I'm a black doctor. My neighbors called the cops on me for listening to Biggie.

[meadowlander]

93. Another nitpick, sorry

It depends on whether the noise limit is averaged or maximum. Generally it's averaged over a 15 minute period (or some other period which should have been specified in the rule - the problem with the rule is that it doesn't state an actual noise metric not that 50 dB is unreasonable). 50 dB LAeq is a pretty standard daytime noise limit in a residential area but that doesn't mean that there can't be peaks within the averaged period that exceed 50dB. I'm pretty sure it's an international standard which I'm currently too lazy to look up.

She wouldn't be violating the law necessarily just for having a short conversation with peaks at 60 dB (although I think that's pretty shouty since a vacuum cleaner is 70 dB). It would depend how long the conversation went on for.

Most enforcement officers don't bring a noise meter anyway. They just make a judgment call on whether the noise is unreasonable or not and ask people to turn it down if it is.