COMBATING THE RACKET

Officials to test noise guns

Edmonton officials will acquire and test new photo-radar style noise guns to catch the few “scofflaws” destroying people’s sleep this summer.

While tickets may not be issued this year, the goal is to develop a permanent city-run program that will use automated enforcement to fine offenders, perhaps with escalating fees or higher fees for nighttime disturbances.

“Our focus has got to be on the scofflaws. This is not about the average person,” Ward 8 Coun. Ben Henderson said Wednesday.

“It’s not a minor problem when we’re trying to create a livable place . ... It’s allowing a few idiots to drive people out of the core of the city.”

City officials have tested a new type of technology that allows peace officers to detect, photograph or video vehicles with extraloud mufflers, whether they are motorcycles, cars or trucks.

Council’s community services committee voted to extend that project, buying or leasing the equipment and reviewing fines and bylaws this summer.

Staff will continue testing the equipment, coming back in the fall with a plan and any necessary bylaw amendments.

Two councillors also suggested an education campaign could be effective, but only if it does what Australia’s successful campaign did: Question the size of a man’s “appendage” when he thinks he needs to attract attention through loud vehicles.

“That’s the place where we have to go,” said Henderson.

Ward 6 Coun. Scott McKeen said he’ll be inundated with noise complaints again as soon as the ice melts and motorcycles start to race along Groat Road, Jasper Avenue and the High Level Bridge.

But it’s not just motorcycles, he said.

He’s seen more cars and trucks with mufflers purposefully modified to create more noise.

People in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood, south of the river, also get woken repeatedly during the night by people racing with loud mufflers, sometimes down Calgary Trail, said Kim Clegg, co-chair of the community league’s neighbourhood development and planning committee.

He pushed for much higher fines at night.

“People install them in their vehicles intentionally to have loud-sounding vehicles.

“It’s like a fetish or something,” Clegg said.

“They have some sort of complex; they need people to pay attention to them.”