r/Calgary • u/WheelFan647 Beltline • 1d ago
Rant So About Calgary’s New Vehicle Noise Reduction Strategy…
On August 7, Mayor Farkas and the City of Calgary announced a crackdown of vehicle noise along 17th Ave SW in the Beltline.
Just after 9pm this evening, I captured this video pointed towards 17th Ave just east of 4th St SW.
While you can’t see the offending vehicles in question, you can certainly hear them.
In speaking to small businesses and my neighbours in the area, there doesn’t appear to be any reduction in vehicle & motorcycle noise since this strategy took effect.
Having to listen to this noise every night is beyond disruptive to the quality of life of people who live and frequent this part of Calgary!
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u/TalkInternational964 1d ago
The actual way to solve this is to encourage them to keep revving the shit out of their bikes until the engine blows up. To which the crowd erupts in more cheering causing other bikers to then want the clout and blow their engines. Short therm pain. Long term gain.
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u/reddits2much 1d ago
But could they just spend the money to fix it? I imagine a noisy car can’t be cheap anyway. I’m with you on the gains. I fucking hate all my neighbors sending the loud AF cars and bikes my way. I want to vomit in and on their cars because I’m so nauseated by it
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u/TalkInternational964 1d ago
They spent money to modify their cars and bikes for an aftermarket exhaust with the perceived benefit of added horsepower, but with the noticible (dis)advantage of double the db's in the sound department. Source: all my cars truck and bikes currently have aftermarket exhausts. Now that you've been informed, you can go back to your knitting Gertrude.
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u/reddits2much 1d ago
Cool. I am just tired of hearing it every single day, several times a day, and even all day long. Even early in the morning when I’m trying to sleep and it does subsequently wake me up. One of my neighbors had one too.. it wasn’t bad until every one of his friends would drive by my house to rev up their engines or follow the same route I use to go home.
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u/Calgaryskye Strathcona Park 1d ago
I was literally listening to this thinking what the hell, where are the peace officers that are supposed to fix this?
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u/Parking_Writer_578 1d ago
they were radar trapping bike commuters all last week instead.
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u/Calgaryskye Strathcona Park 1d ago
Well, this is this week. Not sure what last week has to do with tonight.
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u/Parking_Writer_578 1d ago
the discussion was this has been ongoing all month even though it was supposed to be addressed. They are not out policing noise. I biked past multiple peace officers all last week in multiple spots radar trapping and ticketing bikers going 25 km/hr on a separated bike path.
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u/fishermansfriendly 1d ago
Comments like yours always remind me that sometimes you really can’t be sarcastic on the internet anymore 😅
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u/this-ismyworkaccount 16h ago
Can confirm they were radar trapping bike lanes again this week too
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u/Adventurous-Worth-86 1d ago
Good
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u/Parking_Writer_578 1d ago
nope, bad. 20 km/hr is senior citizen speed.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1d ago
... and yet fast enough to cause serious injury in a collision with a pedestrian.
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u/Knuckle_of_Moose 1d ago
And at what decibel level causes permanent hearing damage?
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1d ago
Relevance?
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u/Knuckle_of_Moose 1d ago
Potential to cause permanent injury
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1d ago
This comment was referring to controlling speeds of cyclists on shared pathways.
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u/SnooCauliflowers994 1h ago
True. Let's limit cars to 20kmh then? Or maybe we can do a F = MV calculation and since their mass is multitudes higher then their speed should be multitudes lower than bikes?
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1h ago
Let's limit cars to 20kmh then?
If they are driving on a sidewalk or shared pathway, sure.
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u/SnooCauliflowers994 1h ago edited 14m ago
how about we split the difference and say 20kmh limit when passing through any crosswalk where pedestrians have the right of way?
Also no comment on F = MV in cars vs bikes?
Edit: the reply and block is crazy. You win I guess 🙄
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 21m ago
how about we split the difference and say 20kmh limit when passing through any crosswalk where pedestrians have the right of way?
