No buzz due to fuzz

By weeklyvolcano on June 1, 2006

Mattmug_3 F@#% the man.
Do it hard.
I live in Olympia, and as I start to see more and more copies of the Weekly Volcano floating around town, I am more comfortable talking about things going on in the capital city.
The other day I was at band practice, in a garage of all places.  We tuned up and went after it.  Distortion took over, and the drums made my beer foam. It was loud. It was 1 p.m.
Three songs in and there was a knock at the door.  The fuzz.
What we learned that day is that in Oly, and Thurston County for that matter, a recent ordinance prohibits noise over 55 decibels on neighboring property during the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and noise over 45 decibels during the night.  An average conversation is 55 decibels.  Forty decibels is the noise level in your average library.  Conveniently, the rule applies only to off-road vehicles, stereos, and musical instruments.  It does not apply to buzz saws, power sanders, and shirtless guys working on their hot rods.  There's a standard $100 fine issued to offenders.
That's what we got - a $100 fine.  We were, of course, louder than 55 decibels, and a neighbor called the heat.  That's all it took to shut us down. 
Need I even point out how unfair this ordinance is?  Need I describe to you the double standard and discrimination?
I think it's apparent. â€" Matt Driscoll