Undue Noise.
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By Arthur W. Windsor, A.M.I.Aelech.E.
In certain recent leading articles which have appeared in " THE Com_ hikRCIAL MOTOR," exception was very rightly taken to a statement which bad been made by a member of the deputation which introduced to Sir E. R. Henry's notice certain alleged causes of property depreciation in such districts as Maida Vale. The writer of these articles queried the accuracy of the estimate of six millions sterling per annum as the depreciation which London was presumed to be suffering. At the time of the deputation, it was claimed by interested parties, that the loss, whatever it totalled, was mainly attributable to the recent remarkable growth of street noises, to which the motor-omnibus was claimed to be the chief contributor. No such estimate can even be considered seriously, until we are able to assure ourselves that there actually has of late years been any remarkable increase in London's noises.
Alleged Property Depreciation in London.
It is necessarily of importance, to all users of commercial motor vehicles, to refute the thoughtless imputation that such increased turmoil, if it exists, is solely caused by the rapidly-growing use of automobiles for business purposes in the Metropolis, and it is questionable whether the ordinary person stops to consider how noisy London is, or how noisy it used to be. It is, therefore, difficult for anyone to say definitely whether the increase is "undue," i.e., out of proportion to the extension of traffic itself. The provision of asphalted and wood-paved surfaces in congested thoroughfares, and the general adoption of rubber tires for so many vehicles, gives a momentary impression that our streets should have become quieter, even if the number of vehicles using them has increased.
There is little reason to doubt that the immediate suburbs of London proper have suffered to some extent. The roads through them are now more used for business and pleasure purposes, and, in many cases, the authorities have not yet risen to the immediate demand for better road surfaces to withstand the increased and speedier service. The public is, of course, very impressionable. It has been told that London is rapidly getting noisier, and that the increase of automobile traffic is responsible for the change. Most of us are ready to fall into line with the grumblers, instead of giving a little thought to the matter ourselves, and one aim of these few paragraphs is to show that this parrot-cry of " undue noise " in London, with its specific insinuations against the motor-omnibus as a type, is liable to defeat itself. A few moments' consideration will demonstrate that the Metropolis has endured, with scarce a protest for many years, far more nerve-shattering noises than those with which the. motor
omnibus of to-day is somewhat unfairly credited. It would, however, be foolish to deny that, a year or so ago, some of the bus companies were allowing their machines to run under such conditions of inattention that they created a considerable amount of additional noise in the streets of the Metro_ polls ; but, even then, when things in this respect were admittedly bad, many worse cases of unnecessary clatter in and around our streets were overlooked. They had not been noticed, and were certainly not complained of. They did not irritate the public, because it had not been taught to be irritated by them.
The Noise of a Tube.
If one travels by the new Piccadilly Tube, and endeavours to carry on a conversation, one may be surprised to realise that one cannot be heard. The noise inside the steel cars is simply appalling. Glance at one's fellow-passengers, and it may strike one as curious to think that, if many of these people were asked their opinion of the motorbus, they would answer "They are excellent things for getting about in, but their noise and smell are unbearable." One wouldn't be able to hear them, but their reply would pro
bably be on those lines Yet these same people are perfectly content to accept the inevitable with regard to tube railways, and their " undue noise "; to make no attempt to converse; and to sit in unprotesting silence amidst all these nerve-destroying influences, occasionally relieved by fantasias executed by delighted attendants on clattering brakes and crashing swing-gates. True, the tubes are deep in the earth. Thousands are still adversely affected by them each day !
The Noise of a Railway Train.
Who of the travelling public stops to consider what a volume of "undue noise " is attendant on the progress of a steam railway train? The snorts emitted from the locomotive's chimney, as it hauls away from a station, the rattle and clang of loose side-rods, the exhaust from the vacuum-ejector while the brakes are being released, the squealing of brake-blocks, the hammering over rail joints and points, the thunderous roar as the train passes over a metal bridge, through a cutting, or into a tunnel, to say nothing of the ear_ piercing shriek of the whistle ; all these are blatant examples of "undue noise." They are noises to which we are accustomed, but their combined effect is many times more harmful than anything which proceeds from the motorbus.
The Noise of a Tramcar.
