Lawyer Challenges Denver Motorcycle Noise Law |
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File under Travel
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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Remember the law the idiots-savants from the fair city of Denver introduced {link}, forbidding any motorcycle to ride in their city that didn't have stock exhausts? Big uproar from the motorcycle community, but it didn't do much.
But one smart lawyer has made a surprising move. He is challenging the Denver Police department's motorcycle squad, who ride Harley-Davidsons. Their Harleys apparently are louder than the legal limit imposed by Denver. The attorney, Wade Eldridge (a biker himself, so there's some self-interest here) stated "the law lends itself to arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, The police can stop you for whatever reason."
The law allows noise up to 80 dB from 25 feet away, and requires motorcycles produced after 1982 to have a muffler approved by the EPA.
Tests conducted on the Police motorcycles found a sound level of between 81.3 and 81.7 dB, too high to be allowed according to the new regulations.
However, the powers don't see things his way. They state that 1) their bikes meet EPA standards, and 2) they'll not be ticketing a motorcycle that has a few dB "extra", but those that really exceed the limit.
We all know what that means. If the Police Officer is having a bad day, he'll ticket you.
It looks like a bad law, no matter what you think about loud pipes. Even if you're against them, it's the principle! The law is discriminating against motorcycles, since it only applies to motorcycles. If your car generates 130 dB, you'll not be fined. That is unfair, and the law should either be changed for every vehicle (including Police motorcycles), or withdrawn.
Via: Biker-Events
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