Trivial Rant About Traffic Noise

Status
Not open for further replies.

gypsylee

SF Supporter
#1
I HATE LIVING NEXT TO THE FREEWAY!! :mad::confused:o_O

The traffic starts at around 4am and goes until at least 11 at night. I wrote to the local MP about how it affects my anxiety and quite dramatically reduces my quality of life. I wear earplugs to sleep (and have still been woken at 6am by trucks) and sometimes I wear them during the day. The MP replied that they’ve tested the noise level and it isn’t enough to warrant a sound barrier *sigh*. You’d think I’d be used to it after eight years here but I’m not and I’m sure I’ve read it’s getting busier and busier. I like the sound of birds and things, not trucks and cars, day after day after day. This area is quite beautiful.. Apart from the dirty great FREEWAY that cuts all the way through it :( I feel a bit better with my earplugs in but they don’t block out the louder vehicles. I’ve thought about soundproofing my room but it’d probably need double-glazed windows, which cost a fortune that I don’t have. Thanks if you read this..
 
#2
As a nature person I can understand what are you going through. I cant stand living next to a simple street, let alone a freeway... Maybe you can figure out some alternative DIY soundproofing methods..? I'm sure, some amateur musicians somewhere have a bunch of great ideas on this. Maybe look it up on you tube or something :]
Also, headphones with nature sounds or something to at least mask the traffic noise? O.O
Good luck <3
 

gypsylee

SF Supporter
#3
I'm super sensitive to noise and it's constant, with an off-ramp used by trucks to boot. As I say, they're so loud I can be woken up with earplugs in :mad: It just gets to me a lot sometimes.
 

nobodyknows71

For a Phoenix to rise, it must first burn.
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#6
I too live on a super busy road and have done for the last 20 odd years. It is constant 24 hrs a day. Not only simple traffic noise but I’m near a police and fire station so I have sirens 24/7 too. And my place is near a busy junction so they sound their sirens just before they get to my place and stop them just after they’ve passed.
When I first moved in I was like I am never going to be able to sleep here.
It stressed me for a long time. I used to have music on all the time just quietly in the background to detract from the road noise. I’d fall asleep with it on too. If you have to hear noise it might as well be something you actually like listening too.
It took forever but I’ve finally made peace with the noise. I had to train myself to not hear it. You know like when you meditate or use mindfulness and you concentrate on your breathing and block out everything else, I used that technique. Now I hear the traffic going by and yep it’s still as noisy but I can block it out. It doesn’t keep me awake anymore but when I’m in bed and unable to sleep I now liken it to wave on the beach. The noise comes and goes in waves and I picture the water crashing onto the sand rather than a big lorry lorry going by my house.
Reading this back it sounds silly but for me it works.

Oh and maybe secondary glazing could help. It would be cheaper than double glazing and would cut the noise a little, maybe enough so with your earplugs you’d be able to relax a little.
 

gypsylee

SF Supporter
#8
What about some white noise in your room to kill some of the excessive truck noise that's out there? You know, fan noise or some other sound.
Yep, I have a pedestal fan next to my bed which does help.


It took forever but I’ve finally made peace with the noise. I had to train myself to not hear it. You know like when you meditate or use mindfulness and you concentrate on your breathing and block out everything else, I used that technique. Now I hear the traffic going by and yep it’s still as noisy but I can block it out. It doesn’t keep me awake anymore but when I’m in bed and unable to sleep I now liken it to wave on the beach. The noise comes and goes in waves and I picture the water crashing onto the sand rather than a big lorry lorry going by my house.
Reading this back it sounds silly but for me it works.

Oh and maybe secondary glazing could help. It would be cheaper than double glazing and would cut the noise a little, maybe enough so with your earplugs you’d be able to relax a little.
I've investigated glazing but it's pretty pricey because it isn't a thing in Australia like it is in Europe. My friend in Switzerland has TRIPLE glazing!

That's so cool how you've trained your mind. I have attempted that sort of thing but my irritation is pretty strong haha, and my discipline not so strong. I would kill to live near a beach with loud waves so that's fantastic you've been able to do that :)


Living on a noisy street is the worst! Sleeping with ear plugs sucks!
I moved, it was a good call.
I had to have my ears cleaned at the doctor they were so full of wax. I was partially deaf. The funniest part is, I kind of wished I'd kept it like that :D Moving isn't an option unfortunately. My mother lives not too far away, in the quietest street, but (for now) it has her in it LOL :confused:
 

DrownedFishOnFire

Back into the wild where I belong. Out of your way
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#9
Nothing is worse than living near one of the worlds busiest airport. The sound and vibration is chaos. 24/7

Same goes for the train 2 houses down from the track that has freight going by with their horns every 30 minutes even 15 minutes at peak times. Oh my
 

gypsylee

SF Supporter
#10
You know what @DrownedFishOnFire? It’s 6:30am Sunday and they’re at it. I understand it on weekdays and even Saturdays, but Sunday morning before dawn.. What are they doing?? I’m not talking one or two cars, I’m talking almost the same as weekdays. Seriously, do you know? Church is at like 9am isn’t it?

There’s a really funny Australian movie about a family living near Melbourne Airport called The Castle :D
 

DrownedFishOnFire

Back into the wild where I belong. Out of your way
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#11
What about getting neighbors to get a petition going to put up that sound barrier. More and more of those are now popping up on the freeways.
 

gypsylee

SF Supporter
#12
What about getting neighbors to get a petition going to put up that sound barrier. More and more of those are now popping up on the freeways.
It’s been tried. I also wrote my own letter saying how it “significantly affects my anxiety disorder and decreases my quality of life” and they replied saying they’ve tested the noise level and it doesn’t warrant a sound barrier :( So the only solution is soundproofing my house (my room would be enough).

What annoys me is there’s this new freeway (which has contributed to increased traffic here) and part of it borders a golf course. Well they have this net between the freeway and the golf course which is absolutely MASSIVE. As usual, it’s all about dollars :mad:
 

DrownedFishOnFire

Back into the wild where I belong. Out of your way
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#13
Getting the community together to have a fundraiser and permits entacted to bild the sound barrier in your community could that be an option?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Please Donate to Help Keep SF Running

Total amount
$70.00
Goal
$255.00
Top