EVENING NOISE IN BEIRUT

Since the end of the civil war over two decades ago, Beirut has become a major tourist destination, famed for a variety of cultural activities, upscale restaurants and nightlife. But every time I come to Beirut, I notice and am deeply annoyed by a different, decidedly downscale nightlife. Especially on weekends, a certain type of people take over the streets. They basically are a rowdier, noisier version of the cruising culture that used to exist in the US before gasoline prices and environmental consciousness both went up.

Thursday through Saturday night, the streets are alive with noise. People in souped up cars and loose mufflers gun their engines, squeal their tires, and roar down major streets late into the night. It's the same with bigger motorcycles. And then, there are the scooters. They buzz around in all directions, against traffic, and run red lights.

All this takes place in a city of tall buildings; the noise reverberates among them. And most of these buildings include residential flats, where people are trying to watch TV, carry a conversation, or sleep. Some of these buildings are hotels where people are probably appalled that all this is allowed. Even early Sunday morning, as this is being written, I can hear car engines gunning down a nearby thoroughfare, taking advantage of the absence of rush-hour traffic and marring the twittering of pet birds, wild birds, and doves.

Needless to say, pedestrians need to be extremely cautious and look BOTH ways, regardless of whether the light is green or red.

An entire generation has grown up in this culture of inconsideration for others. There is no reason why peace and quite can't be imposed. The Lebanese government has been able to prevent civil war from returning. It has managed to ban smoking in indoor public places fairly well (but with some loopholes - more on that in a future entry). It effectively imposed a hunting ban for several years (before it expired and hunting was allowed to return without regulation). It is truly a shame that it has not chosen to crack down on the noisy mayhem that descends on Beirut every three-day weekend. (Friday is a day off for may people here.) People are indirectly being told that it's okay to speed down streets, annoy other people in their homes, and generally behave like jerks.

For the sake of raising a generation with good manners and morals, it is time to crack down on this nonsense!