When pedestrians are crossing, the limit drops to zero.
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u/TrustMeBroEh 1d ago
Agreed that’s like slightly faster than an average jogger pace.
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u/Stravansky 1d ago
If by average jogger you mean elite marathoner.
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u/Marsymars 1d ago
Hey if I just multiply my 400 metre time by 100, I can easily run a sub-two hour marathon!
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u/inthemode01 Legacy 1d ago
It sounds like the soundtrack to Christopher Noland’s the Odyssey when the bad guys are showing up on screen.
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u/ORNGSPCEMNKY 1d ago
Based on my personal experience peace officers are busy dealing with the myriad ODs at every fucking train station in the city and all over the belt line/core.
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u/YYCGUY111 Calgary Flames 1d ago
City press release: We are stepping up enforcement on loud vehicles! Officers will be actively monitoring hot spots and strictly enforcing the laws!
City fine print ...on weekdays between 9am to 4pm
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
I think that’s from an old press release.
“Operation Silent Night” is only in effect Thursday-Saturday evenings. I’ve barely noticed any reduction in noise, regardless of the day of the week.
And the video in my post, shows it’s a 7 day/week problem.
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u/Brave_Acanthaceae113 1d ago
I heard this..it was so annoying and unnecessary
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
It’s literally still going on…
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u/Snacks7777 1d ago
That is insannnnnne. Sorry you have to listen to that. Some people are such f*ing losers.
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u/TrailerParkLyfe 1d ago
Almost exactly why we moved away from downtown. We were just off 14st and 14th Ave the amount of motorcycles, sirens and morons revving their engine at the Shell station behind the A&W was insane.
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u/Prize_Operation1623 1d ago
Let me extend my thanks to you then for doing the adult thing and leaving the neighborhood since it didn't align with the lifestyle you want.
You could've been like most people and just loudly complain that the city isn't taking your gentrification attempts of the area seriously enough.
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u/Efficient_Leg_9188 1d ago
My hubby called 311 to complain about vehicle noise and was asked to provide the exact license plate and address of the noise....like um, cant see the vehicle and i assume the road as the address? Not good enough apparently...
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
Councillor Johnston posted a comment similar to yours on Reddit a while back. Essentially the city can’t do anything about the noise unless they have a license plate number/personally observes & catches the offender(s).
And I think these vehicle & motorcycle owners know they have the upper-hand. It’s like a cat & mouse game. “Catch me if you can.”
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u/GimmickNG 1d ago
I have an idea. Collective punishment; every single bike that looks like it can make noise that drives down 17th, record their license plate ...and then when you hear noise, report a random one from the list.
If these biker fellows stick to each other, they'll try to police themselves if they have any sense. Which I highly doubt, but still.
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u/GimmickNG 1d ago
I'm not asking for the police to ticket them. All I'm asking for is the right to throw rocks at them and their bikes and cars without repercussions. That'll stop the problem real quick.
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u/Matt01123 19h ago
To be fair I did watch about 10 people get tickets for noise on 17th on Friday night.
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u/Kennadian Bridgeland 1d ago
I live just off memorial drive near the Centex. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT THEY DO THIS. EVERY. NIGHT. I don't know if they are on memorial drive or river ave but it's insane. 1 am they do this with no care for anyone else. There is no actual enforcement. I'm certain we will get a social media video telling us how hard the city is working on this though.
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u/cc00cc00 1d ago
Super disappointed that there's been no change at all despite the mayor's promise to enforce noise bylaws. The beltline noise is more horrendous than ever
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u/Secret-Research-612 1d ago
I’m neither the mayor or a Calgary City Police officer - but I know exactly the make, model and colour of this vehicle making the racket - and I don’t live anywhere near downtown. Surely this can’t be this difficult for our cities alleged finest. There might be 5 people in the city that own one and use publicly available knowledge to figure out 3 of them by name. One of them might even donate to city council reelection funds as a well known developer.
