If Loud Pipes Save Lives. Where is the Facts and Documentation?

Question

In 1981 there was a study done "The Hurt Report" of 3,600 motorcycle accidents in the LA California area. This study addressed Factors, Identification and Conclusions. Within the study there was no mention of loud pipes as a counter measure, but did show that "Chopper/semi chopper" motorcycles were over represented in the accidents. (Most Choppers have Loud Pipes) Majority of accidents were frontal, whereas the sound of a motorcycle is projected rearward and with Doppler sound compression M/C exhaust can not be heard. The average reaction time for an accident was 2 seconds; therefore cracking pipes to gain attention is false for the rider would not have enough time to react. (I’d try to stop before applying more throttle) Also almost 50% of all fatal M/C accidents are alcohol related by the rider. 73% of riders involved did not have proper or any eye protection. DOT Helmets save lives, safe riding saves lives, and high visibility saves lives. Obeying the law saves rights!

Conclusion: Loud Pipes Saving Lives is an Urban Legend used to promote bad behavior and disregard for the rights of people and the laws.

Operating a motor vehicle is not a right but a licensed privilege.

Answer 1

I'm a retired Cop, loud bikes suck as much as their self centered ego lov'in riders.

I would respond to calls with lights and sirens blasting. I have had cars, trucks, motorcycles pull out in front of me and a pedestrian step in front of me. Thank GOD I had slowed for the intersection and had room to maneuver.

If people can't hear a siren they ain't gonna hear the rap of pipes.

(After Thought) If loud pipes are so good for safety, why doesn't Harley, the AMA and the Insurance Industry fight for them. The Insurance industry has given us Helmet Laws, seat belt laws, no cell phone laws, stricter DUI laws "which is good".

Another point: The accident rate for car to car and car to motorcycle are about the same. Caused by one or both drivers with their heards up their butts.

Nope Loud Pipes Invade Homes, Ruined Sleep (I worked the grave yard shift) and wakes up babies (lots of complaints on that one).

Answer 2

Here is the proof that loud pipes save lives. No one said it had to be the life of another driver and are the lives of pedestrians excluded? Do their lives not matter? Besides, the study also goes to show that biker's, especially the ones that don't wear helmets, can hear the loud pipes of other bikes or cars/trucks and avoid merging into them and causing a death. If that's too much common sense for anyone to understand or you can't put two and two together they have my sympathies.
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/11/169172188/quiet-hybrid-cars-pose-a-danger-to-the-blind

Answer 3

I'm getting a freakin headache !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. By the way some motorcycle rider deaths have been attributed to the rider wearing a helmet. Seems that there are times where the weight of the helmet and it's forward inertia when on your head will break a persons neck when the forward motion of the rider is suddenly stopped in some accident situations. Moral of the story it may save you, it may kill you. By the way did the "HURT REPORT" address when the rider of a motorcycle is traveling adjacent to an automobile, perhaps in the drivers blind spot? Defensive driving may save a motorcycle rider from an accident with another vehicle when the other vehicle is ahead of the motorcycle. Defensive driving isn't going to do much for you when your adjacent to a automobile and that driver decides he's going to change lanes because he don't see you. I'll keep my semi-obnoxiously loud pipes. Thank you very much!

Answer 4

You are correct in that the sound from loud pipes is mainly behind the bike unless they are on narrow streets or in heavy traffic where the chamber effect can redirect the sound forward of the rider. If you are on an open highway and the bike is coming up from behind you cannot hear him until he is practically on top of you. You can't defy the laws of physics!!!!!!
I have avoided more accidents from riding defensively than the noise(stock exhaust) my bike makes. I use to commute through Boston on my bike have been known to knock on a few windows to discuss your lack of courtesy to a biker plus to explain the rules of the road where only one vehicle can occupy the space in a lane.
Loud pipes are just for the bad boy image it has nothing to do with saving lives.

