Children in our modern world learn to tolerate, expect, and look forward to loud intense sounds. It begins in early childhood with noisy toys. It continues into teenhood with walkmans, discmans, TV, radio, etc. This activity progresses into early adulthood as they buy loud car stereos and go to loud dance clubs. Our nation's youth actually become addicted to the loud, amplified, bass music and think that it is normal. As time progresses, more and more is required to satisfy the needs of the listener.

Endorphins are released when the body is subjected to loud, overwhelming sounds. As a result, the listener experiences a sensation of elation, similar to a "runner's high." Though the listener feels good, his body is actually trying to compensate for the dangerous noise assault it is experiencing.

"Noise is the etymological grandchild of the Latin word, "nausea," and a younger cousin to the archaic English word for strife, contention and quarreling; not a surprising fact, since noise can lead to conflict and even litigation. Noise has also been implicated in the onset of hypertension, increased cholesterol levels, and frequent migraines. Noise can 'drive people crazy,' as evidenced by the young people who have turned to violence to get the adrenalin rush that noise got them addicted to." (Source - NOISE AS A METAPHOR FOR KOYAANISQATS!, by Maya Khankhoje)

Boom cars and loud music have been linked to murder and other crimes! A few examples follow:

1.) In 1995, in Los Angeles, California, an innocent family took a wrong turn on a city street in their family car. Gang members had gathered in the area where this family happened to find themselves. Seeing the car, the gang members opened fire on them, killing a 3-year-old child and wounding the 2-year-old child. The gang was known for their violence and loud music from their car stereos. (Source - WRONG TURN COSTS A CHILD'S LIFE, by Jennifer Auther, CNN U.S. NEWS, 9/18/1995)

2.) In 1999, in St. Petersburg, Florida, a homeless man was punched and kicked to death by two boom car boys. The two young men murdered the 51-year-old homeless man after "he or someone with him complained about their loud car stereo as they cruised by." (Source - HOMELESS MAN MURDERED AT BUS STOP IN SAINT PETERSBURG, FL, USA, by Tom Boland, 8/12/1999)

3.) In 2003, a boom car owner was murdered by a local resident tired of hearing the blaring "combination of rap and hip-hop music" from the parked car at 12:50 a.m. The boom car owner, Carlos Perez, was 44 years old and an executive chef. Unhappy with the music blasting in the middle of the night, the resident went to confront Perez. Words were exchanged, and the two men got into a fistfight. Perez, the boom car owner, died during the scuffle. (Source - SF.com 2/5/2003, FIGHT OVER LOUD MUSIC TURNS DEADLY IN SF, by Bay City News Report/SF.com 2/6/2003, POPULAR CHEF DIES IN FIGHT: LOUD MUSIC IN CAR LEADS TO FATAL FISTICUFFS, by Henry K. Lee and Steven Rubenstein, San Fransisco Chronicle)

4.) In 2002, a man was shot twice by a boom car owner. The man was visiting a friend when both became irritated with the boom car owner's loud car stereo. When they asked him to turn it down, the boom car owner left the area. He left long enough to retrieve a .25-caliber pistol. The boom car owner came back to the local residence of the complainants and promptly fired four shots. Two of the shots hit one of the men who complained. The man was injured so severely that he will walk with a limp for the rest of his life. The boom car owner was 18 years old and had a history of run-ins with the law. Two 'juvenile girls' were in the boom car at the time of the shooting. (Source - the Cincinnati Enquirer, COVINGTON MAN SHOT IN LOUD-MUSIC DISPUTE TESTIFIES, by Jim Hannah, 6/20/2002)

5.) A woman was stabbed to death when she complained about a neighbor's loud stereo at 11 PM. The loud stereo was located in an apartment building. The two women involved "had called police on each other about loud music at least eight times since 1999." (Source - Dayton Daily News, GREENE WOMAN STABBED TO DEATH: OBJECTIONS TO MUSIC VOLUME LEADS TO HOMICIDE, by Amelia Robinson)