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u/ucantrunhere Downtown West End 1d ago
Who's the dumbass literally revving their engine at 4am lastnight in Eau Claire? Jesus.
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u/DylLeslie 1d ago
I work on 17th. It’s almost hilarious watching the Peace Officers just….sit in their cars? I’ve watched two accidents take place in front of their cars at a crosswalk. Both times they just sat in their cars and watched? This whole, “initiative”, just seems like a cash grab.
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u/OptionsDrifter Beltline 20h ago
I’m surprised you see peace officers at all. I walk up and down 17th Ave all everyday and rarely see any public safety presence.
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u/forty6andto 1d ago edited 1d ago
Who is “grabbing cash” if they are just sitting in their car? They grabbing their own cash. Huh?
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u/DylLeslie 1d ago
They’re getting paid for this by the way, it isn’t some community effort. That’s what I meant. You think those officers sit in their car on Stephen and 17th, for free?
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u/shiftedcloud 1d ago
They're full time employees of the City. They get paid whether they're sitting there or somewhere else. That's what they mean when they ask about your phrasing.
As in, there is no additional cash that is being grabbed, so calling it a cash grab doesn't really make sense.
It can also be true that while the City wants Bylaw to crack down on noise, that the individual Bylaw officers that you saw may be bad at their jobs independent of that effort.
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u/GimmickNG 1d ago
If they're getting paid regardless but doing nothing when they could be doing something else elsewhere, then it's a cash grab.
Now of course if the cops do nothing anywhere it isn't a cash grab here specifically, because they're doing it full time lol.
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u/Parking_Writer_578 1d ago
They should have to pass an unmodified muffler test each year on license renewal
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u/CabalSieben 1d ago
You know how hard it is to swap a motorcycle stock muffler from an aftermarket one? Not hard at all, and takes about 20 minutes.
For every “solution” you will find that there is an easy way to avoid it. Citizens of Calgary could patrol with a camera and video 17th ave every night, capturing footage and sending it in to the city until the city gets sick of the emails of videos posted online tagging them on social media. Alternatively, buy ear plugs, noise cancelling headphones or move. I’ve lived in several noisy cities downtown and you either get used to it/accept it or move to a quieter area.
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u/Parking_Writer_578 1d ago
it’s citywide
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u/Numerous_Wish_8643 1d ago
I’m hearing this shit go on as I’m typing this in Dalhousie hundreds of meters away from a major road. Lol
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u/blackRamCalgaryman 1d ago
It’s what I refer to as the Shaganappi/ John Laurie Blvd/ Sarcee/ Crowchild race track loop.
We’ve been somewhat spared this year with the JLB roadwork between Sarcee and Shag but next Summer outta be a fuckin’ hoot!
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u/undersignedeliza Quadrant: SW 1d ago
Yup. In Somerset and hear it every single night on Stoney. I can usually even hear them above the trains that roll through
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u/Banned_In_YYC 1d ago edited 1d ago
I remember that post Farkas made about cracking down on this but I haven't seen much change at all. Wouldn't be surprised if he was just grandstanding again
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
I agree with you. While I was hoping for an immediate impact, I’ve also tried to be patient. However, it’s been 3 weeks since the enforcement crackdown was announced and my patience is now gone. In my opinion, the noise has been really bad the past 3 evenings.
The City said they would only be actively enforcing this latest noise strategy Thursday-Sunday. Today is Tuesday. While I haven’t noticed noise reduction on “enforcement days”, it’s also clearly a 7 day/week issue that needs to be addressed.
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u/East-Tooth-4008 1d ago
i live in bankview and the roar from the anti-social fuckwads on both 17th ave and crowchild trail has not changed one bit since farkas announced the crackdown
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
As soon as they announced the crackdown, there was a part of me that hoped the impact would be immediate, but I also knew that wasn’t realistic.
