Backup Alarms on Trucks

quietatnight

Member
Author
Jul 7, 2014
346
Rockford IL
Tinnitus Since
1990
Cause of Tinnitus
Acoustic trauma / firecracker
I looked all over the internet for some info on this, but did not find anything. When I looked on here all I could find were threads on Smoke alarms.

I ran out of my home today to mail a letter and heard a Beep Beep Beep sound that was coming from a construction site where building a new home, I could barely seen the bulldozer through the trees, but I could hear the Beep Beep sound. The site was about 1000 feet or more from me, and I ran back into the house right away to get out of the sound. It may have beeped 3 times before I was in. But sure enough 5 minutes later I had a bad spike. I just could not understand how that happened ? I would think at over 1000 feet away that It would not have been a problem. I did check the internet to see how loud these alarms are and it seems to be around 87 to 97 DB at the source. But does anyone know how many DB's it would be at like 1000 feet from the source ? I can't even find any chart on that, maybe some on might know. I would guess its under 45 DB at a 1000 feet away or more.

Anyway I was just wondering if anyone here has had problems with these kinds of backup alarm horns ? at this distance giving them a spike, and if so how long did it take the spike to settle down ?


Thank You for any info, I know that it's a crazy question but I would value any input.



Louie
Quietatnight
 
I don't think from that distance it would be loud enough to effect you, although if you have H it could, I'm not aware of your T levels and such, but it still seems a little too far to have any effect.
 
Do you not leave your house? If you do, you will realize that that's just normal everyday shit noise, nothing special. My ears get blasted with this type of crap every single day!! There is stuff going on out there in the world. I can't believe that this kind of noise is a rare occurrence unless maybe you live in the middle of nowhere, or like I said, you don't leave the house.
 
I looked all over the internet for some info on this, but did not find anything. When I looked on here all I could find were threads on Smoke alarms.



I ran out of my home today to mail a letter and heard a Beep Beep Beep sound that was coming from a construction site where building a new home, I could barely seen the bulldozer through the trees, but I could hear the Beep Beep sound. The site was about 1000 feet or more from me, and I ran back into the house right away to get out of the sound. It may have beeped 3 times before I was in. But sure enough 5 minutes later I had a bad spike. I just could not understand how that happened ? I would think at over 1000 feet away that It would not have been a problem. I did check the internet to see how loud these alarms are and it seems to be around 87 to 97 DB at the source. But does anyone know how many DB's it would be at like 1000 feet from the source ? I can't even find any chart on that, maybe some on might know. I would guess its under 45 DB at a 1000 feet away or more.

Anyway I was just wondering if anyone here has had problems with these kinds of backup alarm horns ? at this distance giving them a spike, and if so how long did it take the spike to settle down ?


Thank You for any info, I know that it's a crazy question but I would value any input.



Louie
Quietatnight

NO way. You will be fine.. probably fine now, unless you are super stressed about 3 beeps.. Annoying, sure..Spike inducing ..no way and I have h, 3 years.

" and I ranback into the house right away to get out ofthe sound. It may have beeped 3 timesbefore I was in."


This is cause of your spike. Trust me.
 
LukeYoung, I do have Hyperacusis, and it is worse since this happened. I felt the same about that distance as you do, I should have not had a problem, but that specific sound for some reason gives me a spike. Even if I'm watching some TV show, and theirs a seen where their like backing up a truck, that same Beep Beep Beep sound from the TV will spike my tinnitus. I have to mute it till I'm past that part. I even have "Smart sound" on my TV to help keep the volume at the same level. I know it sounds crazy, but that's what happens every time. I think that my ear's damage is at that specific frequency, because if I hear that sound at just about any volume it spikes my tinnitus, other sounds don't seem to effect me. Go figure.

Thank You for getting back to me

Louie

Quietatnight
 
LukeYoung, I do have Hyperacusis, and it is worse since this happened. I felt the same about that distance as you do, I should have not had a problem, but that specific sound for some reason gives me a spike. Even if I'm watching some TV show, and theirs a seen where their like backing up a truck, that same Beep Beep Beep sound from the TV will spike my tinnitus. I have to mute it till I'm past that part. I even have "Smart sound" on my TV to help keep the volume at the same level. I know it sounds crazy, but that's what happens every time. I think that my ear's damage is at that specific frequency, because if I hear that sound at just about any volume it spikes my tinnitus, other sounds don't seem to effect me. Go figure.

Thank You for getting back to me

Louie

Quietatnight

No problem mate, I know I get iffy around movies and such with gunshots and stuff. Maybe I'm just paranoid. But I really keep my volume at low-mid levels.

I am in constant paranoia that something loud is going to happen when I'm in public..
But there isn't much I can do except wear plugs.. But my local store is out of
Musician plugs until next week.
 
