City Sirens

Stroll through busy city streets and alert yourself to the passing police sirens. The term "siren" originally refers to an ancient Greek myth in which three women called sirens made sounds that would attract a person, and was hard to resist but that, if heeded, would lead to a bad result. This idea was applied to the first audible warnings for police, which were mechanical bells, mounted to either the front or roof of the patrol car. A later development was the rotating air siren, which made noise when air moved past it. Most modern vehicles are now fitted with electronic sirens, which can produce a range of different noises. Police apply the use of different noises depending on traffic conditions and the maneuver being performed.