Noisy vehicles

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33060, 30 October 1972, Page 14

Noisy vehicles

Sir, — Surely the noise abatement authorities are straining at gnats and swallowing camels when they make the average householder liable to prosecution for the trifling and occasional amount of domestic noise, yet apparently nothing is being done about the sleep-shat-tering explosive noise from old cars and the new heavy Japanese motor-cycles roaring through the streets up to two o’clock in the mornings, particularly at week-ends. Surely the authorities have their priority wrong over this matter. How long have the public to tolerate this modern health-destroying pollutant outrage, and are any measures being taken to recall and refit these noisy monsters with really effective silencers and to prohibit their sale and use until this is done? Will the Transport or Health Department please comment, or act on an evil which is playing nervous havoc with young and old? No wonder this increasingly intolerable atrocity is doing its full share in helping us become a drug-ridden, tranquil-liser-sedated people.—-Yours, etc., SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. October 24, 1972.

[Mr A. I. Garriock, traffic superintendent, Road Transport Division, Ministry of Transport, replies: “I can appreciate your correspondent’s feelings. However, noise levels vary considerably according to the manner in which vehicles are driven. Regulation 22 of the Traffic Regulations, 1956, states: ‘No person shall operate any vehicle in such a condition or in such a manner or so loaded or with a load so unsafely secured as to cause or be liable to cause injury to any person or animal or annoyance (by reason of noise or other cause) to any person or damage to any property.’ This covers noisy motor-vehicles and powercycles. Any such vehicles imported into New Zealand with standard equipment are deemed to be in order. However, any intereference with this equipment in order to increase noise is definitely frowned upon and action is taken wherever possible. Under Regulation 66 motor-

cycles are specifically required to have efficient silencers in good working order and so constructed or adapted that it is impossible to interfere readily with the operation or effectiveness of the silencers at any time. The popular makes of motorcycles in use today do have standard equipment, but the riders could show greater consideration in built-up areas by using less acceleration through the gears and so reduce noise. It is understood that a committee is being set up by the Board of Health to study the subject of noise, and no doubt recommendations will be made to the Government regarding more effective means of controlling noise, howsoever arising.”]