KNOWLEDGE AND IGNORANCE: 10 THINGS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT MOTOR SPORTS NOISE.

摘要

Motor sports events are noisy. For their supporters the noise may be an essential part of the experience adding a frisson of elemental thunder to the whole drama. To many near neighbours the noise is a cause of disturbance and annoyance. These differing reactions often lead to conflict and acrimonious disputes between the noise complainants and the motor sport event organisers. The thorny question faced by noise professionals when asked to assist is 'how can one fairly and accurately assess the degree of noise intrusion?' Motor sport noise has many significant differences from other noise sources; differences that will make it easier to pick out motor sports noise from an ambient noise climate and differences that may render the normal noise assessment methods inadequate. In this paper I have set out some of the truths that I have experienced in over 18 years of dealing with the community impact of motorsports noise but I also too aware of the numerous gaps in our knowledge of this topic so the paper concludes with some suggestions of where and what we should seek by way of answers.