Media Release April 20th 2010
As reported in the media, Victoria Police have announced that “On Tuesday the 20th of April 2010, Operation Pipedown, targeting excessively noisy motor vehicles and safety related offences will commence.”
Although the Victoria Police are to be commended for their initiative regarding road safety, the MRA(Vic) has concerns with this statement in their advice;
“Excessively loud motor vehicles are a community disorder issue with much of the blame placed on drivers of illegally modified cars and motorcycles, or sport bikes equipped with illegal exhaust systems such as straight pipes, drag pipes or performance pipes.”
Motorcycle riders are a vulnerable road user group. Many riders believe that having a louder exhaust on their bike enhances their safety when using the roads rather than the “civil disobedience” that the statement above suggests. In many countries the slogan “loud pipes saves lives” is used to describe how some riders feel driver awareness of a rider nearby is increased.
A recent poll on our website responded by 227 riders had the following results;
“What do riders think – do loud pipes save lives?”
Yes 69 %
No 10 %
Maybe, there should be a study done to prove it 20 %
Many motorcycle and scooter riders are of the opinion that the noise restriction level for motorcycles has not been set with due consideration to the visibility disadvantage this vulnerable road user group already experiences and is therefore a serious road safety issue.
On behalf of these riders, the MRA(Vic) calls for a review of this legislation and for an appropriate scientific study to be commissioned to establish the veracity of the “loud pipes improves rider safety” contention and that “Operation Pipedown” should factor in the debate on safety issues related to motorcycle volume levels.”
For further information contact:
Kerry Walton , MRA(Vic) President – 0417 766 555
Email: president@mravic.org.au
