Q&A - Vehicle Noise, Speeding and Lack of Effective Policing

If we could change the driving attitudes of those that needed it, we could rule the traffic safety world! However, the bottom of every page on this web site asks the question "Have you ever met anyone that would admit to being less than a better than average driver?" For most of us, the problem lies with others and we are all perfectly capable, well educated and proper drivers. If that's the case, where do these problems come from?

We all speed at some time or another, intentionally or not. I've certainly heard many justifications for it over the years. Chief among them is that you are allowed 10 km/h over the posted limit because the police never stop anyone for doing only that. One man even argued vehemently with me that I could not write a ticket for 10 km/h over, he honestly believed it!

I wonder if this has gone to the point where most drivers expect that the speed limits are only a guideline to be followed when they feel like it and may disobey when it is convenient. When I drive the speed limit and use the "slow lane" on my daily commute to work I feel like a rock in the stream as almost all other drivers pass me by.

Here is my favorite anti-speeding video, and it tries to show how taking even a 5 km/h liberty with the speed limit may have serious consequences.

Excessive noise from vehicles was always a difficult item to deal with, especially with motorcycles. I did not have access to a decibel meter to measure exhaust noise with so I was forced to fall back on description. The Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (MVAR) allowed my opinion in court to be definitive, but the court rarely accepted it as such. I learned quickly that a car or truck driver with noisy exhaust could be prosecuted with some success, but if it was a motorcycle, unless it didn't have a muffler at all, I was wasting my time.

These vehicle owners were also able to justify in their own minds that the noise level that they had chosen was appropriate for them. Ask a Harley rider and they will swear to you that it is necessary to make as much noise as possible to draw the attention of surrounding drivers for safety reasons. Their slogan is "Loud pipes save lives." The teenagers make their modifications to draw attention to themselves as well, but generally not for the same reason that bikers do.

So, why didn't I have a decibel meter? The levels established in the MVAR are for tests in now defunct government testing facilities. They require a specially equipped room for the testing following a rigid set of circumstances. Unless the municipality has established a bylaw for roadside testing, these limits are not very effective for prosecution.

Now, let's deal with enforcement, or lack thereof. I occasionally felt that traffic enforcement was only important to those who had chosen a career in traffic enforcment. If general street policing positions were not filled, traffic didn't need the manpower, so, we'll just borrow a few bodies and fill those vacant spots. Seldom do general street policing personnel take an active interest in traffic enforcement and that is usually because they are too busy with everything else. When I worked in municipal traffic positions I was often tasked to take the "barking dog complaints" because the general duty officers were busy. Traffic enforcement here clearly was unimportant.

How does this track with the current wisdom that you are more likely to suffer death, injury or financial loss through the operation of a motor vehicle than you are from all the other criminal activities combined? Motor vehicle collisions are the number one killer of our youth today.

If you want to know what is going on in your police office, ask. It should be no secret. You will want to know about how many positions are devoted to full time traffic enforcment and how many of those positions actually have bodies in them. This information may be requested from either the head of the local police force or your city council.

Photo radar? That was a political decision. Start with your MLA.

I suggest that you write a letter on paper as you are far more likely to receive a response than if you choose to use e-mail. Better still, visit the office of your local MLA in person and ask them. It's hard to avoid a subject when your constituent is facing you.

How do you make an effective driving complaint? Sometimes it isn't easy and you have to be persistent. I was not successful with the last one I made and I have inside knowledge! Here is a column I wrote after that attempt.

Finally, let's examine traffic fine revenues. Here's information on how the provincial government distributes those funds.

Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing grants assist local governments to improve public safety through community policing, crime prevention and education. So, don't expect it to be spent directly and exclusively on traffic enforcement.

How can you make a difference? This person has made a good start by forming a community action group.

This program has been quite successful in Ontario and is beginning to branch out into British Columbia.

You could also consider becoming a SpeedWatch volunteer.

You can also make a difference by becoming a better driver yourself. Learn a new skill, take some formal training, and above all, follow the rules, even when it is not convenient. Be the example for others to follow.