Thursday, May 31, 2012

NH: Police issue warnings at motorcycle noise checkpoint

OFF THE WIRE



Police issue warnings at motorcycle noise checkpoint

Charlie and Cookie Ferreira, of Goffstown, were among the motorcyclists who voluntarily checked their motorcycle noise emissions in Rye on Saturday.Jennifer Feals photo
May 27, 2012
RYE — As the summer season heats up, and more motorcycles take to the road, Rye police joined with those from North Hampton and state troopers to take a proactive approach against illegal exhaust noise.
For three hours on Saturday, at the junction of Ocean Avenue and Causeway Road on the Rye and North Hampton border, police conducted voluntarily decibel testing on 58 motorcycles. According to New Hampshire law, the maximum emission is 106 decibels, said Rye Sgt. Scott Blaisdell.
Four motorcycles were over the legal limit and were given warnings to comply.
“One of the concerns we hear a lot is the noise of motorcycles,” Blaisdell said. “Every summer there's issues and complaints about it. We like to be ahead of it so if people do have an issue, maybe they aren't aware, and they can have it fixed.”
Ocean Avenue was packed with travellers Saturday as Memorial Day weekend was met with summer-like weather. In just a 20-minute time frame, more than a dozen motorcycles were tested and sent on their way.
“A lot of people voluntarily do this on their own to see where their bikes are at,” Blaisdell said.
He said N.H. State Police assisted Saturday with the proper equipment to conduct the testing.