Engineer

I agree that seems very logical, I asked myself that same question I mean "how loud could it be" ? But I need to add this, I live in a gated community where there no obstructions no fences no telephone poles or bushes just grass for the most part, I was in the direct line of site of the sound when it happened with nothing to defect the sound at all. Plus the way my house is facing the Lake, every sound seems to amplified off of the lake by the time it reaches my home. And my driveway being between the garage and my house where my front door is acts like a tunnel that also makes sounds echo and louder, I'm sure that did not help in this case. It seems like higher frequency sounds can travel further then lower ones, and require less amplitude.


Thank You for responding, I appreciate your encouraging words and support.


Louie

Quietatnight
 
LukeYoung

It sounds like you understand how I feel, It's my fault about this backup alarm event, I broke a cardinal rule "never leave the house without my ear plugs in" It's unfortunate, because I had just took them out when I came back from the mailbox the first time , when I realized that the mail person put the wrong letter into my box, I was just going to quick run it back out to the mailbox, and sure enough that's when it happened. All it takes is a second as you know, being in the wrong place at the wrong time.


Thank You

Louie


Quietatnight
 
LukeYoung

It sounds like you understand how I feel, It's my fault about this backup alarm event, I broke a cardinal rule "never leave the house without my ear plugs in" It's unfortunate, because I had just took them out when I came back from the mailbox the first time , when I realized that the mail person put the wrong letter into my box, I was just going to quick run it back out to the mailbox, and sure enough that's when it happened. All it takes is a second as you know, being in the wrong place at the wrong time.


Thank You

Louie


Quietatnight

Unfortunately there will be events that are out of our hands. You could of used plugs. But for a 10 second trip to the mailbox I don't think anyone would bother.
Don't stress too much, hopefully it will go back to baseline.

And I can now hear my fridge and tv give off sounds I never heard before my T onset, is strange that I notice these sounds now.
 
Telis

I rarely leave my house anymore, only to drive within a 10 mile radius, like to town, for food, or to the post office. And even then I wear my ear plugs and gun muffs when I'm driving. I understand what you mean about the "normal sounds" But normal sounds require normal ears which we don't have anymore. just like a guy that has any handicap, they have restrictions they need to take extra precautions, and use special equipment. That's just how it is. I hate it, but I'm just trying to keep my tinntus as low as I can, for as long as I can. I know a lot of people with tinnitus that have the attitude "Oh I'm not going to let my tinnitus stop me from living my life normally" but I feel that's just unrealistic. But good for them if they can do it. Everyone's tinnitus is different as we all know that.


What can I say, I do understand and respect your views


Louie

Quietatnight
 
LukeYoung

I have been hearing my refrigerator for years, it always seems so loud, it's
the same in the supermarket, it's full of them, I wear ear plugs when shopping in there to avoid them, I know that the sound won't hurt me, but It's every annoying so I block it out. I know what you mean. And yes we sure can't avoid everything, can't be done and I know it. I just get mad at myself when I mess up like this. I know better no to leave my house without wearing my ear plugs, If I had done that I would not be in the position that I'm in now. And I'm just very frustrated with my self at this moment.



Thank You


Louie

Quietatnight
 
Blackbird26


Thank You for your word of encouragement, My spikes have always return to my baseline and most likely this one will to, but I know it's going to take a lot of time. I don't feel much better today then yesterday when this happened. I know that this event should not have been a problem, it just seems worse then my other spikes, so of course I'm a little more concerned then unseal.

I will keep everyone posted on my progress



Thank You again



Louie


Quietatnight

 
Telis

I moved out to the country from downtown Chicago in 2010, to get away from all of the "normal sounds" that I just could not take anymore. Now I'm out in the country in a gated community where it is VERY quiet, NO trains, NO plains, NO fire trucks even cars very seldom pass my house. The only loud vehicle is the garbage truck, that only comes on Monday. And I know what time he shows up so I stay in my house until he's come and gone. This is how my life has been the past 6 years, and for the most part it has worked for me and has helped me keep my sanity from the relentless tinnitus monster. I admit not much of a life, but you know I'm 63 years old, I have done and seen just about everything that I want to, I had a good life for the most part. So I'm just going to coast the rest of my life in peace, is that really that bad ? I have done things that most people only dream of doing in a life time. So I feel like I have had a pretty full life.


Louie

Quietatnight
 
Telis

I moved out to the country from downtown Chicago in 2010, to get away from all of the "normal sounds" that I just could not take anymore. Now I'm out in the country in a gated community where it is VERY quiet, NO trains, NO plains, NO fire trucks even cars very seldom pass my house. The only loud vehicle is the garbage truck, that only comes on Monday. And I know what time he shows up so I stay in my house until he's come and gone. This is how my life has been the past 6 years, and for the most part it has worked for me and has helped me keep my sanity from the relentless tinnitus monster. I admit not much of a life, but you know I'm 63 years old, I have done and seen just about everything that I want to, I had a good life for the most part. So I'm just going to coast the rest of my life in peace, is that really that bad ? I have done things that most people only dream of doing in a life time. So I feel like I have had a pretty full life.


