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Backyard Fireworks Not Always a Blast
n a few days, windows will rattle, dogs will howl and neighbors will get so mad at each other they'll never talk again.
All because of backyard fireworks.
A year ago, a Cleveland firefighter killed three people in a rage over a July Fourth neighborhood fireworks show. And while people find Terrance Hough Jr.'s shooting spree unconscionable, some say they empathize with what he went through from the nonstop noise and lack of sleep.
Posted by John Caniglia
To reach this reporter:
jcaniglia@plaind.com, 216-999-4097 n a few days, windows will rattle, dogs will howl and neighbors will get so mad at each other they'll never talk again. ... more -
Loud Pipes Demystified
Loud Motorcycles - The Myth of Loud Pipes
A simple and effective regulatory measure for states and municipalities to control motorcycle noise by utilizing the EPA's dormant "label match-up" program.
Written by Jeff McCulley. Forward by Jeff Rustowicz.
http://www.noiseoff.org/pipes/ Loud Motorcycles - The Myth of Loud Pipes ... more -
Loud Motorcycle Exhausts Targeted
Citations vowed for modified bikes
The sheriff in Kenosha County has a message for motorcycle riders who violate state law by modifying their exhaust systems to make them louder: Pipe down or pay up.
“This has been around in the books for a long time, but it’s one of those laws we’ve kind of turned a deaf ear to,” said Sheriff David Beth. “Now I want to open that deaf ear.”
The sheriff said he only hopes to “give a little peace” to those living on major streets who have to hear some of the area’s 8,600 registered motorcycles rev their engines.
“Owning a bike does not trump anyone else’s ability to be outside,” he said.
Starting last weekend, Beth pledged to have deputies more strongly enforce the state law that reads, “No person shall modify the exhaust system of any such motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted.” Riders must pay $186 per citation.
Beth added that he doesn’t buy the “loud pipes save lives” argument that noise improves safety by alerting others that a motorcycle is coming.
“Most of the noise is actually behind the motorcycle,” he said.
Milwaukee Harley Owners Group director Rick Borowski, who owns just one of Milwaukee County’s 26,764 registered motorcycles, said he would sooner fight a citation than replace the factory-made, slightly louder Screaming Eagles pipes he installed on his bike. But he said completely removing mufflers for the loudest bike possible “is uncalled for.”
A Harley without any modifications has a rating of about 80 decibels, slightly louder than a vacuum cleaner.
“I think it’s time for this small group of bike owners to follow the rules like the 99% of the ones who do,” Beth said.
Kenosha sheriff’s department public information officer Gil Benn said offenders are “fairly obvious,” and the department has already received multiple calls and e-mails expressing support for the initiative.
Beth said he will have no problem keeping that initiative up during Harley’s 105th anniversary festivities, when riders from around the country likely will be traveling through his county.
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By ALEX LUNDY
alundy@journalsentinel.com
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=768178 Citations vowed for modified bikes ... more -
Good Info for Law Enforcement
For many communities excessive sound from motorcycles and other vehicles is a problem. This website is intended to give resources for vehicle noise control. The growing popularity of motorcycles, both on road and off road and recreational vehicles such as ATV's and watercraft have necessitated attention on minimizing the unwanted sound from these vehicles.
DPS Inc. is very involved in helping to minimize unwanted sound or nuisance noise from vehicles. We are internationally recognized for our efforts to minimize the disturbance from unwanted vehicle sound, and our activities to study, educate and assist in regulation enforcement programs.
We are well qualified to perform vehicle sound measurement for vehicle manufacturers, muffler manufacturers and to perform field sound measurements in communities and at recreational facilities such as racetracks or off highway riding areas. We frequently work in close association with our clients acoustical team in developing methods for noise control.
DPS Inc. has a recognized training curriculum for vehicle sound measurement for civilians to assist in sporting event vehicle sound reduction for sporting regulation enforcement.
DPS Inc. has a recognized training program for land managers and the law enforcement community. This training program often qualifies for POST training credit. For many communities excessive sound from motorcycles and other vehicles is a problem. This website is intended to give resources for ... more -
CA Police to Use Decimeter to Monitor Vehicle Noise
FILLMORE, Calif. — Soon to be armed with a new device that can measure the intensity of engine and stereo noise, Fillmore police will be cracking down on loud vehicles in the community.
"I think that it's going to be a big step forward," said former Councilman Ken Smedley, a Fillmore resident for 15 years. "This boombox phenomenon has really exploded. I can't spend a nice evening in my backyard without one of these vehicles going by every 14 minutes."
According to Deputy Anthony L. Biter, motor officer for the city, Fillmore will be one of the first in the county to purchase a decimeter, an electronic device calibrated to gauge the level of noise from on- and off-road vehicles.
"It's going to be an important tool," Biter said.
He expects that the decimeter will aid law enforcement in much the same way radar works to prove a person is speeding.
"The officer will stop a vehicle he believes is over the sound level, then you have the vehicle rev up to a running speed," Biter said. "Then the sound is captured and the decimeter shows the decibel reading of the exhaust, and they can be cited for having loud and obnoxious exhaust."
By Dawn Witlin
The Ventura County Star
http://www.policeone.com/pc_print.asp?vid=1708486 FILLMORE, Calif. — Soon to be armed with a new device that can measure the intensity of engine and stereo noise, Fillmore police will ... more -
Myrtle Beach Sparks Biker Showdown
Associated Press
For decades, Myrtle Beach has embraced its reputation as an affordable destination for playing in the surf and soaking in rays.
