I am a truck driver. I’ve been driving trucks for 45 years, with more than a million miles of experience.

I am writing to say the claims that noise makes motorcycles safe is bogus and ridiculous (July 19).

First of all, the annoying noise is behind the bike. The faster the bike is moving, the farther behind the noise is. At any speed above 40 mph, a person can’t hear the bike until after he sees it.

Most cars on the road have air conditioning. With the air conditioning on and the windows up, a driver can’t hear the noise, anyway.

Safety hazards that motorcycles encounter are the fault of the rider most of the time. That includes acceleration from a stop that is far too fast; quickly changing lanes, leaving little or no reaction time; riding down the breakdown lane or between two lanes of cars to avoid backed-up traffic; and exceeding the speed limit.

Bikers have loud machines for one reason and one reason only, and that is to be annoying.

Mission accomplished.

Michael A. Mills, Otisfield