5 ms·

To be fair, riding a quiet motorcycle is likely to get you sideswiped more if the people can't hear you at all. I've noticed the difference of head movements wh

by rabuse 5y ago

To be fair, riding a quiet motorcycle is likely to get you sideswiped more if the people can't hear you at all. I've noticed the difference of head movements when changing the exhaust on my new motorcycle, from stock to a louder aftermarket. Prior, people would just veer into my lane without even checking. Anecdotal, but very noticeable difference for myself.

kelnos 5y ago
Maybe you just shouldn't ride a motorcycle if, in order to feel safe, you feel the need to unreasonably increase your level of noise pollution.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
whartung 5y ago
Anecdotally, over 25 years of riding in most every condition you can think, including several years of one-way 30 mile commute in to downtown LA, I have not noticed this. As a corollary anecdote, I've seen (and heard), on several occasions, the rev bombing riders revving louder and longer since the person that's "in their way" is not moving out of it. I've also, personally, jerked and swerved (a little) when startled by a loud exhaust "suddenly" appearing next to me. These events are typically followed by a crude exclamation that isn't worth sharing here. At one point I did have a bike with a louder exhaust (I didn't keep the citation I got because of it). But the majority of my bikes are stock exhausts and quiet. Cars swerve in to anything and everything. Especially today, the modern car cockpit is overwhelmed with distractions. But even pre-cell phones I've had to contend with kids, coffee, balloons, and animals apparently designed to convert the car drivers in to motorcycle seeking missiles. Keep it on two, stay safe, they're not out to get you but they make a good show of it anyway.
- drums8787 5y ago
  I stopped riding two years ago after 30+ years. This was mostly based on my recent experience as a pedestrian- I just watched way too many people running stop signs while staring at their phone. Figured I'd have a good run of it and better to get out while the going was good.
mikestew 5y ago
If "loud pipes save(d) lives", your insurance company would give you a discount for your man-child exhaust. And if you want anecdata, I've ridden hundreds of thousands of miles in every U. S. state, most of Canada, and elsewhere. Most of those miles have been with the exhaust that came with the bike when it rolled out of the factory. I've never been sideswiped, nor even once considered that a loud exhaust would do anything to improve my safety. I sure am glad for the riding classes I've taken, however, which probably do a lot more good than obnoxious exhaust systems.
- suifbwish 5y ago
  Please don’t use offensive demeaning language like “man-child” it makes you sound immature and pedantic.
  - runnerup 5y ago
    What definition are you using for pedantic here? I’m a bit confused and might learn something today.
- seneca 5y ago
  > your man-child exhaust Less of this, please
- renewiltord 5y ago
  I haven’t even heard of my insurance giving me a discount for wearing a full face helmet instead of a bucket helmet. Actually, is there a single thing that insurance gives you a discount for? Like, I’m with GEICO and as far as I can tell, it’s only age of license without accident or ticket that counts. Either every factor is a wash or insurance companies are keeping the spread as profit on their side or they have no means of enforcing. Like, do you install a Termignoni and then call your insurance agent? “Hi, I got louder exhaust pipes installed. Also, I’ve decided to wear a nicer helmet. Also, I now keep my bike inside a garage. Just wanted to call about the discount”
  - mikestew 5y ago
brokenmachine 5y ago
Yeah, if I rode around with speakers blasting at 130dB and flashing fog lights, people might look at me too. But I don't do it because people would think I'm a selfish asshole.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
rascul 5y ago
I generally do not hear loud vehicles directly next to me while driving down the road. Not cars or motorcycles. My own radio, tire noise, and engine noise is enough to drown out all but the absolute loudest, except maybe when I'm going very slow.
- cudgy 5y ago
  How about the pedestrians and people eating outside at restaurants? Or people in old houses with poor insulation and single paned windows? However, I don’t like the idea of automatically ticketing people with technology devices alone despite the obnoxiously loud noise pollution from these vehicles. Police can easily hear these vehicles and pull them over for a violation.
  - rascul 5y ago
    My point (I may not have explained it well) was that a motorcycle's loud exhaust isn't saving the rider's life from me, since I can't hear it. (I'm not going to run over motorcyclists in general, though). It really sucks for those on the outside who have to deal with it. If there was automatic ticketing, I would hope there's a high burden of proof. I'm not exactly sure what that would look like.
  - Reason077 5y ago
    > ”Police can easily hear these vehicles and pull them over for a violation.” In practice this doesn’t happen, however, at least here in the UK. Police are not issued with equipment to measure noise levels, and on a busy road it can be difficult to identify (provably and conclusively) which vehicles are making the noise. Which is exactly why technology like these “noise cameras” are needed!
    - rosndo 5y ago
      > In practice this doesn’t happen, however, at least here in the UK Especially in the nice areas of London you could probably drive for years without numberplates and nobody would ever stop you.
    - 5y ago

