A different challenge for bar-owners
On the other side of the noisy biker issue are the business owners more directly profiting from the summertime increase in motorcycle traffic – specifically, those with outdoor seating and convenient parking for bikes. These restaurants make Saugerties a cool destination for weary bikers looking for libations at the end of their trip on a hot day. Past seasons have seen Stella’s as the number one biker spot. But this year, a new Mirabella’s location may make for a larger biker crowd on Partition St.
Bar owners may face a different irritant resulting from an influx in bikers, other than the loud revving of engines; loud people. As the village noise ordinance prohibits any “unnecessary noise” after 11 p.m., these popular town hangouts will likely also face an increase in noise complaints. Owner Brendan Amodio has already received at least one complaint about the noises emanating from his outdoor seating. But he keeps it in perspective. “People always find something to complain about,” he said. “Bikers are some of my best customers. I haven’t noticed more bikers in town this year over previous years. But we’ll see – this is my first summer with outdoor patio seating.”
Police prepared
Last August, a police enforcement detail was set up in the village to target motorcyclists with loud mufflers on Partition and Main streets. Chief of Saugerties Police Joseph Sinagra says it was very successful. In addition to several tickets being issued, bikers were also educated by police on the current laws. Specifically, local law enforcement targeted illegal mufflers and non-DOT helmets and sunglasses, as well as sideways-mounted license plates and other violations.
Already this year, Saugerties police have received one noise complaint from a resident on Bridge St. Says Sinagra, “We always appreciate feedback from residents as it allows us to focus our efforts.”
Sinagra says that a special motorcycle safety training class held last year in Newburgh, wherein as many as 50 local officers from Ulster and Orange counties were in attendance, has helped local law enforcement to prepare for this year. Plans are now in place to increase enforcement in Saugerties for this summer season.
First, a greater number of targeted enforcement details will occur throughout the summer. Second, the department has hired retired Town of Ulster Police Department Sergeant Dan Koeppen to enforce motorcycle laws while piloting a Harley Davidson motorcycle outfitted with the Saugerties police logo. Chief Sinagra says the bike is borrowed, so it will not cost taxpayers, and the Saugerties Police Department’s insurance will cover the vehicle. The only small expense will be the cost of gas.
Already thinking ahead to 2014, Chief Sinagra says plans are in place to use a battery-powered motorcycle next summer for this special enforcement detail. Sinagra says, “I want to show residents that a bike can be environmentally safe and quiet.” He adds that the quieter bike will also be a stealthier means of enforcement.
Are bikers still welcome?
So what’s the verdict for motorcyclists who flock to the Saugerties village? Come, but do it quietly. The consensus seems to be here in Saugerties that bikers are still welcome – so long as they don’t (unnecessarily) rev their engines.
State law requires all motorcycles be outfitted with effective mufflers, on or off the road; straight pipes, removal of baffles, and any modification of an exhaust system that increases noise is punishable by law. It also requires that motorcycles moving under 35 MPH not exceed 82 decibels. The town’s zoning law prohibits any “continuous hum, intermittent noise or noise with any noticeable shrillness of a volume of more than 50 decibels” in the heart of the village. The village noise ordinance prohibits “the sounding of any horn or signaling device of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle for any unnecessary or unreasonable period of time,” as well as “the making of improper noise or disturbance or operating an automobile or motorcycle in such a manner as to cause excessive squealing or other excessive noise of the tires.” Violations of the noise ordinance are punishable by as much as a $250 fine.
