NOISY MOTOR CYCLISTS.

Shannon News, 12 October 1926, Page 4

NOISY MOTOR CYCLISTS.

The Bicycling News, an English trade journal, says: At last those* in authority have begun to take cognizance of the fact that noisy motor-cyeles arc becoming a nuisance to the dwellers along our roa,ds and to the public generally. .There can be no doubt about it; it is so. Many times I have dealt with f;his matter in these columns. I have felt like one crying in the wilderness, for none answere'd. But we of Bicycling News have long ago c6me to the conclusion that the greatest danger to the motorcycle movement will be likely to come from the noise and annoyance which many riders of these \ machines cause and the gradually rising resentment of decent people who object—and very rightly object —to -- having their comfort and convenience disturbed by selfish users of noisy machines. Since my ,d(ynain in these notes does not reach j beyond motor. cycle usage, I am not going to sav a deal about the noisy sports car. But it must be remembered that the users of these machines sin in company with the users of the noisy, motor-bicycles, and the voice of authority is lifted up against members of both brigades. ' The Secretary of State desires to issue a warning to all users of motor cars, and particularly motor-cycles, that he is instructing the police to take active steps to enforce more strictly the laws relating to the use of silencers. As motorists will be aware, the law 'as contained in Article IV of the Motor Cars (Use and Construction) Order, 1904, as" amended by the Motor Cars (Use and Construction) Amendment Order (No. 2), 1912, requires, under a penalty of £lO, the use of a silencer, suitable and sufficient for reducing as far, as may reasonably be practicable the noise of exhaust gases. It is common knowledge that a great deal of annoyance and inconvenience amounting in many cases to an intolerable nuisance, is caused to members of the public 'at large by the excessive noises emitted by the exhausts of motor vehicles, and particularly motor-cycles. 131 the Secretary of State's opinion there is no justification whatsoever under present circumstances for permitting such noise, which constitutes a direct infraction of the law, as it is within the capacity of every motorist to provide his machine with an effective silencer and drive it in a proper manner; in the ease of motor-cycles the Secretary of State is advised that much of the noke caused by their exhausts it due to bad driving and could be avoided by the exercise of greater care in the use of the throttle and gears. Motorists are therefore warned that if they desire to escape liability to the penalty of £lO provided by the law they Aiust see that their machines, or any machines which they may purchase, are effectively silenced, and that they must so use and drive them as to reduce the noise of their exhausts as far as may be reasonably practicable. Cut Outs. It has been suggested that much of the noise is caused by the use of cut outs,. Xow, cut outs are undoubtedly illegal—or rather the x use of them* is illegal—which comes to mueh the same fhiug. Cue outs are fitted on many sport.- caE's,* vJ and on some motor cycles, although I etkild never understand, why ' &'' motor cyclist wanted a cut out seeing that he can* make such a deuce of a : -noise /without J it. But cut outs musjt |go, iind silencers must be made more "lefficient. is no excuse for the cut out. It serves no useful purpose except, perhaps, in some cases, to advertise ,the inefficiency of the silencer. The eu,t" out, if it increases the speed very imuch, gives a clear indication that the silencer is imposing too much buck pressure. It i=; possible—indeed, it is probable —that any form of silenl.cer will reduce- the power output a little. I ami,speaking of silencers as at present constructed. But there has never been 1 * a rcjfy scientific study of the silencer £ question, and makers and um>i> have lik'en 'Content to have any old box of baffles |w long as it did not unduly reduce the power out put of the 'engine. Bad/inefficient silencers begat the cut put.-. When we get the. efficient I silencer, we snail not need the cut out I for speed and power purposes. *