But the city has decided one group of vacationers is no longer welcome - the hundreds of thousands of bikers from across the country who descend on South Carolina's most popular tourist destination for two motorcycle rallies each May.
The city council raised property taxes in early June and will use at least some of the revenue in an effort to drive the rallies out. But the effort will succeed only if surrounding Horry County goes along with the idea. Rally supporters who felt blindsided by the city are now planning a showdown when the county council takes up the issue.
"For me, it's a matter of sheer survival. Those weeks are 40 percent of my business," said Ben Brown, owner of motorcycle shop B & M Custom Cycles in the heart of Myrtle Beach.
For Myrtle Beach, getting rid of the Harley-Davidson spring rally and the Atlantic Beach Bikefest around Memorial Day is a quality of life issue. "They bring three weeks of noise, congestion, reckless driving, crime, nudity, lewdness, rudeness, litter, wrecks, fatalities - they are overwhelming our capacity to deal with them," city spokesman Mark Kruea said.
Crime increases during the rallies - especially driving under the influence, drug charges and noise violations. Myrtle Beach officers worked nearly 10,000 hours of overtime during about two weeks the motorcycle rallies were in town. Associated Press ... more -
An inconvenient truth about motorcycle smog
Motorcycles and emissions: The surprising facts
This story is about emissions. More specifically, it's about the surprising level of emissions spewing from on-road motorcycles and scooters. In California, such bikes make up 3.6% of registered vehicles and 1% of vehicle miles traveled, yet they account for 10% of passenger vehicles' smog-forming emissions in the state. In fact, the average motorbike is about 10 times more polluting per mile than a passenger car, light truck or SUV, according to a California Air Resources Board comparison of emissions-compliant vehicles.
By Susan Carpenter, THROTTLE JOCKEY
LA Times! Motorcycles and emissions: The surprising facts ... more -
Green Bay considers ordinance to clamp down on loud mufflers
Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt wants to send a message to people who ride motorcycles with loud, illegal mufflers. He hopes to give regular citizens a chance to help with enforcement. We only see motorcycles about six months out of the year, but to Mayor Jim Schmitt the noise resonates year-round.
"They're so loud and just obnoxious," he said of loud mufflers.
He's sick and tired of souped-up motorcycles with mufflers that aren't street legal disrupting city streets. "It's annoying. It's disrespectful," the mayor said. "It's disrespectful to your neighbor and something that we need to enforce more."
Updated: June 3, 2008 09:28 PM
http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=8415133
By Chris Duffy Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt wants to send a message to people who ride motorcycles with loud, illegal mufflers. He hopes to give regul... more -
Civil Arrest of Acoustic Violation, Trespassing Report:
Civil Arrest of Acoustic Violation, Trespassing Report:
Saturday, April 12, of 2008, 5:00 PM
Vehicle: Pick Up Truck
Licence: California License Plate [5X53124]
Charges: Arrested and Abated for Neighborhood Acoustic Trespassing, Acoustic Nuisances.
Description of Event:
Pick up truck mentioned above had its noise alarm going off every time a Motorcycle or a Car with modified muffler passed by. The aware time of the Acoustic Violations begin at 11:00 AM and continued until 4:55 PM. Vehicle was disconnected by a civilian at 5:15 PM.
Obs: The Unusual Alarm mentioned above was going off for more than 30 seconds at the time.
Abatement was made observing the right of California Civil Rights Law.
The Movies and Photography Evidences are on Files.
***Warning: If you have a car alarm that makes noise, and your alarm goes off falsely, you are violating the acoustic rights of inhabitants in the City and we will at our discretion apply the rule of Law of Enforcement and Abatement According with the California Civil Code.
CALIFORNIA CODES
CIVIL CODE
SECTION 3479-3484
3479. Anything which is injurious to health, including, but not limited to, the illegal sale of controlled substances, or is indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, or unlawfully obstructs the free passage or use, in the customary manner, of any navigable lake, or river, bay, stream, canal, or basin, or any public park, square, street, or highway, is a nuisance.
3480. Section Thirty-four Hundred and Eighty. A public nuisance is one which affects at the same time an entire community or neighborhood, or any considerable number of persons, although the extent of the annoyance or damage inflicted upon individuals may be unequal.
SECTION 3501-3503
3502. A person injured by a private nuisance may abate it by removing, or, if necessary, destroying the thing which constitutes the nuisance, without committing a breach of the peace, or doing unnecessary injury.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
It is a jungle out there! Civil Arrest of Acoustic Violation, Trespassing Report: Saturday, April 12, of 2008, 5:00 PM Vehicle: Pick Up Truck ... more -
Which gang should my 4-year-old join?
A couple arguing about which gang their 4-year-old toddler should join caused a public disturbance that resulted in the father's arrest.
Joseph Manzanares' girlfriend told police that they had been arguing about the upbringing of their son and which gang he should belong to.
On Saturday, Manzanares stormed into the video store where his girlfriend worked, threatened to kill her and knocked over several video displays and even a computer.
The police Seargant said, "They have different ideas on how the baby should be raised. Basically, she said they cannot agree on which gang the baby would 'claim.'" A couple arguing about which gang their 4-year-old toddler should join caused a public disturbance that resulted in the father's ... more -
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