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[Kenny Wisdom]

In a car? Don't be an idiot. Play music at a normal volume (so that you don't get pulled over for a noise violation, and so that you can hear sirens and trains and things).

I love reading a thread only to find out it's practically prehistoric! Anyway, I'll start rambling as is my wont.

Two things to say -

1) The good buds at Central European Union Nanny State Thought Police HQ have made it that ipods and other personal MP3 players are volume restricted now, and I don't think you can flash the firmware anymore to bypass this. What rot. (Hey, flash the firmware - did I sound like I knew what I was talking about there?  )

2) My brilliant invention idea which came to me in a firmware flash of inspiration when I was watching cars recently quite oblivious to the blue flashing lights and wailing sirens behind them - obviously in a little world of their own, possibly with their music BLARING loud and then I hit on this idea, which of course has flaws and fatal arguments against it, but then so does the wheel, I'm sure, and look how useful that's been.

Ok then, Kennys Brilliant Idea 2009^®

The problem is how to pasively infiltrate a vehicle from outside if you are an emergency vehicle and the idiots in front of you can't hear your ear splitting sirens or your impossible-to-miss-yet-somehow-missed flashing lights...and if the technology was available to send in an audio message into the car using some kind of sonic beam like "Dweebs, get out the frigging way we're on our way to put out a fire" the driver would probably freak out, panic, and crash. I'm sure I would if I heard disembodied voices in the passenger seat next to me. But what, I thought, would work?

(Cue dum dum Dummmm!

Well, you know on those car stereos these days you can set it to automatcally pick up traffic bulletins off whatever radio station in the area is broadcasting traffic news at the time? You know, you're driving along happily and obliviously with a CD on or the radio blaring away - "Missed Me! Missed Me! plinky plinky piano bwham!" then all of a sudden that cuts out and you get, "and now for the local traffic news, there's serious tailbacks on Hang Mans Corner where it's been reported AFP has been spotted alive and well, and drivers are advised to find an alternate route around the corner of Vigliones Freeway where there's been reports of a naked bowler hatted man running whilst shouting "I never wanted to do the bloody Onion thing anyway" and then it cuts back to music? Yeah - you know that? Well!! Here's the genius bit!! You fit all emergency vehicles with a low range transmitter which uses the same technology as that radio traffic thing and it's constantly transmitting, "Emergency vehicle approaching  -please let pass" and bingo!! There you have it! A low cost device which doesn't scare the living daylights out of drivers as well as sirens and lights.

Cons:
(i) You have to have your stereo set to pick up traffic reports in the first place.
(ii) I don't know what would happen if you were already listening to a traffic report at the same time - maybe Lentower can work out whether one signal can cancel out another if marginally stronger or some other trickery was involved like bouncing the signal off Uranus.

I know, I know. Bloody genius, aren't I?

[Pelle]

^ That would be a great idea, and it would work in theory. But the message should say where the ambulance is heading and on which road it is at that moment (and at which place). Because you can't transmit the message of the ambulance only in front of the ambulance y'know?

But I would really like to see people try that out, and see how well it works!

Btw I never use earbuds I use my sennheiser HD201 or something, and the funny thing is that for the past years I've used the same audio device, and I always use it with the volume on 10 when it's quiet around me and 14 when there's a lot of noise (yet I never go past it, unless it's a great song, then I sometimes put it up to 24, which is the maximum. I do this once a year, so I don't think it'll ruin my ears that bad).

[CeeGBee]

Here's an even clever-er idea, but we'd have to spend a bunch of taxpayer money...

What we do, see, is we modify each and every emergency vehicle - police cars, fire engines,
ambulances...  heck, if we're spending the money anyway, we'll get the tow-trucks and the
trucks driven by public-utility people too...

What we do then, see, is we put brightly-coloured flashing lights on them, maybe blue for the law,
red for fire and rescue, some kinda bland yellow on the tow trucks and utilities.  Then, when you
look up from that book you're reading while you drive (or your crossword puzzle if you're the heavy
brain-exercize type), you can notice the flashing lights and know to turn down the music and switch
to the emergency alert station to find out that there are emergency vehicles about and get out of
their way...


naaaah, that's just too radical.  It'll never get done.



(In an unrelated matter, one may be ticketed in my state for driving whilst listening to headphones.
However, my car was delivered from the dealer with a power outlet and plug-in jack for an mp3
player already installed in the...   whatever you people call the glove compartment or glove box.
Now I just need to get an mp3 player...)

[Pelle]

Here's an even clever-er idea, but we'd have to spend a bunch of taxpayer money...

What we do, see, is we modify each and every emergency vehicle - police cars, fire engines,
ambulances...  heck, if we're spending the money anyway, we'll get the tow-trucks and the
trucks driven by public-utility people too...

