Another brick in the wall, Loudly?

[j-c-c-62]

I can't see why this should be in the "General" forum, as I see it, it is "Auto Tech" related.
Regardless here goes, just another looming factor in your choice of exhaust solutions:

MSN

My first concern, to be enforceable and fair, it ought be required at the least that it include adequate signage cars are being monitored/recorded.
On a technical level, all audio measurements are accumulative. The 85db in article mentioned 85db+ being a violation, it does not say what portion the Mustang added to the ambient sound levels, that can vary, say by a garbage truck/lawnmower/low flying jet/etc in the background.

 

[Detective D]

I can't really comment on this without forcing this thread into the political section so I will refrain.
Suffice to say I disagree with this development.

 

[69conv]

I agree with your disagree.

 

[33 IMP]

I like my cars quiet. I even run mufflers on my race cars.
I have no problem with it IF, and that's a BIG IF, if they ticket the 90% of obnoxious Harley ******** riding around with no mufflers at all.
Noise is noise. 1 in 100 cars/trucks too loud, 90 out of 100 harleys.

 

[haywire 440]

Good to get a heads up on current technology used to monitor society.

 

[Cranky]

Loud pipes save lives! Especially so when riding/driving around the aholes with loud stereos and/or are wearing ear buds. Then you have the ones that have their cell phones stuck up their behinds and ain't paying attention. Then there are the ones that ain't paying attention at a light and just sit there after the light turns green. A horn usually pisses them off but a quick but light rap on the loud pedal wakes them up. Loud pipes are fairly quiet under light acceleration too. I've been running straights on just about everything since the 70's and never got a ticket but yeah, floor it and they are loud.

 

[j-c-c-62]

Then there are the ones that ain't paying attention at a light and just sit there after the light turns green.

You mean the ones that race in front of you as you are coasting up to a long red light so they can cut in front you and then stop and check out on their cell phone while stopped?

 

[XS22J8R]

There are federal standards for pass by noise that vehicle makers must comply with. It’s a FMVSS regulation, I think this is it.
Federal Register :: Request Access
If a vehicle meets that regulation, but a jurisdiction decides to impose tighter restrictions, that should be something that can be overruled as there has to be a national standard that applies not a hodgepodge of different rules everywhere you travel.
But any law that cracks down on egregious violations like straight pipes or the latest trend of loud backfiring exhaust is ok with me!

 

[Triplegreen500]

Loud pipes save lives

Bullshit.

I've got 250k miles under my belt, street and track, all with stock pipes. ZERO accidents with other drivers (one accident from a brake failure, one deer).

Loud pipes still rely on the other driver to react and act. That means you're still putting your safety in someone else's hands.

LEARNING HOW TO RIDE saves lives.

Period.

Take responsibility for yourself. Ride defensively. Don't EVER count on the other guy.

Fact of the matter is, loud pipes put the noise where you've already BEEN - behind you. All it does is piss off people behind you, and folks trying to have a nice Sunday morning on their porch, enjoying the scenery and the sounds of nature.

And it makes you look like an asshole.

As for the 85dB rule...it's ridiculously low. Normal daily activity on any street in any city in the US, is over 85. My basement bathroom, with the exhaust fan running, is 82. (Yes, I'm a sound guy, I have a dB meter app).

 

[khryslerkid]

Maryland tried this year's ago but not with a camera. Troopers would set up on the side of the road with some kind of a "sound meter" and would walk out into the lane and flag you over.

I was stopped one day on my 750 Honda. I immediately looked at my speedometer when I saw the trooper and I wasn't speeding. He walks out in front of me and motions me over. The trooper told me my motorcycle was exceeding the sound limitations for my class of vehicle. I asked him what the heck does that mean? He explained that cars are in one class, motorcycles are in one class and big trucks are in another. I asked if this was a moving violation and he stated it was like a parking ticket, no points just a fine. How much? $25! Well that was alot of money on my budget so I told him I might just have to take it to court. He replied I don't blame you.

So the court date arrives and the trooper states the offense that I had committed. Then it's my turn. How do you plea? Not guilty. May I ask the trooper a question? Sure, go-ahead. Exactly how loud was my motorcycle? Trooper responded with, it's just like my radar when someone is speeding, the meter goes up so far measuring decibels. (I was exceeding the decibels for my class vehicle by something like 2.2 decibels.) So I asked the trooper how loud is a decibel? The judge replies with thats a good question, answer the young man. Well he's back to the meter example again. The needle goes up so far...

