It’s only taken them over 100 years to notice convertibles are loud? Total generalisation of a story, I’ve been in many modern convertibles that are boringly quiet and what about the dangers to your hearing with a window down? that's very load sometimes but oh yeah that wouldn’t be a baseless scare tactic story…news what a load of cr$p
Someone at the BBC doesn't understand dB.
quote:
exposes the ears to sound levels sometimes nearing those made by a pneumatic drill...around 90 decibels, with a high of 99 decibels....A pneumatic drill - 110 decibels
What was that , i cant here you.
Having ridden bikes for years I can testify that wearing earplugs should be mandatory.
They reckon even with a full-face helmet 1 minute in a 60mph airstream can damage your hearing. Problem is hearing loss is progressive and it's
later in life all those angry grinder/open top blasts come home to roost.
BTW I buy all my plugs from Lucy Dell www.earplugsbypost.com
Wide range and really good prices/service.
Cheers Pewe 
It is a bit of the blindingly obvious - as has been said motorcyclists and freefall parachutists have known about it for years! I've got a set
of moulded to me earplugs, which are great as you can wear them under a full face helmet, a flying helmet or normal ear defenders - for full belt and
braces approach!
Chris
I think it's someone trying to stop people building kit cars!......Oooops, silly me, the Govt already did that with the IVA
As an oldie, I can guarantee that too much of loud noises will do long term damage to your hearing.
I am 56 and loosing my hearing (Its worse than it was 10 years ago).
Main problem for me was my mates Grandmother was Manager of Lewisham Odeon, and we saw bands like the WHO.
We were regularly seated dead centre and 8 rows from the stage (Friends on the band and Promoters seats !).
I had tinitus for 3 days after that concert. SHIT they were LOUD
Believe me, when I say these things catch up with you in later life.
Whilst I agree with most of the above, the BBC have only just found another piece of "sansationalist journalism"
Like most media people, TV and newspapers alike, they dont usually let the truth get in the way of a good story, or making money - which it what its
really about
ie they will tell you what they want you to hear (Not a PUN!)
Yes there is some truth in it, and yes you can damage your hearing, so just take care and a few precautions. You wont regret it later in life.
EDIT:
I also rode a 500cc Triumph in the days when it was not a legal requirement to wear a helmet. Again, it LOOKED cool, but I didnt realise the damage I
was starting to do.
Now the evil machines even include MP3 players and IPOD's
Ahh... we grow wiser as we grow older. What good is that wisdom if we dont pass it on to the younger people so they benefit from out mistakes.
Young un's.... TAKE HEED of an old codger.
[Edited on 7/10/2009 by wilkingj]
Turbulent air and hissing are the worst sound for damaging hearing. Wading through journalistic misunderstanding of decibels, the advice to roll up your windows is sound.
At 28 I really struggle with hearing already.
I rode bikes for a long time, although I did eventually start using earplugs.
The main thing for me was spending about 5 years, 2 or 3 nights a week in clubs, with sound systems bigger than the average house (they used to turn
up in 3 artics!)
As such, now, when someone is talking to me, I need them to attract my attention first. I find it hard to distinguish from the background noise.
God only knows what it will be like in later years
Sean
quote:
Cruising with the top down at speeds of 50-70mph (80-112km/h) exposes the ears to sound levels sometimes nearing those made by a pneumatic drill, they argue.
)
Wind noise has got to be the last of my worries over the induction racket from the motorcycle lump!
Seriously, another non-story from a ban-everything-remotely-annoying-or-dangerous society. Government News.
At least at 'home', I can drink, smoke and operate an angle grinder. Or at least I should, but neighbours and the council dictate
otherwise.... modern society, intolerant.
One day... one day...
I can only recommend Schuberth helmets for those with bikes.... so so quiet compared to everything else on the market and German build quality to
boot.
As mentioned above the DB scale is not linear so saying a drill 90db my wife is 130db isn't very clear. My wife at 130db is about 3 times the
perceived loudness of a 90db drill.
quote:
Originally posted by franky
a drill 90db my wife is 130db isn't very clear. My wife at 130db is about 3 times the perceived loudness of a 90db drill.
"I want to be young and wild, and then I want to be middle-aged and rich - and then I want to be old and annoy people by pretending that I'm deaf"
Back when I was racing tintops we went from open face to closed face helmets, the open face worked well to deaden the sounds of the other cars 1300cc
Mini's and the like.
The minute we went ot closed face there were a couple of Mini's that were so loud I would see which side the exhaust was on so would pass them
on the other side.
Started wearing ear plugs under the helmet.
And yes at 66 my hearing is not as good, especially when the wife is talking.
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
"I want to be young and wild, and then I want to be middle-aged and rich - and then I want to be old and annoy people by pretending that I'm deaf"
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
BBC
quote:
Originally posted by londonsean69
At 28 I really struggle with hearing already.
I rode bikes for a long time, although I did eventually start using earplugs.
The main thing for me was spending about 5 years, 2 or 3 nights a week in clubs, with sound systems bigger than the average house (they used to turn up in 3 artics!)
As such, now, when someone is talking to me, I need them to attract my attention first. I find it hard to distinguish from the background noise.
God only knows what it will be like in later years
Sean