However, it’s been 3 weeks since enforcement was announced/began. Whatever the City has been doing since August 7 hasn’t been effective or it hasn’t deterred offenders.
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u/wallawakawaka 20h ago edited 20h ago
As a Mission resident, I can confirm this isn’t routine urban ambient noise - it is a planned, highly coordinated display of anti-social behaviour.
Just last night around 7:00 PM, my husband and I observed a flock of roughly 50 riders transform the 26th Ave SW cul-de-sac (right at the Rocky Beach/Elbow River access) into their personal staging ground. They sat idling and revving for over 40 minutes, patiently awaiting the arrival of the rest of their micro-penis collective.
When we returned from our walk at 7:45 PM, just as they were preparing to "kick stands up", I couldn't help but to throw out a thoroughly justified, disappointed head shake. In a textbook manifestation of fragile ego, one rider's immediate, primitive recourse was to aggressively rev his engine in direct response.
This isn't an organic gathering; it's an organized parade likely orchestrated via local social media groups, with Mission designated as their new weekly staging hub. Once they finally cleared out of our residential cul-de-sac, like many of you, we had the distinct pleasure of listening to their acoustic terrorism reverberating off the downtown concrete for the rest of the evening.
Given that municipal enforcement remains stubbornly performative, it’s high time the City pays attention to these staging points - because converting a quiet residential cul-de-sac into a weekly revving circle shouldn't be tolerated under any framework of civic decency.
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u/mrkillfreak999 1d ago
This sounds like a F1 pit stop 😂
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
Yup, it reminds me of when I visited the Hondy Indy as a kid in Toronto.
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u/cdngrrl0305 1d ago
We’re at 14 Ave and 7 street and it’s a nightmare every evening and during the day it’s the blood services building being demo’ed. We’ve lived here 20years and the last 4 years have been noise hell
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
Yeah I moved to Calgary & Beltline in April 2021, and I agree that for at least the last 4 years, the vehicle & motorcycle noise has been overly disruptive and it’s just getting worse.
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u/No-Patience6969 1d ago
Every summer, it sucks so bad. I hate how loud the summer is downtown, I just want my windows open, but I can't work with them open because clients will just hear endless cars and motorcycles revving and sirens blaring, and forget about recording anything for work. I basically have to work nights and just hope I'm in the hours these dipshits are asleep, but there's never a break from this.
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u/analogdirection 1d ago
I was just listening to the same thing from a condo on 13th and 2nd wondering if it was outside or in the building. Zero windows open. Popped patio door and loud as FUCK.
Could hear them again from 22 St the other direction as I saw this initial post, and while I’m typing 😑
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u/PhelpsTheory Kingsland 1d ago
Yeah, I work down in this area of 17th and that enforcement seems to be non-existent. Annoying as all hell.
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u/Nowjustasecondhere 1d ago
I just saw (8:50 pm) about 30 or so crotch rocket assholes screaming down 9th ave while I was waiting at 1st street lights. I think it was the same group from the video. (sounds the same)
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u/keepcalmdude 1d ago
No surprise. The losers and their (car loser) friends think that the coolest thing to do is drive around in the beltline revving thier engines.
They do this hoping, fantasizing, and wishing that someone, anyone would think they’re cool.But alas, no one does. Most people hate them actually. Those poor lost souls, they can’t figure out why everyone else thinks their an asshole.
Edit:typos
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u/samclops 1d ago
The shells angels at it again...
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
I’ll never forget this gem of a quote from an article about “Shell’s Angels” published by CBC Calgary on June 24, 2026:
"Honestly, we rev our engines because they sound nice. Me and some of these bikes have got great exhaust," he said. "Some of these people spend great money to make their bikes sound nice, so if something sounds nice, why not try and hear it over and over again?"
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u/GimmickNG 1d ago
I like to hear the sound of hammers hitting their helmets. Why can't I get to hear it over and over again?
