The fault is not so much with stock Harleys, which, along with Honda’s and others, have muffler ratings of 80dB, but with a large percentage of riders who install loud aftermarket mufflers in violation of federal EPA standards. Even the American Motorcyclist Association campaigns against loud mufflers saying, “Loud pipes risk rights.”
A number of towns and cities have responded with ordinances prohibiting excessive noise. And why shouldn’t they? Citizens have every right to expect a reasonably quiet and peaceful environment in which to live. When a quiet repose with a good book is constantly shattered by earsplitting noise or the sounds of nature are being drowned out by those out for a joyride, it is time for honest reflection by the riders as good citizens.
There have been reports in some states that motorcycle clubs have worked in a cooperative and respectful manner with residents to address the problem. In our area, however, an employee of a local dealership told me he did not know of any such clubs when I expressed an interest in trying to elicit help in resolving the noise issue. I discovered, though, a Harley club was actually meeting at that very dealership the next week.
Let's face it, trespassing on another's property is against the law so why is "audio trespassing" seemingly OK? — LARRY BROWN, TIPP CITY
Wait times at Dayton VA
On April 9, an article titled “Wait Times Still Problem for VA” was published by the Dayton Daily News. I am concerned the tone of this national story may have left your readers and our veterans with the wrong impression about wait times at the Dayton VA Medical Center and at our Community Based Outpatient Clinics.
We are proud of the fact that 98.9 percent of our veterans wait less than 30 days for a primary care appointment … an improvement from 97.9 percent reported in 2014. All of the veterans cited in your article reported that they were seen within 30 days. In fact, the same day that your story was published, the Associated Press cited the Dayton VA Medical Center as one of the best facilities in the state of Ohio when it comes to wait times for our veterans.
There is always room for improvement and we are actively recruiting additional medical care providers in Dayton and Lima to meet increasing demand. I am proud of our nearly perfect success rate with scheduling veterans within 30 days, our status as one of the top two VA facilities in the state of Ohio, and the outstanding quality and very safe care we provide to the nearly 40,000 area veterans we see each year. — GLENN A. COSTIE, FACHE, CEO/MEDICAL FACILITY DIRECTOR
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