by rabuse 5y ago

kelnos 5y ago

Maybe you just shouldn't ride a motorcycle if, in order to feel safe, you feel the need to unreasonably increase your level of noise pollution.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

whartung 5y ago

Anecdotally, over 25 years of riding in most every condition you can think, including several years of one-way 30 mile commute in to downtown LA, I have not noticed this. As a corollary anecdote, I've seen (and heard), on several occasions, the rev bombing riders revving louder and longer since the person that's "in their way" is not moving out of it. I've also, personally, jerked and swerved (a little) when startled by a loud exhaust "suddenly" appearing next to me. These events are typically followed by a crude exclamation that isn't worth sharing here. At one point I did have a bike with a louder exhaust (I didn't keep the citation I got because of it). But the majority of my bikes are stock exhausts and quiet. Cars swerve in to anything and everything. Especially today, the modern car cockpit is overwhelmed with distractions. But even pre-cell phones I've had to contend with kids, coffee, balloons, and animals apparently designed to convert the car drivers in to motorcycle seeking missiles. Keep it on two, stay safe, they're not out to get you but they make a good show of it anyway.

drums8787 5y ago
I stopped riding two years ago after 30+ years. This was mostly based on my recent experience as a pedestrian- I just watched way too many people running stop signs while staring at their phone. Figured I'd have a good run of it and better to get out while the going was good.

mikestew 5y ago

If "loud pipes save(d) lives", your insurance company would give you a discount for your man-child exhaust. And if you want anecdata, I've ridden hundreds of thousands of miles in every U. S. state, most of Canada, and elsewhere. Most of those miles have been with the exhaust that came with the bike when it rolled out of the factory. I've never been sideswiped, nor even once considered that a loud exhaust would do anything to improve my safety. I sure am glad for the riding classes I've taken, however, which probably do a lot more good than obnoxious exhaust systems.

suifbwish 5y ago
Please don’t use offensive demeaning language like “man-child” it makes you sound immature and pedantic.
- runnerup 5y ago
  What definition are you using for pedantic here? I’m a bit confused and might learn something today.
seneca 5y ago
> your man-child exhaust Less of this, please
renewiltord 5y ago
I haven’t even heard of my insurance giving me a discount for wearing a full face helmet instead of a bucket helmet. Actually, is there a single thing that insurance gives you a discount for? Like, I’m with GEICO and as far as I can tell, it’s only age of license without accident or ticket that counts. Either every factor is a wash or insurance companies are keeping the spread as profit on their side or they have no means of enforcing. Like, do you install a Termignoni and then call your insurance agent? “Hi, I got louder exhaust pipes installed. Also, I’ve decided to wear a nicer helmet. Also, I now keep my bike inside a garage. Just wanted to call about the discount”
- mikestew 5y ago

brokenmachine 5y ago

Yeah, if I rode around with speakers blasting at 130dB and flashing fog lights, people might look at me too. But I don't do it because people would think I'm a selfish asshole.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

rascul 5y ago

I generally do not hear loud vehicles directly next to me while driving down the road. Not cars or motorcycles. My own radio, tire noise, and engine noise is enough to drown out all but the absolute loudest, except maybe when I'm going very slow.

cudgy 5y ago
How about the pedestrians and people eating outside at restaurants? Or people in old houses with poor insulation and single paned windows? However, I don’t like the idea of automatically ticketing people with technology devices alone despite the obnoxiously loud noise pollution from these vehicles. Police can easily hear these vehicles and pull them over for a violation.
- rascul 5y ago
  My point (I may not have explained it well) was that a motorcycle's loud exhaust isn't saving the rider's life from me, since I can't hear it. (I'm not going to run over motorcyclists in general, though). It really sucks for those on the outside who have to deal with it. If there was automatic ticketing, I would hope there's a high burden of proof. I'm not exactly sure what that would look like.
- Reason077 5y ago
  > ”Police can easily hear these vehicles and pull them over for a violation.” In practice this doesn’t happen, however, at least here in the UK. Police are not issued with equipment to measure noise levels, and on a busy road it can be difficult to identify (provably and conclusively) which vehicles are making the noise. Which is exactly why technology like these “noise cameras” are needed!
  - rosndo 5y ago
    > In practice this doesn’t happen, however, at least here in the UK Especially in the nice areas of London you could probably drive for years without numberplates and nobody would ever stop you.
  - 5y ago