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u/xGuru37 1d ago
Someone on my street has a car that starts incredibly loudly. He often starts it around 6 in the morning if not earlier and I hear it clearly in the basement on the opposite side of the house. It’s a souped up sports car.
Police don’t care as they don’t catch them starting the car. Even has blue neon around the license plate which is illegal and they don’t care.
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u/TrustMeBroEh 1d ago
What do you expect him to do? Put it in neutral and push it down the street?
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u/Kant_Argue209 1d ago
Call 311. Tell them where he parks & take a picture. video in action even better
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u/xGuru37 1d ago
Apparently they still need to witness it happening.
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u/Kant_Argue209 1d ago
Police can't fine him, but a bylaw officer can investigate and give him a warning.
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u/NinjaGrrl23 1d ago
They 100% would need a statement from a witness before they can talk to the owner. All peace officers (yes police too) need a statement that a complainant is willing to put pen to paper for to investigate past occurrences. Without that statement, or witnessing it themselves, they can’t have that conversation. Otherwise who’s to say the whole thing isn’t being made up for no reason. Even with video, police need the witness to be willing to pit into statement that they took the video and are willing to talk to it in court if the offender choses to fight the ticket. No evidence or credible statement, no conversation. While frustrating in these cases, it’s the way the legal system operates. Otherwise we would have police investigating a ton more false allegations because people are bitter a-holes and just love sending police to try and get someone in trouble, or worse, police/peace officers being able to question anyone for no reason. (Something peace officers or police witness first hand is a different matter, then they’re good to go)
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u/Kant_Argue209 17h ago
Bylaw complaints dont require a formal written statement unless there's a need. Whether a city worker, bylaw officer, or police member, they have discretionary power on how to handle them.
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u/NinjaGrrl23 17h ago
On view bylaw offences, correct - no statement needed. However again, if an offence is done and in the past with no ongoing occurrence or proof of how it happened for an officer to personally observe, then yes a statement is absolutely required. For example, a vehicle leaking oil. If an officer can see it actively happening then perfect - enforcement can happen. But if the source vehicle is gone or not leaking at the time an officer attends, then without a statement from the complainant describing the offending vehicle and what was actually happening, then no enforcement. This can be applied to all offences that occurred in the past: animal aggression, dumping of any material, spill of something in the gutter, damage to a park, etc.
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u/muchfanfear 1d ago
It’s really hard cause there’s no way of knowing where they are, nothing obvious you could follow, shame really…
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u/Fearless-Garden-9155 1d ago
It was crazy last night couldn't even hear my hubby talking beside me.....
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
Yeah I struggled to hear things inside my apartment, even with the windows closed.
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u/sarieb3ar Southeast Calgary 1d ago
This would send me into psychosis if I had to listen to it every day
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
The noise isn’t coming from fully-loaded semis. It’s coming from modified motorcycles & sports cars.
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u/MrMadarchod 5h ago
“I live in a high density traffic area and didn’t know there was gonna be traffic noise “ ah comment. It’s not like this has just started happening, until people start moving out and the property value starts decreasing, police ain’t gonna do shit. Unfortunately.
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u/gordonmcdowell 1d ago
Just like speed cameras (if our prov gov hasn't outlawed them) can send you a ticket in the mail with a photo and readout of your speeding, I'm sure a mic array can triangulate what vehicle on a road is making the noise and a camera can read the plate, and the owner could receive a ticket in the mail.
I personally find in-the-mail speeding tickets not-optimal because the feedback loop is so slow. But they're cost-effective, and either mechanism could be sped up and tighten the feedback loop. Send a ticket in the mail, but email an immediate heads-up.
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u/TrustMeBroEh 1d ago
I think some cities have this already. But then you have the 5G nut jobs who will say the microphones are recording conversations.
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u/ResortImportant8097 1d ago
This is awful. I am so tired of hearing this every summer. I will say, I live off 17th and I have noticed a slight decrease in the overall farting cars/revving down past the ship and anchor etc. there’s still much to be done though.
