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A Singaporean man is confused when his neighbor claims that his family is all asleep by 1am and accuses them of making loud noises

SINGAPORE: After his downstairs neighbor accused his family of making loud noises in the middle of the night, despite the fact that everyone in the house is asleep by then, a man took to social media to seek assistance.

He revealed in a post on Reddit’s Ask Singapore forum on Wednesday, July 9, that his mother has been harassed by her neighbor for weeks over inexplicable noises she hears between 1 and 3 in the morning.

But he clarified that it isn’t feasible because his family all goes to bed early because they all have to get up for work at five or six in the morning.

Her hearing our footsteps when we use the restroom while partially awake is the only plausible explanation. However, given that we are moving around the house all day, why does the noise only start between one and three in the morning?” he wrote.

He went on to say that the neighbor had just sent him a voice recording of the alleged noise, and to his amazement, he could actually hear knocking noises at night.

He claimed that there were actual knocking sounds. Now, she’s proposing to visit my house in the middle of the night to find out what’s making the noise! Although I think this is absurd, I can somewhat relate because the sounds were similar to “bom bom bom.”

He posed the question, seeking guidance from the online community: “What’s going on, and what can we do? Since we all work extremely early shifts (think 5–6 a.m. every day), I find it awkward that she is coming over, and I find it strange that a stranger would suggest it. I would appreciate any assistance! Thank you all!

“No need to accommodate her.”

Several users attempted to explain the possible source of the noise in the comments.

“That is the sound of the water pipes and rebar expanding and contracting in the concrete,” one person said.

“It might not be your unit,” said another commenter. Your neighbors or even the apartments above yours might be the culprits. A solid medium is used to carry sound. It’s not necessarily directly above just because it’s very loud. Encourage someone in your apartment to remain up until that point and determine if you can hear it as well.

Others, meanwhile, told the man that if he was uncomfortable with the neighbor, he should not let him into his house.

One said, “There’s no need to make room for her; she can lend you some recording equipment if she wants to and you’re willing.” Otherwise, as long as she doesn’t bother you, she is free to stand outside your house for as long as she likes. Most likely, it’s just plumbing.

“Is this neighbor a house inspector?” said another. Otherwise, they stay over and are unable to do much. Simply decline emphatically and refer them to HDB.

In other news, a local worker asked on Reddit if it is typical for entry-level positions or internships in Singapore to provide little to no training.

The man, who shared his experience on the r/askSingapore forum, claimed that he was expected to learn everything on his own and was given a heavy workload right away during his first week of work.

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Noise caused by construction works at night in Netizen

A video she had filmed of the construction site shows the drone of the machinery could be heard reverberating along with the backup beeper of a truck at the site. This can go on up to 3 am as reported by the netizen.

Singapore — A member of the public has taken to Facebook after she realized that construction works were being carried out near her apartment even at night, causing a lot of noise in the area. 

She put up a post on the Facebook group “Complaint Singapore” to seek advice from other netizens who might have encountered a similar situation before.

In her post, a member of the public also included a video she had filmed of the construction site. In the video, the drone of the machinery could be heard reverberating along with the backup beeper of a truck at the site.

According to the caption of the post, this was not the first time that such an incident had occurred. The member of the public also mentions that the construction works had gone on until 3 AM on a previous occasion. As such, she asked other netizens for help on who to contact on the issue, since the sounds generated by the construction works can be quite loud and disruptive.

Other netizens shared their views on the matter and offered suggestions in the comments section. 

A few netizens chalked the nighttime construction down to urgency, saying that there might be an emergency that needs fixing quickly and promptly.

Some other netizens thought that carrying out construction work at night, would impede the flow of traffic less since there are fewer commuters during the night.

A few other netizens suggested that the poster bring the issue up to the relevant authorities such as the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Land Transport Authority (LTA), or the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

After contacting NEA, the poster replied that they were helpful in stopping the works at an earlier hour.

According to NEA, construction sites need to observe the noise level and exercise construction noise control with effect from 1 Oct 2007. 

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Asia Noise News

Singapore to Ban Older Motorcycles

As motor vehicle emissions regulations tighten around the world, it should come as no surprise that Singapore is set to restrict motorcycles registered before July 1, 2003, and effectively ban them after June 30, 2028. The island city-state is under 800 km2 in area, yet is home to 5.7 million residents (denser than Hong Kong), and is known for its strict laws, cleanliness, and low crime rate.

The restrictions were introduced in 2018, and Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) released new information and guidelines on the emissions regulations and standards in April of this year. The laws come into effect on April 26, 2023, after which time, qualifying motorcycles must meet tighter emissions standards of “4.5% Carbon Monoxide (CO) by Volume; and 7,800 ppm Hydrocarbons (HC) (for 2-stroke engine) or 2,000 ppm HC (for 4-stroke engine)”, as per the NEA documentation. After June 30, 2028, these motorcycles will either be banned, or the owner can apply to be given a temporary permit with usage stipulations, until such time as they are eligible for Classic Vehicle status, which in Singapore is 35 years or older.

The NEA estimates that most of the eligible motorcycles will be able to pass the required emissions standards with proper, regular maintenance. Owners can have their vehicles tested at an approved inspection station to ensure they pass the standards.

The new laws will apply equally to locally owned, as well as foreign motorcycles entering Singapore. Foreign motorcycles must also meet local noise regulations, and must not emit any smoke or visible vapor. Enforcement is planned via random emissions testing blitzes at land entry checkpoints.

For owners of older motorcycles, the NEA is offering an early de-registration incentive of up to $3,500, to encourage owners to get these bikes off the road. According to the NEA, almost 60% of the 27,000 eligible motorcycles have so far been de-registered via this program.

Sources: motopinas.com, http://nea.gov.sg

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