First the Big Apple was bitten by the non-smoking bug – and now, the city that never sleeps is aiming to ensure its residents can get a little peace and quiet.
According to The Independent newspaper, the city’s mayor Michael Bloomberg is planning to put “mufflers on the metropolis” by introducing the most radical anti-noise laws in three decades.
Among the noise-polluters being targeted by the mayor, who recently introduced a no-smoking rule in all workplaces, are dogs, air conditioning units, construction workers, car alarms – and even ice cream vans.
Bloomberg is reported as saying: “Complaints about noise are not frivolous. Noise disturbs our sleep, prevents people from enjoying their time off work and too often leads to altercations when police are called in. It can also produce serious hearing impairment, especially for those who work in noisy jobs.”
The mayor appears to be keen not to be perceived as a killjoy, however – especially so soon after the smoking ban; he reportedly wants to “balance the need for construction, development and an exciting nightlife with New Yorkers’ well-deserved right to peace and quiet”.
The Independent suggests Mr Bloomberg may be on to something, adding: “No one is going to complain if birdsong breaks out in Times Square.”
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
