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Lets fix this ear plug BS


Tonik
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Thank you all so much for all of your hard work pushing this through, and sticking with it for this entire duration... It's sad that it takes sooooo long to make even minor things like this happen, but now we are well on our way.

 

 

I especially thank you as I CANNOT ride without ear plugs anymore... Whenever background noise ceases & my surroundings become silent, the very loud ringing in my ears becomes very difficult to ignore... Serious Tinnitus at the age of 40... too much loud music blasting starting as a teenager, loud full stack guitars and loud live bands and rehearsals all through my 20's, occupational/construction noise hazards starting in my mid 20's, home mechanic and remodeling work all my adult life...

Motorcycles heavily through my 30's and hopefully to my grave! 2 stroke dirt bikes heavily starting mid-30's & on... even only going 25-40mph at the trails, the exhaust note gives my ears a pounding without ear plugs.

 

My ears are pretty hammered from 27 years of negligence...

 

The highway wind noise even with a decent helmet proves too much.

If I go out for 2-4 hours on backroads, my ears are HAMMERED the same as seeing Motorhead perform in smaller venues such as the Newport Music Hall...(LOUDEST show ever, 2 day earache, & that was WITH earplugs!).

 

Earplugs are an absolute MUST for me now when I ride. I stow spares away in all of my jackets and bags just in case I lose or forget to bring some.

 

This legislation will allow me to be legal in the attempts to preserve what remains of my eardrums for the next 30-40+ years...

 

THANK YOU!

 

Chuck

Edited by Chuck78
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19 hours ago, Tonik said:

So @jacobhawkins did get on the list to testify, but couldn't make it. The committee chair called his name, waited a bit and muttered sometime about contempt of Senate charges.

Haha.   Did they really call me?  Had to get parts down to North Carolina so one of our great American automakers can get their line back up and going.  Really bummed I missed it.

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4 minutes ago, jacobhawkins said:

Haha.   Did they really call me?  Had to get parts down to North Carolina so one of our great American automakers can get their line back up and going.  Really bummed I missed it.

Yep, it's in the video above right after I talk.

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11 hours ago, smccrory said:

Jim without a doubt that was one of the classiest and well delivered testimonies we could have hoped anyone to provide in our interests. You have my sincerest of respect and appreciation sir.

Wholly Concur....Great job!

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I was a bit worried, we have time constraints here. We have to get this done before they recess for the year as that would be the end of the 132nd session. It has to go through the House and Senate in the same session.

Saw some good news today, they gave us a second hearing already (need 3). And they are tacking on some amendments. Our House Rep said this was going to happen, they are tacking on a couple of non-controversial transportation issues for truckers. These amendments are coming from members of the committee we need to get through.....so that means they want their stuff done too and we get to tag along for the ride.

It is looking really good gang, I would not be surprised to see us voted out of committee even as soon as tomorrow. 

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Ok gang, final push is here. We need votes in the Senate next. We need everyone to email or call their Senator and give them reasons to vote for this. Its important we tell them what this bill is about, they will probably know next to nothing about it other than the text of the bill. Calls are better than an email, you won't get to talk to them but their aide will listen to you and pass it on. But if you don't want to call, then please email. It all helps.

You can find your Senator at the link below. We need to do this right meow, it will almost certainly be voted on by Thursday of next week.

http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/district-map

Below is a quick idea on an email you can copy and paste if you want. The important points are:  We can still hear just fine. This isn't about loud bikes its about wind noise. This isn't about music, that is still specifically prohibited. That it is about sound levels that far exceed OSHA rules in the workplace.

 

Here is a cut and paste email you can use if you want, or just steal my awesome ideas. I would use an email subject that contains the bill number.    SB 548

 

 

Hello,

I am writing you to ask you to support SB 548 which makes a minor but much needed change to  ORC 4511.84. SB 548 is a simple modification to 4511.84 to add a very specific exception for motorcycles to allow hearing protection while still maintaining the prohibition of music devices such as ear buds and head phones.

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.84

In its current form this law is antiquated and does not account for the medical community’s better understanding of hearing loss and it’s causes.

In fact the Ohio BMV, unaware that ear plugs are prohibited, states in their handbook for new motorcycle riders:

“Long-term exposure to engine and wind noise can cause permanent hearing damage, even if you have a quiet motorcycle and wear a full-face helmet. Whether you choose disposable foam plugs or reusable custom-molded devices, properly worn hearing protection reduces noise, while allowing you to hear important sounds like car horns and sirens.”

I have a quiet motorcycle, and I wear a full face helmet.  When I don’t wear ear plugs I can clearly tell my hearing has been impacted after a day of riding.  They ring and buzz, just like being at a loud concert.  At 70 MPH on a freeway the wind noise inside a motorcycle helmet approaches that of a jet aircraft taking off 100 feet away. It greatly exceeds OSHA regulations for noise in the workplace.

Yes, I ignore the law and wear ear plugs as do a great many other riders I know.  One of whom just got a $95 dollar ticket for doing so. I can assure you that we can hear sirens and horns.  Ear plugs are selective in what noise they block.

Simply put current law is forcing a motorcycle rider to suffer permanent hearing loss.  4511.84 needs to be amended with an exception for hearing protection for motorcycle riders as many other states have already done and SB 548 does that while maintaining the needed prohibition of ear buds and music devices.

A group of us has worked very hard the last two years to get 548 through the House and now to the Senate floor. In the House there was no opposition testimony and it passed the House with 100 percent Yea's. There was no opposition testimony in the Senate committee and we also passed out of the committee with 100 percent yes votes.

Thank you in advance for your support on this issue.

 

 

Edited by Tonik
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1 hour ago, Tonik said:

Totally appropriate. Thanks man!

Did it - email'd them all. ---

- Goofy side note, there seems to be harder and harder levels of the "I'm not a robot" game. Damn, the more you go, the more you had to go 6 or 7 levels clicking pictures to let me send the notes. -

-What level did you hit? 😁

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9 minutes ago, motocat12 said:

+1 letter sent to plug Jim's ears.

Who gets a ban if the law passes?

Excellent question. How about everyone in this thread that said we couldn't get it done or the attempt was stupid.

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