Even a child knows you're an idiot

[Chromatix]

There's a constant row over a proposed third runway at Heathrow airport, and more recently over a new high-speed railway that is planned to join London to Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester. Many of the objections to both boil down to noise and property values.

Noise objections to an airport expansion in a densely populated area are entirely justified. Noise objections to an electric railway with no level crossings in mostly rural areas are somewhat less so - and historically, railways tend to *improve* property values.

But I came across an intriguing statistic recently - the entire new railway, hundreds of route-miles long, will take up less total land area than Heathrow does today, without the third runway. That's counting everything inside their respective boundary fences. Makes you think, no?

[BearLeeBadenaugh]

I like how a buddy of mine solves the noise/crowd issue for the one big event near his place. He has a fairly nice house within walking distance of Wittman Field(site of EAA AirVenture, about a half million attendees last year), so they rent it out every year and take a vacation, paid for with said rental $$$.

[MrSmiley]

I can only think... well why did you move in next to a fucking racetrack then? That's like moving in next to an airport and then bitching about the sounds of airplanes landing.

That happens too however, and it's not even that uncommon or restricted to specific cities. Typically what will happen that as a city grows, it might grow in the vicinity of the airport. Lured by cheaper land, because it's by an airport, real estate companies build houses and sell them to people. Those people move in and start complaining about the noise because they're by an airport.

This is a timeline of about 10-30 years but it still seems to be a story I come across again and again.

[Andrew B.]

When I worked at the Shakespeare Festival, the people who lived in the Condo building next to the park would constantly complain. Though, it should be noted, that while the festival is going on, there are fewer homeless people and/or prostitutes around the area, due to a stronger police presence.

[Trixie]

One night a year there is a 4th of July festival thrown by the city and my store sits on primo real estate to watch the fireworks. We get swamped. We have a few complaints by customers who are just shopping but not many. For one we're not going to turn away the people who want to watch the fireworks. My store probably doesn't make much money from sales of snacks and stuff but it's all about keeping our good name in the community. And it's only one night of the year outside the rest of the busy holidays. I'm just so tired of complainers.

[Racket_Man]

I can only think... well why did you move in next to a fucking racetrack then? That's like moving in next to an airport and then bitching about the sounds of airplanes landing.

That exact thing happened to Lambert St. Louis Airport back in the 1960's and 70's. The airport was kinda out in the "outskirts" of the county. Jet iarcraft were just beginning to be introduced into the airline fleets. There were a few small communitites. The airport expanded BUT so did the surrounding communities -- by leaps and bounds. people KNEW where the airport was BUT still bought houses around the airport. and YET they still bitched and complained about the noice levels.

EVEN WITH the so called "noise abatment" takeoff procedures there is STILL a LOT of noise.

I remember a time where you could walk out onto the roof above the terminal gates and watch the planes. That ended when there were enough jet aircraft running around to be a safety hazard for the persons standing on the ovbservation roof.

[Aethian]

Reminds me of when the house next to Mom's was being sold. We have dogs, this is known. We were here first, by 35 years. We still had realtors trying to tell us that they couldn't sell the house because our dogs made people nervous and could we get rid of them?

At least we have neighbors now that are only too happy to talk to the dogs while their outside. Aurora has even calmed down enough that she will allow the kids to pull her undercoat fluff when she blows her coat. It only took two years.

[ozcatbug]

I used to work at a theme park on the Gold Coast in Queensland. (The world of nightmares, for those playing at home). When the park was originally built, it was in the middle of nowhere just off the main highway from Brisbane to the Coast. By the time I started there, suburbia was starting to be built up around it. The amount of complaints about the noise of people screaming and the big ride machinery was amazing. When asked why these people would choose to buy a house right next to a theme park (only a two lane road separated the park from the housing estate) the people said that they thought it would be a good place to dump the kids at weekends.

