Isn't the problem, though, that under section 59, a driver becomes guilty of an offence at the moment a police officer declares that, in his opinion, an exhaust is louder than standard? Wasn't that the whole point of the Scottish case?

 

I was thinking the exact same thing he may put super unleaded in next

Tony

 

Who knows where it may end...........dump valves, **** links and the such

 

Should the current PPP not come with a cert stating this with the relevant new db measurements incase mis-informed police orificers get nippy.

I don't really see how they can strictly stick to db with no variable, I bet if you measure a standard Impreza after some years / miles it will be louder. Does this mean you would have to buy a new exhaust when there's nothing really wrong with it.

 

OK sound (no pun intended) a good idea but how is the Gatso going to be modified to identify louder than standard exhausts ?

Richard

 

most of the previous posts assume that the cops are really interestered in reasonably driven cars. If you attract attention to yourself by driving like a n*b the local plod will do all in their power to sort you. Act in a reasonable manner, drive sensibly and hey presto no reason for plod to pull you and get all n*bby about the slight increase in the loudness of the aftermarket exhaust you fitted yesterday. I was driving the wagon down a B road yesterday when a classic came up behind me and sounded worse than being sat next to an F15 before take off. I heard him coming from 1/4 mile away and thought n*b but expected it to be something other than a scooby. wrong! N*b can you remove it/quiten it when on B roads with houses either side and driveways that people reverse out of,don't want you passing at wharf factor 9 to see the wagon in front of you.

 

It does all seem a bit daft when the bloke across my street has a tvr that can wake the dead, but is bog standard and he probably wont get touched. Yet Ive just forked out for a beautiful de-res centre and TSL backbox for "burble purposes" and I'm now feeling guilty and looking in the mirrors every few seconds after reading these threads. And I never drive like a ***.................ok 99% of the time I dont drive like a ***.

 

well as someone who lives in the area where the case on the other thread occured, then i will put across to you what happened in my situations.

i have been stopped 3 times and been given £30 fines for an illegal exhaust.

1st time, it was approx 11pm, i was driving along dual carrigeway remote form any built up areas at 70-75mph

2nd time, i was sitting stopped at traffic lights

3rd time again driving on dual carrige way

i also know guys who have had the cops sit outside their work, in car parks and even in petrol stations to issue fines.

currently the police are using Section 54, of the road traffic act, so it never stands up in court as the exhaust isnt illegal by deffinition of the RT act.

the procedure i have experienced is so fundamentally flawed that the case has more holes than a string vest

1) the equipment they use for sound testing is no better than a Maplin item and isnt Home Office approved

2) they have no callibration certificates

3) there is no written procedure for vehicle testing which they can produce, so its not Home Office or Department or Transport approved

4) claims are usually made about their being a "table" or "chart" dictating allowable exhaust noise, it cant be produced and again wont be DOT or HO approved

there are many other inconsistencies in the process that the Northern Constabulary use and im sure other forces will be the same.

under section 54 the argument they use is that an aftermarket item is illegal and unroadworthy compared to OEM, although budget, kwikfit etc items arent illegal in their eyes.

however the latest offences drivers are being charged with are induction kits as they increase noise, but the one which seems to be catching a lot of the neds is engine swaps and it not being recorded by the DVLA or insurance companies.

i agree that loud exhausts are a nuisence, but mine and many like me arent loud, we have legal items. the worry is that NC believe that a PPP or STI item is illegal as is a Evo HKS, as we know these are factory items but in the eyes of teh Northern Constabulary this is not legal so there are plenty of mature, responsible owners who are targeted with fines on exhausts, so this is something that no matter where you live or what spec of scooby you drive you should be aware of, next person stopped could be you.

however under section 54 you will easily defend your case, under section 59 we will all be screwed

 

This whole thing just sounds like something dreamed up by a politician with far too much time on their hands. It is not just modified cars that are loud - any number from TVR to Porsche to Aston Martin are well above a normal car (and many now fit the trick valves to pass the noise tests - the Aston V8 Vantage above 4500 RPM sounds amazing, but when it is ticking over, you can barely hear the engine.

I was in a Bentley Continental GTC a couple of days ago and that thing had exhaust pipes the size of small trees attached to it and the noise was enough to wake the gods when you buried the throttle (6 litre, twin turbo V12 ain't exactly a small engine though!).

As has already been said, there are far more important things to worry about!

 

Watched V for Vendetta and its scary how much the country is like the movie!

Banny

 

Whatever happened to GC8. His posts were always funny and to the point. Blunt as a spoon.

 

He has re registered as Simon69 afaik

Banny

 

Anyone got a engraving tool? Could make a killing doing EU stamps on exhausts over the next few years.

5t.