Did Someone Say Cowbell? Not In Austria.
For all the talk we hear about honouring different cultures, about respect and all the rest, this smacks a little of the NIMBY attitude, Austrian-style.
07/17/2012
Blow to Alpine Tradition Austrian Court Bans Cowbells After Noise Dispute
The sound of cowbells has left Austrian residents 'at the end of their tether.'
Cowbells are just as much a part of Alpine culture as yodelling and Lederhosen, but the constant clanging can be annoying. An Austrian court has ordered a farmer to remove the bells after residents complained they couldn't get any sleep.
Info
Next they'll be banning yodelling. In a ringing blow to Alpine tradition, an Austrian court on Tuesday banned cow bells from a field after residents complained they weren't get any sleep at night because of the endess clanging.
The owner of the cows had refused to remove the bells from his herd, arguing that they were traditional and had a generally calming effect.
But judge Erich Kundegraber visited the field near Stallhofen, a small town in the southeastern foothills of the Alps, population 3,000, and ruled in favor of the farmer's neighbors.
"They couldn't sleep anymore. They were at the end of their tether," he said, according to Austrian newspapers. Kundegraber could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
The cows were free to roam the field at night and the noise was reportedly made worse by the scraping of their bells against a metal trough.
The ruling confirmed a May court decision which the farmer had appealed. The ruling stated: "Cattle are kept in an unacceptably disturbing way if the animals wearing cowbells are held in a rural area with scattered residential buildings within a fenced meadow and the animals cause a loud noise at night through the clanging of bells that disturbs the nocturnal peace of neighbors."
The court decided there was no need to give cows bells if they were in a fenced field, easily visible and not located in a mountain pasture. It added that cowbells weren't a traditional feature of rural residential areas.
The farmer will face a fine if he doesn't comply with the ruling.
Cowbells were originally used to help trace errant animals and to make it easier for the cows to stay close to each other in mountain pastures.
It remains unclear to what extent the ruling sets a precedent that could lead to the widespread removal of bells from cows across Austria.
cro -- with wire reports
If you've never heard of the NIMBYs, then you've survived those whose mantra is 'Not In My Backyard'. They are often close cousins to the Nanny Staters who are happy for people to renovate their house so long as it's in colours they approve of.
And never, ever consider removing that tree in the corner of your yard. It might not be a good look for the streetscape and the council will have something to say about that. Usually in the form of a hefty fine.
In Austria, first they came for the yodelers.
Now the cowbells.
And all, no doubt, in the interest of 'social cohesion' and 'inclusion', whatever they mean.
It's not very inclusive when you are discriminating against a centuries-old local tradition, but that's probably not the way the debate is allowed to be framed.
posted by Nilk @ 6:56 AM
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