Comments on: Mayor Hotline September 6 to 12

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 04:16:51 +0000

Im so much more informed. Thanks to the inteligent and insightful comments left, I now know that:

1. 8 Police cars drove by some loud motorcycles.
2. The police officers must have been veterans as opposed to rookies.
3. All veteran police officers drive motorcycles.
4. Motorcycle owners, especially veteran coppers, like loud mufflers on their motorcycles.
5. Loud mufflers should now be an emergency response for police.
6. If you get a ticket for a parking violation its not your fault but the fault of Chief Masterson for not having his officers enforce the right laws.
7. You can;t put a bullet in someones back to stop a noise complaint

Thanks

By: Clancy

Clancy — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:42:45 +0000

Bikeboy, they are not nimrods. They are Bike Ninjas. Here is a cartoon that illustrates.
http://www.yehudamoon.com/index.php?date=2008-09-09

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:02:22 +0000

Tom Anderson: “I dream of putting a bullet in their back.” [Loud motorcycle riders.]

That’s some SCARY stuff! Sure, loud motorcycles are obnoxious. So are the rolling ghetto blasters and those rice burners with the “fart can” mufflers. But making a lot of racket is NOT a capital offense.

“Bikers” are their own worst enemies. (And by “biker” I refer to a specific sub-class of motorcycle riders. And I guess I would include the “biker posers” in the group.) They long for an outlaw image for whatever reason. So they wear their black leather but no helmet. (Which gives ’em a “stupid” image in this observer’s mind.) And they replace their mufflers with straight pipes. Wow! Some outlaw – defying the noise ordinance!

On the subject of selective enforcement… that will always be the case. The voting/taxpaying public just needs to be vocal about which laws they want prioritized. (Are you aware that it’s illegal to ride a bicycle against traffic? That’s a pet peeve of mine, since I ride a bike and am frequently playing “chicken” with some nimrod who’s riding against traffic. Do you know how many times it’s been enforced? If you guessed five tickets in the last five years, you would be right. When I call to complain, I’m told, and I quote, “That violation is not a priority for the department.”

By: erico49

erico49 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:47:29 +0000

All I know is that I drive through town on the way to work and home every day, and around some on weekends. My office faces a major street. I can’t tell you the last time I saw someone pulled over for what looks like a traffic stop.

By: Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:23:50 +0000

The number one complaint in cities across America is noise. It is amazing how many people HATE the loud, illegal motorcycles.

There are several REALLY LOUD motorcycles that come through our nieghborhood daily, and I dream of putting a bullet in their back.

The cops don’t do anything because, in my opinion, many cops are veterans and MANY veterans have loud motorcycles.

I would support the removal of Chief Masterson if he can’t make this a priority.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:42:21 +0000

boisecynic Thanks for printing the muffler law. I always wondered what happened to it. I still remember getting a ticket for loud mufflers when I was seventeen. That was 46 years ago. So why isn’t this law enforced. Things have gotten out of hand with the noise levels we allow.
I think its obvious Chief Masterson isn’t capable of enforcing the laws. Maybe its time for him to quit or get fired.

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:06:58 +0000

Crescent Rim Neighborhood also stood in the way of a path down to Ann Morrison, if I remember right.

By: Cyclops

Cyclops — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:06:38 +0000

To the anonymous caller with regard to the street modifications on crescent Rim. As an obvious rookie in city P&Z issues, someone needs to inform you that the public input on an issue is purely a “show” for the public! There will be a grandiose “agreement” reached during the public portion, then after you go home, the developer will sit down with P&Z and receive a “varience or exception” and you won’t know about it until you see the evidence on the work site.
As I remember, your neighborhood had a majority vote for the current administration, so, my friend, you voted for them. Now you can live with them!

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:43:28 +0000

I don’t know why BPD can’t enforce the muffler law. They sure enforced the parking-wrong-way law on me the other day. If Chief Masterson can’t do his job and enforce the law then maybe he should resign.

Idaho Code:

49-937. MUFFLERS, PREVENTION OF NOISE. (1) Every motor vehicle shall at
all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant
operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke, and no
person shall use a muffler cut-out, bypass, or similar device upon a motor
vehicle on a highway. When any motor vehicle was originally equipped with a
noise suppressing system or when any motor vehicle is required by law or
regulation of this state or the federal government to have a noise suppressing
system, that system shall be maintained in good working order. No person shall
disconnect any part of that system except temporarily in order to make
repairs, replacements or adjustments, and no person shall modify or alter that
system or its operation in any manner, except to conform to the manufacturer’s
specifications. No person shall knowingly operate and no owner shall knowingly
cause or permit to be operated any motor vehicle originally equipped or
required by any law or regulation of the state or the federal government to be
equipped with a noise suppressing system while any part of that system is
disconnected or while that system or its operation is modified or altered in
any manner, except to conform to the manufacturer’s specifications.
(2) The engine and power mechanism of every motor vehicle shall be so
equipped and adjusted as to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke.
(3) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or a
motorcycle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise of the vehicle
or motorcycle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the
vehicle by the manufacturer.
(4) A showing that the sound made by a passenger motor vehicle or
motorcycle exceeds the maximum allowable decibel level shall be prima facie
evidence of a violation of subsection (1) of this section.
(5) No person shall sell, offer for sale, or install any noise
suppressing system or device which will produce excessive or unusual noise.