March 1, 2018

Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet

For immediate release

Contact:
Ted Rueter
[email protected]
877-664-7366

Chapel Hill: Matt Joski, sheriff of Kewaunee county, Wisconsin (part of the Green Bay metropolitan area) has won a “Quiet Hero” award from Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet for taking action against loud vehicles and motorcycles.

Sheriff Joski comments that while most people associate loud motorcycles with Harley-Davidson, “I think it’s safe to say that even the foreign models are susceptible to this same issue—the installation of modified exhausts. In many of these situations, exhaust systems are modified to the point where there is little baffling the noise directly off the engine, which results in an extremely annoying experience for anyone within the area.”

The sheriff admitted to being “embarrassed to admit that we have not done enough in our enforcement and the time has come to bring these violations back into compliance.” The sheriff notes that “with loud exhausts, this is very simple. If your exhaust system is broken, fix it. If you have purchased an exhaust system that did not come original to the vehicle or motorcycle, make sure it is not unreasonably loud.”

Joski notes that Wisconsin State Statute 347.39(1) cover loud exhausts:

“No person shall operate on a highway any motor vehicle subject to registration unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise or annoying noise.”

Another issue, notes Sheriff Joski, is loud music from car stereos. Wisconsin State Statute 346.94 (16) concerns loud music from a motor vehicle:

“Radios or other electric sound amplification devices. No person may operate or park, stop, or leave standing a motor vehicle while using a radio and other electric sound amplification device emitted sound from the vehicle that is audible under normal conditions from a distance of 75 or more feet, unless the electric sound amplification system is being used to request assistance or warn against an unsafe condition.”

“We in law enforcement have an obligation,” says Sheriff Joski, “to maintain peace and order in our community. The desire for a portion of our population to do as they wish is not acceptable. Just because you like the loud music rumble coming from your cycle does not give you the right to intrude on others’ right to enjoy a peaceful afternoon.”

Ted Rueter, director of Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet, commented that “Sheriff Joski is to be congratulated for his stand against excessive, unnecessary noise. If more sheriff departments and police departments took noise enforcement more seriously, this would be a much quieter nation.”

Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet is a national citizens’ organization devoted to noise reduction. In May 2017, Battle Creek, Michigan won a “Quiet Hero” award for constructing a railroad “quiet zone.”