Drivers of noisy, souped up trucks and motorcycles be warned — a photo-radar-style noise detector will be coming to Red Deer streets soon.
City Council unanimously approved on Monday a resolution to allow a “noise snare” to be used by city police or traffic enforcement officers.
The snare is similar to speed-catching photo-radar machines. It takes a picture of the licence plates of a noisy vehicle, and a ticket is sent to the offending motorist.
Unlike standard decibel readers, noise snares don’t have to be pointed at any car or truck in particular.
They can be activated from an unmanned parked vehicle to monitor all passing traffic, said acting city manager, Greg Scott, who believes snares will offer a broader scope of detection.
They are now being piloted in Calgary and the developer is working on a second generation that would cost from $50,000 to $60,000 per unit.
It could be available by this summer.
Besides approving the use of a noise snare, city council discussed adding a maximum decibel level to Red Deer’s noise bylaw, but decided it would not be helpful. Scott said noise could still be considered an offense, even if it measured slightly under the maximum reading.
Instead, councillors endorsed using existing provincial and municipal legislation pertaining to vehicle noise.
Scott admitted that the current legislation is only enforceable for repeat incidents, such as if a neighbour is always starting up a noisy truck and you know the time and location.
It’s not enforceable for drive-by noise, but that’s where the traffic snare will be useful.
Several city councillors stated that they hear increasing noise concerns from Red Deer residents. Red Deer City RCMP Superintendent Warren Dosko encouraged these residents to call police with their complaints “so (noise) will move higher up on our radar.”
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com