The riding season is upon us, and the illegally loud motorcycles are inflicting their noise upon our otherwise quiet, comfortable neighborhoods.

Although it’s illegal for an inspection mechanic to give the annual safety inspection sticker to a motorcycle that has no muffler, there are many motorcycles (mostly Harleys) that have straight pipes (straight pipes aren’t a legal muffler under Maine law) and a current sticker. Obviously, a lot more enforcement is needed to address this problem.

Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey recently asked his officers to increase their efforts to rein in loud bikes in response to numerous complaints. In recent years, Portland police have increased enforcement in order to reduce the numbers of loud bikes.

So the best way to ramp up enforcement is to call your law enforcement agency and report all loud bike incidents whenever they happen. If the police receive enough complaints, they will have to start enforcing the laws that are supposed to regulate motorcycles. And ask family members, friends and neighbors to do the same.

Of course, riding loud is abusive behavior, and our tolerance for any abusive behavior should be zero.

Andy Ford

Portland