complain about all the noise. Like what did you expect?

This is a defeatist attitude. You could have made the same comment a hundred years ago except replace "noise" with "smog", yet clean air regulations improved the lives of billions. Cities aren't necessarily loud; most of the noise comes from cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTV-wwszGw8

Yes, I agree. Visit at any big German city on a Sunday. It is a semi-religious tradition to be quiet on Sundays (and national holidays). Even as a tourist, it was impressive! And, Germany also heavily regulates aftermarket parts for cars -- so there are almost no "rumblers" to be heard.

Tokyo is also amazingly quiet for its size and density. Just one block away from any major thoroughfare will be pleasantly quiet, but can have a lively high street with shopping, restaurants, bars, and cafes (called "sho-ten-gai").

A long time ago, I read a study about noise from high speed roads (freeways, expressways, auto-bahn, etc.) and the effect on people who live near them. They have (statistically significant) higher levels of stress, and all of the negative mental and physical effects that come with it. This is one of the major benefits from using special low-noise cement or asphalt, or trees / shrubs / barriers to reduce noise effects on people who live very close.

Finally, I'm excited for a future where more cars, trucks, and buses are electric. It will certainly make cities more quiet and livable.

> Finally, I'm excited for a future where more cars, trucks, and buses are electric. It will certainly make cities more quiet and livable.

What makes you think electric cars are not going to be modified? Have you ever unwound an electric motor to increase its performance and heard the noise it makes? It’s much louder. Have you heard the electric drag cars? They are also not very quiet.

A significant percentage of the noise is being generated by people who live outside the city and drive in.

Rural person here. My personal favorite is when people move to old subdivided farm properties, then bitch endlessly to their township supervisors that the remaining farms around them generate manure smells. Also, they're used to city lights, so they put up dozens of external lights on poles and light up the whole countryside because they're scared of the dark. It's night, people. The deer and the raccoons don't care about you.

This one made me laugh yesterday

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/golf-ball-causes-6-000-damage-to-...

What about those of us born in New York who have found that it's gotten significantly noisier recently, particularly during covid

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