The pleasure of a patio meal can quickly fade when excessive noise from passing motorcycles drowns out conversation.
It乌鸦传媒檚 a familiar frustration in Peachland, especially during the busy summer months. At its May 20 meeting, Peachland council raised the issue with visiting RCMP officers, asking if anything could be done to quiet things down.
乌鸦传媒淵ou would need extreme dedication (to enforcement) over the summer,乌鸦传媒� said Cpl. Tyrone Wilton of the West Kelowna RCMP. 乌鸦传媒淚t would be the same in West Kelowna, Kelowna, and the same on Lake Avenue in Penticton.乌鸦传媒�
The Okanagan tends to draw a large number of motorcycles and exotic cars in the summer, he added.
One method of enforcement involves using a decibel meter, but there are challenges. While the Kelowna detachment has a trained officer equipped with one, that resource isn乌鸦传媒檛 available to Peachland.
Wilton also noted that the courts do not recognize decibel meters.
乌鸦传媒淚 just learned that乌鸦传媒攊t乌鸦传媒檚 currently in limbo,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Wilton added that a regular member could make a personal observation if a vehicle is making excessive noise.
乌鸦传媒淗owever, the onus is on the police officer to prove in court they were over the decibel limit,乌鸦传媒� he said.
He emphasized that the goal isn乌鸦传媒檛 to necessarily punish drivers, but to encourage better behaviour.
乌鸦传媒淚 can乌鸦传媒檛 stand a loud muffler any more than you guys,乌鸦传媒� he told council. 乌鸦传媒淏ut sometimes just having a conversation with that person and issuing them a warning, or having them get their vehicle inspected乌鸦传媒� is sometimes more damaging than a ticket.乌鸦传媒�
He told council that while Motor Vehicle Act regulations set a specific decibel level for vehicles, the majority of motorcycles produced currently exceed that threshold.
乌鸦传媒淪o they乌鸦传媒檙e coming off the line already above,乌鸦传媒� he added.
Wilton added officers will issue tickets when the noise is 乌鸦传媒済rossly and obviously乌鸦传媒� excessive.
