Colorado, Officials tackle bike noise

OFF THE WIRE
Colorado
www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?ID=28774
Publish Date: 7/15/2010

Officials tackle bike noise
Larimer Sheriff’s Office, county commissioners wrestle with ways to
handle residents’ complaints

By Jackie Hutchins
Loveland Reporter-Herald
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office gets many complaints about noisy
motorcycles, particularly in the spring and summer.

“I’m sure all of the commissioners have received complaints over the
years about loud motorcycles,” Sheriff Jim Alderden said at a work
session Wednesday when department officials met with the county
commissioners to discuss how they’re handling them.

Commissioner Lew Gaiter had received a suggestion from a resident that
the county adopt a process used in Denver that requires motorcycles to
have a sticker indicating that they have exhaust systems approved by the
Environmental Protection Agency.

But the commissioners and sheriff’s staff members weren’t convinced the
system would be more effective than the current noise ordinance, and
they noted it could hurt motorcycle customizing businesses.

Alderden and Cpl. Nelson Sanderson both said many of the motorcycles
that people complain about don’t exceed allowable noise levels.

Alderden noted that the ordinance says sound cannot exceed set limits
for more than 15 minutes out of an hour, but often motorcycles make a
loud but brief blast of noise that would not be illegal.

The department wrote only a handful of tickets to riders of loud
motorcycles last year, Sanderson said.

Additionally, the testing to determine just how loud they are can be
difficult and can take time away from higher law enforcement priorities,
he said.

The officers want to focus on traffic offenses that are
life-threatening, Sanderson added.

He noted that there’s a belief among many bikers that “loud bikes save
lives,” so many riders get custom mufflers that are designed to make
their bikes louder.

Sanderson said EPA-approved mufflers have a stamp on them that officers
can check, but a sticker system like Denver uses could make it easier
for officers to tell if a muffler is acceptable because they wouldn’t
have to turn the bike on its side to see the stamp.

However, commissioners had questions about creating a system to check
mufflers and give stickers.

The sticker system also would not help with people from other counties
riding through Larimer County.

Steve Johnson, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, said he
would like to hear from the motorcycle community before making any
changes to the current rules. “I need more information.”

But given the county’s limited resources, the Sheriff’s Office needs to
set priorities on how best to use its staff, Johnson added.

“There are problems that are more pressing. I want you guys keeping the
roads safe,” he said.

Commissioner Lew Gaiter said he didn’t want to make any changes that
would hurt custom motorcycle businesses.

“I don’t have a problem with enforcing the statutes. I do have a problem
putting an industry out of business,” he said.