Boston has passed a new motorcycle noise ordinance and Denver's ordinance has withstood a recent legal challenge. New York City is considering a new law as well. Click here for the full article.
Anyone that knows me knows that loud pipes are a pet peeve of mine. I'm not opposed to them on principal at all, I'm simply opposed to them being so loud on pedestrian streets. If loud pipes make people cup their ears, make conversation impossible and can be heard through closed doors and windows, they're too loud to be on those streets. Anyone that says differently isn't thinking clearly. And loud pipes do not in fact save any lives...
"Seventy-seven percent of all motorcycle accident hazards come from the 11 to 1:00 direction, from in front of the motorcycle rider. And people that are 500 feet in front of you that may turn in front of you that will violate your right of way; they can't hear it because it's pointed the other way," says Hahn.
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"Years ago, cyclists started a campaign called "loud pipes save lives." But manufacturers like Harley-Davidson and groups like the American Motorcyclist Association now voice the mantra -- "loud pipes risk rights." That's because communities in Massachusetts and Arizona have threatened to ban motorcycles from riding in certain areas because of the noise. Just this month, the city of Stillwater began cracking down on motorcycle noise after complaints." - Minnesota Public Radio
The sad thing is, it's probably less than 3% of motorcycle riders who are blasting their engines on pedestrian streets. A small number of assholes will cause enough problems and annoyance until laws are created that effect every legitimate motorcycle rider.
Just let the other 23% die? I ride with loud pipes definitely keeps people from coming over into my lane. If we create ridiculous laws to manage the 3% of assholes in the world (not just the ones with loud pipes) you wouldn't have much freedom.
I ride a bicycle on city streets and I don't think adding always-on air horns to my bicycle is going to radically make me safer. If annoying everyone is the only way for you to feel comfortable on a bike, maybe you shouldn't bike?
If I have loud pipes maybe you will notice me that is all the edge I get. But if you ban loud pipes, then ban stupid people driving, loud radio, IPODS. Loud pipes do save lives, i ride alot of back roads where deer are plenty, they take notice to it
Rediculeous... Loud bikes are only within range for maybe a minute... and that's a few extremely loud ones. Most are there and gone within 10 seconds... and that's when your driving in their lane in your car, otherwise other bikers don't give a shit how loud you wanna roll. But those bikers are on them bikes 100% of the time, through all of the idiots on the road, and not one of us can say they havn't almost taken out a bike in their car, and never even knew it.
"Seventy-seven percent of all motorcycle accident hazards come from the 11 to 1:00 direction, from in front of the motorcycle rider. And people that are 500 feet in front of you that may turn in front of you that will violate your right of way; they can't hear it because it's pointed the other way," says Hahn.
Dan says in return... why do you think some of us keep our pipes as loud as possible?... @.#
sometimes i like to rev me engine but i am respectful of others.. but maybe if assholes pay more attention when driving their cars instead of texting and talking on the cell phone, we would not even be talking about loud pipes...
I'm pretty a lot of people would still think they're cool anyway. Those same people put loud mufflers on their cars and love them there too. They just don't have other cars as a justification/rationalization for them.
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