One of the most pressing quality-of-life issues in our ward is noise pollution caused by motorcycles
(ie. Harley Davidsons) or vehicles that have been illegally modified to amplify the sound of their engines.
Lawmakers in Chicago had attempted to address this issue by establishing firm legal grounds for enforcement and by working with police departments to crack down on offenders. New technology is being tested to combat excessive motorcycle noise with a device called "sound cameras" that can take noise readings and automatically issue a ticket just like the red light cameras.
Automated sound detection systems or "sound cameras" have been proposed and tested in some places to address noise complaints related to vehicles, including motorcycles. These systems use microphones to detect and measure sound levels, and if a vehicle exceeds the prescribed noise limits, it could trigger a violation or warning.
Sound camera tickets are tickets issued by noise cameras, which are also known as acoustic cameras. These cameras detect loud noises that exceed a set limit. For vehicles, noise cameras are used to catch drivers producing excessive engine noise with loud cars and motorcycles.
In an effort to reduce noise pollution, California is set to implement camera-automated exhaust noise enforcement. The pilot program will span from January 2023 to December 2027 and will be tested in six different cities across the state. Camera-enforced fines will be issued only after subsequent violations of the 95-decibel ceiling for cars and 80-decibel limit for motorcycles, respectively."
When a loud car passes by, the noise camera snaps a photo of the car's license plate and a ticket is mailed to the driver. The legal noise limit for cars in California is 95 decibels. Motorcycles are limited to 80 decibels.
California has a pilot program that will run from January 2023 to December 2027 to test sound-activated cameras in six different cities across the state.