The great cross-continental noise crackdown continues around Europe, withreports that France now has “noise cameras” operating in the town of Saint-Lambert-des-Bois, situated to the west of Paris. Supposedly, we’ll soon see similar cameras used in seven other cities and towns as part of a two-year trial.
According to reports, offending vehicles’ owners will be fined up to 135 euros they’re picked up by the noise camera sensors. However, we can expect a legal challenge to these tickets as well, as that’s been the case with most anti-noise crackdowns. Add in the parameters of an automated system, with no patrolman’s discretion or judgment involved, and you can bet there will be pushback from riders and drivers.
What’s a noise camera?
The noise camera (sometimes also called a “noise snare”) is a very similar idea to a radar camera. In a radar camera, sensors detect vehicles moving too quickly and snap a photo of the license plate. Automated procedures then mail a ticket to the registered owner of the vehicle.
With the noise camera, sensors detect a vehicle that exceeds local noise regulations, and sends a ticket to the vehicle’s registered owner.
While a noise camera will target all vehicles, it’s often particularly aimed at cracking down on loud motorcycles. The technology was originally conceived by a Canadian inventor who was tired of loud-piped bikers waking up his sleeping baby. Police response was limited, with the cops claiming it was too difficult to enforce the rules, especially considering manpower shortages. The noise camera works around this problem by being on-duty all the time, with no overtime pay required.
Testing around the world
After initial testing in Canada, then the US, the next place these cameras saw interest was Europe. Europe takes a dim view towards loud pipes; indeed, motorcyclists there are already very heavily-regulated. Noise standards are even an important part of modern emissions standards.
As part of the crackdown on loud vehicles, European authorities are now testing noise cameras. We’ve seen themtried in England, and there have been rumblings about usage in several other countries on the continent. Now, we see France trying the tech in various locations. It seems that even if noise cameras have some bugs to work out, there’s a lot of interest in the idea, and authorities will sooner or later start installing these everywhere. They’re certainly testing them everywhere.
