The Quiet Warrior was disappointed (but not surprised) yesterday when The Governator signed SB 435 into law.
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PHOTO: The Quiet Warrior
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PHOTO: The Quiet Warrior
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LA Times Article on Signing of SB 435
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/motorcycle-noise-bill.html
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/motorcycle-noise-bill.html
Over the years, HQ and QWR have seen his administration embrace too many far-left proposals and programs. There for awhile, every time the Obama administration would propose a new EPA regulation the Governor’s Office within 5 minutes would issue a news release praising that job-killing regulation or law.
As much as I am critical of the Governor regarding his passion for environmental over-regulation, QWR is even more critical of the street-riding community for digging their own grave on the street-sound issue.
I remember doing an OHV Sound Day at Malcolm Smith’s shop back in 2003 to help educate riders about the new CA 96 dBA law.
Article on Malcolm Smith Sound Day
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?filter=media&story=243
What is not in that story is that the loudest bike at the event was not a dirt-bike going through the SAE J-1287 sound check but a v-twin about 50 feet away in the street blowing a 105 dBA on my sound meter (remember the dBAs from dirt-bikes in the article were taken from 20 inches).
No this time, obnoxiously loud street bike owners are to blame for Arnold signing SB 435. Just as in my interview with Chris Daniels on KMJ radio who is a strong conservative and generally against government over-regulation… when it came to SB 435 he (and many others) have become desperate for ANY measure (no matter how ineffective that bill might be) that gave even the slightest hint of addressing excessively loud street bikes. Also another industry person who is a life long motorcyclist told me last week that he was in favor of the bill for many of the same reasons.
Blog with KMJ Radio Interview (a good case study of to why Arnold signed the bill)
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/09/radio-talk-show-on-sb-435-with-quiet.html
Let’s hope Arnold’s signing of this bill sounds a clarion call for both OHV and street riders to respect the rights of others when it comes to being grossly obnoxious on either the road or trail.
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very interesting commentary Don. I tend to agree with you and the others you mentioned. Street bikes have been allowed to be obnoxiously loud for our too long. But of course this particular piece of legislation seems to be typical bureaucratic overkill.
ReplyDeleteDo you by chance frequent the District 37 message board? And do you know Keith, the dual sport committee president?
I applaud the efforts of you and the others who fight for responsible off-road recreation. However, after having been involved myself back in the 90s, I've come to the "crusty old curmudgeon" opinion that ultimately we are just doomed. The tide is against this and all we can hope to do is stop the hemorrhaging of ongoing OHV Access loss. I've taken to posing the question... "When was the last time you knew of a land management agency BUILDING a new trail or OPENING a new writing area?" We will never be in a "zero net loss" situation.
BigBear Joe, QWR and others opposed the bill because it did nothing to address loud bikes. It was a bad bill - period. I don't get on the D37 message board too often.. maybe I should. I don't think I know Keith. Actually, the BLM/Cow Mountain has added some new trails, Coos County opened an ATV park, and there are other examples of "new" OHV riding. But you are right in the overall picture... the fight for OHV access is tough and never ending.
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