Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

In Brooklyn, New York there has been a dispute and discussion about the decibel level that is permitted for motorcycles. Exhaust pipes of new bikes have a manufacturer stamp to certify that the bike meets state and federal laws which limit noise to 80 decibels. That is about as noisy as an alarm clock or vacuum cleaner.

A new law was proposed whereby police could ticket bikes which have no exhaust pipe stamp. They could simply inspect parked bikes, rather than having to chase any riders down. The bill is supported by residents who object to motorcycle noise which penetrates to their bedrooms and living rooms and has a jarring effect on them.

Unfair Ticketing?

A local organization called the Concerned Citizens for Motorcycle Safety has been fighting this bill. This is an umbrella organization for a number of local biker clubs. They argue that a louder bike noise alerts drivers of enclosed vehicles, who possibly have their radio or CD player on, that there is a bike nearby.

This is highly valuable, since most motorcycle accidents involve drivers who claim that they did not see the bike rider. One of the biker club's president was quoted as saying: "Every person that rides a bike can give you several stories of how that loud pipe saved them from potentially being killed."

The bikers also claim that some manufacturers place the exhaust pipe stamp underneath where it is not easily visible. They don't expect that police officers would crawl around on the pavement to decipher such a stamp, but would simply ticket that bike.

Concerned Citizens for Motorcycle Safety hopes to eventually get the federal limit on decibels raised. They feel they represent a wide swathe of society, as they have nurses, bus drivers, police, and many others in their group. They sponsor a Little League team. They emphasize that they are not defending the adolescent joy in making a loud noise purposely to irritate neighbors. Their concern is for increased biker safety.

If you have been injured in an accident with a passenger vehicle, whether or not that driver claims not to have seen you, please consult an experienced motorcycle attorney. Some legal advice and possibly legal representation will make life much easier for you and perhaps win you some fair monetary compensation for another's negligence.