A Bit Mad Is It Not?!?!

[Jimlad]

I got stopped last night in my new pulsar by the traffic feds. They gave me an on the spot fine for bluddy £30 for the noise of the exhaust!!

Fair enough it was 12.30am, but I had just driven back form manchester, so there wasn't much I could do, as I did need to get home!!

Here's what I got given along with the fine .....

Regulation 54(2) states:

Every exhaust system and silencer shall be maintained in a good and efficient working order and shall not, after the date of manufacture, be altered so as to increase the noise made by the escape of the gases.

The charge against you is quite simply that your cehicle has been altered and is significantly noisier than the vehicle was manufactured.

It should be pointed out, however, that should you comply with the fixed penalty by paying the fine of £30.00 but persist in using the vehicle whilst the exhaust is noisy, then you could be liable to an anti social behaviour order. If granted the effect could unltimatley mean your vehicle being seized and you being arrested.

Should you require any further information .... blah blah blah ...

That's a bit much is it not? So basically no exhaust can be changed if it means the noise level is going to increase form the manufacturers standard exhaust??

[Jamesb4uk]

How loud is the Pulsars exhaust bud?

Mines fairly noticable on the 300 & i've been pulled & the lads own here don't mention it..

J

[Jimlad]

it was measured at 101db at 3000rpm (sitting stationary obviously)

[seveer unaek]

I was pulled for mine on my Yaris... Plod just asked if it was legal (had a cat etc - which it does) and I was let go with nothing. Guess he was in a good mood since I was only going about 20mph! If i'd have passed him on the motorway then i think it'd be a different story... it can be heard coming!

[Jamesb4uk]

it was measured at 101db at 3000rpm (sitting stationary obviously)

Jesus thats loud.... Concord doesn't make that much noise on take off

Were you booting it at the time?

J

[Jimlad]

no... that was measured sitting in a car park, holding the revs at 3K !!!

[Karma Supra]

Surely if it passed its MOt it should be fine?

[Jimlad]

the police said they should have failed it?? ..... lol.

[Kerby]

lol they dont even test the noise level in the MOT

[Karma Supra]

lol they dont even test the noise level in the MOT

Actually...... no..........

It is up to the MOT testers discression, if they think a car is too loud, they can fail it on it ;)

They tried this stunt on Leeky, but we sweet talked him out of it..

[Kerby]

lol just as well my guy at the garage likes me. i take it there often enough he prob doesnt want to loose me as a customer

[Karma Supra]

I think in all honest any MOT tester that fails a car on being too loud must have a serious chip on their shoulder!!! (like the Guy that tried to fail Lee's......)

[Jinxed]

oh this country.... oh some of the police.... oh the government and the silly policies it creates. shame on them! sorry to hear of your trouble jim so soon after gettin ur new car :(

wonder if theres some way of doing coppers for their sirens.... they p**s my ears off!

[ricomr2]

wonder if theres some way of doing coppers for their sirens.... they p**s my ears off!

Yeah, slap an ASBO on them

[Bibbs]

There is a law saying you can't have a loud exhaust .. we all know it, but some people ignore it.

[Roytoner]

There is a law saying you can't have a loud exhaust .. we all know it, but some people ignore it.

Yes but getting home from picking her up

[Bibbs]

Yes but getting home from picking her up

I'm sure the same could be said of a car with no lights, bald tyres and on fire ..

I don't agree with the law, but I know if I'm breaking it I have the chance of being caught and fined.

[sotal]

it was measured at 101db at 3000rpm (sitting stationary obviously)

Where did they measure the noise from? If you are keen to fight it, then they are supposed to test it under controlled circumstances, they have to do it at a set point from the exhaust and they can't measure it in a car park because you get noise bouncing back of other cars etc which makes it appear louder.

Then again if you know it's illegal you'd be fighting a losing battle.

£30 isn't too bad

[Bibbs]

Being enclosed will make it *appear* louder, but the dB reader will not read higher.

It's the differance between actual volume and percieved volume ..

[Jimlad]

I think I have a case. If you read that regulation at the top etc....

The copper said he didn't even have my car on the list. There isn't a set sound level according to that. But how can he say my car is significantly louder than when first made if it wasn't even on the list??

[sotal]

I'm sure they do have to test it in a controlled environment though, and it can't just be anywhere - but I know what you mean, as the echoed sound will never be louder than the original sound as it will have lost energy, and sound doesn't add up - it just takes the loudest.

Just a thought though

I think I have a case. If you read that regulation at the top etc....

The copper said he didn't even have my car on the list. There isn't a set sound level according to that. But how can he say my car is significantly louder than when first made if it wasn't even on the list??

All cars are below a certain level - can't remember off the top of my head what it is but I think it was 90ish , which doesn't sound a lot less but dB is an exponential scale so 101 is a lot more.

[Demonic Angel]

...it can be heard coming!

Too right....

"Is that a plane landing at Bruntingthorpe?"

"Nahh, its Graham turning up...."

[cmarshall]

Fingers crossed now, hope i dont get pulled, maybe a sports cat is a good idea

[Roytoner]

OFF TOPIC Why didn't you let us know you where down here?? :P

[Flat Pack]

I always thought that provided the exhaust system isn't modified (ie its an system that you can buy, and is in good condition, not leaking / blowing etc) then it should be ok for road use. That's how the regulation reads to me, you can't modify the exhaust not that you can't swap the entire system for one that's louder.

For reference, the SVA limit is 101dbA (measured from 0.5m away and at 45 degrees from exhaust outlet at 3/4 of max power RPM). If you stay below that I think they'd have trouble doing you for it :)