NY state exhaust laws

[kev]

I just saw this on another forum:

Section 375. Equipment.

Subsection 31. Mufflers and exhaust systems. Prevention of noise.

Every motor vehicle, operated or driven upon the highways of the state, shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler and exhaust system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise and no such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cut-out, bypass, or similar device.

No person shall modify the muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust system of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler or exhaust system originally installed on the vehicle and such original muffler and exhaust system shall comply with all the requirements of this section.

A muffler is a device consisting of a series of chambers or baffle plates, or other mechanical design for the purpose of receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, and effective in reducing noise.

An exhaust system is a series of mechanical devices for the purpose of receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and expelling it into the atmosphere.

wtf? I had a 02 formula with slp loudmouth exhaust that was pretty damn loud and passed by cops plenty of times but never had trouble but now that I know this there's always gonna be that thought in the back of my head "what if I get pulled over and the cop's a dick and says something about the exhaust?" you know? I also got an slp loudmouth for my g8 gt that I'm waiting to put on but now I'm having second thoughts..sheeeeit....

[Blackdevil77]

Yeah, apparently any modification to the exhaust at all is illegal. It's just something so ridiculous, that most don't enforce that law much. Only if the car is excessively and obnoxiously loud, you shouldn't be bothered

[majesticix]

I just had mine inspected on Wednesday. No problems for me and I don't have a muffler!

[TurboMike]

Well here is the problem: the way the law WAS worded, that an exhaust cant be over a certain loudness or DB level. A few police agencies were given DB meters to "test" an exhaust they felt were loud. But a lot of cars are quiet at idle and crazy loud at WOT. Add in that the cop needs to be trained where to stand behind the car, where the meter should be, etc. It was a nightmare in court, all the tickets were dismissed except for the few who pled guilty and mailed it in.

So they changed the law that the exhaust CANT be louder than the stock exhaust system that came on the car to solve this problem. But if you do get one of these tickets, this is how you fight it: go into court and say thats how loud your car is from the factory. Its a sports car and has a louder exhaust than your average Camery, but the aftermarket exaust is exactly the same DB reading. You dont have to prove what DB your exhaust is, they have to prove your aftermarket exhaust is louder than the DB of your factory exhaust. So they need to know the DB ratings of your factory exhaust (car manufacturers dont publish this).

So this is your "technically legal" out. Will a judge let you go? He SHOULD. Doesnt mean he will. If you come in dressed like a punk or have 10 other tickets like reckless speeding etc, dont expect to get out of any of them. It all comes down to how the judge and the prosecutor feel that day and how much they want to give you a break or make you pay.

Whats stupid about this law is, if I have a Camry commuter shitbox and the muffler falls off, I can go to Midas and get an aftermarket one for cheap which would have been legal under the old law but could be illegal on the new law just because it might be a few DB over the factory exhaust. I think you should have the right to have a "performance" exhaust on your car if you want it, as long as its not excessively loud. Many cars come with a "sport" option that makes their car very loud. SRT-4s dont even have mufflers from the factory they use the small turbo to block enough sound, but if you put a big turbo on it even with the factory exhaust the car is very loud. At the same time, I dont feel like being woken up at 4am everytime a ricer or a 60s bigblock car drived by with an open exhauts either.

Basically: if your exhaust is very very loud, get ready to get tickets. If your exhaust is mildly loud but your car is riced out or you look young or dress like a punk, get ready to get tickets. If your exhaust is mildly loud or only loud at WOT but your car doesnt stick out like a cop would want to write it up (bling rims, stripes, stickers, "IBEATU" across windshield, you should ok.

[GeoffA]

This is one for the officer to use his discretion on. I passed plenty of police cars on the road and never had a problem with my straight pipes in along with my headers. When I pass I would let off the gas so it not as loud. There are plenty of laws out there that get over looked. It's the times when you are acting foolish and get pulled over then show no respect to the Officer when you get tickets like these.

The worst ticket I got, was "obstruction of drivers view" when I was 15 and a passenger. I've done a lot of growing up since then...

[jz427]

i have two thrush welded mufflers on a 350 and its not even loud only when you get on it and i still got pulled over from going through an all way stop sign intersection. i saw the trooper across from me and i went by as slow as possible and he still gave me a loud exhaust ticket. now off to court :nutkick:

[peterg22000]

this law was created for/because of the ricers and there infamous "rice pipes"...

[Modhauler]

A car can't be loud but they let them darn Harleys rattle the windows going by.:uhm:

[Chooch]

As a few have said, it is the old what you did to get pulled over and I did not have my dounuts and coffee yet deal. If you are burning them up at 3 AM, you are going to get hit. If you are cruising along being normal, chances are they wont bother you.

SHort story, I, 8 years ago had a Dodge Neon Sport ( I know, I know but it was cheap) with a Monza dual outlet system. I got followed into a gas station by one of Westchester NY's finest and as I stepped out of the car to put gas in it, he walked over he told me my system was so loud, he would have to write me up. I then asked him to look in the back seat of my car and asked him to put on the ticket for reference that even though my systems was way to loud, my 2 year old daughter was sound asleep.. He then calmly told me have a nice day and left.

That being said, all I am going to do once funds are available is get a solo performance axle back. With the cats and mid muffler, it will still be quiet enough when not jumped on to pass the P.O. test

[todds87ss]

The worst ticket I got, was "obstruction of drivers view" when I was 15 and a passenger. I've done a lot of growing up since then...

Not going to ask HOW you, a passenger, was "obstructing" the view of the driver; just if you were fully clothed.

[Shredmo]

A car can't be loud but they let them darn Harleys rattle the windows going by.:uhm:
For what it is worth, I have a friend that got a ticket for loud exhaust on his Harley, but have yet to hear of anyone locally getting a ticket for loud exhaust in a car.