Exhaust Tickets

[Silver03]

Hey all

Got a speeding ticket this morning...One of the first comments the cop made was that he could hear me coming before he could see me. So I'm thinking oh great here comes an exhaust ticket too. So, he finishes up and didnt say anything else about the exhaust and I'm pretty sure he cut me a break on the speeding too, but didnt mention it to me. Anyways, so I just noticed a section on the ticket for 'exhaust systems' with these options: unusual noise/smoke, cutoff/bypass, and modification. So I was just wondering why he didnt cite me for it and what usually warrants being cited for modified exhaust. Thanks for the replies, I'm just curious cause I cant afford another ticket at this point. :beer:

 

[jshen]

Sounds to me like he cut you a break!

I have not seen a state yet that allows you to legally modify your exhaust to make it louder. I believe that would violate EPA rules of some sort as well. Removing cats are a definite NO. Even though I have Magnaflow cat back...I don't flaunt the sound in front of my friends.

 

[04DOHC]

what exhaust setup do you have??

 

[Silver03]

Its a Stinger cat back is all, cats are still there. I was mainly asking what level of volume would normally raise a flag.

 

[jshen]

Any volume above stock

Its a Stinger cat back is all, cats are still there. I was mainly asking what level of volume would normally raise a flag.

Again, most states prohibit installing mufflers that will increase noise. I have seen decibel numbers on some states codes but I'd have to check. I see a few loud noise citations here but those are mainly from stereos with the damn.."thumpin bass". I have not seen any for increased noise from a quality aftermarket kit...but that doesn't mean they can't be cited. If I revved my magnflows up at the wrong time I could be cited..cause at WOT it's pretty loud...but at WOT, the sound would be the last of my worries...This car is a handful..and a ticket in my job would end an other successful career so I am very careful in my driving.

 

[04DOHC]

it depends on the cop cause when I had the SS it had mac mids with true duals and a cam the cops never pulled me over and my car was pretty loud...

 

[jshen]

OK to Reiterate ....The Question Is?

Can you modify your exhaust to make your system LOUDER...NO! Can the officer give you a break?????? Yes

I don't give a darn what your aftermarket system is...IT may say 50 state legal...but THAT'S emissions....not noise!

Point Made?

 

[WTF]

Again, most states prohibit installing mufflers that will increase noise. I have seen decibel numbers on some states codes but I'd have to check. I see a few loud noise citations here but those are mainly from stereos with the damn.."thumpin bass". I have not seen any for increased noise from a quality aftermarket kit...but that doesn't mean they can't be cited. If I revved my magnflows up at the wrong time I could be cited..cause at WOT it's pretty loud...but at WOT, the sound would be the last of my worries...This car is a handful..and a ticket in my job would end an other successful career so I am very careful in my driving.

Just Curious, if a off duty cop is cited for something like speeding are the consequences alot worse then for regular citizens? Would you lose your job over one frigin ticket or is there a little leeway regarding it? I mean, they're just infactions right - not a big deal... That would suq if the officer still gave you the ticket knowing you were a LEO as well. :dw:

 

[Silver03]

Can you modify your exhaust to make your system LOUDER...NO! Can the officer give you a break?????? Yes

I don't give a darn what your aftermarket system is...IT may say 50 state legal...but THAT'S emissions....not noise!

Point Made?

Thats what I figured...the cop simply cut me a break. I have had cops give me thumbs up on my car when I have driven by while they are directing traffic or whatever, so hopefully I wont run across one who doesnt like the sound of that V8 rumbling.

 

[Charles236]

I can't recall exactly where I saw this, but it was in a piece of factory literature when I worked for an auto dealer. "Any modification which increases the noise level is prohibited by Federal law." I may not have gotten the quote exactly as it was written, but the meaning was clear. "Any modification that increases the noise level..." is usually understood to refer to exhaust noise, but aftermarket air intakes also can increase noise. Most of the time, though, it seems that noise regulations are not closely enforced.

 

[jshen]

Epa

Cannot remove cats or modify exhaust that would cause ANY increase in pollution. It used to be a $10,000 fine for doing so. Haven't had the need to check into it. I would be concerned that pollution also includes noise as well. I keep seeing all the aftermarket muffler companies saying their's is 50 state legal...I would like to see something from the Feds and/or Companies to back that up.

