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That loud muffler could cost you $120
Published Thursday, May 29, 2008
Quiet those vehicle mufflers, say city officials, or you could be out upwards of $120.
Police and city council members have recently received numerous complaints about loud mufflers, said Chief of Public Safety Tim Brennan. In response to those complaints, police plan to step up their enforcement of both the city code and state statute regulating muffler noise.
State statute 169.69 requires all motor vehicles to be equipped with mufflers that “prevent excessive or unusual noise” and exhaust systems that do not emit “a sharp popping or crackling sound.”
As far as the city is concerned, Brennan said, a loud muffler is considered a public nuisance — just like loud music or any “condition which unreasonably annoys, injures or endangers the safety, health, morals, comfort or repose of any considerable number of members of the public,” as laid out in city code.
The fine for driving with a noisy muffler? A hefty $122.
Officers will be stopping drivers for loud mufflers, Brennan said, just as for traffic violations.
Often these drivers are motorcyclists, and chances are there will be more of them in the future.
“With gas prices being what they are,” Brennan said, “I expect we’ll be seeing more and more motorcycles on the road.”
Brennan acknowledged that there are drivers who simply cannot afford to pay for the cost of muffler maintenance.
“I would suggest to those individuals that if they are driving something with a deficient muffler...that they drive very conservatively,” he said, adding that officers will take financial limitations into account during stops.
“But it’s obvious when people have absolutely no concern for the noise they’re making.”
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by workingmom (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a good thing....living on a busy street in town with lots of traffic, we can hear some vehicles going by inside the house with the windows closed. This is ridiculous. I hope the police seriously enforce this and I hope the fines that are given out will help decrease so much traffic noise.
Posted by prowler (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 2:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How do you enforce something defined as "excessive or unusual noise"? What exactly is that? Who will be deciding what is unreasonably annoying or uncomfortable? If an officer is going to take financial limitations into account, is that not discrimination based on perceived economic status? As for motorcycles and loud mufflers, it has been shown in numerous studies in many different states that louder pipes save lives. It is more of a factor in motorists seeing motorcycles than the "Headlight on" law. This is just another harassment tactic used by the police to help fill the city coffers.
Posted by fencesitter (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 4:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with you both.
Posted by 89Heritage (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Prowler is exactly right. I thought the exact same thing yesterday when I heard about it. You just don't want certain people's business in F.F. ? or are we truly turning to communism to finance extremely over grown and now broke government that we the people own ? Law enforcement has become nothing but a tax payer financed collection agency for city & county government. Me and some others from the Legion sat out side 1 nite( because you can't smoke in bars anymore ??? ) And listen to full automatic weapons fire. It was still going on 2 hours later. That can't be cheap.
This crap is getting old. I see no reason to ever spend another dime in Fergus, for this reason & many others. I will also go on every biker site I can find & post F.F. as unfriendly to bikers & the reasons why :)
I bet the # of complainer's is far less then the # of people who don't care or even enjoy those sounds once in awhile.
Posted by really (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yah right, The police departments are all out to get you! You better just stay home. Oh and the "noise" you heard last night was the area's swat team doing drills. (I was out at the park last night and it wasn't that loud.) But, let me guess, a swat team in this area isn't needed - right? Go ahead and post on all your "biker" sites that FF is unfriendly- you only go to the Legion -the local dive bar- you probably don't even venture out beyond it.. The FFPD and the OTC Sheriff's Office are greatly needed in this area and appreciated by most people. GET A CLUE!
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I could buy a muffler for $120.00, lucky for me my skate doesn’t need a muffler.
Posted by 89Heritage (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 7:19 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by Brandon (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
89Heritage: If you don't like the way the city is run, please leave. We don't need your whining and negative comments. They bring us nowhere.
Posted by MomOf2 (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well we too live on a busy street and theres more noise from kids subwoofers than there is mufflers. So what is considered too loud? Every other town has a certain number of decibels they go by, I would like to know what Fergus's is? What if you have professional done exhaust system?
Posted by cueball66 (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 12:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kids with modified mufflers is what I think is the basic target group, because they are being loud intentally and not all motorcycles are loud just the crotch rockets. when i lived in St. Cloud the cars wre so loud, both muffler and music wise that it would shake the dishes in the cabinets and pictures on the wall. sometimes u could not hear the tv or sleep at night because of the noise. not that I'm agaisnt these things, its that it becomes a problem when they (the noise) is forced on me against my will.
Posted by gumball (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 12:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They're targeting the stupid "farting mufflers" put on some of the 4-cylinder cars, i.e. honda,toyota,neon, etc. I was at a red light and a guy was gassin' his Honda so he could hear that muffler. He floors it when the light goes green. I gave him about a 100 yard lead and blew by him with my Acura/Type-S. He heard the K & N cold air intake kick in as I went by. The next red light he wasn't gassin' it anymore.
Posted by rodentboy (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 3:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
it is about time that this will be enforced. i agree with Momof2 about the decibel question, will it be metered somehow or will it be a judgement call?
Posted by really (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I support all veterans! - That is not the topic.
