Our View
Bill a good first step to quieting loud pipes
We are looking forward to spring, but not to one of its rites — the thunder of illegally loud motorcycles.
That's why we urge local legislators to support a measure, L.D. 1675, designed to tone down noisey bikes.
Sponsor Nancy Sullivan, D-Biddeford, says that reducing excessive motorcycle noise is a public health issue. We're not sure about that, but loud motorcycles certainly do make the blood boil.
The measure would require motorcycle owners to display inspection stickers on their bikes, just like cars do on their windshields. Sullivan says that 38 percent of motorcycles are not currently inspected.
The bill mandates that inspection stickers be displayed by 2012, and sets up a work group to figure out how this can be best accomplished.
That's a good start, but the necessary companion piece would be giving police an immediate way to tell if a motorcycle muffler has been switched or altered.
This can be done by comparing the EPA sticker on the chassis of the bike to the one stamped on the muffler. Then an officer can quickly tell if the bike is in violation or not.
The work group should make this part of the process for enforcing this new law.
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Very Useful information ,
Very Useful information , this is both good reading for, have quite a few good key points, and I learn some new stuff from it too, thanks for sharing your information.
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verified Loud bikes
It's very strange that those who say they need to ride loud to be safe are mostly Harley riders. But they never seem to be able to explain how thousands of bikers, who ride whisper-quiet Honda Gold Wings, somehow manage to ride safely every day. Of course there are also thousands of quiet bikers who ride BMWs and other brands safely. How is it that these riders have acquired the skills needed to ride safely and the loud Harley riders don't seem to be able to? Of course, before the loud bikes can be curbed, something will have to be done about police officers who ride and will not issue a ticket to a fellow biker who is violating laws.
Loud Pipes Save Lives, If
Loud Pipes Save Lives, If this bill passes and the death rate rises the blood would be on your hands for passing legislation that reduces the safety of riders. I hope that this bill that saves you all from a few seconds of noise that "bothers" you so much, is worth it for families to never see loved ones again.
verified That's the way it is
The biggest problem is the rider, who revs his, or her, bike to create the noise, on purpose. We cannot stop the people so we modify the bike, You guys have no one to blame but yourselves.
verified Loud pipes
I ride a real bike - one you have to pedal. On more than one occasion, a motorcycle has overtaken me, then just as they pass, rev the motorcycle up really loud to 1. scare me to death and 2. make me fall. Then they laugh all the way up the road. That kind of noise from my car would get me arrested. I know of no motorcycle rider who has EVER been given a ticket for noise. Get 'em off the road!
verified Then, we'd all be falling
Then, we'd all be falling asleep at the wheel. Not so good.
How about some enhanced day driver education
I have been riding motorcycles for 30 years, and I can tell you that having a little louder pipes on my bikes has saved my life on numerous occasions. I am not talking about straight pipes with no baffles, I am talking about aftermarket pipes that have a somewhat higher decibal and throatier sound. If the average driver would get on a bike for just one day, they would realize that today's drivers are more distracted. If this were to pass, it should include additions to the current driver education training to include driver awareness to motorcycles on the road.
verified What??? Loud motorcycles are
What??? Loud motorcycles are not the sound of freedom and liberty?
"the necessary companion
"the necessary companion piece would be giving police an immediate way to tell if a motorcycle muffler has been switched or altered"
Police in at least one western European country carry decibal meters and write tickets on the spot. They are allowed to pull vehicles over for suspected violation of noise limits, use the meter, and act accordingly. Dumb people will of course switch out pipes because they like loud noise. So the only real enforcement will come from being able to pull them over and hand them a very expensive ticket.
verified Noise related health problems
Senator Nancy Sullivan is certainly correct when she says that noise pollution from loud motorcycles is a public health problem.
This link to the World Health Organization about noise pollution confirms her statement.
http://www.who.int/topics/noise/en/
How is it a Public Health
How is it a Public Health problem? It's noise. I agree it can be annoying but give it 20 seconds and you dont have to put up with it anymore. I am a motorcycle rider myself, I've put 50,000 Miles on my 05 Yamaha R1 (crotch rocket not a harley) and only 3 times I've been close to getting into an accident. All 3, OTHER people, NOT paying attention who "Didn't see me". Take away the exhaust noise you get people who cant see you or hear you. Drivers being oblivious to motorcycles has always been a problem. I can tell you one thing, I'm not taking my pipes off regardless of what comes of this. 3/4 of the people complaining about this haven't ever been on a bike in the first place.
About time
We all would be better with more peace and quiet on the roads!
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verified on "P. Nachman: Confidence probably misplaced"
Ronald, If you have not
Ronald,
If you have not noticed, everything I’ve listed is a growth in the size of government, a growth in government spending or a program in crisis.
A tax cut does not belong in that list. While a tax cut may grow the size of the national debt, a tax cut does not necessarily grow the size of government nor does it increase spending.
Moreover, you selectively forgot to add your favorites, Bill Clinton and Obama, to your list of tax cutting presidents. Any reason why? Maybe your Cuban pharmacist is giving you placeboes!
verified on "G. Decoteau: They deserve each other"
I second
I second the motion!!!!
- Agree Agree (1)
verified on "P. Nachman: Confidence probably misplaced"
Not surprising
It is not surprising that the Czarist and racist factions of the old "Conservatively" Russian front are continually becoming seen all over again. The entire facets of hatred and fear seem to be predated in concepts from Stalin and Hitler himself. Using the vileness of the "outsider" as the most dangerous among us. Mr. Nachman you remind me of a classmate of mine who had felt that as she was of Czech descent that my mothers lineage of Irish-Jewry made it so that I would have to kneel before here.
As a Baptist this is rather disappointing to see that for all of the physics based knowledge one can posses creating an air of fear is the only true self-gratification one can get. In fact this is a bondage between those in the systems of your own family as well. The racism and the scaffolded humanist rejections with an air of continual fear is little more then self-centered egotistical facets. It seems to thrive on fear and donations to establish a "cult" mandated sense of the opine in writing and creates a narrow minded view of those who think differently.
Mr. Nachman while you enjoy the daily purges of illegal "aliens" does any of this truthfully set you so far apart from Stalin or Hitler? The very nature of the article which you write is more of instilling fear toward others; then little more then that? Is this a case where in reverse desperation anyone not deemed American would have to kneel down before you? The questions becomes of the VDare project just how much of a diaspora it would create and exiles as well if they had ever been given enough control to expel other Americans.
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