To think vehicles are noises now?

[ConfusedParticle]

I used to live on a busy road, so was fairly used to traffic noise. HGV's, occasional motorbikes are regular traffic.

Somewhere around 5 yrs ago everything seems to just get noisier, I can't explain it better than that. I'm talking ground shaking vibrations and ordinary cars sounding like tractors even when ambling along, but even worse going uphill.
Add to that, since covid ive noticed a heck of a lot of those boom/modded, explosive, ear splitting vehicles flying around residential areas in the town where I have been staying with my family through lockdown.

Even late into the night, if the windows are open it is fairly regular and really, really loud.

Does anyone know why this might have changed, or why roads in general just seem much louder than previously?

I was having my hair done a few months ago at a local salon situated on a quiet-ash road when a small vehicle flew past the window and made the entire shop rattle. Everyone looked up wondering wtf, it sounded like a goddamn fighter plane.

Sorry, title is supposed to be 'noisier' not noises, bloody spell corrector.

Yes yes op.i totally agree. We live on a main road and suddenly it is so loud. Loads of loud exhausts and people driving dune buggy type things around residential streets making a huge racket.
Why cant they pass noise limiting laws for vehicles. I just feel the whole world is just getting noisier and noisier in all areas. Or maybe i am just getting older and less tolerate.

It's not just the idiots making a racket, even regular folks seem to be driving louder vehicles, everything does seem to sound more aggressive. Has manufacturing altered at all?

We have an electric car which emits a small noise (for pedestrians etc) and people complain they're too quiet because people might not hear them coming... I think I'd rather have that (providing they're not completely silent) that the thundering lorries that come past our house. Literally make the house shake.

One factor is that roads are poorly maintained. Councils have millions of pounds of pothole repairs to do.

I think that people are just noticing it more after a fair few months of relatively quiet roads.

Like now, I notice the aeroplanes way more than before (and there's less of them!)

I agree, OP! I’ve put it down to me... so used to super-quiet roads through lockdowns, and now huge increase in traffic (I live rural area, so lots of visitor /tourist traffic).

But so many people now feel they “need” a large and therefore heavy car, so many totally inconsiderate idiots who brake late and rev and choose the wrong gear, etc etc.

This is something I first noticed a few year ago, not since lockdown.

cars in general seem to be louder and more aggressive sounding. Ive often thought a truck is coming up behind me and it's been a little old man in a small car. Just baffled.

the modded cars are obvious and excessive, and there are far more of them since covid, but the regular traffic seems to have got a lot louder in the past 5 yrs too.

I know what you mean op. I used to live in a flat on a very busy road. It was a red route, so no parking. Vehicles 24 hours a day. But I didn't find it that disturbing.

We moved to a suburban area. I'm shocked about how noisy cars are when parking and leaving. Cars that beep when you're reverse. Cars that beep as you're driving off (presumably as the driver is not wearing their seatbelt). People having noisy phone conversations using their car speakers when sitting in their stationary cars. All of this when most people are asleep.
A few people close to me have extra noisy engines that are more disturbing on a quiet road than when amongst other traffic.

I think the busy road was actually less disturbing.

im in a cul de sac right now, with a canal and wooded area to one side, a few businesses (closed for weekend) at another, and the exit leads to two small, residential streets.

I have a fan going, some relaxing music, and am reading my kindle.

every few seconds I hear rumbling, revving, loud gear changing, and what sounds liken speeding motorbikes. This Never used to happen here, and I have no idea who they are as it isn't any neighbour im aware of.

its like the small streets are constantly full of it now, even kids don't play out due to idiots speeding down the residential parts.

its worse since covid but was growing before.
But essentially what im noticing is its constancy and volume, it is simply louder than it used to be.