Motorcycle Noise In The National Parks
The OFMC at Colorado National Monument.
For two and one-half years I’ve had our backs in the national parks, but that ends as of Friday.
As an editor with the National Park Service I have been in a position to crucially reword documents when they have spoken about how motorcycle noise is totally obnoxious and something needing to be eliminated. I have made it my personal job to change that wording to read something like “the noise of loud motorcycles” or “noise from loud vehicles.” The point being that, despite the general public perception, only some motorcycles are loud, not all of them. And noise from loud cars and trucks is just as objectionable as noise from loud motorcycles.
But my gig will wrap up on Friday, May 1, and after that there is no one who will be watching out for us in that way. So here’s an idea: how about if motorcyclists make it a point not to annoy the public, especially in the parks, with loud noise?
The National Park Service even has a page on their website about this issue. “Motorcycle Riding in the National Parks” only seems lukewarm as it is in regard to bikes, stating that “riding a motorcycle through a national park can be an acceptable way to experience our nation’s natural and cultural heritage.” You see that? “. . . can be an acceptable way . . .” That kind of gives the connotation that they’d really rather not have us there but if we’re not totally obnoxious they’ll tolerate us. And the site adds, “Over the past ten years, complaints from visitors concerning excessive noise from motorcycles have been increasing.” By the way, my editing duties do not extend to the website.
Now, lest those of us who don’t have Harleys with extra loud aftermarket pipes get too smug, let me point out that engine noise is not the only issue. If you have a sound system that blasts out music that you can hear when riding, that can be pretty unwelcome, too. Aside from bothering people, it bothers animals: “Noise can adversely impact wildlife by reducing the area over which they can communicate and listen for potential prey or predators. Natural sounds are also important to park visitors, 90 percent of whom say enjoying the sounds of nature is one of the top reasons they visit parks.”
So here is the NPS recommendation for riding your bike in the parks.
Ride Respectfully
- Obey speed limits.
- Avoid traveling in large groups.
- Avoid excessive acceleration or revving of the engine.
- Turn your engine off instead of idling.
- Use horns only when necessary for safety.
- Turn down radios or use a headset.
- Be extra sensitive near campgrounds, lodging, and visitor centers.
- Operate your motorcycle as quietly as possible to minimize disturbance to wildlife and other park resources and respect the experience of other visitors.
Biker Quote for Today
Happiness isn’t around the corner, it is the corner.
April 28th, 2015 at 8:31 am
the problem “riders” aren’t going to listen or heed your words Ken….eventually, they’ll ruin things for the rest of us I am sure.