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I think the limit should be the same for both, but I bet the difference is motivated by the pack behavior of motorcyclists. Loud cars usually travel alone, bu

I think the limit should be the same for both, but I bet the difference is motivated by the pack behavior of motorcyclists. Loud cars usually travel alone, but loud motorcycles often travel in packs of dozens which may continue passing your house for a minute or two, which feels like an hour...

kube-system 4y ago
A group of 90 decibel bikes is not going to sound anywhere near like a bunch of straight piped Harleys inside you house. It will sound like you’re next to a hair salon. Hair dryers are 90 decibel.
- robonerd 4y ago
  As I said, 95 decibels seems like a reasonable enough limit for motorcycles. But I suspect lower limit for motorcycles is motivated by people getting fed up with motorcyclists particularly. The worst motorcyclists have earned a horrible reputation for all motorcyclists, I think this lower limit is a consequence of that.
  - kube-system 4y ago
    I think it was just because they generally made less noise when the regulation was enacted in 1972. Car design has changed a lot since then to make them a lot quieter. Bikes have changed relatively little.
    - robonerd 4y ago
      If movies are a gauge of public interest, then people have been upset with motorcyclists since the 60s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biker_films https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biker_films
      - kube-system 4y ago
        I don’t think Hollywood stereotypes of biker gangs was a predominant motivator for the Noise Control Act of ‘72. This is a regulation that generally regulates noise for all kinds of things, from appliances to airplanes. Their stated rationale is: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/4901 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/4901
        robonerd 4y ago
        I think Hollywood wasn't motivating anti-biker attitudes, just the opposite. Hollywood made these movies because the subject was of interest to the public. Motorcyclists were already notoriously antisocial by 1972, and that public sentiment probably informed the Noise Control Act of '72.
faeriechangling 4y ago
You're going to need more than 30 motorcyclists at 80db before they equate to the sound of one car at 95db. The size of the gap seems pretty arbitrary. I've never seen a pack of dozens of motorcyclists, never mind seeing them "often", although I am aware that this is a thing. I imagine the lower DB limit is due to lawmakers dislike of noisy motorcyclists.
- robonerd 4y ago
  > The size of the gap seems pretty arbitrary. I think the gap is vindictive, motivated by the general public's frustration with motorcyclists.
- timando 4y ago
  80dB times 30 equals 94.7dB. I imagine the fact that the motorcycles are spread out would affect it somewhat.
bastawhiz 4y ago
> often travel in packs of dozens which may continue passing your house for a minute or two, which feels like an hour You're just describing a busy street of cars here. A slow car followed by a few dozen cars who wish they were going faster is so common that almost nobody thinks about them. Individual motorcycles probably go unnoticed 9/10 times.

kube-system 4y ago

A group of 90 decibel bikes is not going to sound anywhere near like a bunch of straight piped Harleys inside you house. It will sound like you’re next to a hair salon. Hair dryers are 90 decibel.

robonerd 4y ago
As I said, 95 decibels seems like a reasonable enough limit for motorcycles. But I suspect lower limit for motorcycles is motivated by people getting fed up with motorcyclists particularly. The worst motorcyclists have earned a horrible reputation for all motorcyclists, I think this lower limit is a consequence of that.
- kube-system 4y ago
  I think it was just because they generally made less noise when the regulation was enacted in 1972. Car design has changed a lot since then to make them a lot quieter. Bikes have changed relatively little.
  - robonerd 4y ago
    If movies are a gauge of public interest, then people have been upset with motorcyclists since the 60s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biker_films https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biker_films
    - kube-system 4y ago
      I don’t think Hollywood stereotypes of biker gangs was a predominant motivator for the Noise Control Act of ‘72. This is a regulation that generally regulates noise for all kinds of things, from appliances to airplanes. Their stated rationale is: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/4901 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/4901
      - robonerd 4y ago
        I think Hollywood wasn't motivating anti-biker attitudes, just the opposite. Hollywood made these movies because the subject was of interest to the public. Motorcyclists were already notoriously antisocial by 1972, and that public sentiment probably informed the Noise Control Act of '72.

faeriechangling 4y ago

You're going to need more than 30 motorcyclists at 80db before they equate to the sound of one car at 95db. The size of the gap seems pretty arbitrary. I've never seen a pack of dozens of motorcyclists, never mind seeing them "often", although I am aware that this is a thing. I imagine the lower DB limit is due to lawmakers dislike of noisy motorcyclists.

robonerd 4y ago
> The size of the gap seems pretty arbitrary. I think the gap is vindictive, motivated by the general public's frustration with motorcyclists.
timando 4y ago
80dB times 30 equals 94.7dB. I imagine the fact that the motorcycles are spread out would affect it somewhat.

bastawhiz 4y ago

> often travel in packs of dozens which may continue passing your house for a minute or two, which feels like an hour You're just describing a busy street of cars here. A slow car followed by a few dozen cars who wish they were going faster is so common that almost nobody thinks about them. Individual motorcycles probably go unnoticed 9/10 times.