University research into loud pipes “myth”

[demographic]

I've had obnoxiously loud bikes and quiet bikes and all things being equal I'd choose the quiet bike every time.
Stealth hooning is generally the way forward.

One bike I own is still obnoxiously loud, there's buggerall in the way of road legal silencers for it and all I can do is use the quietest one I can get.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I don't really understand how anyone who drives a car can seriously believe the "loud pipes save lives" line...I drive a car and I would wager i have much better hearing that most of you old duffers, I don't hear bikes until after they've gone by even when I've seen them first.

Pedestrians though I can understand a bit. Electric cars are no required to make an artificial noise at slow speed for that reason.

[Mussels]

The loudest pipe tested was 110dB, they weren't even trying.

[cheb]

The nearest I've been to being run over by a bus is when I walked behind a reversing one. And peevishly thought 'That bleeper is very annoyingly loud.'

I've also been woken up by a smoke alarm in the middle of the night, got up, removed the battery and gone back to bed.

Probable cause of death: A severe case of irritability.

[demographic]

The nearest I've been to being run over by a bus is when I walked behind a reversing one. And peevishly thought 'That bleeper is very annoyingly loud.'

I've also been woken up by a smoke alarm in the middle of the night, got up, removed the battery and gone back to bed.

Probable cause of death: A severe case of irritability.

When I was working on the local art college revite one day a plasterers van was reversing with a chubby Whitehaven plasterer on the back step of the van loudly saying...

"BEEP, BEEP BEEP"

Creased me right up.

[Mr. Dazzle]

On the subject of reverse beeps - and since there is clearly at least one person here who takes an interest in vehicle noise research - what's the deal with the sound the beeps make anyway?

As a kid I always heard the "Beep Beep Beep" noise, but these days you generally hear "Skkrrrrrrkk Skkrrrrrrk Skrrrrrk" type noises which sound like the beeper is broken. Originally I thought the beepers were broken but the latter noise is almost universal now. Is it 'cause the beep carries really far and is annoying to a lot of people, or 'cause the skkrrrrk sound is cheaper, or more noticable or what?

[Skub]

On the subject of reverse beeps - and since there is clearly at least one person here who takes an interest in vehicle noise research - what's the deal with the sound the beeps make anyway?

As a kid I always heard the "Beep Beep Beep" noise, but these days you generally hear "Skkrrrrrrkk Skkrrrrrrk Skrrrrrk" type noises which sound like the beeper is broken. Originally I thought the beepers were broken but the latter noise is almost universal now. Is it 'cause the beep carries really far and is annoying to a lot of people, or 'cause the skkrrrrk sound is cheaper, or more noticable or what?

Your ears are borked on that frequency.

[The Spin Doctor]

Who in god's name takes up riding or fits a race can to be safe anyway?

Like most I've had my share of loud pipes,but I've never had a brain fart to tell me,'lets pull the baffles out of this to make me safer'

Anyway,I prefer stealth/a wee bit of a snort from exhausts these day.

Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau, editor of The Busted Knuckle Chronicles and a Canadian, explained “loud pipes save lives” to me: “Riders found that when a vehicle tried to violate their lane/right of way their horn was ineffective and that a quick rap on the pipes alerted the driver that they were about to drift into someone. This is a defense that works in urban traffic situations where you have two or more lanes and an inattentive person on their cell phone, talking to someone else in the vehicle and the driver is not generally paying attention to where they are going. When they, the automobile driver, are right beside you and do not turn their head before moving over, this is the prime time in urban riding when ‘loud pipes save lives.’
Another rider, Carie R. said, “I absolutely believe that loud pipes save lives for a couple of different factors. One, the obvious.. if you are heard, you are more likely to be seen. Two, most bikers or bike organizations do many, many bike runs in order to raise money for things like the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, etc. which also, in the end, can also save lives.”
https://medium.com/the-awl/loud-pipes-s ... ffb8ec9b02

[demographic]

On the subject of reverse beeps - and since there is clearly at least one person here who takes an interest in vehicle noise research - what's the deal with the sound the beeps make anyway?

As a kid I always heard the "Beep Beep Beep" noise, but these days you generally hear "Skkrrrrrrkk Skkrrrrrrk Skrrrrrk" type noises which sound like the beeper is broken. Originally I thought the beepers were broken but the latter noise is almost universal now. Is it 'cause the beep carries really far and is annoying to a lot of people, or 'cause the skkrrrrk sound is cheaper, or more noticable or what?

