Proposal takes aim at revving engines

ISN'T IN THE BANK QUITE YET. YOU HEAR IT ALL THE TIME ON THE STREETS - - DRIVERS AND BI...  More »

ISN'T IN THE BANK QUITE YET. YOU HEAR IT ALL THE TIME ON THE STREETS - - DRIVERS AND BIKERS REVVING THEIR ENGINES AT RED LIGHTS. ALBUQUERQUE'S MAYOR IS TRYING TO SILENCE ALL THAT NOISE - - BY FINING DRIVERS WHO DO IT. BUT MANY BIKERS SAY THEIR SAFETY DEPENDS ON THAT ROARING NOISE. JEFF MAHER IS LIVE NEAR 8TH AND CENTRAL TO EXPLAIN. JEFF. THE BAN ON REVVING WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED JUST ALONG CENTRAL AVENUE - - BUT SOME CITY COUNCILORS WANT TO SEE IT ENFORCED THROUGHOUT ALL OF ALBUQUERQUE. BIKERS WE TALKED TO SAY THE ONLY REASON THEY REV THEIR ENGINES IS SO THEY DON'T END UP GETTING HIT BY OTHER DRIVERS. EVERYDAY - - BIKERS, LET IT RIP. DRIVERS DO IT TOO. REVVING THE ENGINES - - AS IF THEY WERE ABOUT TO SHOOT OFF THE LINE AT DAYTONA. BUT NOT EVERYONE DOES IT TO SHOW OFF. 'i've been run off the road many times'DEBORAH ARMIJO RIDES HER HOG ALL THE TIME, AND HAS HAD PLENTY OF CLOSE CALLS. AT STOP LIGHTS, SHE REVS THE ENGINE - - SO OTHER DRIVERS KNOW SHE'S THERE. 'there's a lot of people who have their radios on a little too loud, sometimes don't pay attention to what's going on, being in a vehicle is a lot different than being on a bike' AT THE REQUEST OF MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ, CITY COUNCILOR ISAAC BENTON PROPOSED A BILL THAT WOULD FINE DRIVERS AND BIKERS WHO ARE CAUGHT REVVING THEIR ENGINES. IT WAS BROUGHT UP AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY HOTEL MANAGERS - - WHO TOLD THE MAYOR THAT TOURISTS WERE BEING TURNED OFF BY THE NOISE. POLICE WOULD HAVE TO PERSONALLY HEAR THE REVVING - - AND DETERMINE IF IT VIOLATES THE CITY'S NOISE ORDINANCE. 'there's just some individuals who really don't care anything about how loud it is or how uncomfortable they may be making people, they really just want to show off'BUT SOME BIKERS CONTEND THEIR ENGINE'S ROAR ISN'T SHOWING OFF - - IT'S KEEPING THEM ALIVE ON THE ROADS. 'and if there's a few cars in front of me, and one on the side and one in back of me, then I've got to let that car in the middle know that I'm there - because I know they can't see me' COUNCILOR BENTON SAYS POLICE WOULD NOT USE DECIBEL METERS TO DETERMINE IF THE REVVING IS A VIOLATION. THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO USE THEIR  « Less