[yellowelise]

Last weekend i was cruising some twisties on 211 and I very careful to mind my traffic manners and used my turn signals and cautious not to speed.

Well on my back up route 211 a second time (it goes up and down a mountain) a VA state trooper pulled me over. There was alot things we talked about and he gave me a summons for an "Improper Exhaust ".

I did some researching on Google and found out alot of info on the is subject not only the actual law but also a case that has been previously dismissed due to the fact that this law is purely subjective.

My court date is April 8th but I will most likely ask for a continuence because I start a new job on march 22nd and I am not sure how it will look if i ask for time off to go to court after working thier for two weeks.

Here is a link to the law: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-1049

"§ 46.2-1049. Exhaust system in good working order.

No person shall drive and no owner of a motor vehicle shall permit or allow the operation of any vehicle on a highway unless it is equipped with an exhaust system of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use on the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment, in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise. An exhaust system shall not be deemed to prevent excessive or unusual noise if it permits the escape of noise in excess of that permitted by the standard factory equipment exhaust system of private passenger motor vehicles or trucks of standard make.

The term "exhaust system," as used in this section, means all the parts of a motor vehicle through which the exhaust passes after leaving the engine block.

Chambered pipes are not an effective muffling device to prevent excessive or unusual noise.

(Code 1950, § 46-305; 1952, c. 455; 1956, c. 651; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-301; 1960, c. 120; 1970, c. 266; 1972, c. 66; 1989, c. 727.) "

Just incase anyone ever needs it.

-jeremy

 

[Evl]

It sounds like they just didn't want you "cruising", and they couldn't come up with anything else to charge you with. Sounds like you'll get off, most people just figure they pay the fine and be done with it.

 

[zvezdah1]

I fhey start ticketing for exhaust noise what have you, not a Harley will be left on the road. No Harley has factory pipes.
Chris

 

[Evl]

I fhey start ticketing for exhaust noise what have you, not a Harley will be left on the road. No Harley has factory pipes.
Chris

For better or worse, motorcycles have different laws than cars.

 

[zvezdah1]

Actually,
the above quoted law specifies motor vehicle which is car or bike.

On occasion I had heard of bikes being ticketed, but rarely.
Chris

 

[Evl]

Actually,
the above quoted law specifies motor vehicle which is car or bike.

On occasion I had heard of bikes being ticketed, but rarely.
Chris

Interesting... I guess the harley is still safe, having come from the factory that way, according to the above law.

 

[DCNSX]

211 is fun, but...

VA State Trooper J L Felts gave me a speeding ticket ( radar: 67 in a 55 zone ) in my NSX on Rte. 211. I mean, gimme a break. Perhaps it was because it was the last day of the month.

RE: loud exhaust: Most of 211 is in the boonies so what the #[email protected]! ?? I could maybe see if someone were blasting out a residential neighborhood with loud pipes but that sounds ridiculous. Good luck in court and keep us posted.

 

[hermanslotus]

I fhey start ticketing for exhaust noise what have you, not a Harley will be left on the road. No Harley has factory pipes.
Chris

Chris is correct, In fact I have never seen a Harley without loud pipes on the road. I ride a motorcycle and it does not have factory pipes. Most of my buddies that ride sport bikes, Harley's etc. all have some kind of aftermarket exhaust. Now what do you do?? Pull every Motorcyclist over.

I think that Trooper had just finished scarfing down his donut, and had nothing better to do. I would fight it even if I had to consult with a lawyer.

Best Wishes,
Mitch

 

[smoseley]

I've been to traffic court. A lot. Here's a little advice:

Bring photos of your exhaust, documentation from the manufacturer, and documentation of your car's stock exhaust unit. If you just stand up there and say "yeah, I have an aftermarket exhaust, but it's a good one" the judge will take the trooper's side. If you present objective documents specifying the noise dampening, decibel output, etc. then you'll make the trooper's case look subjective and you'll win.

 

[Dro]

What ever happened to this Jeremy?

 

[pianomaniac]

I didn't see mentioned what type of exhaust you are running.....is it stock or a stage 2,quicksilver or what?

 

[Patricko]

I didn't see mentioned what type of exhaust you are running.....is it stock or a stage 2,quicksilver or what?

I wondered the same thing then I saw the date of the post.

03-14-2004, 09:27 PM

 

[pianomaniac]

I wondered the same thing then I saw the date of the post.

So what does that mean.......he's been in prison for an exhaust violation for a month and a half? :huh:

 

[Vantage]

So what does that mean.......he's been in prison for an exhaust violation for a month and a half? :huh:

13.5 months! That's a long time for an exhaust infraction.

Between this and the LA "canyon racing" crackdown, they're really going after sports car drivers.

 

[Patricko]

So what does that mean.......he's been in prison for an exhaust violation for a month and a half? :huh:

13.5 months ago = not an Elise... :nanner:

 

[pianomaniac]

13.5 months! That's a long time for an exhaust infraction.

Between this and the LA "canyon racing" crackdown, they're really going after sports car drivers.

Oh ya......I didn't even catch the '04. 13.5 months......what is this world coming to? rotfl

 

[raggedy1]

Interesting... I guess the harley is still safe, having come from the factory that way, according to the above law.

the issue with most Harley's is that they are running straight pipes and not the mufflers that they come equipped with from the factory. The loud blasting exhaust from most Harleys is NOT stock.

and for what it's worth, CA law states something about motorcycles having to be quieter than cars (not that I've ever heard any motorcycle being quieter than any car).

SFPD had recently been "reminded" about the exhaust laws so it may become more of an issue in the City.
:thwack:

 

[EdHahn]

I got a ticket for this on my previous car - the guy was clearly looking to ticket me for something, and found something (FWIW, he missed the no-front-plate and expired safety inspection.)

FWIW, the car was too loud - the rotary engine is a very loud engine, and I had just had a single turbo put on it (to go with a high flow cat and straight-through exhaust) - and the noise had gotten way too anti-social. I was already shopping for a quieter exhaust before he pulled me over. I paid the ticket (if for no other reason that I didn't want anyone to be looking too close to the mods on the car from an emissions point of view.)

That said...I read the statute and agreed that it was completely subjective.

There was a bill introduced in the last VA legislative session to move to an objective standard for exhaust noise (dBs measured from a certain point). It was backed by SEMA as a means to have something on the books that would give them a design bogie. I don't know whether it actually passed the legislature, though.

ed

 

[JimK]

I think there is an undeniable double-standard in the way these exhaust noise
laws are enforced. I've never seen or heard of a Harley getting ticketed for this even though they are a lot louder at WOT than any 4-cylinder tuner car
is at WOT. I think the cops just have it out for us.