 

[WTF]

Cannot remove cats or modify exhaust that would cause ANY increase in pollution. It used to be a $10,000 fine for doing so. Haven't had the need to check into it. I would be concerned that pollution also includes noise as well. I keep seeing all the aftermarket muffler companies saying their's is 50 state legal...I would like to see something from the Feds and/or Companies to back that up.

10,000 dollar fine? Jesus! talk about a prime example of cruel and unusual punishment. I think the fine for dunk driving (a real danger) is considerably less.

 

[FordSVTFan]

10,000 dollar fine? Jesus! talk about a prime example of cruel and unusual punishment. I think the fine for dunk driving (a real danger) is considerably less.

Why is driving while "dunk" a real danger? :shrug:

 

[WTF]

Why is driving while "dunk" a real danger? :shrug:

lol, "dunk". Whoops. Obviously i was using the street-racer excuse of "drunk" drivers being a bigger threat. But in this case, were talking about a modified exhaust having a larger fine then a driving under the influence. I mean come on! 10,000 dollars?! ... for tinkering with your exhaust wooo!

Fines should be directly proportional to the level of the deviation of the law. Non-threatning acts should be considerably less then acts that endanger others. I would think modifying your exhaust system would qualify as a non-threatening crime. :dw:

I just think it's excessive... no make that more then excessive, i see it more like a crime being committed by the city and state. Robbery.

Opinions are like... I know, I know, I heard the saying... sigh. :nonono:

 

[Silver03]

I dunno, I dont see how a catback could increase pollution unless noise pollution is included. So 10K for a loud exhaust! holy feck!

 

[WTF]

I dunno, I dont see how a catback could increase pollution unless noise pollution is included. So 10K for a loud exhaust! holy feck!

Even if it's proven that he is creating more pollution (gimme a break - what, by a whopping 5-10% over the car's standard? woo!), it's still too much. Try 400-500 bucks. That sounds reasonable but hefty enough to discourage it. Excessive punishment is commonly used is old communist countries and/or 3rd world countries. For example, cutting off a kids hands because he was caught stealing (before anyone freaks, like I said, “for example”).

 

[jshen]

Feds

You asked about a matter that involves EPA and hence feds. Since when have their fines been anywhere "reasonable". It's not about reasonable it's about discouraging polluters. The genisis of the large fine came in about the same time as the mandate on catalytic converters. That fine was to discourage/punish businesses that removed converters for clients or over looked such things for emission tests. However, to punish one party..is to punish all involved. That fine may be even higher now. I haven't checked to see. Again, this is a federal matter/crime..States have their own laws & fines

 

[WTF]

You asked about a matter that involves EPA and hence feds. Since when have their fines been anywhere "reasonable". It's not about reasonable it's about discouraging polluters. The genisis of the large fine came in about the same time as the mandate on catalytic converters. That fine was to discourage/punish businesses that removed converters for clients or over looked such things for emission tests. However, to punish one party..is to punish all involved. That fine may be even higher now. I haven't checked to see. Again, this is a federal matter/crime..States have their own laws & fines

Ok, that makes sense. To punish a business, a fine would have to be substantially higher to really make a point. It's really unfortunate that they don't differentiate the actions of an individual car owner over a business. I guess that's where a judge may realize this scenario may qualify as cruel and unusual punishment and lower it for the poor sap who didn't know that so-called 50 state legal, nice, shiny catted x-pipe would result him having to pay fines in excess of 10 large.

I'm slowly realizing that if i wanted a really fast car, I should have waited another couple of years and saved for a fast car from the manufacture. That way I wouldn't have to worry about all those outrageous fines for trying to make my lowly car as cool as the filthy rich dude with the Porsche.

 

[jshen]

It's really unfortunate that they don't differentiate the actions of an individual car owner over a business

I think they do...in that I have never heard of an individual being prosecuted for tampering with emissions in a federal court. Feds won't even prosecute a trafficking in cocaine case.... unless it involves a certain quanitity. Feds simply hand over to the state anything they don't want to bother with.......