Regarding Michael Goodwin’s comments in Sound Off (News-Times, March 3), loud exhaust pipes on anything never were justifiable with local police when I was growing up.

I guess we never thought about justifying them for safety purposes; I can hear Sgt. Blair laughing now if we had suggested it. I enjoy riding a motorcycle too, but a quiet one. I know people who ride and have to wear ear plugs because their rides make so much noise. If it bothers them so much what about others? What if everyone exhibited their personalization and pride for their transportation with loud pipes?

I try to avoid some of the practices and appearances he associates with “typical” riders to avoid the stereotype image projected by them and the adverse reaction fostered among people who don’t ride. Not riding in someone’s blind spot is good sense, but passing quickly isn’t if it equates to speeding.

The comment about cars not moving between several bikers in formation is interesting. If someone in a car wants to pass and your formation represents something larger than another car what are they supposed to do if they can’t get safely by the whole group? It seems that sharing the road should work both ways.

Rawson Mordhorst

Oak Harbor