September 1, 2012
Noise Free America
For immediate release
Contact:
Eric Galliher
240-217-8120
[email protected]
Ted Rueter
877-NOISE-NO
[email protected]
Chapel Hill: Frostburg, Maryland has won this month’s Noisy Dozen award from Noise Free America for tolerating extreme noise from car shows, unmuffled motorcycles, and parades which turn into mandatory car shows.
Eric Gailliher, a long-time Frostburg resident, has long complained about the growing noise in his hometown. Galliher stated, “ I would like to make Congressman Roscoe Bartlett aware of what he is involving himself with on September 15th in the Frostburg Bicentennial Parade featuring the Classy Chassis Car Club. I wish that Congressman Barlett would have sent someone to witness what took place at the 11th Annual Cruisin’ Main Street in Frostburg August 30th.”
Galliher notes that these are extremely noisy events: “These mandatory car shows are very difficult for the residents of West Main Street, West Mechanic Street, and First Street. We are not able to come and go from our driveways, leaving us trapped in our homes. We smell the stink and stench in the air. The cars, trucks, and motorcycles created unbelievable noise. Many of the motorcycles have had their mufflers removed and replaced with straight pipes.”
According to Galliher, “This behavior violates Maryland Annotated Code Transportation Articles 22-609 and 22-610. In addition, after the event is supposedly over, there is drag racing on West Main Street until 4:00 am! The American Cancer Society states that diesel exhaust (what the pickup trucks involved run on) speeds up cancer. Three residents of West Main Street have died from cancer in the last two years, yet the Classy Chassis Car Club is worsening the very problem they claim to be helping.
Galliher observes that the residents of West Main, Mechanic, and First have to close their windows in August– the hottest month of the year. He also notes that the noise “frightens babies and children, pets and the elderly.”
A volunteer fireman told Galliher that he hears hundreds of complaints over his scanner every year to Frostburg Police Department. “Yet,” he states, “the Maryland State Police, the Frostburg Police Department the Frostburg City Council, and the Mayor of Frostburg all refuse to do anything. Their newest excuse is that if they write a repair order for the exhausts that the judge will throw it out of court. Why won’t the police and elected officials in Frostsburg do their job and protect the citizens from an avalanche of unnecessary and dangerous noise?”
Noise Free America is a national non-profit organization devoted to noise reduction. Past “winners” of the Noisy Dozen award include Erie, Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.