There is no two ways about it, Mexico is a loud country. There are all sorts of reasons for this, from its late-night culture to taco stands to a lack of zoning, to trucks on residential streets. But one Mexican phenomenon that considerably adds to the noise is the preponderance of speaker trucks.
Sometimes you see these types of vehicles in American movies about the 1950s or '40s. They are usually a normal truck or car (Volkswagen Beatles often seem to be used here) with a loud speaker device on the roof. They drive very slowly down residential streets and blare out a repetitive recorded message to anyone within hearing distance. And because the messenger wants "hearing distance" to range as far as possible, the recording is extremely loud if you are nearby...such as any house along the street on which the truck passes.
This advertising technique in the U.S. has most often been associated with political campaigns, although it is banned in most of America these days. But here in Mexico it is definitely permitted and used more often for mundane things...mattress sales, a new grocery store, sometimes a radio station. While these ad trucks or cars come and go quickly enough, it is one more component adding to Mexico's noise pollution.
No comments:
Post a Comment