ILLINOIS - Chief promises stricter enforcement on motorcycle noise ..

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http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/hayes-68291-motorcyclists-alton.html
Chief promises stricter enforcement on motorcycle noise

April 04, 2012 7:34 PM ShareThis| Print Story | E-Mail StoryBy LINDA N. WELLER The Telegraph
ALTON - When in town, many motorcyclists aren't "keeping it down," so Alton police are revving up efforts to quiet noisy ordinance offenders.
"It's not a crackdown, but we will be a little more visible on motorcycle issues," Police Chief David Hayes said. "I am asking my commanders to have officers be more aggressive in writing tickets."
Hayes said the noise level from motorcycles, especially along East Broadway and Washington Avenue to the city limits, has been escalating in this spring's unseasonably warm weather.
"We've been very tolerant and very amicable to motorcyclists, but we have to address this," Hayes said. "We've been getting dozens of calls" complaining about loud motorcycles for the past two weeks.
"We want them kept to a low roar," he said.
Hayes said only 10 percent of motorcyclists "ride foolishly."
He said motorcyclists generally cooperated when the city implemented stronger provisions to its noise ordinance in 2010. Also, a businessman donated money to ABATE (A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education) to pay for signs that went up around town in March 2010, reading "Welcome to Alton, When in Town, Keep it Down."
ABATE was working with city officials at that time.
Hayes said the Alton Police Department issued 27 citations in 2011 for loud mufflers, which includes noisy motorcycles, and 11 so far this year, which he predicts will be increasing.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/ct-vp-0404localvoiceslettersbriefs-20120404,0,3958582.story
Grateful for bikers
Once again people are calling for the law to crack down on Illinois motorcycle riders for not wearing helmets. I'm no biker, but the blame is misplaced.
In "Dangerous riding" (Voice of the People, March 22), letter writer Chris Wenckus says, "Motorcycle riding is a dangerous activity."
He is right, but the danger is to the rider, not to other people on the road, and so the rider's choice of headgear is none of our business in a free country.
In fact, bikers contribute positively to the safety of others. They deserve our gratitude. Every motorcycle on the road means one less car or truck on the road. As a car-driver, would you rather have a collision with a motorcycle or with a Ford Explorer?
Since bikers deserve our gratitude, we should show it, not by siccing the police on them but by being careful with their lives when we drive our cars and trucks. Give them plenty of room, and watch for them when you make a turn or change lanes.
Observing the Golden Rule will do more good than a helmet law and place the responsibility where it belongs: on all of us.
— John L. Sutton Jr., Chicago
This is in response to letters supporting mandatory motorcycle helmet laws. This is an issue of personal freedom. Many inherently dangerous activities are legal. For instance, bathtubs are one of the most dangerous places in homes. By some people's logic, we should have laws requiring and regulating safety devices in bathrooms. Do we really want the government in our bathrooms? Where do we want government to stop?
It seems to always be identified as "common sense" to pass a law when it affects someone else. The primary causes of accidents for motorcyclists are alcohol, speed and inexperience — none of which is addressed by helmet laws. Also automobile drivers who fail to yield right of way can cause injuries and deaths to motorcycle riders.
People who really care about motorcycle riders' safety should support training, not mandatory helmet laws.
As a rider of 45 years and nearly 300,000 miles, a college graduate and retired reliability engineer, who chooses to ride free, I believe our legislators stand on the side of freedom by not passing a helmet law.
— David Metschke, McHenry
Drivers' education
Why doesn't the state Illinois have a mandatory motorcycle helmet law? Because residents of this state, who also happen to be motorcycle riders and voters, don't want a mandatory helmet and actively lobby against a mandatory helmet law.
I am a proud member of an organization called American Bikers Aimed Towards Education. And due to our efforts, we have repeatedly helped defeat mandatory helmet law proposals. ABATE is not anti-helmet; in fact, many of its members do wear helmets. Others, like me, only wear a helmet when forced to. This is a personal choice, and last I checked, we are supposed to be living in a free country.
I have been riding motorcycles for more than 40 years. My dad rode without a helmet until he was 83 years old (he passed away peacefully at the age of 84). Many times when I mention that I don't wear a helmet when riding my motorcycle, I am asked why not. My answer is simply that nothing feels as great to me as riding with the wind blowing through my hair.
As my dad once said," A happy motorcyclist is one with bugs in his teeth."
Most non-riders just don't understand that.
Statistically most accidents involving motorcycles are the result of automobile drivers not seeing motorcycles. I was involved in one serious accident because of a drunken driver. The real solution to motorcycle safety is education, not legislation.
— "Deadwood" Dave Hirsh, Chicago