Letter: No need for new motorcycle noise laws (Printed Feb. 26, 2010)
To the editor:
A recent letter concerning cycle noise was very interesting (“No reason for cycle noise,” Feb. 19, page 8). The writer states it is a violation of federal law to tamper with noise control equipment on motorcycles made after 1982.
He states not having a muffler is a violation of Maine law. He also states this renders air pollution equipment inoperable, which is a violation of federal law and a crime in Maine. If what he says is true, then LD1675 is unnecessary.
Proper enforcement of existing laws should solve the problem. If police refuse to enforce existing laws, how exactly does he and his group think additional laws will help?
From the Maine Citizens Against Loud Motorcycles Web site “Our desire is not to penalize motorcycles that are operating quietly.” It also states, “While we would prefer that all bikes comply with the federal law EPA matching law, some after-market exhausts that lack the required label do operate quietly.”
I see a contradiction there. Is it about the label or loudness? It makes no sense to put a visual indicator on a bike to prove it’s not loud. A blind person can tell a loud bike from a not so loud bike.
As a motorcycle rider and owner I take great pride in the appearance of my bike. I spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on chrome accessories to make my bike shine. I don’t want to be forced to put some ugly sticker on my front left fork because law enforcement officials refuse to enforce existing laws.
I do get my motorcycle inspected and I do operate my bike quietly. LD1675 would penalize the 31,000-plus legally operated bikes in this state. Please contact your legislators and ask them to vote against LD1675.
James R Cressey
Arundel
A recent letter concerning cycle noise was very interesting (“No reason for cycle noise,” Feb. 19, page 8). The writer states it is a violation of federal law to tamper with noise control equipment on motorcycles made after 1982.
He states not having a muffler is a violation of Maine law. He also states this renders air pollution equipment inoperable, which is a violation of federal law and a crime in Maine. If what he says is true, then LD1675 is unnecessary.
Proper enforcement of existing laws should solve the problem. If police refuse to enforce existing laws, how exactly does he and his group think additional laws will help?
From the Maine Citizens Against Loud Motorcycles Web site “Our desire is not to penalize motorcycles that are operating quietly.” It also states, “While we would prefer that all bikes comply with the federal law EPA matching law, some after-market exhausts that lack the required label do operate quietly.”
I see a contradiction there. Is it about the label or loudness? It makes no sense to put a visual indicator on a bike to prove it’s not loud. A blind person can tell a loud bike from a not so loud bike.
As a motorcycle rider and owner I take great pride in the appearance of my bike. I spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on chrome accessories to make my bike shine. I don’t want to be forced to put some ugly sticker on my front left fork because law enforcement officials refuse to enforce existing laws.
I do get my motorcycle inspected and I do operate my bike quietly. LD1675 would penalize the 31,000-plus legally operated bikes in this state. Please contact your legislators and ask them to vote against LD1675.
James R Cressey
Arundel
Posted by Post Editor at 3/2/2010 1:51 PM 
Categories: Letters
Tags: Public Safety Environment Letters
Categories: Letters
Tags: Public Safety Environment Letters
Mr Cressey states that there are already enough laws regarding motorcycles and agrees there is little enforcement of existing motor vehicle laws. Maybe this is why the riding loud craze has become an epidemic problem in this country and also why 39% of all motorcycles registered in Maine do not bother to have their bike inspected. The EPA label law has been federally mandated since 1982 yet most States do not enforce the tampering or removal of this equipment. Removing the approved exhaust as we know makes the motorcycle much louder but many do not know it also disconnects the emissions system which can make a motorcycle produce sometimes as much as 200 times the illegal emissions than a car.
While everyone else is required to have an inspection sticker on our vehicles Mr. Cressey feels this should not apply to him the same way traveling around without a proper muffler should not apply to him.
It is far too late to hope for personal responsibility to regulate this noise and pollution problem that is now out of control everywhere.
It is time for stronger laws and enforcement. Contact your Representatives and Senators to help control the illegal removal of mufflers.
Check out the www.meclam.org website and join in to help get the message out about loud motorcycles and LD1675.
Thanks
William Campbell
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Mr. Campbell, I just moved into what I thought was a quiet neighborhood in New Hampshire, a rural residential road only used by residents. Today a bike with loud pipes cracked through going at least 30 MPH over speed limit. Where do I start to control this> Where can I find a copy of the federal law re inspection stickers, to give to police? Can a local town enact a noise law against excessive noise? Thank you for your good work,
Susan O'Brien
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That's an interesting opinion. Most bicycle owners I know do operate their bikes quietly, but there are some who don't care and even enjoy waking people up at 6h30 in the morning as they go to work, or at 2 in the morning after they come back from partying. Although I do agree that additional legislation might not be effective.
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