Ordinance would muzzle loud motorcycles
Loud motorcycles have been a bugaboo for Brendan Reilly for years. The 42nd Ward Alderman has introduced an ordinance that would make it easier for Chicago police to issue citations to drivers of motorcycles with missing or rudely modified mufflers.
Reilly called it “a major quality of life issue that impacts downtown residents” in his newsletter to constituents on Tuesday.
“Many motorcyclists alter their mufflers to be much louder than legal decibel levels,” wrote Reilly, “which contributes to noise pollution throughout Chicago, especially in downtown Chicago’s skyscraper canyons.”
Altering a muffler to be loud or smoky is already unlawful but currently only Illinois State Police can issue citations. The new ordinance, if passed by the city council, would allow Chicago police to issue a citation after visually inspecting a muffler. The fine for operating a motorcycle without a muffler would increase from $100 to $1,000.
Reilly says he receives hundreds of complaints every year of motorcycles racing through downtown or congregating in large groups to rev their engines.
Loud motorcycles targeted in Chicago
Published: December 18, 2013, 9:11 pm, by Garrison Wells The city of Chicago is taking a dim view of loud motorcycles.
So much so that an alderman has a proposal to increase findes for violators, those who change their mufflers to make them louder, according to DNAInfo Chicago.
The alderman calls it a quality of life issue.
The proposal would increase the maximum fine for violations from $100 to $1,000.