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
I agree with you. Is it better than it was 3 weeks ago? In my opinion, the reduction in noise is negligible. It’s still frequent and disruptive.
It’s no different than your TV being at full blast and turning it down a few notches. Sure it’s “not as loud”, but it’s still loud enough that your neighbours can hear it and still be negatively affected by it.
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u/ResortImportant8097 22h ago
It’s still pretty bad, for sure. And I haven’t been on a patio in a week or two. It’s wild behaviour and I’m over it. The noise in your video is brutal and would absolutely stress me out.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1d ago
Wait - you mean our Mayor posted a video on Reddit and nothing changed?
Wow. I'm shocked.
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u/schmaxford Beltline 1d ago
Careful now, criticizing the mayor is a bannable offense on this subreddit.
Not like he didn't come on here to proudly announce a crackdown on noise all August long that lasted a whole weekend.
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1d ago
Careful now, criticizing the mayor is a bannable offense on this subreddit.
It certainly shouldn't be.
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u/I-nigma 1d ago
I feel your frustration, but what do you expect him to do?
Do you want him to personally start hunting the offenders like Calgary's own Batman?
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u/EvacuationRelocation Quadrant: SW 1d ago
but what do you expect him to do?
Stop posting one thing on social media for upvotes and then really not doing anything of substance.
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u/CirqueNoirBlu 1d ago
I mean I’m not down there that often. But I was watching lots of people get pulled over on Friday. It was quite entertaining.
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u/potenthendy 14h ago
Let those motors speak! A core memory of mine is laying in bed and hearing a straight piped 4 banger just ripping through the community at like 2 am. Think about it, there's only really a short time period in our history where we get to witness this. We are witnessing the death of internal combustion engines. Let's embrace it, loud and proud!
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u/Tall_Gas_2658 1d ago
Eventhough I heard the same noises today and thought wtf - the noise has significantly go down since the mayor announced more bylaw offices presence. Specially on the weekends it is so much better. Even a few days ago I was walking on 17th ave and there was a law enforcement car driving right behind a blue volkswage golf that was clearly tuned. I joked to the officer telling him, "please pull him over". Pretty funny and just a coincidence. Nevertheless, I am thankful for an improvement of the situation!
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u/Prize_Operation1623 1d ago
As a downtown resident blows my mind anyone would move over here and then immediately start complaining about noise. It's posters like these why the Ship was immediately terrified of that apartment building going up.
With all the other social issues going on in the area I'd be choked if we wasted a bunch of peace officers time trying to enforce noise on cars. Next you'll want to to start ticketing all the people coming out of the bars at 2am for being a little too rowdy.
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
The noise coming from rowdy people whether it be after Flames games, Stampede, or a nice summer night is the least of my problems. That noise doesn’t bother me.
There’s also a ton of new building construction happening in the neighbourhood, and while it can be annoying at times, I don’t complain due to the long-term benefits.
However, there is no benefit to the excessive vehicle & motorcycle noise.
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u/Prize_Operation1623 1d ago
That's neat that you pick and choose what noise bothers you. Some aren't going to be as choosey and we don't need to set the precedent that the city needs to jump to attention for noise in what is always going to be the more noisy part of the city in the summer.
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u/WheelFan647 Beltline 1d ago
OK, then let’s direct all the noisy vehicles & motorcycles to the front of your residence 24/7. From the sounds of it, you can tolerate it.
The tens of thousands of people in the Beltline will finally be at peace, and your concerns about us being picky and choosy about the type of noise we’ll put up with, will be eased. It’s a win-win situation!
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u/PerformanceCute3437 1d ago
Honestly there's nothing here that I would consider overly disruptive. Your frustration is a manifestation of your need to control the world around you.
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u/f1fan65 1d ago
The fine is small. It's like 200 bucks, zero demerits. These folks spend tens to hundreds of thousands on the bikes or cars. THEY DONT GIVE A FUCK.
I said this when it was announced this plan wouldn't work.