Another Vicitm of Profiling by the Cops
10-01-2009, 03:38 PM
#111
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nogales rd. i got pulled over right across from nogales high(kfc plaza)...i was coming home from rowland going toward nogales high school. be careful
10-01-2009, 05:26 PM
#112
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HAHA sucks man, but my friend swapped out his license plates with his brothers Chrysler 300 and had it signed off, just hope the cop doesnt look at the vin, just find a cop thats in a hurry to sign it off.
10-01-2009, 08:19 PM
#113
wow this threads gone in so many directions lol.
at the REF they used a digital decibel meter and placed it approximately 3 feet from the back of the exhaust tip. the LAW states it must be below 95 decibels. If your car is below 95 decibels at 3 feet you are legit.
I passed with cams and stock exhaust and high flow cat with a DB reading of 90.8. Evo IX.
Good Luck!!
at the REF they used a digital decibel meter and placed it approximately 3 feet from the back of the exhaust tip. the LAW states it must be below 95 decibels. If your car is below 95 decibels at 3 feet you are legit.
I passed with cams and stock exhaust and high flow cat with a DB reading of 90.8. Evo IX.
Good Luck!!
01-19-2010, 08:55 AM
#114
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I posted this in another car forum, but I believe it basically boils down to this:
The problem with the CA Vehicle Code that pertains to exhaust is that it is open to interpretation, such that it is widely accepted that it is up to the officer's subjective judgment that an exhaust is too loud (over 95db) and so he can write you up. He can cite you for any number of exhaust related things, including:
1) Aftermarket equipment with "excessive" noise
2) Exhaust exit off to the side, between 2ft and 11ft above ground
3) Exhaust pipes loose, hanging or dragging
4) Any "unusual" noises such as whistling
5) Excessive smoke and/or "unusual" scents from the exhaust
etc etc.
So basically he can cite you for a stock exhaust if his subjective judgment says it fails 2) through 5) and etc. They just target aftermarket exhausts because they're easy to spot and easy to cite.
This also means that what the officer writes on the ticket is crucial. If he cites you for noise, then you just go to the ref station to get it db tested. If he wrote that your exhaust was hanging too low, dragging, spewing excessive smoke, or that it was otherwise unsafe, you have another problem on your hands and the ref station may require that you go back to stock.
There's also a silver lining to being cited for an aftermarket exhaust (noise). The citation would normally require you to take your car to a BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repair) certified referee station for inspection and decibel testing. Provided your aftermarket exhaust passes, they will give you a certificate proving that it passes (sometimes with accompanying pictures of the exhaust on the car) to take to court. Once you are through with this citation, you can keep a copy of the BAR certificate w/pictures in your glove compartment and whip it out whenever you get pulled over for loud exhaust and they really can't do anything (well, only for noise).
However, this of course still doesn't stop the officers from citing you for something else (tint, front license plate, illegal 720 degree left turn, etc).
The problem with the CA Vehicle Code that pertains to exhaust is that it is open to interpretation, such that it is widely accepted that it is up to the officer's subjective judgment that an exhaust is too loud (over 95db) and so he can write you up. He can cite you for any number of exhaust related things, including:
1) Aftermarket equipment with "excessive" noise
2) Exhaust exit off to the side, between 2ft and 11ft above ground
3) Exhaust pipes loose, hanging or dragging
4) Any "unusual" noises such as whistling
5) Excessive smoke and/or "unusual" scents from the exhaust
etc etc.
So basically he can cite you for a stock exhaust if his subjective judgment says it fails 2) through 5) and etc. They just target aftermarket exhausts because they're easy to spot and easy to cite.
This also means that what the officer writes on the ticket is crucial. If he cites you for noise, then you just go to the ref station to get it db tested. If he wrote that your exhaust was hanging too low, dragging, spewing excessive smoke, or that it was otherwise unsafe, you have another problem on your hands and the ref station may require that you go back to stock.
There's also a silver lining to being cited for an aftermarket exhaust (noise). The citation would normally require you to take your car to a BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repair) certified referee station for inspection and decibel testing. Provided your aftermarket exhaust passes, they will give you a certificate proving that it passes (sometimes with accompanying pictures of the exhaust on the car) to take to court. Once you are through with this citation, you can keep a copy of the BAR certificate w/pictures in your glove compartment and whip it out whenever you get pulled over for loud exhaust and they really can't do anything (well, only for noise).
However, this of course still doesn't stop the officers from citing you for something else (tint, front license plate, illegal 720 degree left turn, etc).
01-19-2010, 10:08 AM
#115
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btw, this issue has been resolved 
I went to the CHP station got it signed off in 15 seconds. The CHP officer seemed extremely chill about it and didn't seem to care much.
I went to the CHP station got it signed off in 15 seconds. The CHP officer seemed extremely chill about it and didn't seem to care much.
01-26-2010, 12:29 PM
#117
yeah, I've gotten this ticket about 3 times over the years. The cop was f-ing with you and didn't know the law.
All the exhausts I've had a just barely louder than stock at idle or with a little throttle. So, everytime its happened I just go to get it signed off. When I get there I tell the cop that's gonna sign it off that I've put the silencer back on, or the resonator back on, or the silencers in the tip back on (even if I haven't or it doesn't even have them). Twice, they just looked at it and signed it off. Once they had me rev it up a little and signed it off.
Just mention that you were driving without the silencers, so it was loud, now they are back in, and you have been told by the manufacturer that while it's louder than stock, it doesn't exceed CA limits.
BTW, without going into a lot of boring detail, the CHP is the one who "wrote the book" on DMV exhaust laws, so they usually know more. If you get turned down at the local police or sherrif, go to the CHP.
All the exhausts I've had a just barely louder than stock at idle or with a little throttle. So, everytime its happened I just go to get it signed off. When I get there I tell the cop that's gonna sign it off that I've put the silencer back on, or the resonator back on, or the silencers in the tip back on (even if I haven't or it doesn't even have them). Twice, they just looked at it and signed it off. Once they had me rev it up a little and signed it off.
Just mention that you were driving without the silencers, so it was loud, now they are back in, and you have been told by the manufacturer that while it's louder than stock, it doesn't exceed CA limits.
BTW, without going into a lot of boring detail, the CHP is the one who "wrote the book" on DMV exhaust laws, so they usually know more. If you get turned down at the local police or sherrif, go to the CHP.
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