To think the world is getting noisier?

[ConfusedParticle]

It depends where I go, but anywhere urban seems to be a lot louder than it used to be. Mostly vehicles, and I am talking extreme ear blasting noise, here, not your regular traffic.
Urban streets with more people driving at speed or dangerously. More depressed places are worse, sadly, but I wonder who is cool with it as nobody seems to mention it or mind much.

my friend is having issues right now with their street, seems to have been an influx of modded vehicles and motorbikes, and their local canal (which used to be fairly unpopulated) is full of quad bikes and people in large groups making fires.

Maybe the pandemic sent people mad, or maybe the modded car trend is on the up. But urban noise seems much more persistent than before, and this isn't because the streets were quiet in lockdown - in many places they weren't.

Anyone know who is doing it, and why? it it just the way life is now in many places that are highly residential?

I read a book once called ‘in the shadow of man’. The author spent a lot of time watching what I think were chimpanzees? (Iirc) she said the adult male chimpanzees would pick up sticks, snakes (anything they could get their hands on really) and go about making a lot of noise and causing chaos so that they could garner attention and therefore status. I think that’s why we here those loud vehicle noises: young men trying to get attention and gain status by doing stupid shit.

That’s just my opinion though, apologies if it comes off and ill thought through.

I know what you mean. The lack of traffic etc during lockdown now made it more noticeable.
In my area it's not modded cars, but suddwnly an influx of super loud music in cars. Some have good music style though.

I don't even have any noise sensitivity yet I fully agree the world is louder and louder. Not just traffic, people in general. And for some reason I am actively aware of how noisy my fridge is 🙄

No, that's weirdly fascinating.
I do think it depends upon where you live though, so some people are aware of it out and about but don't have to live with it constantly.
My friend can't open windows or sit in her garden, it can get really overwhelming.

Interestingly, most of this is very aggressive noise, what would traditionally be identified as 'male' noise (apologies if this offends anyone, none intended), shouting, bike revving, really large dogs trapped in yards 24-7 getting no exercise and going a bit mad. Many of them swan around with a 'tough' looking dog.

It certainly is area dependant, and I wonder if some social groups are feeling more insecure ow than ever. I can vouch that the noise and aggression was much less previously, even 4 yrs ago. Perhaps this insecurity twinned with covid has pushed it into an extreme.

I live rurally, nothing fancy, but we only hear it when people fly through. Much more visible everywhere really but especially in towns.