American Motorcyclists Association
Position on Excessive Noise
AMA encourages motorcyclists to keep offensive noise to themselves.
Rebuttal of the Argument that
Unmuffled Motorcycles Save Lives
This document, written by NPC's director, questions whether
motorcycle riders should address basic safety issues before claiming that
loud motorcycles protect them.
The External Damage Cost of Noise Emitted from Motor Vehicles. This is taken from the Journal of Transportation and Statistics, Volume 1, Number 3, October 1998.
Traffic Safety Facts 2000 - Motorcycles
This document from the Department of Transportation shows several
factors involved in motorcycle fatalities.
Noise Increases with Vehicle Speed
This document includes a table showing the change in noise made by
automobiles, light trucks, and heavy trucks as they increase in speed. The
fact that noise increases with vehicle speed has serious implications for
raising the federal speed limits.
Highway Traffic Noise. This document provides a simple introduction to highway traffic noise (FHWA, 1980). For a more detailed analysis, read Highway Traffic Noise in the United States: Problem and Response.
Highway Traffic Noise
Analysis and Abatement: Policy and Guidance
Provides Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) policies and guidance
for the analysis and abatement of highway traffic noise. (FHWA, 1995)
Highway Traffic Noise
in the United States: Problem and Response
Provides a summary of the highway traffic noise problem in the United
States and Federal Highway Administration's response to this problem.
(FHWA, 1997)
Traffic Noise Impact Technical Report for State
Route 101L (Pima Freeway) - Appendix C - Alternative Mitigation: Further
Details
This appendix includes further details about alternative noise
mitigation measures that might be considered along the Pima Freeway
corridor in Scottsdale, AZ.
Traffic Noise Impact Technical Report for State
Route 101L (Pima Freeway) - Appendix D - Property Enhancements: Sound
Insulation of Homes and the Use of "Sound Masking"
Where highway noise is not severe, more-pleasant sounds can sometimes
be used to partially "cover up" the highway noise and thereby
reduce its annoyance. The technical term is "sound masking."
This small booklet describes what steps you might take to "mask"
highway noise, both outside and inside your home.
Traffic Noise Impact Technical Report for State
Route 101L (Pima Freeway) - Appendix E - Property Enhancements: Sound
Insulation of Homes - A Very Approximate Self Diagnosis
Sound insulation of homes can reduce interior sound levels from
nearby highways. As described more fully in an accompanying booklet, your
home is like a tow chain - the kind you attach to your rear axle to tow
another vehicle. If you have a weak tow chain and wish to improve it, you
must start by replacing its weakest links. This booklet contains a very
approximate measurement method to identify your home's weakest acoustical
links, from outdoors to indoors - using a calculator, an inexpensive sound
level meter, and a child's rubber ball.