Car Alarms - Necessity or Noise Pollution

[Sam Hill]

Sorry if this thread has been done before. I searched the forum but the keyword "car" is apparently too common and therefor cannot be included in the search results.

Car alarms. Many of us who live in cities are forced to listen to them on a regular basis. From my balcony I mostly hear traffic, sirens, train horns and car alarms. Do car alarms serve a valid purpose and actually prevent theft, or are they just noise pollution? Or both?

[pj3000]

Does anyone actually do anything when they hear a car alarm sounding? Ever?

[Buckeye Native 001]

Necessary for maybe 5 to 10 seconds, then obnoxious if the vehicle's owner(s) let it go any longer.

[JManc]

For about 5 minutes in 1991, people actually looked to see if a car was being broken into when they heard an alarm but now it's just urban noise.

[mhays]

I rarely hear them. Being in the middle of the block with an empty alley (just garage to-from) has its advantages.

They serve no purpose, and they're incredibly rude to put it politely.

[SFBruin]

When I lived in California, where places were generally more densely populated and there were more cars around, I thought that they were a complete nuisance.

Here in Seattle, I can kind of understand them. I rarely hear a car alarm go off in my neighborhood (I don't think that one has gone off at all, actually), and it's nice to know that I will be warned if anything happens to my parents' car that I am driving.

Tl;dr: It greatly depends on how urban your neighborhood is. More urban = more of a nuisance.

Originally Posted by pj3000

Does anyone actually do anything when they hear a car alarm sounding? Ever?

A few days ago, when I was visiting my parents in a different part of town, I heard an alarm go off outside. I went out to the window to check to see if it was their car. So yeah, people do things occasionally.

I'm not sure that the benefits outweigh the costs, but there is some value in an alarm.

[badrunner]

Not only is it noise pollution and a public nuisance, the net effect of the constant shrill alarms that go unheeded in our cities is to make us feel less secure in our surroundings, to rob us of our sense of peace and tranquility, to constantly put us on edge. As such, it is more akin to a long running and cumulative act of domestic terrorism. Perpetrators should be arrested and sent to Guantanamo.

[Sam Hill]

Woah! Take it easy.

[craigs]

I don't know where I first read this as it has been many years, but I have agreed ever since: "Car alarms = Urban crickets."

[Sam Hill]

My car just came with an alarm that I assume has gone off at some point and annoyed some people. I’ll never know. Personally, I’d prefer it didn’t have an alarm. But cars come with alarms now days. From what I can tell, they all have alarms. Thankfully, there seems to be a time limit for how long they go off. My guess is 10 minutes. That seems to be the standard.

When alarms go off multiple times for ten minutes at a time (or whatever the threshold is) - oh man. That’s when I want to go down there and smash some windows. Give that alarm a reason to go off!

Wait. Maybe I need to take it easy. I’m getting all worked up, lol

[craigs]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

My car just came with an alarm that I assume has gone off at some point and annoyed some people. I’ll never know. Personally, I’d prefer it didn’t have an alarm. But cars come with alarms now days. From what I can tell, they all have alarms. Thankfully, there seems to be a time limit for how long they go off. My guess is 10 minutes. That seems to be the standard.

When alarms go off multiple times for ten minutes at a time (or whatever the threshold is) - oh man. That’s when I want to go down there and smash some windows. Give that alarm a reason to go off!

Wait. Maybe I need to take it easy. I’m getting all worked up, lol

I am certain that I personally have set off my car alarm more than every other person alive ever has. Fortunately, I'm on a 1.7 acre property so I only annoy the fam.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by JManc

For about 5 minutes in 1991, people actually looked to see if a car was being broken into when they heard an alarm but now it's just urban noise.

[iheartthed]

Car alarms or panic buttons? I didn't think car alarms were still a thing. They are mostly obsolete, since most cars today can't be started without the key. Panic buttons are useful, but you'll only appreciate it when you actually need to use it.

[Tuckerman]

Generally useless and a source of noise. IMO a useful car alarm would be a silent one that sends a message directly to the owner that his/her car is being fiddled with or a message to a car service that could then contact police if necessary.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Car alarms or panic buttons? I didn't think car alarms were still a thing. They are mostly obsolete, since most cars today can't be started without the key. Panic buttons are useful, but you'll only appreciate it when you actually need to use it.

I didn't think car alarms were a thing anymore either. None of the cars I've had, had one, not that I drove fancy cars or anything. But even so, it's always the case that when you do hear a car alarm, it's coming from someone's 20 year-old Nissan Maxima or something, it's never a fancy car.

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Car alarms or panic buttons? I didn't think car alarms were still a thing. They are mostly obsolete, since most cars today can't be started without the key. Panic buttons are useful, but you'll only appreciate it when you actually need to use it.

You’re probably right. I don’t know anything about cars. I drive a 15 year old Lexus which I bought for 7 grand back when it was a 13 year old Lexus. I assumed it has an alarm. I assumed all cars have alarms. But I don’t know anything about cars.

About a week ago this dude on my block was struggling with his car alarm. He had a Jeep that looked all shiny and new to me so I assumed it was a late model. He would have to enter through the passenger door because every time he opened the drivers side door the alarm would go off again. The hood was open and he’d do something under there (presumably disconnect the battery) each time to make the alarm stop. Multiple pedestrians saw his struggle and stopped to try and help him. I wanted to go down there and help him but I don’t know anything about cars.

[Sam Hill]

So this happened the other day:

An extremely loud Harley Davidson rolled down the street and left a chorus of car alarms in its wake. Maybe it’s extremely loud Harley Davidsons that should be banned!

[JManc]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I didn't think car alarms were a thing anymore either. None of the cars I've had, had one, not that I drove fancy cars or anything. But even so, it's always the case that when you do hear a car alarm, it's coming from someone's 20 year-old Nissan Maxima or something, it's never a fancy car.

They are still around but they are factory installed and integrated into the car's electronics as opposed to shitty aftermarket add-ons which are overly sensitive.

[mhays]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

So this happened the other day:

An extremely loud Harley Davidson rolled down the street and left a chorus of car alarms in its wake. Maybe it’s extremely loud Harley Davidsons that should be banned!

You're soooo close.

[KevinFromTexas]

My parents had one on their Lincoln Town Car that it came with in the 90s, but I don't know of anyone else in the family who did then or still does. Ironically, the only people I know of in the neighborhood who have one now on one of their cars had it repoed a few years ago in the middle of the night. They were awake anyway and ran out to the tow-truck driver to complain. The cops ended up showing up, but they did repo their car.

Anyway, every time a big truck or a loud car or motorcycle goes by or every time there's thunder, that car alarm chirps as a warning. I don't mind that so much since most people just hit the button when they're at home, but if it's out in a parking lot and they can't hear it or if they happen to not be home, but are maybe in a different car at the time is when it can be a nuisance.