Loud Pipes? Big Fines.
Wednesday, November 29th, 2006 at 9:33 pm by gothicbeaST
I love living in Arizona. For all the RED state flag waving, gun on hip, freedom loving statements of the local population, many areas of Arizona are more interested in controlling peoples lives. Scottsdale’s 1st in nation speed cameras on the loop 101 freeway. Avondale, Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix and Scottsdale’s red-light and intersections speeding cameras are some of my favorite RED state additions.
But now Carefree, AZ has upped the level of controlling the motorcycle lives by posting signs of an 80db noise limit with fines up to $750.
Now as we all know, I think the whole Loud Pipes saves lives argument is a bunch of BS. I have been promoting responsible motorcycling by recommending that a loud motorcycle is a public nuisance. I have many haters for this position and a quick Google of the Internet finds my Loud Pipe posts discussed on many other motorcycle message boards. I best love how people rewrite my name, as some how that is an insult to me.
People take my responsible motorcycle volume as I am taking the “Fun” out of motorcycling. That the “Sound” of a nice pipe and tuned engine adds great enjoyment to owning a particular motorcycle. In a nutshell I am a big “No Fun” guy wanting to prevent you from being safe by annoying the HELL out of everyone around you.
The fact is, I believe pissing off everyone around you will have some backlash. That backlash is now upon us, as if you like to ride up to Cave Creek, AZ and hang out at a biker bar, you better be quiet. Carefree, AZ is a growing area of the Phoenix metro area. The new members of the community just don’t want to hear your motorcycle when driving though your neighborhood. They don’t like it so much; they don’t wish to be annoyed by it and they are willing to spend
$250,000 to outfit local sheriff cars with boom mikes to measure the noise of motorcycles.
The Loud Pipes Save Lives portion of the motorcycle community is up in arms. They demand their right to upset the general public because it is in the name of safety. They claim how much money they spend, how so many other vehicles like garbage trucks create noise and how they are being discriminated against.
The fact is you are brining this on yourself. Your 110db pipe is not enjoyed by all that hear it. I personally believe that other drivers become MORE disrespectful of loud motorcyclist. Recently I have watched cars speed up as loud bikes drive up along side of loud motorcycles. I watched one SUV driver speed up and cut off the biker to just be in front of the
noise. While you may be noticed because your being a pain in the ass, that does not make it safer for you.
My suggestion: To every biker that believes in Loud Pipes Save Lives, try installing a set of LOUD horns. I have over 350,000mi of motorcycling under my belt, and I am very “Vocal” with the horn on the bike. I love having my Hi and Lo tone Freeway Blasters. When I need to get someone’s attention, the horns get it fast.
If you are using loud pipes for safety and you don’t have a set of after market horns that can wake the dead, then you are a just a jerk annoying the general public. I can’t count the number of times that I have seen a bike with loud pipes, but without a HORN. Be honest and change your motto to Loud Pipes Compensate for my Inadequacies.
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I know this doesnt make for a great debate but…I could not have said it better. And yes I do ride…