Larry, I really feel like it is more of IMPBA trying to stay ahead of the game so to speak. Let's say you are at a race and some tree hugging.......ops, concerned neighbor calls the police complaining of noise polution. The police show up and you are there with a DB meter and you say "officer, we are within compliance of OSHA standards bla, bla bla" " see, right here on our state of the art DB meter". The officer doesent know squat about a DB meter but he can go back to the irate neighbor and say "hay, they are in compliance and the problem ends there! end of story, race sight saved for another day of racing and THAT is the bottom line. I know it is hard to muffle a big block rigger like yours but if an attempt is made to TRY to quiet the thing nobody will say anything if you are over a little.
Your right! The police don't care about IMPBA or NAMBA but if you produce a DB meter and say OSHA this and OSHA that, then they have what they need to quell the disterbance. Trust me, I know, they don't want to deal with crap like noise any more than , say Mr Bullard. They want to go and chase bad guys and save damsels from their virginity.
I am with you don, DB's or not the problem, comes down to being excepted as a SPORT or HOBBY.. by the public
I was going to avoid this thread but I would like to add just one thing. A couple years ago one of the Virginia D12 clubs was able to obtain the use of a site in a beautiful county run park in a rather upscale area in Maryland. Another Maryland based D12 club had tried unsuccessfully for over 10 years to be allowed to hold a race there. When meeting with the county & park officials during negotiations to use the site one of the last questions they asked was if a noise control policy was in place. The club was able to tell them that as an IMPBA sanctioned event they did in fact have that in place and dB levels would be monitored all weekend. During the very first race there a complaint was lodged about the noise to the park officials. They reponded how a noise policy was in place, a dB meter was on site & accepted noise levels were being maintained. They then politely dismissed the individuals complaint and sent him on his way. Sure there are never any guarantees BUT this is just an example where it actually did make a difference. During a later conversation I had with one of the park officials at the first race I learned that they were "on the fence" about allowing the race but they were impressed how something was already in place to address potential noise complaints, one of the things they were most concerned about and decided to grant permission to hold the event which is still currently being held there.
I was going to avoid this thread but I would like to add just one thing. A couple years ago one of the Virginia D12 clubs was able to obtain the use of a site in a beautiful county run park in a rather upscale area in Maryland. Another Maryland based D12 club had tried unsuccessfully for over 10 years to be allowed to hold a race there. When meeting with the county & park officials during negotiations to use the site one of the last questions they asked was if a noise control policy was in place. The club was able to tell them that as an IMPBA sanctioned event they did in fact have that in place and dB levels would be monitored all weekend. During the very first race there a complaint was lodged about the noise to the park officials. They reponded how a noise policy was in place, a dB meter was on site & accepted noise levels were being maintained. They then politely dismissed the individuals complaint and sent him on his way. Sure there are never any guarantees BUT this is just an example where it actually did make a difference. During a later conversation I had with one of the park officials at the first race I learned that they were "on the fence" about allowing the race but they were impressed how something was already in place to address potential noise complaints, one of the things they were most concerned about and decided to grant permission to hold the event which is still currently being held there.
That's what I'm talking about! I'm on the county board and deal with the Dist. Attorney alot and they all know just how complicated a noise issue can be. For instance, lower tones travel farther than hign tones or frequencies which can cause them to stay "loud" on a DB meter even at 50' from the shore(big bore riggers) , also our Dr. friend brought up that some sounds are annoying or "painful" to the ear. There are ALOT of variables at play with noise and no public official wants to deal with any of it. So if we have meters and procedures in place when a complaint comes up the complainer will not have a leg to stand on, unless we are doing something stupid like reving up our boats at 7am on sunday morning or acting beligerant to the officer dealing with the complaint.I was going to avoid this thread but I would like to add just one thing. A couple years ago one of the Virginia D12 clubs was able to obtain the use of a site in a beautiful county run park in a rather upscale area in Maryland. Another Maryland based D12 club had tried unsuccessfully for over 10 years to be allowed to hold a race there. When meeting with the county & park officials during negotiations to use the site one of the last questions they asked was if a noise control policy was in place. The club was able to tell them that as an IMPBA sanctioned event they did in fact have that in place and dB levels would be monitored all weekend. During the very first race there a complaint was lodged about the noise to the park officials. They reponded how a noise policy was in place, a dB meter was on site & accepted noise levels were being maintained. They then politely dismissed the individuals complaint and sent him on his way. Sure there are never any guarantees BUT this is just an example where it actually did make a difference. During a later conversation I had with one of the park officials at the first race I learned that they were "on the fence" about allowing the race but they were impressed how something was already in place to address potential noise complaints, one of the things they were most concerned about and decided to grant permission to hold the event which is still currently being held there.