Answer 5

Well I don't know what it is that has made you so mad about this but, I will just give my input---I ride an 1100 Yamaha w/ aftermarket pipes and yes it is a little-well a lot louder then stock pipes and I will tell you that you are wrong --I don't know of any studies or anything but, I do know that having a little noise has saved my hide and my friends a couple of times--while I agree that some bikes are just plain ridiculous if not illegal -such as when the baffles are removed- loud pipes do a very good job of getting the attention of the "soccer moms" and others that are on their cell phones or reading or eating or....... really this list could go on for a long,long,long time!! I do agree that the notion of loud pipes being used as a type of "horn" or something to stop an accident from happening is silly at best! I also know from experience that the fact that people know that I am already in a lane before they want to put their car or truck in it helps ,so yes load pipes do save lives to an extent. Next time you are driving just look around and watch how people act or don't notice motorcycles on the road-you are correct that it is a privilege not a right to drive/ride and that applies to people in cars/trucks/SUV too!!

Answer 6

hmmm lets see, I dont know about any statistics but I will use common sense to answer this question. Lots of times it is hard to see a biker in your rear view mirror and the general public driving cars dont pay enough attention to the small bike by its side. I dont care which direction the noise is going, its still noise and you can hear it, I know I have. I appreciate knowing a biker is approaching or passing me because I myself have not been as alert as I should have been and I am a biker. I would rather hear the loud pipes than the rap music blaring from someones stereo system. I hear planes going over my home sometimes that make much worse noise, also big trucks. I'd rather hear the rumble of the pipes that are at least not burning up all our gas supplies than the hugh vehicles that are quite. When we have the Trail of Tears ride in Tennessee to Oklahoma, thousands of people line the roads just to listen to the rumble and feel the excitement. Different strokes for different folks. For me? IT TURNS ME ON.

Answer 7

Hurt report is old and outdated - needs a revisit. BUT, I think that bright colors do more to save lives than loud pipes. People are not listening to what is going on around them - they are listening to the radio, the cell phone, and passengers much of the time. They are almost always LOOKING. I have noticed a huge reduction in near misses since I went from a British Racing Green bike to a bright red one.

Course, black is the most popular color - kinda dumb, don't you think?!?

Answer 8

Loud pipes do save lives. They have saved mine. Now I am not talking about the 1%'s that ride around on their choppers with no mufflers at all.... but those of us who do OCCASIONALLY make a little noise to get the attention of the auto drivers who are talkin' on their cell phones, puttin' on make up, feeding themselves or scolding the kids. You don't see us doin' any of that. We are paying attention... actually making the roads safer for you! We have a right to defend ourselves somehow even if it's only a crude way of self defense. I like the mention of the horn..... but since most motorcycles horns aren't very loud would you prefer we got air-horns. They would be perfectly legal... and we'd be blasting them day and night every few seconds on highways, freeways, parking lots and residential areas. As for the legality of the loud pipes... those laws are biased... made up by the masses of cage drivers(the same ones who also often break the laws.... loud pipes... BOOM boxes. We were certainly not invited to make a fair representation of the votes..... we are a small percentage of the population... didn't have a chance. Does that mean we should put our lives in jeopardy because you can't turn up your radio or TV? I hope some of you inconsiderate drivers get put up for manslaughter the next time you "didn't see or hear" the motorcycle. Enough of you already have. Keep up the selfish ignorance. Try showing some some respect for what you may not understand.

Answer 9

Loud bikes suck but only a little less then Boomer cars. If loud pipes are saving lives, what is the excuse for f*rt muffer cars and red neck P/U trucks.

If the Cops would drop their doughnuts we wouldn't have this problem.

Answer 10

I am not writing to take sides, but your argument is flawed. You are using a 26 year old report as a reference. You yourself say "there was no mention of loud pipes as a countermeasure". The "choppers" that were studied during that time period were the originals, not the mass produced HD clones of today. Most of them had mufflers. While the Doppler effect is real, all who reference it conveniently leave out one factor in the overall equation. The speed of sound. If you really wish to convince anyone you must come up with something new, instead of repeating the old, flawed mantra.