More than the happy sound of a carousel?
As noted by the Drifters, it's not really summer without the sights and sounds of the boardwalk -- but in Ocean City, officials are trying to keep it quiet there. Last week, the town council declined to amend the Ocean City boardwalk's ban on amplifiers despite a disabled street performer's protest that he can't sing loud enough to be heard.
Allow one performer to use a microphone and soon everyone will want one, the council apparently reasoned. Deciding who gets that right and who doesn't could open a Pandora's box of First Amendment issues.
But it doesn't have to be that complicated. Rather than ban amplifiers and speakers, why not simply set a maximum decibel level for all performances? That would not only put a lid on electronic sound systems, it would (hopefully) keep down the volume of those who make too much noise without them.
Noise meters have become common gear for police agencies across the country to enforce municipal noise ordinances, Ocean City police included. Street performers aren't the only ones contributing to the resort's noise pollution.
