I have to wonder frequently why ambulance sirens in Brussels are so incredibly loud. Of course, ambulances and other emergency vehicles need to be heard, but the decibel level is soooo loud in these sirens that it is unhealthy and definitely toxic noise. In any places I have ever lived or visited, I have never heard sirens this loud - it may be the same throughout Belgium - I don't know. The volume can be adjusted on these sirens, and it seems insane that they aren't brought to a lower level. According to online deafness foundations, this can cause hearing loss. I just wonder if anyone else is concerned about this. Research reveals that over 75 decibels is harmful and can cause temporary if not permanent hearing loss:

Workplace Sound Level Hearing Loss After:
Ambulance Siren 120 9 seconds
Belt Sander 93 1 hour, 16 minutes
Hand Drill 98 23 minutes
Tractor 96 37 minutes

Maybe it just doesn't matter.

Ive lived there too, but cant remember. But I do hate noise.....so much!! I think in Holland they only switch them on when they really have to (junctions, busy roads) and the sound is a more hard electronic bleeping and not as those high pitch screaming alarms from back in the days.

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I have never noticed the sirens in Holland (A'dam) and it's probably because it's the electronic bleeping. Then again, Holland is 100 times more organized and pleasurable a place to be, imo. I swear I am going deaf because of these Brussels' sirens. The worst thing is that they could be adjusted if anyone bothered or cared enough to do it. My main gripe with Brussels is that nothing ever seems to change. I live near the center and hear these sirens constantly - is everyone dying or becoming seriously ill on a constant basis here? I also keep wondering what it would take to paint large letters - Central Station - on its building so that every other tourist here for a day or two would actually know what/where it is (when they're standing 100 meters from it).

The bureaucracy here is staggering - no one can ever make a decision or agree on anything. The city offices are so backward that they don't use computers, process visas, manage police reports, etc, etc. I remember when a group of expats were being encouraged last year to apply for promoting tourism - ha ha ha - what a joke! I have never heard a thing about what came of that venture. When I leave here, I will not miss it (maybe a couple of things only). Of course, understand I'm talking about Brussels - I have a different, much more positive opinion of Flanders. Finally, before anyone tells me to leave the country and everyone would be better off, I feel that way, too - can't wait for the day.

The only seriously good thing here is the beer.

yeh the beer is excellent, and is even better in Flanders. What suprised me a bit is that no one in Brussel speaks Dutch. I prefer to live a bit around the busy part of a city. The apt I had in Brussels was actually pretty good(well the location). In the morning I used to buy 2 croisants chocolat and then jump on the tram to work
The weekends were pretty boring as everyone leaves the city(even students)..thank god I had mates coming over from Holland.

I can recommend this area, I have no idea what it looks like today as its been almost 8 years since I left the city.

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&hl=nl&a...mp;t=h&z=15

Thanks for the rec, achoo; I think that's a nice area. I also agree the beer is excellent in Flanders. I have met quite a lot of people who work in Brussels and who speak Flemish or Dutch, but when the work day is over, they leave on the train for home in Flanders. Students leaving for their homes every weekend seems to be the case all over Belgium - it's weird from what I'm used to but I guess that's the way they do it here.

Weird, I got 2 log-ins Spot-on and Achoo Havent been here for a while, must have got something to do with lost passwords. or maybe an alter ego...talking to myself here..hehe
I was for a while still a student when I lived there and I remember being really annoyed with all of them going home to mummy's washing machine. They probalby get some kind of kick out of getting locked on the sofa with their parents. Not my idea of a good friday/saturday nite.

I live near Jubelpark and also hear sirens all day long. There's this old annoying lady in our street (rant on: we were moving into our new appartement and she wanted our moving truck to move for her car, we told her it would only take 2 more minutes plus there was enough space. Several cars passed and we offered guidance but she kept shouting in French what we did not speak at the time. Maybe the fact that we spoke Dutch to her angered her more. rant off) she has an ambulane coming at least once a month. I see here happily walking around so I started wondering if she just loves the company of ambulance personnel...

Er..on topic again. One night at 3 am an ambulance with sirens stopped in the street for this old lady. Then a police car arrived and another medic help car. And....they left their sirens on, while standing still in the street at 3 am. All the excessive personnel stood outside having a sigaret. This for almost 10-15 minutes.
Noboy in the whole street came out to complain (OK, neither did I). This constant use of the siren for as it seems to me no real urgent reason drives me nuts. hence the rant sorry.

That would seriously drive me completely nuts, and im not kidding. I hate that noise (and the seemingly dont care attitude that comes with it). I have to dig hard to remember the sirens in Utrecht where I live at the moment and I cant really recall the sound they make and I live in the centre more or less. Utrecht is not as big as Brussels but still. I know the police do use their blue lights here when they have an emergency situation, but will switch on their sirens only when necessary. Maybe they dont know any better, yet. Last week I was in Germany and I got pulled over. I had to do 40 tricks (stand on one leg, finger pointing, flash lights in my eyes, and questions) to convince them I wasnt drunk. Here they use(for 15 years) a system where you only have to blow in some sort of hand held container that indicates your alcohol consumption. Takes only 10 seconds.

Maybe they thought you were Spanish ;-)

Spanish ? Are you trying to say they are the dodgy ones of europe?

Sorry was still in the UEFA 2008 mode.

Final: Germany-Spain
And somebody, but not the Spanish, lost.

I totally sympathize with you about this. I would've gone crazy if the sirens were going at 3 am; it's bad enough that they go all day long on and off. I still don't understand why they don't lower the volume, which they could do, but they don't and won't, obviously. Maybe the health personnel (drivers, etc.) have gone stone deaf as a result and they don't even hear them anymore. Also, it just seems like when you want to bring something like this to someone's attention, who in the world would you ever contact?

Presently I happen to live in an apartment in Delft, at a busy junction about 250 meters from the Hospital. The sirens drive me completely nuts day and night, day and night. They just never stop. Even with the splendid weather we have kinow, I have to keep my wondows shut! And I don't believe you that the ambulnces use their sirens "only" in the vicinity of the junctions. I can hear them coming from all directions for at least a mile...