Edmonton, Canada, City may punish noisy motorcyclists

OFF THE WIRE
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-may-punish-noisy-motorcycles-95840079.html City may punish noisy motorcycles By: Britt Harvey
8/06/2010 1:00 AM
Ready, set -- quiet your engines, Winnipeggers.
A recent precedent-setting ruling by Edmonton's Police Commission could affect how Winnipeg motorcyclists outfit their bikes.
Last Thursday, the Edmonton Police Commission passed a bylaw amendment that will allow officers to ticket any motorcycle noisier than 92 decibels when idling.
A $250 ticket will issued to the offending rider, in an attempt to cut down on noise pollution. Edmonton's bylaw is the first of its kind in Canada, and Winnipeg has shown interest in enacting a bylaw of its own.
"It's definitely something we're pursuing right now," said Staff Sgt. Mark Hodgson of the Winnipeg Police Service's central traffic unit. "But we're looking at something a bit more comprehensive than Edmonton's amendment."
After pulling over a motorcycle, police will be able to measure sound levels with a simple hand-held recording device positioned at a 45-degree angle 50 centimetres away from the bike.
Winnipeg police have already tested sound recorders that would be used for this new system.
Hodgson said it's the objective nature of the test that makes it so effective.
"This kind of quantitative data is what the courts are looking for," said Hodgson. "If we can measure sound like we measure speed, it could cut down on a lot of issues. It is no longer at the discretion of the officer."
While lower sound levels might be good for residents, some motorcycle enthusiasts are less than pleased.
"I just wonder how they're even going to be able to enforce this?," said Ted Hector, owner of Thunder Road Motorcycles Inc. "It feels like it's a bit of a shakedown. And noise levels can vary from model to model."
Hector was also concerned with what type of bikes might be affected by the fine, as older vintage motorcycles can have louder-sounding engines.
Bob Ramsay, president of the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council of Canada is involved with testing motorcycle noise levels. Ramsay assured motorcyclists only bikes outfitted with aftermarket parts will be affected by the noise constraints.
"All the various makes and models must meet the federal guidelines before they are sold," said Ramsay. "Any motorcycle that has gone through federal standards should not have an idling decibel louder than 92, even vintage bikes."
As an illustrative example, 92 dB compares roughly to the sound of a lawn mower.
Annoying yes, but not enough to cause serious damage, according to a Winnipeg audiologist. "You would have to sit directly beside the motorcycle for eight hours at 92 dB to receive any long-term hearing loss," said Jason Kemp, audiologist at the Kemp Hearing Centre.
Whether Winnipeg police are concerned with hearing damage, or merely disturbances to general noise levels, it may be awhile before motorcyclists or restless sleepers have some reprieve.
"We tend to be quite cautious in Winnipeg when enacting new bylaws," said Hodgson. "There are a lot of things on the table, and right now this might not be at the top of the agenda."
britt.harvey@freepress.mb.ca
Degrees of loudness
Winnipeg motorcyclists may eventually be penalized for idling-noise levels above 92 dB. If you were wondering just how loud 92 dB is, here is a chart of some sounds that may compare.
140 dB -- firearms, air raid siren, jet engine
130 dB -- jackhammer
120 dB -- jet plane takeoff
100 dB -- snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drill
90 dB -- lawn mower, shop tools, truck traffic, subway
80 dB -- alarm clock, busy street
70 dB -- busy traffic, vacuum cleaner
60 dB -- conversation, dishwasher
-- Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association