I choose not to go to the Legion in FF because of the people that hang out there. Besides, it is a dump! If that makes me snobby so be it! Mabels here I come! - This is also not the topic.
I have gone on bike rides in the past with NO PROBLEMS from any law enforcement agency! If you want trouble you will find it. Law enforcement is needed as well as swat. I would bet that many people would agree with me that they are a great asset to the community. As for the subwoofers and the annoying mufflers - I would say it will be a blessing to get them taken care of. I should not be able to hear someone's subwoofer over my TV.
Posted by jamieann (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excessive and uncalled for vehicle noise is just that. I live in town and I hear my share of pickups, motorcyles and "crotch rockets". When you modify your mufflers to make more noise then normal, there is no need for it. A driver of a noise bucket cant comprehend that you can hear them half to 1 mile away, especially when they "cruise" down town to show off to each other. The sound bounces off the buildings and acts like an amplifier. Maybe the $122 will be a deterrent for the ones that purposely rev up the noise.
Posted by letsrock (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
so little time on earth and all we do is pick each other apart,we live in a world that make's a little noise,money is tight and cost of living keeps going up, smile and see the differance (happy people). just was wondering how they came up with the figure of 122.00 dollars for a little noise .be good to people and people well be good back .thanks
Posted by RockTruck (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Loud pipes save lives..." Oh please get a clue and give us all a break. You're smarter than that. IF all these barker pipers are so interested in safety, then why do so few of these guys/gals wear helmets & safety equipment, and plus why would they ever choose those motorcycles with about the worst handling designs possible? Com'on, just admit the obvious- you simply think you should be able to do whatever you please and "too bad" to anyone who doesn't agree.
Back to the topic at hand... To answer the question about what sound levels should be tagged- For many of the bikes out there, the violation is so blatant that it isn't even debatable. I hope the Fergus Falls Police dept can tag every one of those sorts of loud bikes before there is retaliation against all bikes- Several cities have placed bans on ALL bikes, not just loud ones, but it was the loud bikes which brought the ban.
btw, and before somebody goes ragging on me for being anti-bikes, I have owned more than 40 motorcycles in my life and have ridden for the past 35+ years.
Posted by hindsight (anonymous) on May 31, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Give someone fuel and tools to start a fire and look at all the arsonists we have in our community..
It aggravates me to see someone post a comment and then have it followed by someone trying to burn them down.
I think the message here is that the noise levels are getting louder but I find the sound of the crotch rockets more noticeable than the slow rumble of someone casually riding their cruiser. On the other hand, even those bikes can get loud if you want them to be. That is the issue being addressed and even mentioned in the artical that only a few of you seem to have captured.
I quote..
“But it’s obvious when people have absolutely no concern for the noise they’re making.”
ANY vehicle.. bike or car running near red-line is going to be loud. Keep the R's down in town and there isn't a problem for anyone. If you can't, then the problem isn't with the city, state or government its the inability to be considerate of others which is the main point that is being missed everywhere.. even here on the journal website.
Flame away..
Posted by davieboy (anonymous) on June 3, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I've lived in Fergus since 1977. Until this article came out I wasn't aware that this town "had" any noise standards. By that I mean you'd never know it by all the loud vehicles you hear driving around town. Driving through Granite Falls last weekend I notice a sign at the edge of town that said " This community strictly enforces it's noise standards"[ or something to that effect]. Guess I missed seeing the signs that are posted in Fergus Falls. Another thing.....I've always been slightly amused to see a new $30,000 truck driving around equipped with a muffler that was loud enough to shatter glass. I can't imagine that it came from the factory like that, so that means that the owner purposely added a different muffler to make it louder. a lot louder! I agree that something should be done re; all the noise. Between the "Skeeters" and all the loud vehicles, trying to sit outside and enjoy a peaceful evening in this town has become an exercise in futility. There also seems to be something fundamentally wrong with the concept that you can "Feel" music from 3 blocks away, before you can actually "Hear" it. So yes, it would be nice if the noise level could be lowered somewhat. If that can be done fairly, across the board, without targeting one type of noise or vehicle over another,that's great. I mean noise is noise,right? But I'm curious. Why now? Surely the police and city council have had complaints in the past. Where has the concern been for the past 31 years? Maybe if the city code and State Statute 169.69 had been aggressivly enforced all those years, it wouldn't come as such an surprise now.
As for the article comments:
"there are drivers who simply cannot afford to pay for the cost of muffler maintenance" & "officers will take financial limitations into account during stops". It would seem to me that this is a responsibility you take on when you buy a vehicle.......you know, to keep it licensed & insured,running properly and you obey whatever other laws that pertain to it. If the officers are going to "take financial limitations into account during stops", then someone can and no doubt will make the argument that why not do the same for speeding tickets and DWI's, etc? Probably not a good idea to make exceptions. Enforcing the standard is a good idea.
Anyway, I was just curious about the timing. Maybe enforcement has been going on all along...wink, wink.....or maybe it's just that the city needs to come up with a way to generate additional revenue to fix the streets ..or kill "Skeeters" or maybe even help the needy in the community..........like the Golf Course?
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