Cars, more deadly than previously thought!

Research Suggests A New Way Cars Are Killing You Is With Noise: Report

We’ve heard about the risks of cars. They pollute the air and can crash into each other, which is dangerous and obviously unhealthy. New research shows cars may be killing us by making too much noise, too.

The research comes from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and claims that noise disturbances from cars, like exhaust, horns and sirens, could pose serious health risks for people, via The Washington Post:

The authors, who examined research on noise pollution and heart disease, say that loud sounds not only disrupt sleep, which can lead to health problems, but can also ignite the stress response, releasing a rush of hormones that, over time, can damage the heart.

“Ten years ago, people were saying that noise is just annoying, but now I think there’s considerable evidence that noise makes you sick, and one of the predominate diseases is cardiovascular disease,” lead author Thomas Münzel said Tuesday in a phone interview with The Washington Post.

While the noise disturbances are not a direct cause of heart disease, the research suggests noise pollution should be categorized as a risk factor, like high cholesterol and obesity.

Source.

Ban cars!

You know, I’m really not surprised by this finding. Kudos to you for the article.

Cars have this humming noise coming from the engine too. It all adds up if you think about it. There are cars everywhere these days, and they contribute to all sorts of problems if one really thinks about it.

Silver lining: At least all those douchers with super loud and annoying exhaust systems will hopefully die out soon.

My car doesn't make any noise. It's pretty funny when people jump in parking lots because I snuck right up behind them without them noticing.

-Byshop

@Byshop: A tesla?

Yeah, but true of any electric car. At least until 2019, when the law changes so all electric vehicles in the US will have to make some sort of noise at lower than 18MPH.

-Byshop

That's why I always wear a headset as an earbud on my daily commute. It lowers the city noise but doesn't completely blocks the sounds around me.

That would interfere with my total situational awareness.

-Byshop

I don't know... I'm a heavy sleeper. I just need about 30 minutes until I go under and it takes nothing short of a 10.0 earthquake to wake me up. But, I've always thought city noise to be kinda peaceful, like babbling brooks.

A better solution than banning cars... Don't live in crowded areas. Population density is the enemy. It's a hassle to do everything which causes stress, the noise, the crime, the pollution, the higher cost of living. It's not worth it.

Never saw how having earbuds in while driving was a good idea. Surprised it's legal.

I don't mind hearing cars when I am outside of them, but I honestly don't like the sound of a car when you are inside.

It's like, the opposite of eating chips (or crisps, to you brits :D) or something crunchy: when you're munching on them, you can't hear a thing, but it's inside your head so it's ok. But when I have to listen to other people munch on crunchy stuff, it's annoying as hell.

It's the exact opposite with cars. I might even enjoy listening to some cars drive by. Vroom vroom! But when I'm inside and they muffle the exterior noise but you can still hear the endless sound of the tires humming over asphalt, it drives me insane.

@Randoggy: It's not legal.

Ironically a car without sound is far more deadly

My diesel work truck has a straight 4" pipe. It sounds pretty good, but I'd have a hard time doing any kind of stealth heist with it. ;) My sister in law, who is originally from Germany, hates it so much. I didn't install it...I bought it that way, but for a giant truck it gets great mileage...though I know I'm dumping all sorts of crazy crap into the air. In some states you can't have it in that configuration (California).

I'd love a Tesla...maybe I'll pick up a used Model 3 in a couple years.

when i first moved to boston for school my dorm room was basically right next to a major roadway w/ cars driving by at highway speeds. took me a few weeks to get used to trying to sleep w/ the noise and it was stressful.

by the end of the year it was hard to sleep w/o the noise. i found it helped relax me

It's true. Before the invention of cars, people lived longer healthier lives.

Driving is one responsibility I have no problem with robots taking over. Humans are s*** drivers.

My car's 1100 watt JL Audio stereo system drowns out every single one of those noises that the article mentions....So guess it doesn't effect me.

I like driving, I find it relaxing.

@todddow: Tradeoffs. You can live in the suburbs but a heavy traffic commute 5 days a week is bound to add stress to your life and sap hours of free time. I’ve lived in rural areas growing up, the suburbs, and the city. I wouldn’t trade city life for anything. Yeah, it costs more but everything is a 5-10 minute Uber away, night life is better, women are younger and prettier, and the commute is nonexistent.

Rural living meant being surrounded by fat ignorant Walmart hillbillies and old people which just sucks the life out of me.