In a strong action against two-wheelers equipped with modified silencers that produce excessive and disturbing noise, Ramanagara traffic police have destroyed more than 50 seized silencers by running a bulldozer over them.
The traffic police were monitoring the noise level and traffic for other road users and residents who are not doing the right thing.
More than 50 Silencers Destroyed
According to the information available, traffic police had seized several modified silencers during vehicle inspections conducted in Ramanagara.
The silencers were being used on two-wheelers to create loud and harsh sounds, they said. Police destroyed more than 50 of the silencers by using a bulldozer after seizing the equipment.
Images of silencers being crushed are expected to underscore enforcement action against vehicles equipped with such modifications.
Traffic Police Conduct Vehicle Checks
The action followed vehicle inspections by Ramanagara traffic police. During the checks, officers found motorcycles with silencers that generated unusually loud noises, the newspaper reported.
Such modified exhaust systems can significantly change the sound produced by a motorcycle. Excessively loud exhaust systems in urban and residential areas are a long-standing problem as cars are driven at night or in busy streets.
Police have therefore been doing enforcement drives to find and remove such modifications from vehicles.
Riders are to be warned about excessive noise
The silencers destroyed also serve to warn drivers of vehicles that have been modified to be noisy.
Police say they will continue to take action against vehicles that make harsh or excessive noise. Riders who have used such silencers will also face enforcement action against them (i.e., seizure of the modified equipment).
The police have been able to respond to the problem with cars.
Why Modified Silencers Are a Concern
The exhaust system in a motorcycle is designed to regulate exhaust gases and noise. Modified or aftermarket silencers can change the sound level substantially.
Excessive vehicle noise can disturb residents, pedestrians, and other drivers. Even worse is that in residential areas, schools, hospitals, and other areas where lower noise levels are important can cause disturbance to people.
For that reason, traffic enforcement agencies in cities and towns regularly conduct drives against vehicles with unauthorized or excessively noisy exhaust systems.
Crackdown Expected to Continue
Ramanagara traffic police have warned that the operation against vehicles making excessive noise will continue.
Today’s action of seizing more than 50 silencers shows that enforcement isn’t limited to issuing warnings during vehicle checks. Seized equipment has been physically destroyed to prevent it from being reused.
So drivers are advised to use compliant vehicle components and not modify vehicle components with compliant vehicle components and avoid any modifications that can make them noisier.
Police Action Draws Attention
The bulldozer operation has attracted attention because of the unusual way to dispose of the seized silencers. Instead of allowing the equipment to return to circulation, authorities crushed the modified components.
The action is also likely to be a visible deterrent to riders who might consider installing loud aftermarket silencers on their motorcycles.
With traffic police continuing to perform their inspections, Ramanagara drivers may be more likely to face increased scrutiny for vehicle modifications and noise levels as more cars are being inspected.
The latest operation sends a clear enforcement message: motorcycles with excessively noisy or unauthorized silencers can attract police action, and seized equipment may be destroyed to comply with the applicable enforcement procedure.
