Ordinance vs loud bikes needed

IT’S hard to understand why our town and provincial legislators remain deaf to the growing clamor by majority of their constituents to enact ordinances against loud motorcycles that produce nerve-wracking noise even in the late hours of the night not just along major roads but also along quiet neighborhood streets.

In some parts of Metro Manila, namely Makati and Marikina, ordinances against the use of loud noise producing open or free flow pipes for motorcycles is being prohibited.

Our councilors should enact an ordinance aganist the nauseating noise being produced by the “modified” motorcycles, particularly the barebones, scooters and other mini-motorcycles.

The new leadership of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued its own guidelines in operation of motorcycle on roads and highways for the benefit of the general public. Among these is the prohibition of modifying any part of the original design of a motorcycle or scooter without approval from the agency and the Department of Trade and Industry.

The LTO must have noticed that many motorcycle riders modify their stock exhaust pipes with much louder open or free flow pipes. The agency has imposed a P2,000 penalty for violators of this rule. But since the LTO has very few field staffs, local government officials must still do their share.

Ordinances and rules against the fast growing number of loud motorcycles should be enacted by municipal governments to ensure effective implementation of the law.

Our councilors can pattern the ordinance after motorcycle level standards being implemented in the United States.

In the State of Arizona, for instance, rules for motorcycle riders are very clear: “A person shall not operate or as an owner permit the operation of a motorcycle in this state that is not equipped with the Manufacturer’s Original Muffler Or Other Original Noise Reduction Equipment or with a replacement muffler or replacement noise reduction equipment capable of reducing the noise levels below the maximum operating noise levels. A person shall not use a muffler cutout, bypass or similar device on a motorcycle operated in this state.”

Because of the public’s clamor, state and local legislatures in America, still enact laws against loud motorcycles although under current federal noise statutes, it is illegal to modify an exhaust system to increase noise.

In Boulder County, Colorado, for example, has a law stating: “No person shall operate anywhere in unincorporated Boulder County any vehicle having a muffler that has been equipped or modified with a cutoff, bypass, or any similar device or modification.”

All the measures against the use of open and free flow pipes by motorcycle owners inside and outside our country have only a single purpose – to reduce noise, which is defined as “any sound which annoys or disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans.”

Resort owners in the Sabang area along the main road to Poblacion have been complaining to officials regarding the loud noise generated by the motorbikes.  One resort owner even had to give a discount to a group of divers when they threatened to file a suit against the resort for the discomfort caused by the loud motorbikes.

Mermaid Resort had to install thick glasses on their windows to ensure their guests will not be bothered  by the noise.
Many residents residing along the road especially where there are habal-habal bikes had been clamoring for regulations not to disallow bikes but to disallow modification of the bikes to produce those terrible roaring noise.

The barangays can also make a barangay ordinance prohibiting loud bikes and collect penalty payments for those violating the ordinance.

“It is very disturbing. I can’t even sit on my porch without having to hear someone blasting by and making sure they goose the throttle to make more noise,” said one resident. “Anyone who invests more money to make a motorcycle louder just hasn’t grown up yet. Most of these guys are older, I can see them riding by. I am not saying don’t ride a motorcycle, just tone it down.”

Calling our municipal councilors, an ordinance versus loud motorbikes is needed.  Please help us rid Puerto Galera of irritating loud motorbikes.