Best Posts in Thread: Pass muffler law before elections

For starters it's only the lto which can apprehend and confiscate the motors so as you said the chance of this being enforced is slim to none.There ain't enough lto officers anyway and when was the last time anyone saw an lto checkpoint?

 

True to his promise and after more than one year of deliberations, presiding officer Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling has enabled his councilors to pass the long awaited muffler law which would require motorcycles to attach mufflers or silencers to single motorbikes.

The big problem in the city is that many motorbike owners , mostly teenagers, purposely remove the mufflers which usually go with brand new motorcycles, so that the motorbike will sound so noisy, a tune many youngsters love to brag rosaming the city streets with almost unbearable zooming sound.

Dumaguete City Councilor Danilo Teves- Leon shepherded the passage of an ordinance requiring motorcycles with loud exhaust pipes to install muffler insert/silencer to muffle the sound to acceptable levels.

Councilor Antonio “TonyRems” Remollo and Liga ng mga Barangay President Lionel P. Banogon co-sponsored the ordinance which was approved on third and final reading during the Council’s regular session, Wednesday April 27.

Under the ordinance, for the first offense, noisy motorcycles with exhaust pipes that emanate loud and deafening blasts shall be impounded and shall be released only if a muffler insert/ silencer is installed to minimize the noise created and the required decibel meter level is achieved.

PRISON OR FINE

For second offense, an administrative fine of P 1, 000.00 shall be imposed on the driver/owner of the unit while a penalty of not more than three months imprisonment or a fine of P 3, 000 or both at the discretion of the court shall be imposed for those apprehended on third offense.

In all instances, the Traffic Management Office shall issue a certification that the impounded unit has complied with the decibel lever requirement prior to release of the unit.

To determine if the noise level is acceptable or not; tests via a decibel meter shall be administered at a distance of 6 meters from the motorcycle.

Teves-Leon said that the decibel meter is up for delivery after the successful bidding by the General Services Office.

Teves-Leon along with Remollo and Banogon pushed for the passage of the ordinance as they asserted that unabated noise is considered a public nuisance disturbing not only auditory nerves but even the emotional and psychological well-being of persons.

A World Health Organization study enumerates the negative impact noise has on human health such as annoyance reaction, sleep disturbance, interference with communication and adverse effects on performance and social behavior.

Teves-Leon said that this measure may become unpopular to the young motorcycle enthusiasts as they are inclined to buy after market exhaust systems and mufflers to improve the look of their units; however, he believes that the general public and the greater number of citizens would be appreciative once this ordinance is implemented to the full.

He said that this ordinance is a better alternative compared to the Joint DOTC-LTO Administrative Order which imposes a hefty fine of P 5, 000 without due process in the apprehension and impounding of the motorcycle units. As promised: council oks muffler ordinance - NegrosChronicle.com