Man Shot Over Loud Motorcycle Exhaust
If you've ever been on the receiving end of an annoyingly loud motorcycle, you know how aggravating noisy pipes can be. But according to a recent news item, 53 year-old John Moore took his anger one step too far when he shot 20 year-old Jamil Roberts in the face because of his bike's loud exhaust.
No motorcycle brand was identified in the story, and the victim-- now in stable condition-- was fired at in his car following several altercations over the noise. "Apparently, the suspect, Mr. Moore, was aggravated with him for driving the motorcycle and being too loud with it," said police detective Brian Miller.
The issue of noisy motorcycle exhausts appears to be bigger than ever, with laws tightening in order to quiet the loudest offenders. The Oakland P.D.'s motorcycle division has even stirred up more controversy by going with the "loud pipes save lives" mantra... but somewhere amidst the cacophonous debate we've got to meet halfway, right?
Photo © Basem Wasef
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Comments
a loud motorcycle was not the reason the man got shot….he was in a pick up truck when he was shot. the two had been fighting back and forth for a few weeks. he does have a motorcycle, and the shooter did bring up the fact that he was annoyed by the loud exhaust, but that was not the reason he was shot!
just setting the story straight.
Basem,
Thank you for the article. You are exactly right in the suggestion of meeting halfway. Rick makes an interesting point but is off the mark a bit. There are people out there who are completely inconsiderate and live life as though no one else matters. It by no means justifies shooting someone, but I can understand getting to the point of complete and utter frustration with someone who is unreasonable. If you had two people who were reasonable and respectful and treated other people like they would like to be treated then there would be no such incidents.
And thusly the best approach is somewhere in between. Just because you like loud pipes does not mean that is everyone’s cup of tea.
AJ, what an ignorant comment. Comments like yours make people want to shoot you in the face (tongue in cheek).
Seriously though, Nanny-ism is what needs to be compromised. Unfortunately for us all, what upsets a minor few tends to draw the attention of a majority who then get to be the subject of stupid and annoying laws.
Keep whining so we can all get in line and be a part of your perfect world.
Thank goodness the shooter didn’t do that in my state, we carry legally here and we shoot back at morons.
Oh well, people get shot all the time for a lot less. My life goes on…
wow ……thats crazy usually loud pipes come in handy but i guess this is a prime example when it did’t.
AJ, What world do you live in.
You know, I had LOUD PIPES at one time on my bike. Bought a touring bike and kept the stock pipes, didn`t feel like spending all that money on new loud pipes—you know I can hear myself think now.—TO EACH THEIR OWN. I don`t want to get a ticket for loud pipes–NEED THE MONEY TO BUY Gas
My nerves have always been jangled by noise. I live across the street from a small pub. On warm nights, there’s often one or more obnoxiously loud bike going there. As they roll out of the lot, and up past our place it is deafening, especially when then they all sit and potato-potato until they all can roar together at a million decibels. I don’t agree with killing folks at all, but have fanatised about the old rope across the road in the dark, ala WWII movies.
you folks must not of read my first comment.
Read how our newspaper reports this very same incident!
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080812/NEWS02/80812015/
not trying to take away from the loud pipe debate…..But, this headline of “Man shot over loud exhaust” is plumb ridiculous. These two cats had it out for the other…..
just sayin
I just taken the mfs course and passed with flying colors. We were taught by the instructors that we don’t need loud pipes to be cool. This artical is more proof of the pudding that the mfs course is worth its weight in gold…
I don’t have drag pipes on my Harley, but I did upgrade the stock pipes for a little deeper rumble. It’s nice to have that extra sound sometimes to wake up the cager that gets too close. As for the debate, as someone recently wrote “I’d love to see the statistic that loud pipes DON’T save lives”. Bottom line is that we all need to be more aware when riding and expect the unexpected.
Ah Basem….Didja havta start the ‘loud pipes’ thing again?
