|
This
is an initial store of info to help people organize around the issue of
reducing obnoxious and excessively loud car and motorcycle exhaust
noise in downtown Long Beach, California. Presently a group of
residents plans to meet on this topic at 7:30pm on July 26, 2004.
We do not yet have a location selected so if you have a suggestion,
please email me.
We
need to keep in mind that there are potentially multiple soursces of
law that might apply. Namely, there might be federal law that
applies, there certainly is state law (the vehicle code and the health
& safety code) and there might be a local noise ordinance. I
am not aware of any local ordinance, but that might be something we
need to ask the city council to adopt.
Seems
to me that Pete is right, if the police can enforce a "no vehicular
cruising" area in Bluff Park, we ought to be able to get the state law
enforced here.
|
A Couple of Links and a Couple of Laws
That May Apply
Long Beach City
Officials
"My
mission as City Manager is to implement the vision of the Long Beach
City Council, which includes making Long Beach cleaner and safer,
keeping it fiscally strong, balancing commercial development with
neighborhood needs and enhancing public trust through a more
transparent government. It is our united goal to make the City of Long
Beach a better place to live, visit and conduct business.
Our motto is 'Working Together To Serve'. If you have any ideas on how
the City of Long Beach can better serve you, please contact me at citymanager@longbeach.gov."
Sounds like an invitation to me.
Long
Beach Noise Monitoring Program (!)
Searchable California
Codes
CALIFORNIA VEHICLE
CODE SECTION 27150 provides that:
Every
motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped
with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained
to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust
system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.
Those who live on or near Ocean Blvd.,
however, know that there are plenty of exhaust systems that are not "
properly maintained to prevent any excessive or
unusual noise" such that they drown out personal and telephone
conversations, television or radio programs and really the enjoyment of
our homes.
California Vehicle Code Section 27200 Provides:
The
Department of Motor Vehicles shall not register on a dealer's report of
sale a new motor vehicle, except an off-highway motor vehicle subject
to identification as provided in Division 16.5 (commencing with Section
38000), which produces a maximum noise exceeding the applicable noise
limit at a distance of 50 feet from the centerline of travel under test
procedures established
by the Department of the California
Highway Patrol.
And sections 27202 and 27204 provide that:
For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise limits shall apply to any motorcycle, other than a motor-driven cycle, manufactured:
(1) After 1969, and before 1973 ............88 dbA
(2) After 1972, and before 1975 ............86 dbA
(3) After 1974, and before 1986 ............83 dbA
(4) After 1985 ...................................... 80 dbA
and
For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise limits shall apply to any motor vehicle within the specified
manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating and date of manufacture:
GVWR--Pounds
|
Date of Manufacture
|
Over 6,000
|
after 1967 and before 1973
|
88
|
Over 6,000
|
after 1972 and before 1975
|
86
|
Over 6,000
|
after 1974 and before 1978
|
83
|
Over 8,500
|
after 1977 and before 1982
|
83
|
Over 6,000 but not over 8,500
|
after 1977
|
80
|
Over 8,500 but not over 10,000
|
after 1981
|
80
|
Over 10,000
|
after 1981 and before 1988
|
83
|
Over 10,000
|
after 1987
|
80
|
So perhaps the first step is to measure and record the noise.
|
