Boom cars: Noise pollution at its worst

Abstract

Boom cars, sometimes referred to as ‘‘boomers,’’ are vehicles that have stereo sound equipment installed specifically to generate exceedingly loud sound levels. Because the market is so lucrative, particularly among automobile owners under 30 years of age, manufacturers aggressively engage in promotion of ultra-high-power amplifiers, auxiliary bass drivers, midrange drivers, tweeters, crossovers, etc. Loudness competitions are held; and levels as high as 170 dB have been reported. Most advertising emphasizes loudness—for example, a TV spot shows a van’s sound system shattering store windows as it speeds down a street. In addition to an extremely high probability of hearing loss, those exposed to the excessive vibration inside a boomer’s interior may experience other sorts of physiological trauma, this in addition to annoying the surrounding neighborhood with excruciatingly high sound levels. The phenomenon of boom cars compares to that of tobacco addiction—a danger to vehicle occupants and a nuisance to ‘‘secondary’’ listeners. Countermeasures against such public nuisances include: (1) enactment and diligent enforcement of municipal laws specifying limits on discernable sound levels, (2) education in secondary schools on the dangers of excessive noise levels, and (3) public criticism of manufacturers’ promotional efforts that emphasize extremely high sound power.