Noisy snowmobiles disturb the peace of neighbours
Editor:
I wonder if landowners who have allowed the snowmobile trails across their properties realize how complicit they are in disturbing their neighbours’ peace.
Those of us who prefer living in a natural environment and non-disruptive active outdoor recreation at a pace that allows nature to be observed, not scared away, get no benefit at all from this use of your land. We are becoming all too aware of the difference between the noise of snowmobiles with altered mufflers and the muffled four-stroke engine that goes by relatively quietly.
Many trails are far from the landowner’s house but pass much closer to those of their neighbours. That is like just letting your kids blare tunes at all hours while you are away. The noise bylaws that do exist, although worded in a 1950s form, are clearly designed to prevent this sort of disruption of one neighbour by another. But there is clearly no intent to enforce this law in Clearview. On weekends it sounds as if a Formula 1 race track has been built nearby. There would have to be a due process before that happened, but apparently drag racing snowmobiles in Clearview does not have that due process.
As we start to understand the damaging effects of our past practices, the trend is clearly that municipalities are developing more socially and environmentally conscious priorities. They know that these are important in attracting investment and jobs. So although Clearview does not have a council that has arrived there yet, it will happen. The trail system users should recognize that the trails’ continued existence should not be assumed, but should be earned by better control of the disruption. And landowners should be more aware of their contribution to the problem. Their permission should require the responsible users, represented by the clubs, to demonstrate an ability to limit the noise of all users. And, if as is currently the case, they can’t, then I do not see why my neighbours should be imposing the noise on me.
Peter Halsall,
Clearview.
Excellent articles !
RICHARD was a wonderful person and very knowledgeable antique dealer and restorer and the FIRST and only stop I would make on my drives to my farm over 35 yrs ago and for many years after.
He will be sadly missed .
But I guess all those noisy Harley-Davidsons you’re fine with!! I really wish people wouldn’t be so petty when it comes to a sport that’s two months out of the year.
As a Snowmobiler for many years I would apologize for the loud snowmobiles. I own a stock exhaust 4 stroke machine and feel it would be very hard for you or anyone else to complain about noise. The is a huge economic benefit to having good snowmobile trails in our region. Dealers for the snowmobile itself, trucks, trailers, gear, food, lodging all benefit from the trails this is multi billion dollar industry. No one complains about loud (even louder) Harley Davidson groups all summer long roaring down the road. But police are suppose to be issuing tickets for altered exhaust and have been so doing in some areas my suggestion to you would be to call the police and try to have them in your area and hand out tickets instead of making trouble with good neighbors that understand the value to the area of graciously donating their land for us to use.
Move back to the city
Sir you sound like a person that has nothing better to do with your life but complain. Maybe you went for a walk with you dog down a trail one day, that was groomed with money snowmobilers paid for, and you had to step aside as 5 or six sleds went by. And this annoyed you, so you felt you needed to complain. If the trail wasn’t groomed, you would have to walk on the street and then you would complain that the township puts too much salt on the roads and sidewalks. You just need to complain. Probably because your wife constantly complains to you about all your short comings. Lighten up and let people enjoy winter. It’s quiet between 11pm and 8 am.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. People pay for the privilege of riding on the trails, just like anyone pays to drive on the road. Put some headphones on or turn up your tv if you don’t like the 5 seconds they’re passing your house. Don’t be a Karen. Let people have fun you Debbie Downer
Sincerely – someone who doesn’t even have a sled
get over it or move ! should’ve done your homework before you bought the place , lot’s of places in this province to live with no snowmobile trails ! , if you don’t like trains would you by a house close to the tracks and then try to get them rerouted …blame yourself!
Agree with the Harley comments, what makes it worse is that more people are outdoors in summer months and many of us have our windows open!
Un-muffled engine brakes on trucks are also annoying!
Please don’t label us all as rednecks because of the actions of a few irresponsible people. No different than a few irresponsible drivers on our road system with loud music blaring!
The landowners should be applauded for sharing their wonderful properties and allowing us to enjoy this amazing resource known as rural Ontario!
First of all, thank you very very much land owners for the generous use of your land. Without you the fun stops!!!
To the author:
This is your problem? This is what gets your blood boiling? Really?
” Real problems ” are people who wake in the morning and don’t know how they’re going to feed their family. Have to walk 100 miles to get fresh water. Who can’t get medical attention when their sick. Those are real problems. But your problem is a bit of noise. Sad.
Once again, another article on why snowmobilers are so bad. As previous comments state, no one says anything about those loud bikes that run rural roads during the spring, summer and fall.
My take is simple, you bought the house, you had access to all the information before the purchase including doing some research on recreational trails that may be nearby. You didn’t bother to inquire you say??? Oh well then, put away your violin because no one wants to hear your sad song.
Your neighbour has the right to do what they want with their land, up to and including giving permission for a local snowmobile club to use it. End of story.
I’ve been a snowmobiler for the last 45 years and driven over a hundred thousand miles on good trails and bad ones. The influx of money snowmobiling brings to some communities over the course of the winter months and some riders even return during the summer months.I would have to agree to a certain degree about the noise if every snowmobile that went by your house or property made excess noise, but then there is a time were I would have to disagree. Having a louder set of exhaust pipes or muffler could possibly save your life by allowing wildlife to know that you are approaching, so instead of hitting that animal it has run off the trail and now both of you are safe. I can attast to this because I purchased a new snowmobile years ago with a quiet exhaust and while riding in central Ontario with friends had a deer run directly at me and hit me in the front corner luckily turning the deer sideways when our body’s made contact so fortunately I was not hurt, but I know individuals who ended up in the hospital with broken bones their machines destroyed and the animal killed. So for people that complain about the noise I know it is unpleasant but like other individuals have noted the noise majority of Harley Davidson riders have installed louder pipes on their motorcycles that are ear drafting but no one complains about them and they disturb a great number of people wherever they ride. Their excuse is loud pipes save lives. Now if it is a parade of dozens of Snowmobiles going by time after time I’d say you have a problem but I’m guessing it’s two maybe three at a time and unless they are doing circles around your home they are more than likey are gone within seconds. And depending on the amount of snow on the ground also works to dampen the noise so poor snow condition can possibly contribute to making the noise reverberate faster instead of absorbing a certain percentage it before it reaches your home and the other question is how close to the trail is your home. I can sympathize to a certain degree with you but I also belief you are looking for something trivial to argue with your neighbor or You just don’t like snowmobilers. You don’t have to agree with me but I have seen both sides of this argument.
You should get rid of gas lawn mowers first. There are way more of them for you to fight.
Give it a rest ffs
I stumbled on this letter while researching a snowmobile outing(I go on one or two day trips per year on a stock 4 stroke snowmobile). I am a landowner in another adjacent county that happily provides snowmobile trail access. I too am somewhat annoyed by the excessive noise of machines with modified mufflers. I don’t necessarily understand the need for a louder machine, but I’ve learned to tolerate it…both the machine and the owner’s personal disposition that leads to those choices.
In much the same way I have learned to tolerate the arrogance of people like Peter. The idea that their view of the world – their desire to help as in Peter’s implied view – the less intellectually capable local council “arrive” at “more socially and environmentally conscious priorities”…is…an arrogant imposition on your neighbours Peter – both near and far. A desire for more regulation and less freedom of land use is a political opinion and it’s every bit as offensive to some as those noisy mufflers are to you. We all suffer each other to a certain degree Peter, and the higher social conscience which you seem to be advocating includes this very basic concept. Tolerance.