What we do then, see, is we put brightly-coloured flashing lights on them, maybe blue for the law,
red for fire and rescue, some kinda bland yellow on the tow trucks and utilities.  Then, when you
look up from that book you're reading while you drive (or your crossword puzzle if you're the heavy
brain-exercize type), you can notice the flashing lights and know to turn down the music and switch
to the emergency alert station to find out that there are emergency vehicles about and get out of
their way...


naaaah, that's just too radical.  It'll never get done.

2) My brilliant invention idea which came to me in a firmware flash of inspiration when I was watching cars recently quite oblivious to the blue flashing lights and wailing sirens behind them - obviously in a little world of their own, possibly with their music BLARING loud and then I hit on this idea , which of course has flaws and fatal arguments against it, but then so does the wheel, I'm sure, and look how useful that's been.

Yeah, clever-er idea...

[Indja]

My hearing's going in my right ear :\ It's the side that my only working headphone is on, and though I don't listen to it very loud, I do listen for a loooong time. And the studio I'm usually in for Music Tech, the chair is sort of to the right side so my head's pretty close to that speaker - about 80db or so, for at least 2 hours at a time, usually more. Like today I was in all day - 9 to 3.30ish. So, yeah, my right one gets a bit of a battering.

[CeeGBee]

Okay, we'll improve it....   Ummm....

How's this?
We'll issue citations and levy fines against drivers who play their music too loud...
...and, ummm......

We'll do the same for drivers who fail to get out of the way of emergency vehicles...
....and ummmmm.......

When people get in crashes 'cuz they just weren't paying attention, some of 'em will be
hurt or killed, or just get the shit sued out of 'em because someone else got hurt and it
was their fault....



But seriously, I think the best tool the law has for stooopid drivers is one that they use the least.
TAKE THE DUMBASS' LICENSE AWAY.  (...oh, and be more willing to impose max-penalty for driving
without a license)  Start with a 30-day suspension, if that doesn't work, revoke for a year then
make them go through the whole re-application process.  If they still don't get the hint, five years.
If that still doesn't reach them, lifetime revocation.

Also, make sure there's a national database of these things, so the guy can't just move and start
over with a clean slate.

^ is not about loud music.  I sometimes play the stereo loud in the car, but I keep my eyes open,
and always stay aware of what's going on around me.




Oh, and Indja,
MY PARENTS ARE GOING DEAF, AND IT'S A DAMN NUISANCE.  I DON'T RECCOMMEND IT.

[Kenny Wisdom]

Glove box.

[Pelle]

Okay, we'll improve it....   Ummm....

How's this?
We'll issue citations and levy fines against drivers who play their music too loud...
...and, ummm......

We'll do the same for drivers who fail to get out of the way of emergency vehicles...
....and ummmmm.......

When people get in crashes 'cuz they just weren't paying attention, some of 'em will be
hurt or killed, or just get the shit sued out of 'em because someone else got hurt and it
was their fault....



But seriously, I think the best tool the law has for stooopid drivers is one that they use the least.
TAKE THE DUMBASS' LICENSE AWAY.  (...oh, and be more willing to impose max-penalty for driving
without a license)  Start with a 30-day suspension, if that doesn't work, revoke for a year then
make them go through the whole re-application process.  If they still don't get the hint, five years.
If that still doesn't reach them, lifetime revocation.

Also, make sure there's a national database of these things, so the guy can't just move and start
over with a clean slate.

^ is not about loud music.  I sometimes play the stereo loud in the car, but I keep my eyes open,
and always stay aware of what's going on around me.




Oh, and Indja,
MY PARENTS ARE GOING DEAF, AND IT'S A DAMN NUISANCE.  I DON'T RECCOMMEND IT.

Yeah taking driver's licenses away is the best option. + the national database. I fully agree

Btw I can't live without ear protection, I can't stand high decibels even for a short period of time. And I don't get it, why don't people realize they can't just fix their ears, these are the only two you'll get and use your whole life!

[Morpheus Laughing]

Twitter March 2nd 13 hours ago.
@stevensudbury: @amandapalmer question: do you ever wear earplugs? I have bad tinnitus and am curious if or why pro musicians don't wear them.
@amandapalmer: @stevensudbury i wear earplugs when i play with a drummer. for solo keyboard....not really necessary.

I didn't know that but it's good to know that she does wear earplugs when it really matters.

[N.U.]

I drive people crazy with how low I keep the volume when listening to music and TV. I got VERY careful with my hearing after being put in charge of the hearing exams for the entire Giessen, Germany Military community. In that position, I discovered two occupations in the military with the worst hearing: Dentists and Truck Drivers.

Dentists lose all their high frequency hearing from their dentist's drill. Truck drivers lose all the low end frequencies due to their stacks being two feet behind their head.