Amsterdam is finally cracking down on noisy motorists (and we’re here for it!)

Have you ever had to put a conversation at a cafe on halt because a thundering motorcycle is flying by, and it sounds like a huge steam train is speeding right past you? Well, Amsterdam isn’t accepting this anymore. 🙅🏻‍♀️

Since last Friday, both Amsterdam and Rotterdam have started measuring the noise levels of vehicles using their roads.

Is your car too loud? A sign a few metres away will tell you (and everyone else!) in big red letters that it’s time to make some changes, reports Het Parool.

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For now, the city will only use warnings to discourage loud-sounding vehicles but soon hopes to replace them with automatic fines for too-noisy vehicles.

Loud noise, day and night

Amsterdam will soon be launching noise meters at Stadhouderskade in the city centre and Molenaarsweg in the North. More meters will continue popping up until the end of August at locations such as Europaboulevard and Tussen Meer.

A study by the GGD Amsterdam found that motorcycles pose the biggest problem, accounting for 19% of serious noise nuisances. But they aren’t the only ones, with mopeds and modified cars also among the top troublemakers.

The study also pointed out health risks associated with long-term exposure to loud noises, such as those made by noisy vehicles.

In the Dutch capital, vehicles were found topping the decibel charts both day and night — some of them even registering decibel ratings similar to a fighter jet flying overhead.

It is already illegal in Amsterdam to have a vehicle louder than 5 decibels above the standard, risking a €400 fine. However, this is too hard to regularly enforce, and so, the city hopes that these automatic sound meters will help.

What do you think about noise warnings for vehicles? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Naomi Lamaury
Naomi Lamaury
Naomi came to the Netherlands four years ago for her studies with two suitcases and without ever having been to the country or knowing much about it. Now, you can find her eating ‘bitterballen’ and fighting against the Dutch wind on her bike every day like a local. Naomi enjoys writing about what is going on around her alongside a warm cup of coffee.

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