VietNamNet Bridge - The tumultuous noise from vehicles’ horns, the ear-splitting sounds from loudspeakers at TV shops, and music from clarinets and drums during funeral processions all are  unpleasant sounds Hanoians have to listen to every day. 


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Noise is part of life of Hanoians




Lang, Tran Duy Hung, Truong Chinh, Pham Hung and Hoang Quoc Viet streets have  the highest level of noise pollution because of the traffic volume in rush hours. Terrible noise is emitted from vehicle engines and the horns of trucks. 

Ignoring the non-honking signs, drivers still beep at others all the time.

Hoang Thi Thu, who lives on Le Duc Tho street and drives a motorbike every day to go to the office and bring kids to schools, complained she always feels stressed because of many kinds of sounds, dust and traffic jams.

Nguyen Van Vu, 70, in Dich Vong Hau residential quarter in Cau Giay district said he is most afraid of the noise produced by the machines working on a construction site near his house. 

“Bulldozers, excavators and drilling machines work day and night. We usually suffer from insomnia,” Vu said.

Scientists pointed out that if noise exceeds the permitted level, people’s productivity will decrease. More dangerously, the noise intensity of 90 dBA or above will adversely affect blood pressure, the stomach, and cause fatigue, insomnia, impairment of hearing and neurodegeneration. 

Hanoians are also ‘tortured’ by the noise from other sources, from the music at draft beer shops on pavements to the cassettes that beggars turn on to catch people’s attention.

Sometimes a funeral and a wedding are organized on the same day and in the same residential quarter. As a result, local residents have to listen to both sad and happy music.

“One won’t be jailed if he causes noise by playing music or singing too loudly during his birthday party. Therefore, people ignore all advice and requests to turn down the volume,” a man complained.

A research study conducted by the Institute for Occupational Health and Environment of 12 roads and major traffic routes in Hanoi found that the noise intensity in the daytime in  is 77.8-78.1 dBA, or 7.8-8.1dBA higher than the permitted level. The figures were 65.3 – 75.7 dBA and 10 - 20 dBA, respectively at night.  

Scientists pointed out that if noise exceeds the permitted level, people’s productivity will decrease. More dangerously, the noise intensity of 90 dBA or above will adversely affect blood pressure, the stomach, and cause fatigue, insomnia, impairment of hearing and neurodegeneration. 

Reducing noise and ensuring safe lives for people is a must for civilized cities. To do this, environmentalists have called on necessary measures to reduce the number of personal vehicles, develop public transport, tighten advertisement activities, develop more greenery, and impose heavy sanctions on violators.


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Mai Thanh