Blog Archives

Another Rider Comments On The Myth "Loud Pipes Save Lives"

7/14/2020

Comment:

This argument has been going on forever. I wonder if it’s really about this or the need to attempt to impose one groups will against another. I know from my own experiences that noise volume does make a difference even it’s just slightly. If you’re never ridden a Harley and i suspect most of the complainers in here haven’t then you’ll just have to take my word for it. Commenting about safety gear is getting off topic. Live and let live is popular to say in certain circles.

Quieter O'ahu Response:
7/14/2020 01:28:59 am

I think we can agree that this IS about one group imposing their will against others. In this case, motorcycle riders who fit their bikes with aftermarket exhausts capable of 125dB - anything over 120dB harms hearing according to OSHA, and spills that noise pollution a quarter-mile in all directions, making it impossible for hundreds, if not thousands, of others in proximity to that awful noise from enjoying their day. And tell us, please, where is the safety factor of loud pipes in sitting at a stop light or stop sign and endlessly revving the engine to ensure the noise continues unabated?

A stock Harley emits a noise level of 80dB. For reference, a typical car when idling emits noise at about 35-45 dB and in the high 50s to low 60s decibel levels at freeway speeds. So even though the stock cycle is significantly louder than a car, that seems still to not be enough noise for most riders. Got to have them louder. Got to "wake the dead." Well, we politely disagree, and, apparently so does the City Council and State Legislature. Both of whom have passed ordinances and statutes against such excessive noise. 80dB, loud, but okay, we'll live with it. But enough is enough and motorcycle riders, in the main, have crossed a line.

Please review our pages on Hawai'i ordinances and statutes for a review of those most on point at: https://www.quieteroahu.com/hawaii-noise-laws.html .

And we also disagree that our last response was off-topic. The submitter made the point that motorcycle riders were 35 times more likely to be involved in an accident than cars, and that noise saved lives - a debunked myth by rider groups and science, regardless of personal opinion - but if saving lives were of interest, then riders should equip themselves for riding: helmets, vests, and attire.

Thank you for your comments.

0 Comments

A Rider Comments - It's His Right To Make Noise And If You Don't Let Him You're A Communist

7/13/2020

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Comment Received From Motorcycle Rider:

Loud pipes help keep riders safe by making their presence known, unfortunately there are plenty of poor drivers who do not have the surrounding awareness skills that (should) be required..

And others are distracted by multiple devices in their car whether it be a phone, radio, food, passengers just to name a few.

In fact, statistics show that motorcyclists are nearly 30 times more likely to die in a traffic accident as those in car accidents.

My problem with people like “Quieter Oahu” is they think the solution is to take away someones personal freedom (whatever that may be) but in this case to modify their own property, said motorcycle for intentions of better protecting myself while on the roadway.

How about we take the freedom away of the radio in the car so that you can have a better chance of hearing stock motorcycle exhaust?

You all keep taking peoples freedom away we might as well slap a communist flag on your door.

Quieter O'ahu Responded:
7/13/2020 07:04:55 pm

Thank you for your comment. “Loud pipes save lives.” A myth debunked by science and most reputable rider groups. Even the CEO of Harley Davidson has said “enough is enough.” Here’s an excerpt from RevZilla that debunks the myth fairly emphatically, and anyone wanting to know the science should just google “science myth loud pipes save lives” to get an earful. The only point of loud pipes is to annoy the public. There is no performance or safety purpose that stands scrutiny.
Source: From RevZilla.com

https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/stop-saying-loud-pipes-save-lives

Quote
Stop Saying "Loud Pipes Save Lives"

