Sound is the disturbance that propagates as a wave through a medium. It is usually called noise when it is unwanted. The following is a table to understand the value associated with measured sound at various intensities:
Noise and Decibel References and Readings (A-Weighted sound pressure levels)
| School children in a loud cafeteria | 80 decibels |
| Highway traffic | 70 decibels |
| Male voice at 1 meter | 60 decibels |
| Copy machine at 1 meter | 50 decibels |
| Normal conversation | 45 decibels |
| Suburb at night (ambient) | 40 decibels |
| Loud room and have to raise voice to have someone hear you 3ft away (we can all relate to this one!) |
85 decibels (OSHA action limit) |
These are reference points for you to consider understanding the measurement of logarithmic sound pollution. To determine the sound level at a distance from a sound source, such as a skatepark, the following equation for calculating sound propagation is used:
Lp = Lw + 10log10(Q/4pr2)
Decibel levels in relation to distance from the skatepark assuming 80-decibel source level:
At 50 yards = 45 decibels
At 100 yards = 36 decibels
At 150 yards = 32 decibels
This does not account for sound barriers, buildings, or landscaping considerations. These numbers represent an assumed reading of a source at 80 decibels and traveling directly and unobstructed. This data is helpful when dealing with groups regarding the sound level concerns. If a house is 100 yards away, and everyone can agree that a cafeteria full of screaming kids is louder than or equal to the noise generated at a skatepark, then at a straight trajectory, the decibel level would be approximately 36 decibels. 36 decibels is less than normal suburban ambient sound and a normal male conversation. Additionally, the skatepark might have surrounding hedges, trees, fencing, hills, slopes etc. that all either dampen or reflect the sound further away from the listener.
As this is a cursory look at noise and skateparks, further sound studies on various manufacturers’ equipment are needed to verify assumptions based on actual field data. This is especially true as such factors as structure vibrations, surfacing materials, skateboard and inline skate material, activity level, as well as environmental sound barriers all contribute to the decibel readings and their impact on neighboring properties.
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