Hey I agree with Peter but I think a small wire stretched across the street would make for a cleaner cut at just about the neck level.Then let the street sweepers clean up the mess.
I find loud, yapping dogs much more annoying than loud pipes. Usually, the bikes roar away after a few minutes at the most, but neighborhood dogs often keep barking ALL NIGHT. Dog owners hate when anyone questions the ‘rights’ of their pooch to make noise all night, “He’s just a dog. Deal with it!” but then they complain about a few loud bike that drive by and are gone. Get real!
Actually, any motorcycle not using mufflers with the EPA label is probably illegal, depending on state and local laws.
There are long standing federal regulations that all motorcycles and mufflers which are street legal will have an EPA label.
Police just need to look for the label on the muffler if they are interested in enforcement.
EPA Title 40, Part 205, Subpart D (motorcycles) and Subpart E (motorcycle exhaust systems)
“Rick” in the above post is simply making excuses for noise makers.
I have no pity for noise makers. So these two were having a row. Noise is a good way to make someone hate you enough to blow your f***ing head off. Your argument is not good rick. He got what was coming.
‘Really’ talks out off his ass, loud pipes are deliberate – a dog barking is not
no one likes being woken up at night whether its by loud pipes or loud dogs…
I choose to ride a motorcycle, I choose to take the risks. I don’t ask other Americans to suffer obnoxiously loud noise just because maybe loud pipes will save MY life.
I am the one choosing the risks of two wheels, then I want to make others suffer so I can reduce those risks for myself? Whatever.
Buy a 139dB Stebel horn. LOUD HORNS SAVE LIVES!
Loud pipes do not save lives, but they DO inflate the ego of idiots. I have a stock exhaust one one bike, and an aftermarket on another. The after market is louder than the stock, but one question I have is this; Why is it NOT an issue when a car has a modified exhaust, but a bike does. True, the cruiser crowd tends to be the worst offenders (I ride sportbikes), but it should be enforced the same way on both sides. As far as the rope and wire idea, go ahead and do it. I’m sure the a*** ****** you’ll get in prison for attempted murder will be more than worth it. This story ISN’T about the loud pipes, it’s about one lunatic shooting someone else. If he was following taxi’s and video taping them, he sounds like an A1 nutjob who was only slightly hinged before he shot that kid.
It’s time to put a stop to the loud motorcycles. A small minority are allowed to disrupt the lives and nerves of the majority. Noise ordinances should be strictly enforced. Civilized cities stopped the redneck morons from polluting our air with poisonous cigarette smoke, now it’s time to start on the motorcycles.
We’ll always ride loud mark my words !!
So I just have to say that I ride a cruiser with cobra dragsters. They sound amazing and they have a nice loud deep rumble… As for loud pipes save lives? I dont know, it has not done anything but help me thus far and I like the sound. I would however like to point out one thing. If someone can have a little rice burner honda with a tin can exhaust that is almost 2 times as loud as mine and someone can have their dog barking all night cool more power to them. They are expressing something. I think the tin can exhaust is retarded and I dont like yappy dogs but those other people do. If someone can burn an american flag and not go to prison for treason because its a freedom of expression being enacted then dammnit I should be able to express myself with loud pipes per the bill of rights. that whole thing about this nation being founded for the persuit of happiness??????? just my 2 cents.
Trashy Bikers
As a person who doesn’t seem to like the current motorcycle craze I have found myself wondering why. Is it the noise? Well, that doesn’t help. These days it seems a majority of people have obnoxiously loud exhaust on their bikes. But the same can be said for many trucks in the Northwest Arkansas area. Although they bother me I don’t feel the same animosity towards them as I do the bikes, so that may not be it totally.
Is it the people themselves? I have spoken to many people who ride bikes and although there are groups of them that are just really foul people, a large number of them seem quite normal and some quite educated and successful, really quite likeable people. No, I don’t really think it’s so much that.