"Loud pipes save lives."
"Gotta make sure they hear you coming!"
"I can't tell you how many times a driver has noticed me because of my loud exhaust."
"They aren't just cool. It tells people you're there."
The "loud pipes save lives" argument is one I see or hear on almost a weekly basis. It's usually coming from some guy on a Harley or retro Triumph, though the sportbike guys are jumping on as of late. I honestly can’t tell if people really believe it, or it's just a nice justification when someone says their bike is too loud, but I think it's the second dumbest thing commonly heard from riders. (If you're wondering, the first is that 600cc supersports are beginner bikes.)
Let's start with some basic physics and a little rationality. Your exhaust is pointed backwards and by the nature of you traveling forward, you're actually leaving the sound behind you as you move forward. If that concept is confusing, think of the sound of a fire truck passing you with its siren blaring. The siren is pointed forward because the purpose is to warn driver’s the truck is approaching from behind. The next time you hear one coming, notice that it’s louder when it’s coming toward you than when it’s going away.
Now apply that to motorcycle crashes. The one comprehensive, reliable study of motorcycle crashes in this country is the well known "Hurt Report," which is now nearly 40 years old. Harry Hurt and his team found that 64.9 percent of multiple-vehicle motorcycle crashes were the fault of the car driver and “the typical accident in this category is portrayed by the automobile in traffic turning left into the path of the oncoming motorcycle.” A lot has changed in 40 years, but one thing that I think we can all agree hasn’t changed is that the car drivers are still pulling out in front of us. That means the bigger danger is still ahead, not behind, but most of the racket from loud pipes is just pissing off the people behind you, while doing very little to warn those in front of you.
Your headlights and horn, however, are pointed ahead. If you really were so concerned with an upgrade that could save your life, you’d add aftermarket auxiliary lights and upgrade your horn. But then you’d run the risk of looking like a dork instead of sounding like a badass.
Secondly, look at the cars around you. If loud pipes ever helped make you safer, that's less true today. My first car was a 1986 Volkswagen Fox. Basically, a go-cart with doors and a roof. Every scrap of road noise bled into the cabin. Today, even my semi-budget Mazda 3 manages to make road noise basically non-existent and it also comes with eight speakers, a six-CD changer, and an auxiliary port for my iPhone, so all I'm likely to hear is my music. In a current luxury car, you'll hear far less, and in the future, maybe nothing at all.
Now, I'm not saying a loud motorcycle has never alerted anyone to your presence. We've all had an experience where a driver has noticed us because of the sound of the bike. Obviously, anything that calls attention to your motorcycle helps today’s distracted drivers notice you’re there between their kids’ screams and bites from their burritos. However, claiming that “loud pipes save lives” while riding around on your brakeless bobber in your T-shirt and novelty helmet just makes you, me, and the rest of the motorcycle community look like morons.
Unquote

Quieter O’ahu Second Response:
7/13/2020 07:11:52 pm

Oh, and by the way, if you want to save the lives of people on motorcycles, wear a helmet, wear reflective vests, wear long pants, wear shoes! But no, that’s not cool, is it? Much better to ride in shorts and slippahs with no helmet, no reflective gear, why, heck, I think most would just ride nude if they could. But helmets. Oh, no, we can’t have that. Which is why the motorcycle lobby year after year after year makes sure any attempt at helmet legislation is defeated. And yet you make the case that it’s loudness that keeps you safe. Check the number of fatalities caused by preventable head injuries and call us back.

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Loud Cars And Stereos In Kailua

7/11/2020

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Comment:

We live on Xyz Drive in Kailua and have constant loud cars and stereos driving by. Just looking to see if there was anything I can do and I came across your website.

Quieter O'ahu Response:

Aloha,

If it is any consolation, you are not alone. We receive hundreds of complaints and requests for information on this topic.

Let me point you to our pages on Hawai'i noise ordinances and statutes. https://www.quieteroahu.com/hawaii-noise-laws.html

If you review these I'm sure you'll find at least one that covers your problem and clearly identifies the problem as a violation of the cited statute or ordinance. Being armed with that, you're now ready to call HPD and report these violations. If the officer responds, which they often do, they will likely tell you that they have to witness the violation or they cannot issue a citation. That or countless other reasons why they cannot or will not cite the violator. We have heard all their stories and all their reasons.

You might also want to review our Noise Blog. You'll find many, many others who have reported these same problems, and our recommendations, including working through your neighborhood board. https://www.quieteroahu.com/our-noise-blog

But let us also share with you one weapon that all sworn HPD officers have in their toolbox should they decide to truly pursue these offenders. If an officer suspects or has reason to believe that any vehicle has been modified so that it would no longer pass the relevant State required safety inspection, they may order the vehicle to undergo a "reconstruction inspection" to determine compliance with inspection requirements. So a counter to virtually ANY of HPD's reasons for not citing violators could be "then why not order that the vehicle undergo a reconstruction inspection to see if it has been illegally modified?" Makes for interesting conversation. You can read more about this at our link here https://www.quieteroahu.com/our-noise-blog/loud-exhaust-and-no-hpd-enforcement .

Mahalo for contacting us.

A Quieter O'ahu

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