The War on Noise . A committee of the Ministry
of . Health which has been investigating the noise of road vehicles finds that the noise emitted by vehicles can be measured and expressed in terms of units known as " phons." It recommends that all new vehicles should be tested for noise before they leave the factory and not sold unless they conform with certain conditions. It finds, as may well be believed, that motor-cycles are among the worst offenders, that sports cars and commercial vehicles make more 'noise than is necessary, but that ordinary motor-cars are not . unduly noisy. The suggested maximum of 90 phons for cars seems too high—the noise of a pneumatic drill, the worst known on the streets, being 105 to 110 phons. But the noise made by a car in ordinary motion is not the only cause of offence. Horns should be standardised within certain limits and at the same time manufacturers should be per- suaded to work for far quieter lower gears. It is the car starting-up on bottom gear ,at midnight that destroys sleep.
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