Living in HDB: Ever heard marble dropped in the night?

[deslim27]

Reader posted in Straits Times few days ago..

In the 15 years I lived in my 3-room HDB flat in Lorong Ah Soo, my family had to endure what sounded like marbles being dropped on the floor of the unit above mine. Strangely, this seemed to take place only at night, at times in the wee hours of the morning. Never one for confrontation, I did not speak to the occupants upstairs, and we lived with it.

We moved to Punggol 21 five years ago, and the sound of the marbles dropping in the wee hours of the morning seemed to have followed us. I once trotted upstairs to to see what sort of neighbors I have and the occupants were an elderly woman, her weak elderly husband and their domestic help. It is unlikely that they played with marbles, and certainly not in the wee hours of the morning.

From conversations with friends, I was astounded to learn that this sound of dropping marbles is a widespread phenomenon in Singapore. It seems it happens only in HDB flats. One of my friends suggested that it may be the way the HDB flats are built.

As a non-believer in the supernatnural, I am eager to understand this mystery that is fast becoming an urban legend. I may have legitimate reason to ask the HDB to explain it, since it seems to inflict flats built by it.

Another forum, some also mentioned about sound of dragging of furnitures from upstairs.. I've experience both till today even thought I've moved many times. Anyone experienced before? Or may be have any explanation? :dunno:

p.s. Where to buy marbles and who is playing with it nowadays?? hmm.. :think:

 

[Pegasus]

p.s. Where to buy marbles and who is playing with it nowadays?? hmm.. :think:

Hmm.. some guys' "balls" dropped?

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Hmm.. some guys' "balls" dropped?

joker sia.. might as well say somebody upstairs playing 'snooker'... ;p

strange enuff... even my place not hdb also have this kinda sound leh...

 

[West_ray]

hey now u mentioned it, i realised that i'm not the only one. at first i really tot the sounds were made by my neighbour living above me ... hmm ... now i think otherwise ..

BTW, anyone living at highest floor and encounter the same sound?? if so ....... hahahahha ..... u know i know ....

 

[Jek]

they say it may have to do with HDB structures:dunno:

 

[espn]

Dun like that leh. I still want to surf net late into the night one leh :bsmilie:

 

[Jek]

remembered sumthing....
think that it is usually those that stay near the lifts area hear the marbles droppin....
do u guys live near the lift area?

 

[sulhan]

Hiee...grew up in a 3 rm flat...
and i thought only i heard that.......

i live on the 5th floor......

rgds,
sulhan

 

[Pro Image]

I live on the highest floor......so the only noise i hear is Spiderman and Batman having BBQ during the early hours.

 

[ndroo]

I heard something like some furniture rocking. Oh bed rocking. :| Eeeee!

 

[Klose]

pulau tekong got :bsmilie:

 

[brian]

Funny that this thread came up. Reminded me of the time I was in Shenzhen having a week long training, just a few months back. During the afternoon session, we kept on hearing "marbles" dropping on the floor just above us.

Only at the end of the week I realised it was the billiard room above. We spent some time up there at night, and there were something like 20 tables up there and the Chinese guys (and me occasionally) keep hitting the white table off the table and bounced right across the room!!!....

 

[adamadam]

I live on the highest floor......so the only noise i hear is Spiderman and Batman having BBQ during the early hours.

hahah
Should go up there and shoot them!

 

[maddog]

If you hear marbles it's probably the sound of children who died long time ago but still in state of limbo. I don't think children play with marbles nowadays. I've heard this myself along with furniture moving sounds late at night. :think:

 

[Pro Image]

I heard something like some furniture rocking. Oh bed rocking. :| Eeeee!

Bed rocking........hmm? Your upstairs neighbour? Why kinda if rocking are you talking about?

 

[Pro Image]

hahah
Should go up there and shoot them!

No lar.....cannot. They are looking after my block......so I just go up and down them.

 

[simon80]

the marble dropping sounds was create when the pipes expands and contracts ..

this was discussed in some other forums but I am not sure how accurate was it.

 

[ndroo]

Bed rocking........hmm? Your upstairs neighbour? Why kinda if rocking are you talking about?

Hehehhe ... up 2 ur imagination lor ... no marbles dropping though. ... oni knocking ....

 

[RossChang]

Hmm... now you mentioned it... yes I do recall sounds like tis... sometime it occure at night, sometimes it occur in early in the morning... :think:

 

[kegler]

Maybe someone above u also like to surf net till late night.... sit too long... adjust the chair lor... lol... as for marble.... isit the sound of dropping on the floor that goes ta-ta-ta-ta? might be a coin or wat lar... hee