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What’s a little more traffic noise?

Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to Mr. Smith.

Dear Mr. Smith,



I’ve been reading your letters and those responding to you, have been getting quite a few laughs, and now want to join the group of people who are trying to enlighten you.

How long have you actually lived in our beautiful Glenwood Springs?



I have lived here for 36 years (my first five in Denver, and am one of the true and few Colorado natives) and my husband has lived here for 22 years.

For as long as we have lived here, there has been this wonderful celebration called “Strawberry Days.” Ever hear of it? The main part of this celebration is the parade consisting of fire engines blasting their horns, ambulances, police cars with sirens, marching bands, floats playing music, Shriner cars, Shriner motorcycles, etc. . Get the picture? There are also the live bands playing in the park, the carnival going on at the same time, along with the thousands of visiting people with their cars, trucks and motorcycles that brought them here. Funny, I don’t recall seeing a letter from you complaining about it, wanting to see it moved, or telling the celebrators to be quiet or “go somewhere else.”

The “normal commute” we all have to deal with in this constantly expanding valley has a staggering amount of commercial vehicles and workers in construction-related vehicles that come rumbling down our streets. I get the impression you must live on one of the main streets in Glenwood for you to be so upset over this “Harley-noise issue.” Do you hear the same everyday traffic din that the rest of us do?

If you truly believe it was an absurd response stating “loud pipes save lives,” then your remark of installing constantly honking horns on cars is that much more absurd and complete nonsense. The above saying is so widely used because most people in cars do NOT notice or see motorcycles – the addition of having loud pipes on our motorcycles gives those drivers another way of noticing us, and not pulling out in front of us or cutting us off – thus saving our lives! (Especially nowadays when every fourth person you see driving a car is also on his/her cell phone.) We should spend our time complaining about that (a real hazard and threat to our safety), instead of something so trivial that is not harming a single person in our community.

My husband “rides” 20,000 plus miles a year, we take vacations of one day up to several weeks on our motorcycle, so this is second nature to us along with most of the people we ride with. We know what we are talking about, as we are not “weekend warriors.” If you really want to have an informed and thoughtful discussion on this issue, listen to us real bike lovers and not just to the Hollywood propaganda you seem to be basing your knowledge on.

You need to open your mind and reread the letters in response to yours and try to allow yourself to BE informed. You are only hurting your stand when your reply is in such a condescending tone.

We would also like to thank the people who have allowed this rally to be held in Glenwood Springs – after all, it is OUR community, too, not just yours, Mr. Smith.

Beth and John Douglas

New Castle

P.S. We also hope that this brings more letters to the editor from people who are pro and con on this issue – let the general public read them all and, to coin a phrase, “Let those who read (and think) decide!” IN THE WIND!


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