NEWS: Shhh! Keep your car engines quiet, lawmakers are sleeping

**ghosthunter** · January 4th, 2010 04:01 PM

http://www.bigbigcars.com/boards/def...42&find=unread

[SIZE="5"]Shhh! Keep your car engines quiet, lawmakers are sleeping[/SIZE]

By Leila Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:37:00 01/03/2010

THEY must be lying sleepless at night.

Lawmakers led by the President’s son, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Arroyo, want to regulate the noise generated by vehicles in residential areas at night and in the early morning hours.

Arroyo and eight other congressmen have introduced a bill that would penalize motorists who “unreasonably” accelerate their car’s engines or blow their horns in non-commercial districts.

Joining Arroyo in authoring House Bill 7072 were Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Antipolo Rep. Roberto Puno, Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, Misamis Oriental Rep. Yevgeny Emano, Bukidnon Rep. Candido Pancrudo Jr., Sultan Kudarat Rep. Arnulfo Go and Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza.

Explaining the measure, the lawmakers said that noise pollution can damage one’s hearing. Very noisy driving also causes lack of sleep and brings stress, which could lead to high-blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and nervous disorders, they said.

“Any noise appreciably louder than talking can damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea, the structure in the inner ear that converts sound waves into auditory nerve signals. The initial damage to the cochlea may be temporary, but with repeated exposure, the damage becomes permanent. Even at levels below those that cause hearing loss, noise pollution produces other problems,” they said.

Under the bill, it would be unlawful to “unreasonably” operate a motor vehicle, accelerate its engine or blow its horn or any warning device within a residential area from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

They said the activity should not be audible to the human ear at a distance of over 150 feet from the property line of the noise source. It should also not cause the noise level in a residential area or a condominium or apartment complex to exceed the ambient noise level by more than five decibels.

The ambient noise refers to the background noise and varies depending on the location and circumstances.

Those who violate the measure will be fined P5,000.

Exempted from the measure are vehicles on public highways or streets, and off-highway vehicles. Vehicles used in emergency situations are also exempted.

**A121** · January 4th, 2010 04:47 PM

I wonder how would they quantify "unreasonable".

**ghosthunter** · January 4th, 2010 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by A121

I wonder how would they quantify "unreasonable".

"They said the activity should not be audible to the human ear at a distance of over 150 feet from the property line of the noise source. "

Kinda vague. Just like the intelligence level of Arroyo Jr.

**actor21** · January 4th, 2010 05:11 PM

wala ng maisip na matino itong arroyo nato ah..pwede naman sya gumawa ng bill na i firing squad ang kurakot at matitigas ang mukhang public officials..isa na doon nanay nya

**coiter** · January 4th, 2010 05:31 PM

profound. their constituents must be very proud of the servants they elected. nakakatawa siguro to pagdating ng election period. nagsisigaw sila sa entablado na magyayabang na "ako ang nag author ng batas laban sa maiingay na sasakyan" sabay motorcade with horns and sirens blaring hahaha

**Memphis Raines** · January 4th, 2010 05:40 PM

Ayaw sa maingay na sasakyan pero ok lang kung full blast mga wang-wang nila

Talaga naman oo...

**jave** · January 4th, 2010 05:48 PM

More laws to pester private motorists? I'm sure that enforcers would only apprehend private vehicles, despite the fact that practically every jeepney out there has a ruined exhaust and a loud, clunky, poorly-maintained diesel fart machine.

Let us not forget those stupid garbage trucks honking their horns at 3am in the morning and waking up the entire neighborhood.

Well, what can you expect from imbeciles anyway?