Telling Time by Traffic

Living in the city has required an adjustment in my noise tolerance. As J & K live above a relatively busy, steep street on Queen Anne hill, the sound of trucks and buses struggling up the slope is pretty much a constant background to conversation or sleep.

Many times I will awake on my spot on the living room couch in the dark of night, and realize that I know what time it is without looking.

Between midnight and 2 am, the background sounds are remarkably the same as during the daytime.

At 2 am, there the buses stop running, but I hear speeding cabs ferrying patrons home from the clubs.

At 3 am, the traffic calms down to a low whoosh of cars passing at a rate of about 2 per minute.

At 4 am, the street is quiet.

At 5 am, the electric buses start running.

At 6 am, the groaning of loaded trucks joins the symphony.

At 7 am, the garbage trucks start their morning rounds.

It makes me wonder if I'll be able to sleep at all when I get home to TN, without the background of constant traffic noise!

Is there such a thing as TOO QUIET?