It is not about the pipes
Maverick - Jul 30, 2007

In June, 2007, The Denver Post carried an article by Ed Quillen, “a former newspaper editor,” that began with: “Can loud pipes save lives?”   The author seemed more interested in raising the ire of non-motorcyclists, by presenting superficial arguments portraying motorcyclists and the motorcycling industry as uninformed and reckless, than seriously addressing the question or questions he raised. 

 

For example, Quillen concluded that the American Motorcycle Association must have a policy against returning phone calls after several hours of not hearing from them in response to his inquiry seeking statistics to confirm that loud pipes do or do not impact the incidents of motorcycle accidents. 

 

Why would the American Motorcycle Association respond to an already biased inquiry?

 

On the other hand, I contacted the American Motorcycle Association to inquire about their initiative to open dialog with the Denver City Council members in hopes of identifying a more reasonable solution for dealing with excessive sound levels from traffic. The response was immediate by not one, but two AMA representatives. The AMA advocates for exhaust systems that perform within EPA guidelines and believes there are a range of approaches cities can take to the noise issue without imposing restrictive laws on motorcyclists. 

 

In another example, Quillen suggests that motorcycle dealerships, or “shops,” as he calls them, use “loud pipes save lives” as a sales motto. As a long time motorcycle owner of several brands, I have never experienced a dealer or “shop” sales person pressuring me to include loud pipes in my original purchase or aftermarket choices. Furthermore, marketing, selling and installing exhaust systems that exceed EPA standards puts dealers and “shops” at risk of costly penalties.

 

Quillen singles out motorcyclists as needing “to be noticed by other drivers,” with omission of the fact that all drivers of any kind of vehicle need to be noticed by other drivers. That alone is central to the survival of any transportation system and the people who use it. Isn’t that what defensive driving is all about? 

 

Mr. Quillen also implies that motorcycle accidents have not been studied and evaluated when it comes to loud pipes. Perhaps there is a reason for that!  In September, 2006, the National Transportation Safety Board held a public forum in to study and dialogue about all factors that contribute to accidents involving motorcyclists, and to identify industry initiatives, operator skills, and countermeasures that prevent motorcycle accidents. It turns out that factors involved in motorcycle accident avoidance are complex and include at a minimum: Vehicle Design and Manufacturing (original equipment and aftermarket accessories), Rider Protective Equipment, Training and Licensing, Operator (of all vehicles) Skills and Impairment and Public Awareness and Education. 

 

Numerous government and private entities, including the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, American Motorcycle Association, Motorcycle Riders Foundation (read the report of the National Summit on National Sound at: http://www.ama-cycle.org/legisltn/soundbook.pdf), all major manufacturers of motorcycles, state and local governments, and thousands of motorcycle groups are involved in safety initiatives. At one time or another, the decibel level of motorcycle pipes has been on the agenda of deliberations of the entire industry in a variety of forums.

 

In a proactive initiative, the motorcycle industry and the Federal Government have joined to fund a crash causation research project authorized by the Transportation Reauthorization bill in 2005. The bill required 50% of funds come from sources other than the Federal Government. The motorcycle industry announced on June 29^th, 2007, that it will be contributing $2.8 million in funding through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to fund the Motorcycle Crash Causation Study.  This study should shed new light on the causes of motorcycle accidents.

 

Loud pipes alone, may not contribute to saving lives! Motorcycle operators have at their disposal many choices regarding the vulnerability that comes with riding a motorcycle. Loud pipes are one of them.  The ensuing controversy is no different than any other noise making activity conducted on public roads or other areas where the public co-exists. Everyone makes choices about the noise they make and at a certain point, noise is annoying and someone will complain about it. 

 

Quillen’s article has more to do with his own ignorance about motorcycling and disdain for motorcyclists. He confirms this when he says; “If such obnoxious behavior isn’t illegal, it should be,” referring to his notion of how motorcycle operators of a row of big motorcycles came out and roared off time and again. Quillen goes on to say; “I can’t say I’m much concerned about the well-being of such people. Motorcyclists would be a lot safer if their unnecessary show-off noise didn’t make people want to run them over.” Such a propensity for license to maim other human beings precludes a human tendency to collaborate in the interest of mutuality.

 

None of my arguments should be interpreted as endorsing motorcyclists’ behavior that disregards or deviates from the law and/or common sense and/or respect for others.  Along with choices to customize a motorcycle comes the responsibility to exercise sound discretion. That may mean staying off the throttle in densely populated social situations. 

 

Having said that, I would submit that non-motorcyclists who exercise their right to propagate opinions about motorcyclists and motorcycling should also be responsible. That means being informed and educated about the points they wish to make and presenting them in a way that builds bridges rather than animosity.  

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