NOISE: Accepted and unaccepted

We have lived in downtown Coeur d’Alene for almost nine years. We were fully aware of acceptable downtown noises. These include police and fire sirens, cruise boat whistles and occasional “Bands on the Boat,” float plane takeoffs, music in City Park, street sweepers, fireworks, parades, street fairs, Car d’Lane, etc. 

The unacceptable downtown noises come from motorcycles, cars and trucks with illegal modified exhaust systems. Inconsiderate drivers of these vehicles often deliberately rev their engines on Sherman, Front and Lakeside Avenues and Northwest Boulevard to irritate shoppers, outside diners, businesses and residential and hotel occupants. Persons with hearing aids who are dining outside receive a particularly harmful blast in their ears. 

Outbound Northwest Boulevard is a particularly noisy street. Vehicles often accelerate at dangerous speeds well exceeding the 25 MPH limit. These drivers speed out of downtown generating extremely loud vehicle noise, with most likely the deliberate thought of “in your face downtown residents, shoppers, businesses, and Cd’A Police!”

JOHN E. DEUS

Coeur d’Alene