Scream pollution sparks debate in downtown Tokyo

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Neighbors to a new amusement park in downtown Tokyo are complaining that the screams from people riding a popular roller coaster are making their lives unbearable. About 110 residents of an apartment building near the LaQua amusement park, which features the Thunder Dolphin roller coaster, have asked Tokyo's noise pollution screening committee to step in.

Read more from AP via Nando Times.

So are they going to build a giant shed over the first drop? ;)
no, in new zealand they had a similar problem with a thrill ride, it was pretty much one of those bungy springs, which launch you to about 200 feet and you topple over and over... any way the residents complained and riders had to wear 'scream mozels' which pretty much stopped the noise coming out, but you could still hear some of the noise. i would have thought the 'intamin roar' would have made a larger noise, or raised more concerns

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"Scream muzzles"?? Are you kidding?

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

rollergator's avatar
Does seem odd that the noise concerns weren't addressed earlier....oh well, now they'll get to change the name to something more...sedate.

My suggestion: The muted mammal...:)
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I was thinking the same thing -- wouldn't there have been environmental impact studies for this ride, that would include "noise pollution"? It's not like this park doesn't already have other coasters -- this is where the original impulse, Linear Gale, was built...

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"I can't believe I just left a nuclear weapon in an elevator." -- Farscape

When Batwing was built at SFA, noise pollution was included in the environmental impact study. The primary noise source was listed as the screams of the riders.

I have no idea what type of environmental studies would be required for building in Tokyo. I can remember when none were required for building in this country.

Yeah, you'd think an Intamin Impulse's launch would be a bit louder than screaming riders, but then again "Thunder Dolphin" may be closer to this certain apartment building...

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I heard once that, in general, Japanese coaster riders are a lot more restrained than in other places... not holding hands up, etc. Perhaps screaming isn't associated with coasters like it is in the U.S.

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

nasai's avatar
It seems as though the Japanese have never had a real coaster to scream about before? ;) It is true that they tend to be pretty sedate, although I never noticed it on SD2K. Perhaps it's a "big" ride thing?
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They sure like to scream going up the 90 degree Ultra Twister lift. :)
Den and nasai,

I had heard the same thing. But another interesting fact I heard was with the opening of SD2K, things changed and they started to become louder and more excited. So, maybe both of you are correct.

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Scream pollution is total bulls**t. If people don't like it, then WHY did they move right next to a theme park in the first place? If you stand in the parking lot of a typical theme park, then most likely you will only hear screaming if you listen for it closely. When people move into a house that is near a freeway or the ocean, they usually put consideration into it first. This is just another example of a vocal minority ruining it for everybody.

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Squishy,

You're right to a point. Yes when you move next door to an amusement park you run the risk that rides may have screaming riders late at night. However, when a new ride is built in the middle a residential area like that then the screams of riders on a rumbling coaster is a very big concern. When the residents moved in that coaster wasn't there, and residents are well within their rights to expect the park to keep the amount of noise being generated by new attractions to a minimum to comply with existing laws.

-Ride_Op

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