The cases of excessive noise, whether they be undue or not, have always been many, and it is questionable whether the advent of the motorbus has added more than an inappreciable fraction to the sum total of London's traffic-roar. It is quite noticeable that the noise made by a passing tramcar is far more lasting, and certainly more insistent, than that proceeding from an ordinary motorbus in fair running order. The overhead wires and the rails certainly act as conductors, and, long before and after it has passed, can the "undue noise" of a tramcar be heard. The difference in favour of the motorbus is self-evident where both classes of traffic use the highway. Who has not heard the agonised groan of a four-wheeled tramcar, as its motors drag its reluctant flanges round anything in the nature of a curve? The "whip and whistle" of the trolley-pole also annoys.
The Noise of a Horse-bus.
Go inside any ordinary iron-tired horse-omnibus, on almost any kind of road, macadam for preference, and again there is the inevitable concomitant : the clatter and noise is too much for us to make ourselves heard. We uncomplainingly ask the conductor for our tickets, by means of a series of pantomimic gestures, to wlitch, as the companies do not provide ear-trumpets, he has long since accustomed himself. Immediately afterwards, if we change into a motor-omnibus, the comparison in its favour will be agreeably surprising. Conversation can be carried on without inconvenience, and we shall still further be forced to admit that we had given barely a thought to London's other "undue noises," but had become accustomed to them.
The Noise of a Milk-cart.
Many more examples of unnecessary and unnoticed noise could be readily cited, but the writer will content himself with one more, and that is the milk-contractor's four-wheeled van, drawn by two slackly-traced ponies, generally of unequal size, the van
loaded with empty milk-churns loosely chained together, the whole equipment rattling over badly-laid granite setts, at in miles an hour. The comparative silence of a rubber-tired motorbus is undeniable, yet who would dare to interfere with the milk-cart?
The citation of the foregoing "horrible examples " makes one regret that the motor-omnibus forced its way into the lime-light so suddenly, and so called down hasty criticism on itself, because of its very newness. Its inherent noise, which at one time bid fair to compare unfavourably with other users of the streets, has for some time been negligible, for the London proprietors, in conjunction with the police authorities and the manufacturers, have, if we may, as seems reasonable, take other forms of traffic as a standard, effected even more than was necessary. Throughout a very difficult task, the London police authorities have been tactful, and not unduly harsh. It is, no doubt, a very difficult thing to set up a standard as to what amount of noise is permissible, and it would be interesting to know how Scotland Yard has arrived at such a standard.
Standards (?) of Noise.
On a summer's afternoon—I will not give the date—ten or twelve omnibuses, some new and some overhauled, were paraded on Wimbledon Common for the inspection and criticism of the Noise Committee of the Metropolitan Police. Three gentlemen, as members of this Committee, were present to pass judgment, and on the keenness of their hearing the result apparently depended. Each machine was run up the trial hill several times on various gears, and the Committee, stationed al the top of the hill, no doubt strained their ears to detect slight differences of noise as the machines passed them. So far, so good ; but the final test was so amusingly planned, and curiously arranged, that the few onlookers were left in doubt as to how the Committee arrived at any conclusion whatever. It was de.. cided that each machine should run past the judges, at full speed, and the noise it made under these conditions would then be noted. A measured stretch of road was selected on the Common, where half the width of the road was up for repair for a length of about too yards, and for a further mo yards on each side the road was covered with loose metal. The road was not closed to traffic, but half its width had, of course, to serve for vehicles going in either direction, so that all ordinary traffic coming in the opposite direction, effectually checked the top-speed run of the machines on trial, The judges were grouped at the side of the road, at about the middle of the stretch which was under repair. Two heavy steam-rollers were hard at work rolling in the metal, one a few yards to the right and one to the left of the little group of officials, and, as if to supplement the work of the two rollers, and effectually to cloak any possibility of hearing what noise the buses were making, a large water-cart commenced perambulating the stretch immediately in front of the judges. With one's back turned to the scene of operations, it was actually impossible to hear the buses as they went by at all, owing to the clangour of the two rollers and the water-cart. It was certainly the noisiest spot on Wimbledon Common, if not in the county. What standard of noise was in use it is difficult to say. The idea may have been that, if a bus could be heard above the noise of the two steam-rollers and the water-cart, it was classified as unduly noisy.
It is only fair to say that a great deal more care is usually taken, when buses are being passed, than was apparent on that unfortunate day.
A Carefully-arranged Series of Tests.
