We've been too quiet about loud motorcycles

It's time to muffle loud vehicles. Thousand Oaks takes noise seriously (see the noise element in the General Plan).

The plan assumes that the city can do little to combat individual muffler law violators.

Luckily, in the case of motorcycles, that assumption is false. Like Denver, we can adopt the EPA's label match-up program to eliminate illegal motorcycle mufflers cheaply and effectively.

As in Denver, there's sure to be much whining from those who have installed illegal mufflers.

We will hear that "loud pipes save lives." This claim sounds plausible, but it is fiction.

The only time you don't hear a loud bike is when you pose a danger to it- - when you're in your car, ahead of the bike, making a left turn or changing lanes.

We will hear that it's somehow unfair to penalize loud bikers. Yet it is loud bikers who unfairly and gratuitously abuse the rest of us. It's a testament to their effective marketing and our good manners that we hesitate to call them jerks.

Nevertheless, the shoe fits.

Most bikers are good neighbors. They safely ride their beautiful, quiet machines and responsibly maintain the peace.

All bikers should follow this example.

There's no good reason to accommodate those who won't.

See www.noisefree.org for more information. Chris Habecker Thousand Oaks