6.) In 2001, a boom car owner in Vermont also had a laundry list of other crimes, as he stood before the judge. These other offenses included, "possession of ecstasy (an illegal drug), possession of marijuana, failure to appear for a court hearing," having a role in a teenage prostitution ring, rape of a 17-year-old girl, attempted murder, and robbery. (Source - SUSPECT IN TEEN'S DEATH WAS IN VT CUSTODY: RODRIQUEZ MIGHT HAVE BEEN HELD FOR PAROLE VIOLATION, by Ed Sharny)


7.) In 1999, a boom car owner murdered his 18-year-old girlfriend. He was only 19, but had a laundry list of other offenses along with his loud car stereo: DUI, "drug paraphernalia, telephone harassment, traffic violations." (Source - The Cincinnati Post, 3/26/1999, HAMILTON TEEN KILLED: BOYFRIEND HELD; 'DOMESTIC DISPUTE' CITED BY GA POLICE)

8.) In 1997, Santa Ana, California had a problem with up to 1,000 cruisers in their city. Because of the loud car stereos, drugs, alcohol, murders, and violent conflicts between rival street gangs, gang members yelling obscenities and firing their guns into homes and cars, and clogged traffic, residents and businesses were leaving the area. "Cruising, a seemingly harmless event was the cause of traffic gridlock, noise, general disorder, crime, violence, and great fiscal expense." When the city eliminated the cruisers, the residents and businesses moved back in and thrived in the safe and peaceful environment. (source - CRUISING ABATEMENT PROJECT: REDUCING STREET CRUISING AND RELATED CRIME, Santa Ana Police Department, CA, 1997)

9.) Los Angeles, California and Hollywood contain a wealth of gangs. One man lived among them for a period of time and related this statement, "I sometimes would watch the gangsters with shaved heads, white T-shirts, gold chains, tattoos, and baggy pants in with their low-rider cars and loud stereos and I would wonder if they actually wanted someone to shoot them. The gang members weren't hard to identify! They might as well have painted targets on the back of their shirts. These gang members were like a cancer and affected the life of the community adversely in a myriad of different ways, both large and small. Residents of our block simply tried to survive the best they could by ignoring, collaborating, and/or simply putting up with them. Yet with the gangsters there ultimately could be no doubt: the neighborhood was THEIRS!" (Source - HOLLYWOOD!, by Richard Geib) (HOLLYWOOD DAYS! LA GANGS, RUNAWAYS, DRUGS, AD NAUSEAM - ALL THE PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD!)

10.) In 2001, in east Palo Alto, three men were arrested for attempted homicide and assaulting a police officer. The two male victims were stabbed over an argument over "vehicular noise." When the police arrived on the scene, they found "active fighting in the streets" and a "crowd of dozens." (Source - the Daily News, 8/13/2001, FIGHT OVER LOUD CARS LEAVES TWO CRITICAL, by Christine Lias)

11.) In 2002, a Gainesville, Florida police officer cracked down on loud car stereos, as a way to contact possible gang members. He was nominated for Officer of the Month! These are some of the things the officer found as he pulled boom cars over: a fully loaded .45 Glock automatic under one driver's seat (the owner was a convicted felon and not allowed to possess weapons), marijuana, and a major pot dealer was arrested and taken off the streets. (Source - http://www.gainsvillepd.org/officer_of_month.htm - GAINESVILLE OFFICER OF THE MONTH)

12.) In 2003, the Savannah police were called to a residence, due to loud noises. The found a large amount of marijuana, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and cocaine. (Source - Savannah Morning News, 6/19/2003

13.) In 2003, Savannah boom car owners have also been arrested and ticketed for engaging in other crimes. For example: DUI, drug paraphernalia, cocaine, delinquent child support, driving without insurance, tag registration, or license; wrong tag on vehicle, possible arsonist, loitering, leaving a restaurant without paying, etc. One Savannah police officer informed me that the majority of his boom car investigations have led to finding the drivers to be involved in other crimes.

In general, bad behaviors tend to lead to other bad behaviors and crimes cluster and escalate! What other offenses might a vigilant and observant police officer find if he pulls over a boom car? The high-intensity/low-frequency noise from boom cars is a powerful and dangerous force. The time for viewing boom cars as a "lesser offense" and "boys being boys" is at an end.
We need to work together to rid our nation's streets and highways of this dangerous offense! We CAN reclaim peace, quiet, and safety for our cities and neighborhoods!
The right to quiet is a RIGHT - not just a privilege!