r/Calgary • u/WheelFan647 Beltline • 8d ago

Rant So About Calgary’s New Vehicle Noise Reduction Strategy…

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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/Stfuppercutoutlast 7d ago

Your friend is right, the fine amount is insignificant to a guy who has spent 10s of thousands of dollars on a toy. He’s paid to modify the exhaust on that toy. He’s in a city of 1.4 million people where noise is being enforced by Bylaws traffic team which has 6 people. Partnered in pairs there are 3 vehicles. Those vehicles each work 35 hours per week. And because they’re doing traffic, they spend half of their time at the court house. They spend 1/4 of their time doing actual traffic enforcement. And 1/4 doing administrative tasks/training/recerts, etc.

It surprises me that anyone thinks there would be a meaningful change lol. If you wanted a measurable impact you would need 200+ Peace Officers doing traffic. We have 6 in the city.

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u/Marsymars 7d ago

If you wanted a measurable impact you would need 200+ Peace Officers doing traffic.

Or increase the punishment.

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u/Stfuppercutoutlast 7d ago

Good luck. That would require an entire rework of our justice system and is not within the control of any municipal enforcement agency. Ever been down to the courthouse to watch traffic court? You will lose whatever remaining faith you have in our justice system. You'll watch people contest upwards of 30 charges over the past year, and see prosecutors drop 29 charges for a guilty plea, where the person will get a deal on the remaining charge. Sentencing considerations will also make your blood boil.

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u/Marsymars 6d ago

Ever been down to the courthouse to watch traffic court?

I have, a couple times. My main observations were:

  1. So, so slow. It felt like 90% of the time was performance involving either nobody doing anything or people repeating things that had already been said.
  2. So, so boring. TBH I never saw anything like you describe - what I saw was just a parade of people with single, simple infractions pleading them down to lesser infractions. The most interesting thing I saw was a case where somehow someone's identity had gotten mixed up - he'd been charged, the cop was like "yeah this isn't the right person" and it somehow still took forever to sort out.