If you can hear this you’re a public nuisance

13/02/2008 / UK

If you can hear this you’re a public nuisance

The use of a high-pitched alarm to drive British teenagers away from public places is under dispute on the blogosphere after a campaign against the alarms was launched by the Children's Commissioner for England yesterday. The ‘mosquito' alarm which is so high-pitched that only young ears are able to pick it up has been installed by 3,500 shopkeepers and supermarkets in the UK since it was invented in 2005. Now, the ‘Buzz off' campaign says that the £500 product should be prohibited from use.

Contributors

Jade Bailey

Are you young enough to be classed as a public nuisance?

Audible to those 18 and younger:

24 and younger:

60 and younger:

Youths have turned the use of the alarms around- by using the noise as a ring tone on their mobile phones. You can download the tones, depending on your age, in order to be able to acknowledge text messages and calls in the classroom or an exam.

"I like to consider myself slightly more dignified than a border collie"

Comment from Jade Bailey, 15-years-old:

First off, that stupid mosquito thing (...) that gives you a headache and makes you feel sick, but it's too high for anyone over 25. The first thing that sprang to mind was that it was very similar to the whistle used to keep sheep dogs in order. I don't know about you, but as a member of the human race I like to consider myself slightly more dignified than a border collie. Sure, it keeps gangs of chavs away, but they aren't the only ones in the country under twenty five. Surely when you reach the age to vote, get married and have children of your own... I dunno... become prime minister, you achieve a place in society which does not involve not being able to walk into a shop.

Anyway, wait till the MPs realise their kids are affected too."

Jade Bailey

United Kingdom
Student

"I really dislike these machines"

Blog posted by ‘Simon J’ 11 February 2008:

...There are larger issues to be dealt with. But I really dislike these machines. I think anything that criminalises and punishes in a generalised way (such as age, gender, race or sexuality) is wrong."

"A lot of people have forgotten what i'ts like to be spotty youth"

Blog posted by ‘Jim’ 12 February 2008:

I think they [mosquito alarms] are a good idea, but ...I remember hanging out around the chippy or the local shops as a teenager, with nowhere else to go. If kids are doing something wrong then they should be moved on, but I think a lot of people have forgotten what it's like to be spotty youth, just hanging out and having a laugh."

The alarm, protected by a cage

Posted on flickr by 'wibbler', 27 July 2007

Français

Comments

Yep if you are under age we

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 02/08/2008 - 03:25.

Yep if you are under age we really do not care if you consider yourself more dignified than a border collie. You are part of a nuisance age group, and whether you are the reason that group has that stereotype or not, is irrelevant.
The only thing that matters to most of us is that we would rather just make it easy and oust every one of you.

Unregistered user

Moral Corruption

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 04/09/2008 - 11:42.

Wow, what a psycho little twat! If you were a teenager like me, this wouldn't sound very appealing to you. I wouldn't classify myself as an 'irresponsible youth' at all, and I never loiter, but I remember that there was a test of one of these 'repellants' going on where I usually shop, and it hurts to go near it! It is an indiscriminatory move against all teenagers, regardless of whether they are misbehaving or not. It makes it impossible for people like me to go anywhere near the shop, even if I have intentions to purchase something, or be responsible, which I always do. There are much better ways to do this than violate human rights. This is disgusting.

Unregistered user

I can't hear the 18 and under sound!

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 14/05/2008 - 22:13.

And neither can most people I know.
And it's not annoying anyways. Maybe a slight earache but nothing else.
I'd just put my mp3 player on and ignore it anyhow.

Unregistered user

LOL I forgot to write that

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 14/05/2008 - 22:13.

LOL I forgot to write that I'm 12.

Unregistered user

i dont think its anoying i

Submitted by michael / age 15 (not verified) on Fri, 02/05/2008 - 00:46.

i dont think its anoying i like it, but my frends go crazy when i play it it's, like a screach buzz mix.

Unregistered user

I think people are opposing

Submitted by Justice (not verified) on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 19:53.

I think people are opposing just for the sake of opposing.

The Kids Commissioner Albert Aynsley-Green is just doing it for his fame.

- The Mosquito™ is not a weapon.

- The Mosquito™ is not painful – it is simply annoying to those who can hear it.

- The Mosquito™ will not make people run away from an area – it will simply annoy those who can hear it - eventually causing them to move away.

- The Mosquito™ will not cause hearing damage.

Unregistered user

I'm 33 and I can hear all

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 13/02/2008 - 23:31.

I'm 33 and I can hear all the sound. Does that make me some kind of genius?

Unregistered user

no just young in the head

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Tue, 19/02/2008 - 20:48.

no just young in the head

Unregistered user

my friend jade

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Wed, 13/02/2008 - 16:32.

JADE BAILEY.
WHAT A LEGEND!

Frann
xxxxxxxx

Unregistered user

mosquito age pest defender

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Sat, 16/02/2008 - 10:52.

I am 56 and can clearly hear the tone for people aged 24 and younger - but that for under 18's is still almost inaudible - but sensed. The sound for 60 yrs and younger is very bad, as if I'd had a blow to the head and still had ringing in my ears. To think this is considered audible only to under 18's is wrong - the sound is still discernable, and is a public nuisance. For this reason the devices should be withdrawn from sale. As the previous person said, anything that discriminates against people - in a public place - on grounds of age, gender, religion, colour etc. is wrong and against the widely held standard of human rights.
Jane (france)

Unregistered user

Sheesh.

Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Sun, 24/02/2008 - 01:03.

I agree. Although I am 18 and can hear them all, I doubt that when I turn 19 I'll automatically not be able to hear one of them. It's not like my ears decide to give out when I get a day older.

Everyone has different ears, and although it may be more LIKELY that adults can't hear it, it's not necessarily FACT. I know many adults who could hear such a thing.

Aside from chasing away us "young people," I think it would deter many "old people" as well.

...and it's rude. I, for one, don't want that annoying buzz in my ear.

Unregistered user