Is “Loud Pipes Saves Lives” A Myth?
What Do Studies Say About The “Loud Pipes Save Lives” Motto?
Being that I am an Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney, I found a study that studied this phrase and whether the loudness of the pipes, and exhaust pipes of the bike, lead and correlate to fewer motorcycle wreck events.
They found no, it is an absolute myth, and the reason is interesting. The main reason why it’s a myth is because most motorcycle wrecks do not occur where a motorist is striking the biker from the rear.
This is because head-on collisions minimize the effect of the loudness of your exhaust pipes, for obvious scientific reasons: your exhaust pipes are pointed behind you.
The noise is going backward, not to the sides or the front, so it’s less likely that the motorists that are going to potentially wreck with you aren’t going to hear you coming.
The second reason this is a myth is that most motorists have their windows up. They’re not driving convertibles, they typically have at least the radio on, they are talking with someone in the vehicle, they’re on the phone, etc. They’re distracted, and they’re not likely to hear the noise from your motorcycle.
Are There Situations Where Loud Pipes Help?
Yes, it does, from time to time help. I’m sure there are instances where a motorist becomes aware of you just because of the bike’s noise, but it’s very unlikely. The study concludes that bikers should not rely on their bike’s noise to cause awareness of their existence on the road by other motorists.
Instead, the study suggests that bikers don’t go by the loud pipes save lives motto. They say to go to by the “be seen, not heard” motto, which means to do other defensive maneuvers to let motorists know you’re there other than just relying on the noise of your bike.
There’s several of these safety techniques, so stay safe out there, and remember to be a defensive motorcycle rider by implementing techniques to make yourself visible to other motorists. It’s really the only way you’re going to avoid collisions with other motor vehicles.
When you become our client at Spaulding Injury Law, you’ll be represented by a thoroughly experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney like Theodore A. Spaulding. For over 15 years, Mr. Spaulding has helped victims of negligence across the state of Georgia resolve personal injury cases, and he’s received a remarkable number of awards and honors from the legal community recognizing his commitment to clients and to the metro-Atlanta area.
Mr. Spaulding has been named one of the Top 100 trial lawyers in Georgia by the National Trial Lawyers for six successive years.
He is honored as a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum ® by the Top Trial Lawyers in America ®.
Charter Member of the Distinguished Justice Advocates.
Member of the Atlanta Bar Association.
