sucks runnning silencers(went to Court 2nd time)
04-11-2007 | 05:18 AM
#31
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From: Rockville
[QUOTE=GOGOGO,Mar 29 2007, 01:54 PM] In Virginia, the law is plain. ANY aftermarket exhaust is illegal.. I have asked Senator Stolle to amend the following code to allow Manufactured Exhaust that meets the OEM specs. Sound is another thing, but in states like CA they issue troopers Decibel meters to see if the car is in compliance. They set the DB rating and you cannot exceed that. I also asked my friend the Senator to add that to our code as well. He did not do so this year, maybe next?
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04-11-2007 | 06:39 AM
#32
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Potomac Falls, VA
Originally Posted by 1AP12NV,Apr 11 2007, 08:18 AM
Not trying flamin ya (don't even live in VA 
), but if you read the letter of the law that you posted, the factors determining an exhaust to be illegal seem to be:
1. The exhaust is to be OEM or manurfactured specifically for that car to be comparable to OEM.
2. The exhaust is not to make excessive noise, the criteria for this is that the exhaust makes excessive 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."
So one could make the argument that as long as an exhaust is manufactured specifically to replace an OEM exhaust for a particular make/model (satisfies #1) and is more quiet than the loudest OEM exhaust on any passenger car or truck (satisfies #2) then it is legal. The second point is pretty much unprovable unless they have on record every standard make and model's sound level and evaluated the sound level of your car's exhaust.
Now the reality is that you'll probably get in front of the judge and they won't give a damn because they'll write you off as a street racer, that I won't argue.
However you say the law is clear, and it is nice that you know a Senator, but in my opinion, it seems the law is anything *but* clear on the matter.
And for those that say flat out that any non-OEM exhaust is illegal, thats just not true, otherwise how could places like Midas operate in VA?
), but if you read the letter of the law that you posted, the factors determining an exhaust to be illegal seem to be:1. The exhaust is to be OEM or manurfactured specifically for that car to be comparable to OEM.
2. The exhaust is not to make excessive noise, the criteria for this is that the exhaust makes excessive 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."
So one could make the argument that as long as an exhaust is manufactured specifically to replace an OEM exhaust for a particular make/model (satisfies #1) and is more quiet than the loudest OEM exhaust on any passenger car or truck (satisfies #2) then it is legal. The second point is pretty much unprovable unless they have on record every standard make and model's sound level and evaluated the sound level of your car's exhaust.
Now the reality is that you'll probably get in front of the judge and they won't give a damn because they'll write you off as a street racer, that I won't argue.
However you say the law is clear, and it is nice that you know a Senator, but in my opinion, it seems the law is anything *but* clear on the matter.
And for those that say flat out that any non-OEM exhaust is illegal, thats just not true, otherwise how could places like Midas operate in VA?
You and I may see it the way that you posted. But I'm sure Mr. Police Officer doesn't see it the same way.
It can also be interpreted to mean that your exhaust cannot be any louder than your OEM exhaust.
The problem is that any aftermarket exhaust that is louder than your OEM exhaust could be deemed illegal depending on how the officer and if you take it to court, the judge interprets the law.
SEMA with the support of a few state senators tried 2 years ago to get the law changed, I wrote to my local representatives to try to get them to support the bill. Not just because the law was more well defined (it was similar to California's bill), but also because of the economic benefits that it could have -- sales of aftermarket exhausts (even though right now its not illegal to sell them) could increase more as exhausts could be labeled "legal in VA", with the law in place.
My local representatives were less than agreeable to the law, one stated that the law allowed for cars to be louder than 89dB which was the federally mandated law on how loud the air brakes on semis could be (I could not find the law he was referring to).
The law eventually fell on deaf ears and never made it past the draft phase.
If we want the law changed, we as car enthusiasts need to do the leg work to show our representatives that we want laws passed that are well defined and fair to us. If we don't, then the current vague laws will continue to exist and cops will be able to continue to harass us.
Laws will never be passed that allow something super loud to be legal like an Amuse R1 single or anything, but for someone who wants a Fujitsubo exhaust - that probably could be made legal if we got a new law passed. Of course, I have doubts that we could as an entire community (I mean all car enthusiasts not just s2000 owners) could actually get organized enough to make a difference.
04-11-2007 | 07:11 AM
#33
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From: Columbia, MD
guys please be respectful to police officers here. They do put their lives on the line to protect and serve. The reason why they pulled you over is the fact that you did break the law or their interpretation of it.
04-11-2007 | 09:05 AM
#35
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Leesburg, VA
Originally Posted by O-turn,Apr 11 2007, 11:31 AM
Another one of these threads? 
watching
We do not promote bashing or belittlement of Police Officers in the Mid-A
watching We do not promote bashing or belittlement of Police Officers in the Mid-A
The men and women of our local police departments risk much and ask little to protect us and our way of life. Keep that in mind when you speak of them. Please show some respect or keep your opinions to yourself.
04-11-2007 | 09:21 AM
#37
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From: Leesburg, VA
Originally Posted by O-turn,Apr 11 2007, 01:09 PM
Shouldnt matter, they mean the same thing basically, dont talk sh!t about cops in the mid-a, better?
Yup. Message sent. Message Received.
04-11-2007 | 12:11 PM
#38
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Sand Diego, CA
Get a turbo... it quiets everything down.
Sooo if your exhaust is too loud, get a turbo and everything will be fine....just don't gun it for the first time in the day, burning off everything that settled in your exhaust overnight infront of a cop.
04-11-2007 | 03:24 PM
#39
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Police officers are people too they can be belittled, disrepected, and degarded....Just like everyone else in the world....If someone calls me out and trys to belittle me I dont belive the type of work they do dictates the type of person they are...Unless your like a NUN or a Presit or a guy in a van giving mamograms....
04-12-2007 | 06:02 AM
#40
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 42,116
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From: Over the Electric Grapevine.....man
i agree with what everyone is saying. MR S2K, since we see sooo many of these threads around here we are quick to jump on people who "look like" they are bashing cops. but i do agree with you in that they are also people and have no right to treat you bad. i have had plenty of run ins with the police in my car and previous cars. i have been treated nice and sent on my way and i have also been treated like crap for no reason at all. it goes both ways.