Louie

Quietatnight
That's good that you've had a good life, me too, but I was 39 when this hit. Would have liked some more time but it is what it is.

I don't know how you stay isolated and wear plugs and muffs when you go out. My T is too loud for that, 5 min with plugs in and I'm done, I'm ready to blow my head off right then and there, my entire head feels like it's going to explode with sound pressure, I get a massive headache instantly. I normally walk around half the day trying to distract with crickets on ear buds, or taking showers, running water on my head, no way in hell I can plug my ears and isolate.

I have H so bad that the light switches bother me but as I say, I can't not wear ear plugs anymore, I take painful hits on the ears because of this everyday.

I'm in a situation where I can not sit still, my house has become a nightmare for me, a place of hostility. I spent years paying, taking care, doing renovations and enjoying my time here. It's was my dream home, now I hate it here. I wonder the parks and streets for hours to kill the day, play tennis on the backboard for 3-4 hours at a time. In winter skate and puck handle for hours, even if it's freezing cold out. If I could keep my T low and protect myself I would, I think I'm way past that, it's raging bad already.

If you have H you will understand wearing plugs is also very painful and loud, the occlusion effect, internal sounds get amplified to uncomfortable levels with my ears blocked, even just speaking a few words is LOUD and painful for me.

It's a fucked up spot to be in, but yeah, my ears get blasted every day. I plug with my fingers but too late usually. Barking dogs, sirens, construction, motorbikes, planes etc etc. Maybe I'm doing the wrong thing but I don't know, can't keep my sanity inside of the house 24 7, I end up pacing around and going stir crazy listening to this torturous sound, relaxing and sitting is impossible to do when you have a smoke alarm going in your brain plus random dentist drills in your ears, I have to get out and move my body or I will literly go insane with these monsters in my head.

I would move houses/areas but that means gathering some thoughts and making plans, my brain doesn't do so well when it comes to this kind of thing anymore.

Anyway, good luck keeping it quiet, I don't think that reverse beeping will hurt you. I endured it for about a hour on and off the other day playing tennis. They were installing new windows in a house across from the courts, they reversed the entire street over and over picking things up with this machine, on top of this there was a soccer match on the other side where they kept blowing the whistle every couple of min. My ears are the same after enduring this pain for around a hour but maybe they just don't get any worse, maybe I'm maxed out. Or maybe I'm not getting any better because I keep hammering my ears, who knows, what I do know is that I can't stay in or isolate my ears with plugs with my condition, impossible.
 
Telis

That's quiet a story, I feel bad for you and I can understand your pain. You must have a lot of depression, I know I do. You would think that their would be something out there to help by now. But that doesn't seem to be coming soon. I guess all we can do is hope.

Before this backup alarm problem, I was doing fine, I had very low tinnitus, on my good days I could barely hear it at all. This is the second day now, and I'm really having a hard time with this new level or spike. I get spikes all the time and I have always recovered back to my normal baseline. I just got over an accustic trauma 2 days ago, and I did fully recover. It did take me about 2 weeks, and that was just from a door bell that went off right above my head. I never thought that would have cause a spike but it did. For me when I get these spikes I just take a lot of drugs and sleep 12 or more hours a night and my tinnitus will reset it's self to my same old base line. So All I can do is hope for that to happen again this time. It's just going to take a few days, like it always does. I just having a hard time staying calm in the mean time.


Anyway, not much can be done now but to wait.


I hope that you get better some soon...Good luck with that :)



Louie

Quietatnight
 
@Telis

Sorry to hear your life is so terrible at the moment. If you really hate where you are living maybe you could hire someone to do all the legwork for you and buy a cabin in the countryside.

You could spend all day walking or running in the hills/mountains or canoeing in the rivers, perhaps the sound of the water would be beneficial and you'd only have to deal with wildlife instead of sirens and alarms all day, just a thought. Anyway, hope you find some relief from the torment.
 
Anyway, good luck keeping it quiet, I don't think that reverse beeping will hurt you. I endured it for about a hour on and off the other day playing tennis. They were installing new windows in a house across from the courts, they reversed the entire street over and over picking things up with this machine, on top of this there was a soccer match on the other side where they kept blowing the whistle every couple of min. My ears are the same after enduring this pain for around a hour but maybe they just don't get any worse, maybe I'm maxed out. Or maybe I'm not getting any better because I keep hammering my ears, who knows, what I do know is that I can't stay in or isolate my ears with plugs with my condition, impossible.

