Ok, here is my testimony. You got a couple of hours to make suggestions before I send it in.
Good Morning, my name is Jim Kennedy and I am a resident of Seven Hills Ohio. I am also the person that is responsible for starting the movement that lead to this Bill.
I want to thank all of you for your time and especially thank Representative Goodman who responded to our requests to address this issue.
Currently the State of Ohio specifically prohibits the use of ear plugs while riding a motorcycle. This is an antiquated law that ignores the health of the rider and the medical profession’s better understanding of what causes hearing loss. Simply put, this law requires riders to expose themselves to sound levels that are far in excess of what OSHA allows in the work place.
We are not talking about loud motorcycles with excessively loud exhaust systems. The riders that started this process dislike loud bike as much as the next person. But even with full face helmets and quiet bikes the wind noise is very loud. In general sounds that are above 85db are considered harmful. Studies have shown that inside a full face helmet wind noise is reaching the range of 110db to 130db. To put that in perspective, that is near the level of a jet airplane taking off that is only 100 feet away.
And it is important to note, when we ride we are being exposed to those levels for hours at a time. Because of that I and most riders I know wear ear plugs regardless of the law. Some are getting tickets, and have been unable to get a judge to dismiss them.
Even Ohio’s BMV recognizes this is an issue, and in their printed motorcycle handbook that is given to all new riders they suggest ear plugs. Unfortunately, that is being removed as our efforts to change this law drew their attention to the conflict with state law. But I think it is important to note that the BMV viewed this as an important issue, and never considered that there would be such a ban in place.
The only possible reason for this ban is concern that riders would not hear emergency vehicles or other traffic around them. This concern ignores the way ear plugs work. Ear plugs block bad noise, and allow normal noise to still be heard. For example just a few weeks ago my wife and I were in update New York. We were in heavy traffic and I was paying attention to what was in front of me, and not watching behind me as well as I should have. A police vehicle was behind me with his lights on, responding to a call. I didn’t see him so he gave me a very short blip of his siren. I had no trouble hearing it at all. And I have no trouble at all hearing sirens even when they are coming from a side street. I can hear the cars around me, engine noise, tire noise all of it without any trouble at all.
The concern that we won’t hear what we need to hear is simply unfounded.
Currently only six states in the US have this type of ban in place as most states have repealed these laws in recent years and Ohio needs to do the same. This change will put no one in any additional danger and will help a great many riders protect their hearing. I urge all of you to support this Bill and I am grateful for your time today.
