ATV Noise In Dennis Township Is Public Health Hazard

To the Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to the two Letters to the Editor entitled “Abusive ATVs/Neighbors Battle for Property Rights,” published Nov. 13 and “Dennis Spouts Off Fair; Politicians Short on Integrity,” published Nov. 6. Having lived through a “second hand ATV noise” nightmare myself I jump at every chance to raise awareness of this problem and advocate for people who are trapped inside their homes by the abusive behavior of their neighbors. The town officials where I live responded to ATV complaints and enacted a noise ordinance that restored peace overnight without even one call to the police. It sent out a loud and clear message that this type of behavior would not be tolerated.
Both the EPA and WHO have long recognized environmental noise as a form of air pollution that threatens our health. This “second hand smoke of our ears” raises the risk for cardiovascular disease, endocrine dysfunction, hearing loss, impaired learning in children and abnormal fetal development. Noise “turns on” our adrenal glands causing the release of stress hormones which adversely affects every organ in the body and can cause irreversible damage. Mr. Gibson is not exaggerating when he states that he and his neighbors are fighting “the fight of our lives.”
It is impossible for anyone who has not had harmful levels of noise continually forced inside their home to even begin to understand the devastating effect it has. It is a totally different experience than temporarily hearing a loud car passing on a public road. Noise from ATVs leaves the property where it is created and trespasses onto adjoining properties. ATV noise does not even stop when it reaches a neighbor’s house. Rather, without warning, it penetrates the house causing vibration in its walls, ceilings and windows and brings harmful noise levels within. It robs neighbors of their peace while murdering their health. It is truly an invisible modern day home invasion with dire consequences. It only adds insult to injury when unaware people with no concept of this trauma insinuate that the victim is simply “sensitive” to noise or a “complainer.”
Most municipalities now recognize noise as a health hazard and have already enacted noise ordinances to protect residents and set healthy boundaries for those who fail to set them for themselves. In a minority of municipalities no action is taken either because the town officials responsible for passing an ordinance are the same people who make the offending noise or they have political ties to the ATV riders. Looks like this is what’s happening in Dennis Township.
In any Dennis Township home the sick have the right to convalesce, the elderly and infants to take a nap, the home office worker and student to concentrate. This is impossible when you have half dozen ATVs racing in circles next door, kicking up dust, honking horns, yelling and filling the air with toxic fumes in the process. No one should have the nature of their acoustical environment imposed upon them by noise bullies whose pathological sense of entitlement is dwarfed only by their disregard of the health and property rights of others. Dennis Township officials are long overdue in fulfilling their obligation to protect residents from rampant ATV noise abuse. Failure to act will result in them being held responsible for risking the health of its residents along with the town’s reputation and decreased property values. This situation, if left unchecked, will ultimately affect every resident.