I said that still doesn't answer my question. Was I real loud I asked. He said no you weren't real loud. I asked was I loud or just a little loud? He replies with you weren't loud.

So I reply to the judge I didn't realize my motorcycle was offending the public in any way. It's the way I bought it and there's lots of others out there that are much louder than mine. The judge through it out, no fine, no record.

Approximately a month later they stopped doing this. It caused too much confusion and it really wasn't easy for them to enforce.

 

[WileE]

Has nothing to do about safety, or environment. It's just another method to confiscate money.

 

[RemCharger]

Has nothing to do about safety, or environment. It's just another method to confiscate money.

And earning the votes of certain whiny constituents

 

[j-c-c-62]

There are federal standards for pass by noise that vehicle makers must comply with. It’s a FMVSS regulation, I think this is it.
Federal Register :: Request Access
If a vehicle meets that regulation, but a jurisdiction decides to impose tighter restrictions, that should be something that can be overruled as there has to be a national standard that applies not a hodgepodge of different rules everywhere you travel.
But any law that cracks down on egregious violations like straight pipes or the latest trend of loud backfiring exhaust is ok with me!

That is quite a link of info. However, it seems to mainly/only address sound levels of commercial vehicles over 10,000lbs and motorcycles.
Understand, if one has two independent sound sources/generators at 83db each, the overall sound level will be 86db. I tried to find specific guidance in this link concerning ambient noise level when measuring vehicle noise, and didn't find it here. But below are some pertinent issues the Feds addressed in the link that might legally apply to counter local noise enforcement/measurement citations:

(1) The test site shall be such that the truck radiates sound into a free field over a reflecting plane. This condition may be considered fulfilled if the test site consists of an open space free of large reflecting surfaces, such as parked vehicles, signboards, buildings or hillsides, located within 100 feet (30.4 meters) of either the vehicle path or the microphone.

(2) The microphone shall be located 50 feet ±4 in. (15.2 ±0.1 meter) from the centerline of truck travel and 4 feet ±4 in. (1.2 ±0.1 meters) above the ground plane.

9) Measurements shall not be made when the road surface is wet, covered with snow, or during precipitation.

(10) Bystanders have an appreciable influence on sound level meter readings when they are in the vicinity of the vehicle or microphone

(12) The road surface within the test site upon which the vehicle travels, and, at a minimum, the measurements area (BCD in figure 205.1) shall be smooth concrete or smooth sealed asphalt, free of extraneous material such as gravel.

(iii) Wheel slip which affects maximum sound level must be avoided.

(d) General requirements.
(1) Measurements shall be made only when wind velocity is below 12 mph (19 km/hr).

I can hear it now, "But your honor, my rear tires were "slipping", so the citation doesn't count"

 

[j-c-c-62]

Approximately a month later they stopped doing this. It caused too much confusion and it really wasn't easy for them to enforce.

Bingo!

 

[33 IMP]

Has nothing to do about safety, or environment. It's just another method to confiscate money.

THAT I'll agree with!

 

[Southbranch]

I've always liked low sweet rumble to my cars big or small block. A friend stopped having his friends over on their Harleys because of the noise.

 

[1967coronet]

I will toss one more variable into the mix from the old bodyman perspective .
Acustic auto glass........
Yes it is a thing, last few years we were open. Along with heads up display , rain sensors, ect.
I ordered a windshield one day for a late model, gave the parts man the Vin.
He says oh that's Acustic glass it will be a couple days.
Dumb azz me thought it was something to do with the stereo lol.
It is for exactly what is being discussed.
Lower DBs for your in car environment.
Imports , domestic , does not matter.
It's hear to stay.
Funny as heck to me though , the cars have factory stereos that will crank up till the car shakes , but the powers that be make you have acustic glass so the mower in the parking is not to loud.
LMFAO

 

[j-c-c-62]

That reminds of a noise complaint we got in the concert business in the 70's by some old lady who commented, "when I turn off the radio, open my window, and stick my head out the window, I can hear the damn music"

 

[68-500]

If it surprises me when it passes me it to loud. For instance new Mustangs with whatever non-oem muffler or lack there of and gay *** crotch-rockets and cruisers with their lack of muffling.
Edit: I will say loud is a relative thing. Loud compared to what and in what surrounding?

 

[mrhemi]

A bit related and falls in line with the "Bat **** crazy neighbour" post.

A few years back when the a-hole next door had annoyed me enough I had a 300', 6' high fence installed. The whole time the fence contractor was performing the task (along with the police in attendance to keep
a-hole at bay), my wife was blaring Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" on the construction radio. Even the cop on site appreciated the irony.