Editor,
As a Laguna Beach resident for nearly 20 years, I am hugely offended by the fact that Council member Toni Iseman has singled out motorcycles as an excessive noise offender.
Why couldn’t you simply say vehicles, or motor vehicles as opposed to focusing on motorcycles simply because you saw a large group of them traveling along Coast Highway one day.
Would you be surprised if I told you that this group of motorcyclists was on a sanctioned fundraising ride donating a large amount of money to a national children’s charity? But perhaps you don’t care or you just don’t like motorcycles.
Ms. Iseman, it is highly inappropriate to single out motorcycles when in fact all motor vehicles can at times be noisy and many automobiles in town are often much louder than motorcycles.
In the spirit of “making little changes that makes things better”, here are few observations, questions, suggestions related to noise in our city that might be prudent for you to consider as a way to make things better:
- There’s a person deemed as the Laguna Greeter (Mike Minutoli) who stands on a corner spinning, dancing and waving to passersby promoting the honking of their horns….please stop doing that
- During permitted protests/demonstrations on the Main Beach lawn, 1,000s of cars honk their horns in favor or opposition of the demonstration….please stop doing that
- On most warm sunny weekends, small planes towing advertising banners are very noisy….please stop doing that
- Many drivers play their obnoxiously loud car stereos at a deafening level….please stop doing that
- Countless LB homeowners seem to think it’s OK for their dogs to bark persistently day and night….please stop doing that
- The LBHS PA system is very loud and the sound reverberates for miles…please stop doing that
- There are already too many signs telling guests and locals what they cannot do; no smoking, no drones, no fishing, no dog poop, no loud motorcycles, no fireworks, etc,….please stop doing that
- Regarding the aforementioned signs, the sign on Laguna Canyon Road indicates that “Loud Motorcycles will be cited”….please stop doing that. If you must, change it to No Loud Vehicles
- I can’t park my very quiet motorcycle on Cliff Drive when visiting Heisler Park and the lawn bowling club because motorcycle parking is prohibited….please stop doing that
I hope you can hear me through all the noise, thanks for listening.
Mike Webster, Laguna Beach
“It’s not just motorcycles. It’s these really high-end, souped-up sports cars that are ear-splittingly loud,” Zur Schmiede said. Iseman and Zur Shmiede’s bias against group of people’s they don’t relate to is undeniable. They preach tolerance while sputtering to lead this city in any direction; and under their leadership Laguna Beach is the least diverse city in the county. They lack an understanding of Southern California and the car culture we live in. I bet they never heard of the “Little old lady from Pasadena” that rock n roll music is too loud for their old ears.
Fifty years ago Laguna was home to many motorcycle riders learning their riding skills by practicing in the Honda Hills, I rode among them. In the day – any day, the noise was revelry to join the fun while it drove working moms crazy, ask Helga Matano or Doris Merrifield. Let me repeat my thanks to the community of Laguna Beach for showing tolerance and understanding so we kids could practice two-wheel skills (no different than skaters today), and our high school instructors Bradshaw, Lee, Bowen, Watkins, Kunitz, and Cunningham for guidance in technical theory and vocational skills. Some of us kids became professionals and professors, some of us national competitors, all of us expert motorcyclists because we learned our skills in them hills. Honda Hills ended in 1975, how times have changed. Today a group of Harleys on a charity ride through town raises the hackles of Council members and residence alike. Noisy charity rides justified or not you folks are missing the fun of two-wheels. I don’t condone loud motorcycles, but I own three quiet ones and invite any Council member to explore the panoramas of TOW and the Vistas of Summit by motorcycle. Should Mayor Toni accept the invitation, I have stylin’ helmets and jackets to wear, boots size 7.
I agree that the illegally equipped, illegally LOUD motor vehicle problem is pervasive and extends to most every form of motor vehicle operated on our public roadways today….BUT….you will be hard pressed to find a more “IN YOUR FACE” LOUD THUGGERY than that of the illegally equipped, illegally modified motorcycles of the LOUD Biker Cult[ure] riding in groups/gangs while playing dress-up like a 6th-grade hormone laden, pimple-faced girl. I don’t care if these loud biker thugs are philanthropists, Patriots, Police, Christians(?)…they have NO RIGHT to illegally modify a motorcycle and use same to destroy the quality of life/recklessly endanger the health and welfare of the American Citizen. Loud Biker THUGGERY is pandemic and shame on every law enforcement officer who neglects their responsibility to protect us from these narcissistic noise bullies in the pathetic LOUD Biker Cult[ure].
Rick Holtsclaw, Houston PD-Retired
Concerned Citizens Against LOUD Motorcycles – Facebook
There may be lots of different sources of loud noise, but motorcycles are by far the worst offenders. And of those, Harley Davidson bikes win the big prize for creating loud, offensive and unnecessary noise. But in this political climate, HD is akin to the American flag due to the bikes being made in USA, and the riders playing like they are all great American patriots. In reality, they are more akin to Hells Angels with the noise and their aggressive appearance and behaviour.
Preach Reginald!
There may be lots of different sources of loud noise, but motorcycles are by far the worst offenders. And of those, Harley Davidson bikes win the big prize for creating loud, offensive and unnecessary noise.
That’s the problem. The noise that motorcyclists, primarily, and secondarily, souped up cars, produce is excessive and also most constant.
If you want to honk your horn at one protest a year, hey, they should stop that but I’ll take that over every day that reaches 60 degrees or warmer where many streets sound like a tarmac of an airport.
And agreed on all if not the rest of the list but 9 times out of 10 it’s motorcyclists and .9 times out of 10 it’s a souped up car that is disturbing the peace.
Modifying exhaust pipes to make them louder is a violation of the vehicle code.
Why don’t the Laguna Beach Police cite offenders?
Incidentally, I find all the screaming and ranting and raving by insane Leftists to be even more offensive than a Harley with modified exhaust. At least the Harley rides past after a few seconds.
City if whiners. Talk about spoiled entitlement. Hey let’s ride our motorcycles down the coast in this beautiful state. Oh, you can’t, the wealthy people want to own the coastline and sip lattes in silence. Ridiculous and the very reason this state is being ruined. Get over yourselves and enjoy the buzz of a beach city that people travel all over the world to see. Whiners. What about those noisy trash trucks? More laws more laws!!!!
Well, guess what? Saturday, May 12th, I saw our finest LB cops pulling over young kids just driving thru town on their motorcycles. At least three different instances as I was driving home from Trader Joes to my home off Wesley drive. Do not think any of them were smoking . Today, as I took my walk on my days off, which, LUCKEY for me, are three, at Heisler Park and then to Main Beach, I encountered the homeless squad, which park there daily. One individual was screaming and yelling foul language at each other. This is a quiet zone!!! And, besides that, there is a lot of smoking going on cigarettes and pot. And, there are families with kids at Main Beach. Where do we enforce the quite zone with these foul mouth individuals that are so more caustic than a few motorcycles.?? And the no smoking gig? Come on now,!, Start enforcing with all those that hang out on the beach all day and bum cigs all day long.
ALL THE CONSTRUCTION NOISES PISSES ME OFF….WE ARE DESTROYING THE MOUNTAIN LIONS/BIRDS OF PREY/DEER/SMALL MAMMALS AND OTHER LIVING CREATURES HOMES. STOP KILLING!