Jake
June 25th, 2003, 10:03 PM
Just days before the Heritage Motorcycle Rally, expected to attract tens of thousands of bikers to South Carolina's Lowcountry, Charleston City Council passed an anti-revving ordinance that riders view as a rude welcome.
The ordinance, which bans loud revving, amends Chapter 21 of the Code of the City of Charleston by amending Section 21-16 to prohibit persons from "engaging in clamorous singing, yelling, shouting, whooping, bellowing, hollering, or other loud, obstreperous, wanton and unnecessary noises, or from riding, driving, propelling, or otherwise operating any motorized vehicle, including but not limited to cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles, in a manner which emits unnecessary and loud noise or long continued noise, either in the day time or at night which disturbs the peace and quiet of the City, whether in the public street or within enclosures, public or private, and further amending Section 21-16 to provide that operating a motorized vehicle by rapid throttle advancing (revving) of an internal combustion engine resulting in increased noise from the engine is prohibited."
Dave Harvey, an organizer of the event, said the action was overkill to placate residents of the city's historic downtown district. "It is a direct attack on the motorcycle rally," Harvey said. According to Harvey, the ordinance could be used to hassle bikers, adding that it is difficult to operate a motorcycle without some degree of revving.
Harvey estimates between 25,000 and 50,000 bikers will attend the rally, scheduled for April 16-20 in the small town of Ladson outside Charleston. Similar rallies up the coast in Myrtle Beach have drawn as many 300,000 people.
Charleston Police Major Herbert Whetsell said the ordinance is an improvement from the existing law because it more thoroughly spells out what is prohibited. Police aren't looking to hassle bikers, he said. The law will be used only when someone revs their engine up high or jets away quickly and loudly, he said.
Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. and others said the city wants bikers to come, and that the ordinance is intended only to help provide a quiet atmosphere for residents and visitors.
Other officials said they are not trying to be unwelcoming. Councilman Henry Fishburne urged the bikers to come and visit - quietly. "Here's your chance to show how well you can behave," he added.
"Watch our Charleston," says James "Gunny" Gregory, former Chairman of the Board for ABATE of California who now resides in South Carolina. "It is now against the law to sing at the sunrise Easter services when outside, to cheer the Riverdogs, or shout to a friend on the street. Mayor Joe knows best."
The ordinance, which bans loud revving, amends Chapter 21 of the Code of the City of Charleston by amending Section 21-16 to prohibit persons from "engaging in clamorous singing, yelling, shouting, whooping, bellowing, hollering, or other loud, obstreperous, wanton and unnecessary noises, or from riding, driving, propelling, or otherwise operating any motorized vehicle, including but not limited to cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles, in a manner which emits unnecessary and loud noise or long continued noise, either in the day time or at night which disturbs the peace and quiet of the City, whether in the public street or within enclosures, public or private, and further amending Section 21-16 to provide that operating a motorized vehicle by rapid throttle advancing (revving) of an internal combustion engine resulting in increased noise from the engine is prohibited."
Dave Harvey, an organizer of the event, said the action was overkill to placate residents of the city's historic downtown district. "It is a direct attack on the motorcycle rally," Harvey said. According to Harvey, the ordinance could be used to hassle bikers, adding that it is difficult to operate a motorcycle without some degree of revving.
Harvey estimates between 25,000 and 50,000 bikers will attend the rally, scheduled for April 16-20 in the small town of Ladson outside Charleston. Similar rallies up the coast in Myrtle Beach have drawn as many 300,000 people.
Charleston Police Major Herbert Whetsell said the ordinance is an improvement from the existing law because it more thoroughly spells out what is prohibited. Police aren't looking to hassle bikers, he said. The law will be used only when someone revs their engine up high or jets away quickly and loudly, he said.
Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. and others said the city wants bikers to come, and that the ordinance is intended only to help provide a quiet atmosphere for residents and visitors.
Other officials said they are not trying to be unwelcoming. Councilman Henry Fishburne urged the bikers to come and visit - quietly. "Here's your chance to show how well you can behave," he added.
"Watch our Charleston," says James "Gunny" Gregory, former Chairman of the Board for ABATE of California who now resides in South Carolina. "It is now against the law to sing at the sunrise Easter services when outside, to cheer the Riverdogs, or shout to a friend on the street. Mayor Joe knows best."