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Motorcycle Noise Increases - HPD Responds With... Well, HPD As Usual Does Nothing.

5/9/2021

2 Comments

 
Comment:

Thank you for your efforts to create a quieter Hawaii. We have lived here 30 years and have noticed an alarming increase in noise levels over this time.

Noise from modified motorcycles is especially brutal, especially from the motorcycle gangs that parade along Kalanianaole Highway on weekends. Even about 100 feet away from the highway noise levels can be painful.

A second and more continuous source of daylight noise are the numerous tourist helicopters, particularly Rainbow Helicopters, that overfly our home many many times a day. They fly low and loud.

How best to get the attention of legislators and enforcement officers to this very real public health issue?

I look forward to hearing from you.


Quieter O'ahu Response:

Aloha,

Mahalo for your note.  Always good to hear from the community.

Of the noise complaints we receive the first-place position would be motorcycles in Waikiki followed by motorcycles in Hawaii Kai.  Both are popular "cruising" destinations. While Hawaii Kai is primarily a pass-through to Sandy Beach, large groups will also avail of the attractions of Koko Marina - including the gas station.  And the owners of Koko Marina do nothing to stop the noise that affects you and your quality of life.

In terms of what to do, well, we do what we can against a well-organized adversary.  We work the system.  You have a very good Neighborhood Board in Hawaii Kai.  Use it.  Be vocal.  Express your outrage that this obviously illegal noise is allowed to continue with no enforcement by HPD District 7 whatsoever.  If you rally the Neighborhood Board, you have a very influential ally.  They can pressure HPD District 7, they can pressure Koko Marina for allowing such loud congregations of motorcycles to assemble on their "Private" property, and they can lobby City Council to pressure HPD, generally, to enforce noise laws more vigorously.  Or enforce noise laws at all!  You'll find lots of information on our website to take to your Neighborhood Board - why the loud pipes are illegal, what other municipalities have done, effects on quality of life and health, and so on.  We encourage EVERYONE to use their Neighborhood Boards to effect change.  If enough people, through enough Neighborhood Boards, make their voices heard, change can happen.  Remain silent and noise wins.  It's that simple.

Finally, we periodically organize email campaigns where we address issues, legislation, or other noise related problems.  We ask our subscribers to email their representatives to help us add voices to make legislators more mindful of what the community is thinking.  When we do, we hope you will participate.

Again, Mahalo for your note.  We've added you to our distribution list as requested, and we will publish your note and our reply to our Noise Blog - without your name or contact info, for the benefit of other visitors.

Quiter O'ahu

Note:  Our contributor also raised the issue of increasing noise from low flying aircraft, helicopters specifically.  We continue to raise this issue to our legislators, but it has become a finger-pointing exercise where elected representatives pass-the-buck to the FAA and its black-hole of unresponsiveness.  We should all be mindful of which legislators try to help, and those that consistently do nothing.  

Regarding HPD, we have documented their unresponsiveness and lack of law enforcement on our website.  They continue to do nothing about noise.  Pressure from the Neighborhood Boards and City Council is needed to compel HPD to simply do their job.
2 Comments

Basketball Hoops and Sports Noise in Kailua

5/4/2021

0 Comments

 
Comment:

G'day -
Having a real problem with basketball hoop set up by the street with lots of balls reverberating on the pavement / against the backboard. Got to think this is unlawful ?!
Further, if this hoop is moved to my next door neighbors driveway directly by our house, what recourse do we have for maybe this louder noise ?
Mahalo,


Quieter O'ahu Response:

Aloha,
​Your problem, regrettably, falls into the category of "Noisy Neighbors."  We've had reports of neighbors doing everything from loud stereos in the middle of the night, to setting off illegal fireworks throughout the evenings, to gas-powered landscaping equipment running full-out in the very early morning.  And did I mention roosters, dogs, and other animal noises?  We know.  It's bad and it's loud.

Here's a link to our website where you'll find the O'ahu Noise Reference Manual.  

https://www.quieteroahu.com/reporting-noise-violations.html

At page 12 it discusses options for Noisy Neighbors.  Essentially there are three: 1) if you have a good dialogue with your neighbor, discuss the problem and attempt to resolve; 2) call HPD and an officer will make a "subjective" determination of the problem; and 3) contact the Pacific Mediation Center who will intervene to bring parties together to attempt to resolve the problem.  Following is the website for the Mediation Center where it discusses their services.  We have had several reports of positive outcomes by using their services.

https://www.mediatehawaii.org/mediation

We're on a small island and our living conditions are much more congested than many other places.  We all need to understand this and let it guide our actions where the possibility of disturbing the quality of life of another person is concerned.

We'll post your comment to our Noise Blog for the benefit of others.  As requested, we have also added you to our distribution.

Mahalo,
Quieter O'ahu
0 Comments
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        Let us know what you think.  Are you tired of the noise?  Do you have ideas on how to combat the noise?  Tell us about it.
     
        Also, use the "Contact A Quieter O'ahu" form (under "About Us" on the menu bar) to let us hear from you.  We continue to compile email addresses of those interested in reclaiming quiet for our island to inform of noise and related issues of interest.  From time to time Quieter O'ahu may recommend contacting City Council or the Legislator to make your feelings known on a particular noise or related Bill.
     
        TOGETHER we can affect positive change.

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