One evening, I was walking
back from work. The footpaths were absent and the people had thronged the
streets, waiting for busses and autos. It was rush hour and it was a hot
Chennai evening. I had to negotiate the vehicles on one side and people on the
other to walk. Every time I moved a little into the road, someone invariably
honked. But then, a city bus stopped and just as I passed by, the driver gave
out a nasty horn. For the next few minutes till I crossed to my side of the
road, the honking only seemed to only ebb. It got me wondering whether loud
horns were actually necessary inside the city.
Noise pollution in cities
are mainly attributed to vehicles and the loud horns they come with. In their
rush to move on, drivers blare horns incessantly not minding the people around
them. Noise pollution is found to have profound effects on the psychological
health of people which makes it a cause for concern.
Honking has a purpose, it
is a way of signalling fellow drivers to move away or watch out. On highways
“Horn OK Please” on lorries requests the vehicle overtaking to horn and alert
the driver ahead. It is logic itself that, with increase in the number of
vehicles, the noise levels tend to increase. But, the time has come to
regularise and to keep them in check. We need to show prudence lest it is too
late. And what more, it is for our own good. As I kept thinking I thought of a
few ways to tackle it.
1. This idea may have
crossed several people, automobile manufacturers inclusive, that it is better
to toggle between two horns, A ‘loud’ and the other ‘soft’, than keep just one
loud horn. When travelling within the city limits, the driver can flick the
switch to ‘soft’ mode and switch back to ‘loud’ on the highroads. City busses
and auto rickshaws must have only the ‘soft’ horns, maybe with varying
frequencies to differentiate between them. Scooters too can have just the
‘soft’ horns whereas bikes can come with the switch.
2. Domestically, those
who are going to buy bikes or cars can request the dealer to install a mellow
horn. This may gradually create a demand for such horns and spread. Those who
already own vehicles and have a loud horn can simply get them replaced.
3. No Horn zones can
be established around critical places like hospitals, schools and universities
and certain places of worship. Private companies can enforce their own no horn
rules within their campuses as a part of their CSR programs. Residential
colonies, staff quarters, apartment complexes can all do the same.
4. ‘No Horn Day’ ought
to be popularized by massive online campaigning and must be celebrated with
much pomp in schools and colleges. Awareness campaigns can be initiated more
frequently around noisy areas.
5. Policing is an
effective measure to keep noise levels in check. Fines and stringent action
against repeated offenders can help curb noise pollution to a great extent. But
this can come only if all else fails.
If softer horns are used by
an entire city, the noise levels of the entire city will come down. If the
noise levels of the entire city come down, the stress related health issues
will come down and the general health of the population in that city will
improve. To reduce noise pollution is a social responsibility today. And if
something as trivial as not honking or using a softer horn can help society,
then it is time we be civil about it.
Note: Subject to newer and better ideas. Kindly refine.
