Random Thought: Hearing Loss and Driving
Filed Under (General) by cranst on 12-07-2007
Have you ever noticed that when you drive with the windows down in your car, you get a tunnel effect of wind and noise? I wonder how much this constant current of wind is damaging our hearing. This is not to mention the ‘wind buffeting’ you get when the windows are opened just right and you get that louder vibrating woofer-like noise. So up with the windows and save your hearing because common sense tells me those frequencies won’t last long against those cool breezes.
After having owned many types of vehicles (cars; large and small; pickups; and SUVs) and running with no a/c, I have only noticed this tunnel effect of wind and noise in one particular vehicle and only with a certain configuration of open windows. It is my Cheverolet Tahoes, 95 and 99 4-doors, with only the back windows open. It doesn’t matter if it is one window or both, but as long as the front windows are rolled up, I get this horrible tunnel effect and this pulsing vibration felt directly in the ears. It is unbearable, so needless to say, I don’t drive with just these windows down. Something of note: In these year ranges on Tahoes, the back windows only go down about 1/3 of the way versus a regular window.