Peace and Quiet?

[bigjoe]

[We live in a world of noise pollution and it seems that people love to make loud noise. The Harley crowd seems addicted to making noise. Motorcycles roar into the town en mass in a thunder which sets off car alarms and it has gotten to the point that the town posted banners which say, "Ride proud not loud." But this is to little effect. Our dogs even hate (or are scared by) the noise from these two wheeled mosters.


jef
sv shiva[/quote]

Sort of off topic, or just venting? For those who haven't ridden Harleys for over 30 years like myself "LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES". When was the last time you heard a car driver was killed by a motorcycle not paying attention or talking on a cell phone? Like my mother always told me if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all.

[defjef]

There are quiet bikes... like BMWs and bikers are not the only ones hit by drivers on cell phones. If you drive defensively you don't need to sound like thunder and you certainly don't need to rev your engines stopped at a light.

My sense is that the Harley people simply love the noise that they make and it has nothing to do with safety. Like cigarrette boats the noise offends many more poeple than it pleases or lives it saves.

If you want more safety when you travel get a Volvo.

jef
sv shiva

[DeepFrz]

The following links are to a couple of reports on the effects of noise on health. Noise pollution in our cities is getting worse, even though the adverse health effects have been known for some time. The Europeans have much more stringent noise bylaws than we in North Americe. Time to speak up (shhh, quietly please) about noise in our cities. First thing I would like to see is Harley Davidson motorcycles outlawed (or muffled).

NPC Library: Noise: A Health Problem (EPA, 1978)

http://www.elaw.org/assets/pdf/noise1.pdf

[bearphish]

I just HAVE to put my two cents in on this one. I am a liveaboard and a musician with a small recording studio setup in the cabin. Though the speakers only put out about 35watts, my hashing on the guitar can carry pretty far. This is why i don't live AT a marina or where others tend to congregate and sleep. Besides the noise, i am very self-conscious about my music until it is "ready" to be heard or performed. thus, regardless of anybody else wanting to crash out at 1930hrs, i just can't get anything done musically knowing someone else is listening. SO, i anchor. i work off the batteries and drain them to a safe point, then i'm done until the next day's charge is ready. all the while not bothering anyone. what is interesting, is i have done this in the past much closer to others, and had them ask ashore why i don't come around and bang out some tunes at the nightly get-togethers. people don't complain about the noise if you make it on THEIR terms.

[shadow]

This is a great thread and I also have the same concerns about noise. I'm also a light sleeper and I hear everything!! One of the highest motivators of me getting a boat is to be able to just leave when I hear obnoxious people. I have had the worst luck in neighbors, in which they all just loved to party all the time and/or I would live next to a new house being built!! Once I had 3 homes being built around me, NO KIDDING!!

I'm just so sick of noise and disrespectful people who don't understand common sense or courtesy. To me, if you knowingly blast your music at a very high volume while being in an apartment building or a tight housed suburb, that to me is a blatant show of disrespect to everyone around you. Showing a loud F*CK YOU attitude.

So, I've always had a romantic idea about living aboard and it being much quieter. So, it is great to hear about some of these experiences to show me that a jerk is a jerk regardless of your setting. But, I do love the aspect of being able to just move to a nice quiet and secluded inlet. Can't do that with a house.. So, I'm still not deterred about getting a boat and living aboard..

Please do keep the stories coming.. Great to hear!! Cheers

[sailorm]

I wish there were more people like you in this world. The hardest thing about living on land after all those years at sea is living with the noise of our society.
Mary the Antique Sailor

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by bigjoe

Sort of off topic, or just venting? For those who haven't ridden Harleys for over 30 years like myself "LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES". When was the last time you heard a car driver was killed by a motorcycle not paying attention or talking on a cell phone? Like my mother always told me if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all.

Pretty selfish position. Even as a third generation motorcyclist, who grew up around too many one percenters, I still find it hard to believe that anyone could make the claim that the good people of an area need to put up with the unnecessary noise of another person's HOBBY. Loud pipes aren't saying anything nice.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by bigjoe

For those who haven't ridden Harleys for over 30 years like myself . . .

Where is it that they let people drive motorcycles before they're 12 years old?

TaoJones

[bigjoe]

Sorry for being selfish but people do hear u comming and take a second look before making that left hand turn that can end your life, same as a blowing a horn when in dense fog. It's the freedom I enjoy, the same feeling I enjoy when on the water, hope u can relate to what I mean. As far as Volvo or BMW not my cup of tea, and parts r too expensive, reving a bike at a stop light might be what the younger crowd does, but not us old farts, we sit there in netural at idle waiting for the light to change. I had wanted to step in and defend the bike riders as they r not all noisy and inconsiderate, u can't group them all together. Its like sayin all Canadians are beer drinkin drunks, or all Americans are war mongers, which any intelligent level headed person knows is totally untrue. I too like peace & quite and respect others, I didn't mean to shi*t on anyone's post, if I did, I didn't mean 2, and I do apologize. However sarcastic remarks and personal attacks from people hiding behind their pc r unwarrented, and not what I thought this forum was about.

Cheers, have a safe and quiet weekend.

[defjef]

Big Joe,

Not to paint with a broad brush sure makes sense. But if you look at the Harley Crowd in NY, LI area there are plenty of old timers who are noisey as hell. Don't stick it all on the young and restless.

Noise is obnoxious. End of Story. Americans are noisy. NASCAR us noisy. Petro sports are noisy. Sailing and skiing, swimming are not.

Noise is as American as apple pie... no MORE American.

Gimme silence.

jef
sv shiva

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by bigjoe

However sarcastic remarks and personal attacks from people hiding behind their pc r unwarrented, and not what I thought this forum was about.

If it was my post that you found sarcastic, BJ, I just thought it was amusing that your profile indicates you turned 42 in February, yet you claim to have " . . . ridden Harleys for over 30 years . . . "

Maybe, to indicate my amusement with your statement, I should have added the emoticon, so .

This is a pretty light-hearted, friendly place BJ, and no one is "hiding" behind their PCs. Without a computer and access to the internet, Cruisers Forum wouldn't exist.

Relax . . . you're among friends.

TaoJones

[defjef]

I'll go out on a limb. The only thing I like about Harleys is to look at them parked.

Most of their owners appear to be jerks and are cool with it too.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by bigjoe

Sorry for being selfish but people do hear u comming and take a second look before making that left hand turn that can end your life, same as a blowing a horn when in dense fog.

I just have to add my .02.

When I sail I like it quiet too, even when tied up. I think most do.

But then I never liked big crowds or loud parties much anyway.

Bigjoe, I am sorry to say this to you but the "loud pipes saves lives" is a "wives tale". Most of the volume from the pipes is directed to the rear. Your exhaust note is not heard well in front of you. It simply is not. When I hear my neighbor's Harley or any other one the only thing I know is that there is one within a few hundred yards to 1/4 mile away.

I was once on a quiet country road near Tallahassee on my CB125 buzzing along at a screaming 52mph (or so) when two bikes passed me (one on either side) going about 90+. I never heard them coming. No one does. 90+ is not close enough to outrun sound waves. The sound as they were at my side and going away was amazingly loud. I have heard many a Harley since then. We all recognize them.

I realize this is a lot of text in a sailing forum but Harley exhaust volume was introduced with the standard mis-belief used by most owners to defend their obnoxious and intrusive volume.

It just is not true and there are folks that have used meters to test it. No I don't have links......that was a long time ago and 115-135 decibles has not changed.

PS. I have well over 200,000 miles on several motorcycles. Quiet ones.

I do love a quiet night on the boat so I can hear the Snook hits.