I really don't understand people sometimes. At least when I moved into the estate beside one of the other parks, I knew that I would be hearing the sounds from the park. Plus that estate was built at the same time as the parks I believe to supply housing for the workers. A neighbour of mine was always complaining about the noise, but I just told him if he didn't want the noise, he shouldn't have bought a house right next to the park. Personally I liked that I could go to the top of my driveway and hear the latest dive-in movie. Couldn't see it, but it was fun to listen to on a summer night.

And another one when a friend of mine started complaining about having trouble with getting to and from work, as well as the noise when Indy was on. He lived in Surfers Paradise, right above the track. When I asked why he moved in there, he said it was so he could watch the race live and for free. I just shook my head and told him to suck it up.

[sms001]

That exact thing happened to Lambert

I think the city even thought pretty seriously about buying out most of Bridgeton at one point.

[Sandman]

While my wife and I live near an Air Force Reserve base.. and still hear the planes at night (the stop training flights after 10pm.. so anything we hear is mission oriented), we love hearing the planes because of what it means.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Sheesh, I used to live next to a bar that had live rock bands on Fridays and Saturdays. I looked upon it as the chance to sit at home drinking for a hell of a lot less and still get free loud music! Win win situation

One of the reasons I miss the neighbors who lived up on the corner house (they were there almost a decade) who would have parties on weekends - I actually enjoyed the 70's and 80's music they'd play when I would sit out on my back deck.

The folks in that particular house currently are much quieter.

[protege]

That happens too however, and it's not even that uncommon or restricted to specific cities. Typically what will happen that as a city grows, it might grow in the vicinity of the airport. Lured by cheaper land, because it's by an airport, real estate companies build houses and sell them to people. Those people move in and start complaining about the noise because they're by an airport.

Yep, it's happened here too. When both of the local airports (Pittsburgh International, and Allegheny County) were built in 1926 and '42, most of the surrounding land was rural. Nobody cared about the noise then. It wasn't until people started moving out of the city due to crime, traffic, and taxes, that it became a problem. County airport isn't too bad, since most of the traffic was eventually diverted to PIT. The only problem we have here, are the idiots who insist on 'buzzing' our neighborhood. Still, the noise is nothing like it could be if I lived near PIT! That's the 47th busiest airport in the country, and the 2nd busiest in PA!

And yes, quite a few residents near PIT bitch and moan about the noise. Sorry, but you knew that the airport was nearby and you moved there anyway. STFU. Same with the idiots who live with the Parkway in their backyards. Yes, I know the traffic sucks and is noisy, even with the "noise walls" put up. You moved there anyway. Deal with it.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

And yes, quite a few residents near PIT bitch and moan about the noise. Sorry, but you knew that the airport was nearby and you moved there anyway. STFU. Same with the idiots who live with the Parkway in their backyards. Yes, I know the traffic sucks and is noisy, even with the "noise walls" put up. You moved there anyway. Deal with it.

Same thing down here around the PTIAirport. Of course didn't stop the surrounding neighborhoods (which were built way later than the airport) from complaining about the noise.

Sorry folks - the airport was there before you probably were even born, much less decided to live out there. So you can just STFU and deal with it - it was your choice to live out there, nobody put a gun to your head.

Besides, the noise isn't that bad out here. Yes, we hear planes out here and see them coming and going but as my SO has said (and he's lived near it for the last 35 yrs) you get used to it.

[dakhur]

The area about us is about to be re-zoned high density residential due to location to school, local major suburb, public transport, etc. We know that means many locals will sell their old houses (most are like ours, built in the 50's) and developers will move in looking to build units and flats.

We're looking forward to seeing how they handle our chooks and the Demon Twins when they want to build up on either side of us.

[Racket_Man]

I think the city even thought pretty seriously about buying out most of Bridgeton at one point.

With all of the I-70/I-170 additions, runway additions in the 1960's, etc. much more than Bridgeton would have been involved. like Woodson Terrace, Berkley Bridgeton Terrace, etc.

There used to be a small amusment park and a graveyard just east of the airport that got swallowed up during the 1960's in the field expansion and the building of I-70.

Used to be really nothing west of the airport til you got to St. Charles. NOW the urban goes all the way to Warrenton (60 miles from downtown St. Louis)