每日跟讀#633: Cracking down on noisy scooters during ‘joyriding season’

In Taiwan, the ear-splitting sound from speeding scooters and modified motorbikes is the bane of many peoples’ lives, disrupting sleep and shattering the peace.

高噪音車輛呼嘯而過擾人安寧，環保署七月一日表示，即日起除輔導相關廠商主動查驗排氣管，也將聯合各單位在高噪音熱區加強執法，同步啟用「聲音照相」技術，強力取締噪音超標。

At a press conference on July 1, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced new measures, aimed specifically at tackling the problem of noise pollution from aftermarket exhausts retrofitted to scooters. The measures include providing guidance to vehicle manufacturers to encourage on-the-spot inspections of exhausts, a multi-law enforcement agency clamp down on offending scooter riders at noise hot spots and use of noise detection cameras. The EPA hopes the combined measures will help to improve the quality of peoples’ lives, particularly as we move into the summer months when joyriding is more frequent.

行政院環境保護署七月一日召開「改管噪音要認證聲音照相大執法維護安寧好生活」記者會。環保署指出暑假飆車問題較嚴重，針對噪音擾民問題，七月一日起祭出三個新作為，改善民眾生活品質。

First, local government-level environmental protection bureaus, local police and regulatory bodies have combined forces to enforce the law on noise pollution. In a break from the past practice of carrying out random checks, since July 1 enforcement of the law has become more centralized and coordinated, fusing together the individual efforts of municipal cities and counties. Authorities say they will crack down particularly harshly on offending vehicles within known hot spot areas.

首先是環（地方政府環保局）、警（警政機關）、監（監理機關）聯合大執法，對照過去執法較是常態隨機模式，七月一日起，環警監將集中執法，甚至進行跨縣市聯合執法，在高噪音熱區加強取締。

Second, at the news conference the EPA said the crackdown by local agencies and the police will be complimented by an integrated technological approach which uses noise-measuring equipment together with the vehicle license plate recognition system. Equipment will be placed in hot spot areas and will single out vehicles that exceed statutory noise restrictions. Offenders will be fined a minimum of NT$1,800 and a maximum of NT$3,600.

其次，環保署表示，搭配環警監聯合執法，整合噪音測量儀器及車牌辨識等系統的「聲音照相」技術也同步啟用，將在熱區擺放設備，篩選高噪音車輛進行查證取締，超過機動車輛噪音管制標準，將開罰新台幣一千八百元以上、三千六百元以下罰鍰。

Third, the EPA will provide training and guidance to manufacturers and importers of vehicles so that they take the initiative to check and certify retrofitted exhausts. Under the proposed scheme, a “certified” label would be affixed to exhausts that pass testing. The EPA believes this will help to reduce the number of scooter owners opting to attach aftermarket exhausts to their vehicles and will also reduce the number of vehicles on the road that are either uncertified or have not been checked by the local environment protection bureau.

再者，環保署將輔導車商或進口商主動進行改裝排氣管源頭噪音認證，通過的產品會貼上合格標籤，藉此減少車主改裝排氣管時，使用未認證或未經環保局查驗合格的排氣管。

The EPA reminded the public that any scooter riders who refuse inspection by the authorities and are found to be using uncertified or unverified retrofitted exhausts, can be fined a minimum of NT$3,000 up to a maximum of NT$30,000. Offenders will also be made to reinstate the original exhaust and obtain a “verified” label. Further, if while undergoing testing a vehicle is found to exceed noise restriction levels, the owner will be fined between NT$1,800 and NT$3,600.

環保署提醒，萬一車主改裝使用到未認證或未經查驗合格的排氣管，可能會被攔檢發現，若拒檢可依噪音管制法規定處三千元以上、三萬元以下罰鍰，並改回合格產品、貼上合格標籤；檢驗時若噪音超標，將處一千八百元以上、三千六百元以下罰鍰。