I agree with Telis, the 3 beeps from a 1000 yards away - possibly even if it was a gunshot, could not do ANY damage or worsen tinnitus whatsoever. I say this from vast experience in this subject.
@quietatnight , you know me from the "other" tinnitus forum, where I was banned due to speaking the truth about protecting oneself from noise so as to prevent tinnitus from getting worse, but you have taken that argument to the extreme this time.

@Telis , now you sound to me the opposite situation, you should NOT be "enduring" this kind of punishment to your ears...granted if it was 3 beeps at 100+ yards, its OK, but an HOUR???
Also, I believe living in central part of the city is a bad idea, imo. If you got the means to live a country life, then by all means what are you waiting for...This does not mean of course staying inside your home all day and night...there are plenty of outdoor activities - bow hunting, horseback riding, electric vehicle off roading....etc etc. to be enjoyed. Live life, you aren't dead yet bro.
 
@Telis , now you sound to me the opposite situation, you should NOT be "enduring" this kind of punishment to your ears...granted if it was 3 beeps at 100+ yards, its OK, but an HOUR???
It was a couple of hundred feet away though, how loud could that be? Yeah it hurts my ears but so does the click of a lightswitch, as well as a dish out of the cupboard. How loud is a whistle at 200 feet? Now idea, but I do know it's painful for me. Every time I hit the ball on my racket it hurts me, every time I eat crunchy foods its painful. Do I stop tennis and get on a baby food diet?

I'm sure you know what I mean, like what is acceptable and what is not? What causes permant damage? No one know this. Also, how loud is all this stuff at distance? My phone db meter say like 65-70db, it's all painful and feels loud to me but that doesn't really mean a whole hell of a lot.

So should I not be enduring this? I don't know? And if I don't endure this, whatelse do I not endure? It's all a little tricky, there is no hard fast rules.
 
Dan

I remember you Dan, that was a while ago I did not know that you were still banned.

You said :

"you know me from the "other" tinnitus forum, where I was banned due to speaking the truth about protecting oneself from noise so as to prevent tinnitus from getting worse, but you have taken that argument to the extreme this time. "

I can understand both sides of the fence, They say that It's not good to under, or over protect ones ears. Yes I have chosen to lean more on the over protect side, it has bought me many years of peace, and I don't regret it. I just hope that my ears get back to my baseline soon. I just have a very hard time believing that those beep sounds were close enough to be a problem.


Thank You for chiming in, and I hope that you are doing well.


Louie

Quietatnight
 
I just have a very hard time believing that those beep sounds were close enough to be a problem.
I strongly believe that those 3 beeps were not the problem, and this is coming from a person who disagrees with so-called tinnitus experts.

So should I not be enduring this? I don't know? And if I don't endure this, whatelse do I not endure?

NO, DO NOT ENDURE IT. Don't endure anything that causes you physical pain for Christ sakes.
I understand that you cannot NOT turn on a light switch, so endure ONLY what is absolutely unavoidable.
Like I said, you will have to change your lifestyle, this I told you over a year ago.
If you do what I tell you, I promise you will be able to comfortably turn a light switch on and off within 6 months. After that you CAREFULLY test the waters in the noisy world.
What you must not do is endure pain just because you think you are less of a man or less of a normal person.
 
I strongly believe that those 3 beeps were not the problem, and this is coming from a person who disagrees with so-called tinnitus experts.



NO, DO NOT ENDURE IT. Don't endure anything that causes you physical pain for Christ sakes.
I understand that you cannot NOT turn on a light switch, so endure ONLY what is absolutely unavoidable.
Like I said, you will have to change your lifestyle, this I told you over a year ago.
If you do what I tell you, I promise you will be able to comfortably turn a light switch on and off within 6 months. After that you CAREFULLY test the waters in the noisy world.
What you must not do is endure pain just because you think you are less of a man or less of a normal person.
Dude man. I won't be some freak, I will endure it even if it kills me which I'm sure it will. Too much pride here to hide away, even if it's the right thing to do.
 
Just wanted to clarify my response above. I said 'no way it affected you' which was not well worded. I should have said 'no way it caused any damage'. The event clearly affected you or you would not have posted. Hope things are feeling better for you. I've had noise events make my T perception spike, it's not enjoyable. Hope your H has settled.
 
An odd thing I encountered today was an overly loud backup alarm on a minivan. I looked it up online and it's rated as '112db.' Not sure if that's the absolute peak or what, but it was extremely loud and seemed completely unnecessary for a personal vehicle. I was standing right next to the minivan, about three feet away, while talking to a friend this morning when the minivan just idly stood there for about a minute with the constant 'beeping' and it was certainly loud enough that I couldn't hear conversation right next to me and I seem to have a slight spike from it. Pretty annoying feature. I could see it for say a construction site, but installing these on someone's personal car is just ridiculous.
 

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