Lets fix this ear plug BS

[Qman]

9 hours ago, electrode said:

 

Awesome. Didn't think we had a chance.

I think they'll see the irony at the "HEARING", and pass the bill!

[smccrory]

I see it was introduced in June but no updates since.  Anyone know when the hearing date is?

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-status?id=GA132-HB-280

[Tonik]

Ok gang, we have traction. It has been refereed to committee, so it is not dead. The committee will debate it and the modify it and pass it to the general assembly or it will kill it. We need to continue to move it along. I wrote another wall of text that you can copy and paste and email to the committee members. Yes there are a bunch but come on it will only take five minutes to do them all.

When it goes to hearing we need to be there, I know for a fact they will look around the room to see if there is support. We will need to get @NinjaDoc there as our medical expert. No, he isn't a ENT but he as Dr. in front of his name it will bring credibility to what he says.

I have also pinged ABATE to help, if you are a member ping them too.

Here is the link to the committee members and the wall of text to paste...or say your own thing. Just click the members on the right and paste into a message.

 

http://www.ohiohouse.gov/committee/transportation-and-public-safety

Hello,

I see that House Bill 280 has been refered to the Transportation and Public Safety Committee on which you serve. HB 280 addresses an issue with ORC 4511.84 that needs to be corrected. This law prohibits the use of earphones and earplugs while riding a motorcycle. While prohibiting earphones may make sense, the prohibition on earplugs does not. This law is antiquated and does not account for the medical community’s better understanding of hearing loss and it’s causes.

Ohio is one of only five states that still have a law like this in effect.

The Ohio BMV handbook for new motorcycle riders says:

“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. 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 we can hear sirens, horns and the traffic around us when we wear ear plugs. Ear plugs are selective in what noise they block.

Simply put the State has a law forcing a motorcycle rider to expose themselves to noise levels far in excess of what OSHA allows in the work place. It is forcing us to suffer permanent hearing loss. It has no moral right to do so. HB 280 needs to be passed to correct this issue.

Please let me know what I can do to help make this happen and thank you in advance for your help in this matter and thank you for your service to our State. It is genuinly apprecaited.

[smccrory]

Done.  FWIW I customized your EXCELLENT letter a bit and delivered it to all 15 members of the committee.  I made sure to put their name in the header for a little more personalization.

Definitely keep us informed if/when this goes to hearing and I'll make every effort to be there in person.

[smccrory]

Here's my variant; again massive thanks to Tonik, especially since he hates it. :-P

Hello,

I see that House Bill 280 has been referred to the Transportation and Public Safety Committee on which you serve.  HB 280 addresses a flaw with ORC 4511.84 that needs to be corrected - it prohibits the use of earphones and earplugs while riding a motorcycle.  While prohibiting earphones may make sense, the prohibition on earplugs does not.  This law is antiquated and does not account for the medical community’s better understanding of hearing loss and it’s causes, and in fact Ohio is one of only five states that still have a law like this in effect.

The Ohio BMV handbook for new motorcycle riders outlines noise risk:

“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 always 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.  Yes, I ignore the law and wear ear plugs as do a great many other riders I know - one of whom just received a $95-dollar ticket for doing so.

I can assure you that we can hear sirens, horns and the traffic around us when we wear ear plugs.  Ear plugs are selective in what noise they block – high-frequency wind “hiss.”  Simply put, the State has a law forcing a motorcycle rider to expose themselves to noise levels far in excess of what OSHA allows in the work place.  It is forcing us to suffer permanent hearing loss, has no ethical right to do so, so HB 280 needs to be passed to correct this issue.

Please let me know what I can do to help make this happen, and thank you in advance for your help in this matter.  I, and motorcyclists like me, love riding as well as reducing the risks of doing so.  To us, earplugs are just another essential safety item like helmets, gloves, boots and padded, abrasion-resistant pants and jackets, and we’d love to do so without being subject to fines.  Finally, thank you for your service to our State - it is genuinely appreciated!

With sincere gratitude,

Scott McCrory

{contact details}

  

 

Edited September 19, 2017 by smccrory

[electrode]

Well, it looks like we have House Bill 280!

 

I just wanted to update you that Rep. Goodman gave sponsor testimony on the bill (now officially HB 280) to the House Transportation and Public Safety committee yesterday, and it was received warmly by the members. 

We are hoping to have a second hearing on the bill sometime in October for proponents to testify on the bill. All hearings are public, and if you'd like, you're able to come in to testify on the bill. If you're interested, let me know and I can let you know when proponent testimony is. 

Best,

Brent Rossman
Legislative Aide
Representative Wesley Goodman
Ohio House of Representatives
District 87

Rep87@ohiohouse.gov
614.644.6265

[serpentracer]

honestly what kind of cop would even care?  I've been wearing them for over a decade. so does 90% of the people I ride with.  this isn't like driving while intoxicated kind of breaking the law.  but it is the kind of stupid only a gov would come up with.  I can hear everything just fine wearing them.  car horns, cars next to me etc.  well, you guys know...