Is it the appearance of the bikes? Obviously not, some of them are quite beautiful, amazing really, so that’s not it.
So what is it? After careful thought and consideration I have concluded the following.
It’s not so much the people or the bike themselves that create my anxiety it’s what they become when they come together and what they historically represent.
It seems that when people get on their bikes, the “cruisers” specifically, they transform into an outlaw biker “want to be.” That is very perplexing to me. Why would anyone want to emulate a murdering, raping, lying, thieving, drug dealer? They dress up in their black leather with all their patches, bandanas and all their gangster apparel and set out to appear to be something they are not, or at least I hope they are not.
They behave differently then they normally would too, again or at least I hope. They reeve their motors in a desperate attempt for attention. They drive and park their bikes in places they normally would not dream of just because they are small and can fit. When large groups of them get together they get a mob mentality, doing and saying things they normally wouldn’t.
Really it’s the fact that they are imitating a criminal element that bothers me. Is that really what they aspire to be? Come on you can enjoy a motor bike ride without all gangster accoutrements. Actually if you want to feel the wind in your hair, smell the smells and be closer to nature without all the trappings of a car or truck you can do it without all the noise and funny clothes. Actually with quieter exhaust you won’t scare the animals away and you might be able to see and hear a little more nature. There seem to be many appropriate clothing options that are safe and don’t make you look like a criminal. I hear the arguments; “well people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” or “assume a person is bad just by the clothes they wear or how they look.” That all sounds great but, that’s just the way people are wired. It’s a defense mechanism we all have hard wired into us. If it looks like a shark and swims like a shark it’s probably a shark.
Also if your concerns are fuel economy, I’m sure the there are a lot better options then a Harley Davidson or some of those other hopped up customized bike. Lots of times when people alter their exhaust systems to make the bike louder their fuel economy goes down and if they don’t do it right and don’t change their injectors in some applications it can even affect the overall performance of the bike. That’s why you hear so many of them back firing, popping and basically sounding like poop.
So there it is, my argument in a nut shell, don’t try to be something you’re not and don’t glamorize and glorify the underbelly of our society. There are so many other worth while things you can aspire to be.
If its too loud your too old, and should shoot your self you whinny bitch. Anyone who justifies murdering a person just because their annoyed should be shoot for intolerance.
(24) Earth, i am in total agreement with you! and i ride a motorcycle!!! there is this f**k you mentality ie: “i have every right to do as i please. there is an arrogant disregard for others rights. all you have to do is go to a Mainstreet anywhere USA on any weekend, the kind of street with quaint little shops and cafes and watch these idiots with their open piped chromed machines riding up and down the street looking for a parking place. apparently these bikes dont idle very well either, because its mandatory blip the throttle incessantly. what ever happened to a little consideration??? im mainly put off by the open piped jobs that are ear splitting, there is just no purpose for that at all!!!
Earth, nice post, but you think too much. I don’t think everyone who saddles a Harley is a wannabe outlaw 1%er. It’s more like “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” mentality that prevails. Leather is essencial protective gear.
As for the obnoxiously loud pipes, what else is new? Seems these days, EVERYONE has a mentality that whatever they want to do, it’s their right regardless of their action’s or decisive impact on the rest of society around them. Look at the stereo systems kids put into cars & trucks these days, where you can hear the bass from a 1/2 mile away. And to add insult to injury, they listen to heavy bass “rap” which they might not even like, but it makes their system boom more.
“Extreme” everything is the direction we’re heading in- in every aspect of life. Everyone pushing the envelope more and more is a desperate attempt to stand apart from and impress as many people as possible.
Why are new homes 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and have 3-story foyers with 50 bulb chandilers? WOW factor. We’re all having FEWER kids these days! But to many, this is progress, an improvement. A better life.
Why is every car and truck sold today (despite the recent push towards smaller and more efficient) boasting MORE horsepower, BETTER handling, and faster and faster 0-50 MPH stats? Have motor vehicles been too slow?