A dangerous myth: Loud pipes alert car drivers

[sAsLEX]

I take it that you and evryone else that advocates loud pipes also have no problem with boy racers and their loud exhausts as well then?

there is loud and then there is driving up and down the street at some weird time of the night pissing people off.

I am only arguing that infact they do have an impact on the safety issue. Quite a few have noted how their loud pipes have changed the way traffic reacts around them.



And a crappy little 1.3 stalet with open pipes sounds like shit, a Duke or TL etc dont.

[Kickaha]

I am only arguing that infact they do have an impact on the safety issue. Quite a few have noted how their loud pipes have changed the way traffic reacts around them.

A few have also noted that it doesn't

And a crappy little 1.3 stalet with open pipes sounds like shit, a Duke or TL etc dont.

Well if "Loud pipes (do) Save Lives" I reckon that has an impact on traffic safety to then, as it's giving you a warning some dork who probably can't drive for shit is approaching

[vifferman]

I take it that you and evryone else that advocates loud pipes also have no problem with boy racers and their loud exhausts as well then?

Depends what they sound like, and how loud they are.
If they're just LOUD and droney, then they suck, and deserve the expanding foam treatment. If they're sporty, and not obnoxiously loud, like a Ferrari or Lambo or Alfa, then I have no problem with them. Same with bikes - if they sound nice, and don't make my ears bleed, then I'm OK with them.

Do loud pipes save lives? Very doubtful.
But if loud(ish) pipes save the odd accident and injury, then that's worthwhile. Let's face it, most accidents happen at sub 70 km/h speeds, and that's where most loudish pipes would be able to be heard, and noticed by dozy drivers.
But (however) if too many of us (or them) are making too much noise and pissing people off and inciting the SafetyNazis to make laws controlling what our vehicles sound like, then that's a VeryBadThing. I don't want to ride a bike that sounds like a sewing machine. It's bad enough that it sounds like a cakemixer on steroids.

[sAsLEX]

A few have also noted that it doesn't

Many have said the silly 100 limit does not affect safety and that travelling faster is not an automatic deathwish, others disagree.

Different strokes for different folks I guess, there is a slight difference between driving in say Gore and Auckland MW at peak hour so there could be hugely different perspectives being used to pass judgement.

I know I travel every day to uni, when I go, through the glorious Northern MW often at peak times, and having a slightly loud exhaust does get you noticed.

[SVrunner]

I ve had quiet pipe & loud pipe.
Since most drivers pull out right in front & any help with there eysight by increasing there hearing sense must help as it has for me.

[dawnrazor]

okay consider this

boy racer pulls out in front of you, doesn't hear you because of the stero up to 11 and his own hot pipe.

BMW 5 series or any luxury car pulls out doesn't hear you because the interior it whisper quiet and designed to reduce outside noise.

white van pulls out doesn't hear you, the diesel engine on this and alot of 4X4 are so loud as to defeat most external influences.

Small hatch pulls out doesn't hear you, because it is such a cheap car that it rattles and transmits so much road noise and engine noise that the stero has to be wound up just to hear it.

toyota coralla pulls out hears you, but has so much faith in his faultless car that he hits you anyways.

little old lady dies of heart failure from the shock!

[Damon]

With even family cars being so well sealed that they have db ratings of 75 - 80, how do you really think a 98 db exhaust is going to be heard from a distance?

I think you'll find that 98db is only an idle level for most vtwins, i've had my tested at 104db at idle, granted the guy stuck it right up to the pipe but when i gave it a blip it went of his meter which went to 114db, i'm not saying they "save lives" but people definitely reacted differently to when i was on my 250,

as for the boyracer dig, i dont mind their loud exhausts under normal driving conditions, it's only when their screwing the tits of them past my house at 1am that i have a problem but that also goes for any twat that thinks racing on residential streets is a good idea

[terbang]

The louder the better in my view just cos they sound cool. But I also reckon that jet aircraft should blow smoke and shriek lots of noise cos I'm a bit of a revhead at heart I guess (perhaps a dinosaur). When I was living in Switzerland a local Kindergarten was closed down because of the kids noise epitomizing where we can end up if we all get too stupid on noise (like the swiss have).
I drive a cage, am deaf as a post, and in a lot of instances I am certainly audibly alerted to the noisey ones as they approach. :slap:

[Fatjim]

In 2 years with the VTR I have not have one person accidentally pull over on me in traffic (touch wood), I ride 25k's each way in traffic in Welly on the motorway at 8 in the morning/5 at night. I've even had police cars move over for me. My pipes have "for race use only" stamped on them, maybe thats the reason.

I see cars do this to quieter bikes though.

I'm convinced its self preservation lurking deep within everybody, some deeper than others.

Now about the post with the old lady dying of a heart attack. 90% of those examples would have heard me before I got within striking distance.They may not know my direction because my bike is all base, but they wake up.

As for riding like your invisable. I ride and drive like that anyway, and so should everyone. If we did that the deaths would fall to less than the 300 the gummint aiming at because we'd all be alert drivers, except for Sniper.

[JWALKER]

loud pipes do help with safety.they do help you get noticed, but, if you think just cause your loud pipes, then you don't have to worry about anyone on the road, then i think you are a ignorant rider., but, they do help you get noticed

[dawnrazor]

In 2 years with the VTR I have not have one person accidentally pull over on me in traffic (touch wood),

I hope your not, this is family website you know

[terbang]

It all adds up in the end though dont rely on loud pipes but there may have been instances, that you are unaware of, when they saved you. Its a bit like back protectors (I wear one) "Gee I binned, lucky I can still walk because I had a back protector"..You will never know.

[JWALKER]

It all adds up in the end though dont rely on loud pipes but there may have been instances, that you are unaware of, when they saved you. Its a bit like back protectors (I wear one) "Gee I binned, lucky I can still walk because I had a back protector"..You will never know.

yip, i agree

[sAsLEX]

sorry Salesex, but your wrong wrong wrong.

you seem to be agreeing with me, I am now confused!?

[Deano]

Noisy exhausts only let others know that you have already passed by.

Drivers used to look into their rear view mirror when I approached from behind on an SP-1 with Neptunz. Rolling off the throttle produced enough noise to have the desired effect.

I ride like everyone is out to get me, but being heard as above has to help.