Edited October 1, 2017 by serpentracer

[Ryan_c_F]

On 10/1/2017 at 12:26 PM, serpentracer said:

honestly what kind of cop would even care?  I've been wearing them for over a decade. so does 90% of the people I ride with.  this isn't like driving while intoxicated kind of breaking the law.  but it is the kind of stupid only a gov would come up with.  I can hear everything just fine wearing them.  car horns, cars next to me etc.  well, you guys know...

It's more to provide a modicum of protection for the average rider against a super-petty line-level officer. A deputy feeling authoritative can nail you with a hundred different fines and fees; it's best to remove as many laws as possible to provide the people with Liberty instead of ticky-tack fines.

[Ryan_c_F]

On 9/21/2017 at 6:26 PM, electrode said:

Well, it looks like we have House Bill 280!

 

I just wanted to update you that Rep. Goodman gave sponsor testimony on the bill (now officially HB 280) to the House Transportation and Public Safety committee yesterday, and it was received warmly by the members. 

We are hoping to have a second hearing on the bill sometime in October for proponents to testify on the bill. All hearings are public, and if you'd like, you're able to come in to testify on the bill. If you're interested, let me know and I can let you know when proponent testimony is. 

Best,

Brent Rossman
Legislative Aide
Representative Wesley Goodman
Ohio House of Representatives
District 87

Rep87@ohiohouse.gov
614.644.6265

Interested!

 

I'm down here in Columbus now, so I'd love to attend the hearing.

[Tonik]

Just now, Ryan_c_F said:

It's more to provide a modicum of protection for the average rider against a super-petty line-level officer. A deputy feeling authoritative can nail you with a hundred different fines and fees; it's best to remove as many laws as possible to provide the people with Liberty instead of ticky-tack fines.

QFT

Its a pile on offense. How many infractions can I pile on this guy. That is what happened to Mark.

[electrode]

Anyone available Nov 8th at 9:00am?

Just heard from Rep. who left a message:

I left a voicemail with you but figured I'd reach out by email as well. We'd love to have you come give proponent testimony for the bill on Wednesday November 8 at 9 AM. All we need is for you to submit a written testimony beforehand (it doesn't have to be long, 1 page is fine, 4 is probably the max). Just email a copy to me at this address.


If you are not able to make it, that's perfectly fine, we'd just ask that you can give a written statement. Please let us know soon.

[Tonik]

30 minutes ago, electrode said:

Anyone available Nov 8th at 9:00am?

Just heard from Rep. who left a message:

I left a voicemail with you but figured I'd reach out by email as well. We'd love to have you come give proponent testimony for the bill on Wednesday November 8 at 9 AM. All we need is for you to submit a written testimony beforehand (it doesn't have to be long, 1 page is fine, 4 is probably the max). Just email a copy to me at this address.


If you are not able to make it, that's perfectly fine, we'd just ask that you can give a written statement. Please let us know soon.

I am in. @NinjaDoc how about you ride down with me.

I will make a prepared statement and we will fine tune it here, then email it to him.

[NinjaDoc]

3 minutes ago, Tonik said:

I am in. @NinjaDoc how about you ride down with me.

I will make a prepared statement and we will fine tune it here, then email it to him.

You are asking a extreme social phobic strange frightened animal to come to a room full of strangers. Dayuuuummmmm 

i can help with input and tweaks and opinions and everything from behind the screen. Just a regular arm chair keyboard revolutionary 

[Tonik]

3 minutes ago, NinjaDoc said:

You are asking a extreme social phobic strange frightened animal to come to a room full of strangers. Dayuuuummmmm 

i can help with input and tweaks and opinions and everything from behind the screen. Just a regular arm chair keyboard revolutionary 

Fair enough. Write up a medical opinion, paragraph or two.

[electrode]

Dang, I'm not sure I can make it. If anyone would like to submit a letter, send it here Josh.Ferdelman@ohiohouse.gov

[Tonik]

7 minutes ago, electrode said:

Dang, I'm not sure I can make it. If anyone would like to submit a letter, send it here Josh.Ferdelman@ohiohouse.gov

I will contact him and let him know I will testify. I'm good at that stuff.

 

We need more peeps, don't need to speak, need to make a presence.

[2talltim]

I'll be in Vegas.  

[NinjaDoc]

1 hour ago, Tonik said:

Fair enough. Write up a medical opinion, paragraph or two.

will send it tonight

[PhilD'oh!]

I'd like to go, but I'll be in Thailand. 

[2talltim]

47 minutes ago, PhilD'oh! said:

I'd like to go, but I'll be in Thailand. 

Sure, one up me.  

[Tonik]

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.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Tonik

[durk]

Update New York = upstate?

The rest looks great. Thanks for doing this Jim. 

[PhilD'oh!]

3 hours ago, 2talltim said:

Sure, one up me.  

I'd rather be in Vegas.  

[Tonik]

19 minutes ago, durk said:

Update New York = upstate?

The rest looks great. Thanks for doing this Jim. 

tyvm sir

[PhilD'oh!]

I can't improve on that, looks good to me.