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Good noise/bad noise

(20 Posts)
giulia Thu 26-Jul-18 15:22:58

Have come across several threads here about unwelcome noises from neighbours.
I am British but living in a Southern European country where it is very hot in the Summer.
My neighbours, three generations under one roof, like to stay out late on their terrace on evenings like we are having now and invite friends etc.
Their terrace is directly below our open bedroom window so we cannot help but overhear their loud voices, the children bouncing footballs against the wall, etc. It always ends around midnight.
We have become resigned to it but I had some British guests recently and they were very annoyed by the disturbance every evening.
However, I have been thinking...We, in Europe have lived without war for a long time now but if we lived in countries that are besieged by war and violence we would LONG to hear these "peacetime" noises around us. In fact, I think these would be the noises we'd miss most: laughter, chatting, children playing.
Am I right?
PS: my husband and I have noticed that the sounds of crickets at night and grasshoppers by day has diminished over the years. These are other "good" noises.

OldMeg Thu 26-Jul-18 15:29:54

You make a good point Giulia

Synonymous Thu 26-Jul-18 15:31:30

Simple really. It is all about "count your blessings" and "live and let live" and "do as you would be done by". smile

M0nica Thu 26-Jul-18 15:32:34

When in Rome do as the Romans do.

Teetime Thu 26-Jul-18 15:33:24

I really dont mind neighbours being outside on these hot evenings and I love to hear children playing and often watch them when they play in our relatively quiet (of traffic) street BUT we did used to live next door to someone who partied every night well into the night and that was A BIT MUCH.
My neighbours several doors down have been kept awake by canoodling badgers this week - they quiet like that.

Panache Thu 26-Jul-18 15:45:37

There are certain elements to noise and what might appear acceptable to one is a right pain in the butt to someone else.

For instance we live near a B road which only leads to the coast and little hamlets.
On moving here we did notice the road noise having never lived anywhere near another road,however we soon realised it only followed a certain pattern......office workers,school children for example so busy morning and evening for about an hour each period.
We soon forgot it even existed.
However now selling our property this road is the one and only "bugbear" that constantly lets us loose a sale.

This summer has been exceptional though, this immense run of heat has probably doubled our incoming holiday makers as well as folk heading to and from the beach.............even we are complaining!!

But there are people along this road whom have lived here 50/60 years...........and they would simply look oddly at you if you were as much as mention road noise!

Squiffy Thu 26-Jul-18 15:56:30

Noise is all relative, isn't it? We have planes flying overhead at about 3000 feet and can hear them, but usually not obtrusively. When we, occasionally, walk down the London Road in a south London town, the planes are so low that you could almost touch them - but you can barely hear them because of the ambient noise of traffic and Life. We count our blessings every time we come home, realising how quiet and uncrowded our area is.

Our 'ambient noise' today is next door's two small girls playing in the paddling pool - VERY noisily!! They are so well behaved that it makes me laugh to hear how incredibly excited and SHOUTY they get grin It's a noise that I can easily put up with - squeals and laughter!

PECS Thu 26-Jul-18 15:59:47

We used to live on a busy main road in a city suburb with constant noise all through the night. Now living in a small town close to a station it is much quieter but I am frequently reminded to take water with me when the weather is hot!! confused

I don't mind noise in the evening as long as it stops at a reasonable time. Live and let live. Especially in Southen Europe where daily routines are very different to help cope with the hotter weather.

Eglantine21 Thu 26-Jul-18 17:01:23

Next door have their parents visiting from India and last night I was out in the garden at twilight. The smell of spices was drifting across,they were laughing and chatting by the patio doors, the sound of the sitar was in the background and it was so hot!

I just closed my eyes and pretended I was half a world away!

Melanieeastanglia Thu 26-Jul-18 17:08:22

I don't think I mind noise on these Summer evenings. Autumn and Winter will be hear soon enough and the noise will stop and the windows will be closed.

I believe in live and let live generally although I do accept some people may have neighbours who make unpleasant and unnecessary noise which could perhaps be a bit frightening in some circumstances.

KatyK Thu 26-Jul-18 17:17:18

We are in the suburbs of a big city. It is very quiet here. Our neighbours both sides are ladies in their 90s and are very quiet. When we are in the garden we occasionally hear strimmers/lawn mowers but the main thing we hear are ducks and geese as we have a canal at the back of our house. We are making the most of the quietness while we can, as things have a habit of changing smile Our previous house was only a couple of streets away and we had nightmare neighbours.

Jane10 Thu 26-Jul-18 17:18:52

We overlook a school and I love to hear the noise of 'playtime' and especially when the nursery children are taken for a walk right under our windows.
There's something very special about the foxes barking in the gloaming. Such a painful sad sound.

Bathsheba Thu 26-Jul-18 17:45:46

We live on a main road and have learned to tune out the sound of traffic, though it's a bit of a bind trying to hear the TV with the windows open sometimes!
One sound I was treated to recently, however, I could have done without - our next door neighbours were away leaving their 18 year old son at home alone. Well, not alone, as it turned out; he had his girlfriend staying, and let's just say she was inclined to get very vocal in the bedroom, several times throughout the weekend. With the window open wide, just above and diagonally across from my dining room window, also open while I was sewing blush.
I shouted out at one point "close your bloody window" and it stopped in an instant grin. I have to say I felt a bit for them then and wished I'd kept quiet, haha.

travelsafar Thu 26-Jul-18 17:52:32

Eglantine21 this evoked such a memory for me that it bought tears to my eyes. I loved India when i was there last year and i sooo want to go back but i fear i may never get there again.

Eglantine21 Thu 26-Jul-18 17:58:12

It’s a wonderful place travelsafar, but it’s a big,wide world. Lots of other places to see before I return ????

GrannyGravy13 Thu 26-Jul-18 18:35:17

I love to hear happy noises, adults chattering, children laughing and playing on these lovely warm evenings. We sit out in garden till dusk usually eating outside.
Have to spend enough time shut in during winter. Love waking up to the birds chirping, even though they start at silly o'clock.

NfkDumpling Thu 26-Jul-18 20:36:30

We live near a social club which closes at 11.30pm. We’re in bed well before then and go to sleep listening to the murmur of gentle conversation with a bit of laughter thrown in from the people sitting outside. Love it!

Luckygirl Thu 26-Jul-18 20:49:58

Folks chatting and children playing - fine.

The thump thump thump of bass from canned loud music - not fine!!!!

NfkDumpling Thu 26-Jul-18 22:24:00

We even manage to cope with that once a month! But it is muted as a rule. A football thumping on a wall is the thing I can’t cope with. I find myself waiting for the crash when it misses the wall.

Maggiemaybe Thu 26-Jul-18 23:40:43

loud voices, the children bouncing footballs against the wall, etc till midnight probably isn't a problem. Unless you have to get up for work early, of course. We were out in the garden till 10ish tonight, as were many of our neighbours, and it's wonderful to be able to enjoy the summer. But a couple of our neighbours have to set off for work before 6 - I wouldn't expect them to be counting their blessings if we all stopped them getting to sleep before midnight every night, however "good" the noises.