City Says ‘Silent Discos’ Are Too Noisy, Wants Them Banned

A town is saying that the “silent disco” parties that are being held around town are disruptive, and they want to ban them completely.

By nowproducerdave on November 27, 2018
(Photo by Rahman Roslan/Getty Images For Singapore River One)

Have you ever been to a silent disco/dance? It’s one of those sort of dance – or roller skate parties – where you wear headphones with all the other people and dance or skate around. So since everyone wears headphones, there’s no loud music, and the room should be mostly quiet. This town council in Scotland says otherwise though, and wants the silent parties banned for being too noisy.

So yes, the rooms in which the silent disco parties are held aren’t playing music. But without the sound of music to drown all the other noise out, you can hear a lot of things. Conversation, dance-move grunts, and people singing (usually poorly). That’s not all though, there’s the sound of skates rolling across the floor/ground (if in a roller rink), and bodily sounds too… Yes, when people think nobody is listening, they let things rip that they normally wouldn’t. Speaking from experience here.

One of the town’s councillors says “Silent discos are not silent. There is a lot of whooping and screaming, especially when you have 40 women on a hen party.” Basically, people are having fun at these events and they’re cheering and screaming and celebrating. All in good fun, but it’s bothering a lot of people. Specifically, they’re trying to ban the outdoor silent disco parties. People will get together and dance down a street. It causes noise and traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular. There’s also the risk of not being able to hear oncoming cars and trucks.

So it makes a little sense – to ban the outdoor ones that take place on roads or sidewalks. There are safety concerns for everyone, either involved or not involved, with the dancing. See some more info on the proposed ban over here.

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