A much more interesting attempt to
compare the noise made by various types of motor omnibuses was made, some months ago, in connection with a lawsuit which was then pending. It differed from the previously-cited case, in that considerable thought and care had evidently been taken, by those responsible, in their endeavour to obtain accurate results. An attempt was made to secure phonographic records of the noise made by different makes of buses under varying conditions, The tests took place, long after midnight, on a quiet stretch of road, in the outskirts of London. The surface of the road was in moderate condition. About a dozen different buses, of 5 or 6 different makes, some new and some which had seen a lot of service, were subjected to
the following tests. The in:trument was brought close to the bonnet, and the engine was run dead slow, and accelerated, with the bonnet opened and
then closed for each speed. Subsequently, each bus was run, on each gear, as fast as possible, over about a quarter-mile of road, so that it passed the phonograph trumpet, which was in charge of one of the officials, at about the middle of its run. The final tests were taken by placing the instrument inside the bus, with the receiver pointing downwards. A record was then taken, both with the floor-boards removed and in position. It was a quiet night, and the records came out very well, and it should be an easy matter to classify such records as these, but whether such an elaborate scheme is necessary, for deciding that a busts too noisy for public service, is decidedly doubtful. It does not, however, leave so much to the personal element, and to other disturbing conditions, as the method the police authorities have been forced to adopt—for motorcabs and buses only, be it noted.
Alleviation of the Supposed Evil. The fitting of silent chains and larger
sprockets, of ball-bearing gear-boxes and carefully-ground gear-wheels, and the more satisfactory tuning-up of en. gines, have done much to quieten the motorbus. The rigid restriction of speed will do more. Details which are not always so carefully looked after include the sheet-metal advertisementboards. These should be bolted firmly on to the framework, with leather washers under the 'bolt heads. Lampglasses, window-glasses, ventilators, and dress-guards all occasionally set up small and irritating vibrations which could be easily avoided. Attention to such items as these, perhaps, is an unnecessary refinement, but the public is quick to appreciate what is done to make its travelling easier and more cemfortable, even if it is somewhat too ready thoughtles-sly to condemn any fault which may develop, and for which no immediate remedy is apparent.
M.nufacturers' Troubles.
So stringent were the police requirements a while back, that one firm of manufacturers had to resort to such expedients as filling the pressed-steel channel frame with wood, bolting rawhide discs tightly fitted into the webs of the gear-wheels, lining the whole of the interior of the gear-box with wood, and covering the floor-boards with felt, And this particular machine was, in the opinion of many, always quiet enough for London streets, and a great deal quieter than any other type previously licensed. But it had the misfortune to come up for approval just at the time when the outcry in the lay Press was loudest. The general effect on this machine was unnecessarily successful, but it has cost the makers many hundreds of pounds to effect the alterations. Conclusion.
The motor omnibus, constituting as it does at the present moment one of the latest forms of street traffic, has naturally called down upon itself the criticism of the lay Press and of the public, and, as a type, it has unwittingly done more to concentrate attention on the noisy conditions under which we Londoners live than has any of its predecessors. The 5-ton motor lorry may crash along comfortably, and pulverise the setts with its iron tires; the motor bicycle may swerve madly through crowded streets with an open exhaust; the tramcar may groan and shriek round corners, and rumble down the straights, with its trolley-wheel whistling and hissing ; tube trains may deafen their unsuspecting passengers ; the touring car may slither through the streets, with its gears howling, or its chains rattling, and its siren emitting a weird howl--more penetrating than the pain-racked groans of the ever-tobe-lamented " Pioneers" on second gear. No voice of complaint is heard : we Londoners are used to it all.
Residence in the neighbourhood of a big railway shunting-yard will convince any sane person that "undue noise" is a matter for comparison only; that the noises which are constantly heard, and but seldom remarked, are real annoyances, but that familiarity with them has bred apathy if not contempt. The meaning of undue is excessive—not unnecessary, as sonic think. London must have been unduly noisy for quite a series of years. There are some of us Londoners who actually like the roar of traffic. The man who has suddenly discovered what a terrible thing it can be is the owner of many uninhabited, over-rented flats in the neighbourhood of Maida Vale ! He is endeavouring to forget that he could no more readily let his flats, or sell his
basemented houses, two or three years before even the first Vanguard saw daylight, than he can now. It is undue rents, not undue noise, which are really his trouble !