[CRAIG2]

Here is a news story that is not sitting very well with riders in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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EDMONTON - Bikers in Edmonton with noisy rides must now muffle their motorcycle's loud exhaust pipes.

City council in the Alberta capital has passed a bylaw that cracks down on bikes that exceed specified noise standards.

Police can now issue $250 tickets to bike owners if their machines are louder than 92 decibels while idling, or 96 decibels with the engine running at a greater speed.

Officers will enforce the bylaw with eight noise-meter kits that cost a minimum of $17,000.

Bikers are being given an amnesty period to have their bikes tested and learn about the new rules of the road.

Acting Sgt. Eric Theuser with the police traffic section says it's believed that Edmonton is the first city in Canada and possibly in North America to have a bylaw that curbs loud motorcycles. (Edmonton Sun)
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NOTE: Photos below have nothing to do with the above post. Storing photos here (instead of Photobucket etc) and using them in other postings on the RG forum site.

 

[Rowdy]

Must have learned it from the pd's in ca

They must have seen the revenue numbers from California. So for 96 decibals at greater speeds--how do they determine that, pace you with the sound gun on your ride. So far we haven't run in to that problem here--yet...

 

[BigDaveOnBass]

Haven't they heard? Loud pipes save lives!

And make the bike run better!

 

[connector]

We have the same law in Vancouver came in 2 years ago and they do enforce it in the down town core. They test you at a idle and if they can't gety you there they will ask you to rev it up at this point you inform them that might hurt the bike and say no i don't think that is possible. So far i known a few with tickets at idle again only in the core, which isn't a great riding area any ways

 

[charlie11]

Something similar is going on now in Golden, Colorado. The difference is that their ordinance states if you do not have "factory stock" pipes on your bike you will be issued a $100 fine. Police are roaming the streets ticketing bikes whether they hear them or not. As one police officer told a motorcyclist that he was ticketing, " we want to get rid of lawless bikers in our community". Golden use to be a great place to ride to, has several great biker bars where you can sit out on the patio, watch your bike, and listen to some good entertainment. Needless to say I will not be going into Golden any more.

 

[BigDaveOnBass]

Charlie, that sounds like discrimination to me. "Lawless bikers?" That's lumping all Harley riders into one nice, neat category, isn't it? What an assholio.

 

[charlie11]

BigDave,

I feel the same way. I have been going out to Golden since I moved to Colorado 10 years ago. Many times I just ride the scoot out on a Sunday morning to have coffee in one of the coffee shops on Main Street. They also have some great restaurants along with, as I mentioned, some great biker bars. I know that they are cracking down on the loud pipe issue and there are some that have made it bad for others. My feeling is if I am making too much noise than you go after me as an individual but do not make others pay. I also know that non-factory stock pipes when ridden with a little restraint do not make much noise. I just put on a set of the Vance and Hines Monster Ovals which I think are great and definitely not very loud. Nothing is being done as far as I know about "non factory mufflers" on cars and trucks. Anyway, sorry for the rant. Will just take my rides to other places that still believe in Freedom that so many Americans have fought for.

 

[road-king]

pretty soon, you won't be able to smoke in a bar! Oh wait....

 

[dklanecky]

pretty soon, you won't be able to smoke in a bar! Oh wait....

That law takes effect in the great state of Wisconsin on July 5th this year. Not too many exemptions that I am aware of either, just the Indian gambling casinos.

 

[CRAIG2]

UPDATE: February 18th, 2011​

Let the fun begin here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada!!
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From the Edmonton Sun newspaper..............

MOTORCYCLE NOISE TICKET QUASHED
By MICHELLE THOMPSON, City Hall Bureau

Edmonton’s motorcycle community wants a bike noise bylaw yanked from the books after a “precedent-setting” case Thursday saw a ticket ripped up.

While a lawyer with the city said the case is unlikely to hurt the bylaw, the biker whose ticket was quashed said the court’s decision will change things.

“My ticket set the precedent,” said Stuart Young, whose fine was quashed by a traffic court commissioner.

'I think this goes a long way in showing the City of Edmonton they’ve made a wrong choice — the City of Edmonton should be ashamed of themselves.”

Young was slapped with two $250 motorcycle noise bylaw tickets last July, shortly after the new rules took effect.

One was dismissed in court Thursday, while the other will be tossed by the Crown prosecutor, Young said.

City council approved a bylaw amendment last June that allows police officers to issue fines for bikes that are louder than 92 decibels while idling or louder than 96 decibels at an engine speed that’s greater than idling.

But the commissioner ruled that in Young’s case, the methods used to test bike noise levels were unscientific.

Police enforcing the bylaw must adhere to Society of Automotive Engineers standards.

They failed to do so in Young’s case by neglecting to ensure testing wasn’t compromised by other factors, like background noise, Young said.

Court also found police didn’t ensure the bike was in its proper position before testing.

The case is proof the city rushed too quickly to pass the bylaw, Young said, adding police don’t have the training needed to enforce it.

Const. Eric Theuser, who oversees Edmonton police’s enforcement of the bylaw, said that simply isn’t true.

“We received the highest form of training we could obtain,” he said.

“Our training has been very well handled.”

Police have issued 115 tickets since the bylaw took effect and 55 of them are being fought.

Liane Langlois, an outspoken critic of the bylaw, said the case is proof police should stop enforcing it.

“Those tickets were issued incorrectly,” said Langlois, who petitioned to have the bylaw rescinded last year.

But Scott McAnsh, a lawyer with the city, said it’s unlikely Young’s case will have an impact on the other tickets.

“The decision that was made (Thursday) morning deals with the particular facts of that ticket,” McAnsh said.

“Because the breaches alleged are particular to that trial, I don’t think they’ll have any consequences for ongoing prosecutions.”

The city is considering appealing the commissioner’s decision, he said.

Here are some fast facts on the city’s motorcycle noise bylaw:

115 tickets have been issued since last July Around 55 are being fought Each fine costs $250 Police can issue fines for bikes that are louder than 92 decibels while idling or louder than 96 decibels at an engine speed that’s greater than idling.

Edmonton is the first city to use this standard of noise testing, approved by the Society of Automotive Engineers

Another element of Edmonton’s traffic enforcement came under fire this year, when a technical glitz forced the city to cancel about 140,000 speed-on-green tickets issued since November 2009.​

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[Gadgetech]

We see how the crackdown on bikers went over in Myrtle Beach even though for some similar and some different reasons. Greenville complained about a HOG rally many years ago but apparently 12 mil in revenues changed their minds b/c they had it here a few years ago again. We're such a lawless group.

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