Eric’s Ferry Trip

The plants have ears, man, and new Staten Island Ferry rules intend to protect plant life against loud sounds:

A complete overhaul of the ferry system’s official code of conduct — which will go into effect in late January — includes updates reflecting tightened security and operational changes, as well as new prohibitions against feeding animals, exposing oneself, or fishing from a ferry or ferry dock.

. . .

The new rules define “unreasonable noise,” as any “excessive or unusually loud sound that disturbs the peace, comfort or repose of a reasonable person of normal sensitivities, injures or endangers the health or safety of a reasonable person of normal sensitivities, or which causes injury to plant or animal life, or damage to property or business.”

Among the examples included of prohibited noise levels are music coming from a person’s iPod earbuds that is “plainly audible” to another individual standing 5 feet or more away. Also forbidden are sounds that register more than 7 decibels overnight, or 10 decibels during the day that can be heard above ambient sound at a distance of 15 or more feet.

. . .

As for the quirkier rules, as far as anyone at DOT can remember, no one has actually been caught fishing from a ferryboat, but the rule was added to forestall anyone from trying. In addition to fears that an unsuspecting passenger could accidentally end up snared at the end of an angler’s hook, fishing line and boat propellers don’t mix.

Location Scout: Staten Island Ferry.