The Beep whilst loud and attracting attention isnt very good for giving directional cues. It seems that a bit of almost white noise is far better for the listener to gain directional cues from. So they use a bit of both.

Or thats what radio 4 said a while ago anyway.

[Skub]

Two, most bikers or bike organizations do many, many bike runs in order to raise money for things like the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, etc. which also, in the end, can also save lives.”
https://medium.com/the-awl/loud-pipes-s ... ffb8ec9b02

Ha!

A good example of making an ethos fit. I like it.

[Rockburner]

On the subject of reverse beeps - and since there is clearly at least one person here who takes an interest in vehicle noise research - what's the deal with the sound the beeps make anyway?

As a kid I always heard the "Beep Beep Beep" noise, but these days you generally hear "Skkrrrrrrkk Skkrrrrrrk Skrrrrrk" type noises which sound like the beeper is broken. Originally I thought the beepers were broken but the latter noise is almost universal now. Is it 'cause the beep carries really far and is annoying to a lot of people, or 'cause the skkrrrrk sound is cheaper, or more noticable or what?

The Beep whilst loud and attracting attention isnt very good for giving directional cues. It seems that a bit of almost white noise is far better for the listener to gain directional cues from. So they use a bit of both.

Or thats what radio 4 said a while ago anyway.

Something like that yes.

Modern emergency sirens now include white noise amongst their repertoire for that very reason (after lots of research).

[Dodgy69]

If loud pipes don't draw attention, why do folk moan about loud pipes.

[weeksy]

If loud pipes don't draw attention, why do folk moan about loud pipes.

Because they're sitting in gardens/houses, not in cars. I don't think anyone is denying that someone sitting at home can hear them, the question is, can the bloke in the car with his music/phone on actually hear you.

[Rockburner]

If loud pipes don't draw attention, why do folk moan about loud pipes.

Because they're sitting in gardens/houses, not in cars. I don't think anyone is denying that someone sitting at home can hear them, the question is, can the bloke in the car with his music/phone on actually hear you.

Exactly that.

Car drivers can't hear loud pipes (and possibly wouldn't care even if they could*).
But everyone else can, and gets irritated by them.




* opinion dependant on your level of paranoia

[Skub]

Come at them in reverse gear,they'll hear loud pipes then.

Maybe.

[Dodgy69]

Well, in the summer months of biking, many cars have tops down, windows open. Then there's cyclist, joggers, walkers. Lawnmowers, strimmers, chain saws all make noise, and none of these noises including loud pipes bother me in the slightest. Do we have a right of near silence while sat in our gardens. We have helicopter training here, noise until the dark hours. Motocross on Sundays up the road. Its just folk getting on with their lives and enjoying it.


Too many miserables about i say.

[Skub]

Well, in the summer months of biking, many cars have tops down, windows open. Then there's cyclist, joggers, walkers. Lawnmowers, strimmers, chain saws all make noise, and none of these noises including loud pipes bother me in the slightest. Do we have a right of near silence while sat in our gardens. We have helicopter training here, noise until the dark hours. Motocross on Sundays up the road. Its just folk getting on with their lives and enjoying it.


Too many miserables about i say.

Shhhhhush.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well, in the summer months of biking, many cars have tops down, windows open. Then there's cyclist, joggers, walkers. Lawnmowers, strimmers, chain saws all make noise, and none of these noises including loud pipes bother me in the slightest. Do we have a right of near silence while sat in our gardens. We have helicopter training here, noise until the dark hours. Motocross on Sundays up the road. Its just folk getting on with their lives and enjoying it.


Too many miserables about i say.

You'll note I didn't say loud exhausts should necessarily be banned...one of my own bikes is take the piss loud, and totally legal with it to boot.

Just admit what is though, gratuitous noise for your own entertainment. Any arguments about safety are very thin IMO.

You do have a right to quiet BTW and things like chainsaws as helicopters are noise restricted.

[Horse]

Simple solution: anyone who wants a loud pipe on their bike, install it so that it's pointed at their head.

[Yorick]

If I'm not riding on Sundays, I sit outside to hear the loonies on the hilly twisties about half mile away.

Quiet pipes are frowned upon here

Plenty of slash cut Motogp pipes