Well my third time now, however this time the officers were not the most hospitable people on earth.

I changed the oil and oil filter earlier today so decided I would fill the car up with fuel and put some miles on the engine with the fresh oil. Did a few laps around Milton Keynes and then made the fatal mistake of driving back home through the city centre.

I didn't realise however I was being followed by police in their unmarked Vectra, this went on for a good 3 miles. Being paranoid I thought I was being followed by some car theives so I did a few turns here and there, about 1/2 a mile from my house and I pull over into a layby, sure enough they pull over and I spot the police stop sign on their parcel shelf.

I got told to leave the car running, pop my bonnet so they could look in the engine bay, thankfully the engine bay looked standard however I was then told that police are clamping down on modified cars.. wtf?!

The female officer then told me to sit in the police car while she went over to my exhaust and did a sound check with some device. Came back and told me the exhaust was illegal so I would be getting fined £30.00 for that and if they stopped me again I would be getting fixed points.

I was being as calm as possible and answering every question, so I asked them what is legal now and I was told quite bluntly "unless the exhaust is a factory fit exhaust, has STi or Subaru stamped on it it is illegal".

So chaps that means any aftermarket exhaust is illegal regardless of how much noise it makes. I said fair play I will get the exhaust changed asap and the female officers turns around and says "I would be very surprised if you get an aftermarket exhaust that is quiet on that car"... I wanted to say look dumbass there are exhausts out there that are as quiet as factory items but thought **** it, no point getting into more trouble.

But the icing on the cake was when the male officer (who was writing out the ticket) turns around and says "It would be a fair comment to say you can't afford to drive this car otherwise you would have replaced the exhaust by now?"... LOL, what a ****, I asked him how much he earns but he wouldn't say so I quite sumgly said "I bet I earn both of your salaries combined"... haha they were not impressed.

So wtf is going on, new laws being introduced or two coppers being a little to eager at their jobs? If I am hearing this right, it is illegal to own any modified car full stop unless it's completely bone stock factory spec?

If this is the case then I am going to serious consider getting rid of the car, not worth the hassle now, can't enjoy anything in this ****ed up country anymore unless you drive a 2 by 2 tin box with a generic badge.

 

The Law in this country sucks, seems your just a top-up on the police forces swipe card. They're not intrested in real criminals as its too harder work for them.
Don't let them get to ya.

 

think they had nothing better to do! wasting your time, instead of catch criminals, wtf is this country coming to??? it makes me mad!!!!!!!

 

It can't be illegal, or how do classic car owners go on? What about a 1964 Jaguar E-tpe? Can't buy an exhaust from Jag they don't make em anymore, so you have no choice but to buy aftermarket!

Write to your chief constable (Buckinghamshire Constabulary I assume?) and ask for this new legislation in writing. Make sure you put the PC's numbers n your letter and you may find you get an apology.......

 

**** me - that's a similar car that stopped me last time I was in MK, and again I thought they were a bunch of car jackers - they must do it on purpose!!!!

Anyhoo, they said I was doing over 100 MPH but the vascar couldn't lock on in time (keep up next time boyos )


to be honest they where really nice and didn't even give the legacy a second glance in spite of the loud trust exhaust!!

 

mate i MAKE exhausts for a living, NONE of the aftermarket stuff made by euroflo, bensons, timax(arvin), bosal or walker have ANY marks on them and the benson ones car be quite loud anyway

also a RECENTLY FITTED exhaust will be louder until the carbon has plugged up the silencers alittle ( takes 500 miles to run in a exhaust )

they are making it up and talking ****e,, the only NONE road legal exhausts are ones STAMPED with " not road legal " like the bikes have

anything else then its a vehicle defect 7 day form to be fixed

you just been screwed over by the law im afraid

also IMPORTS have different rules too !!!

 

I would imagine the exhaust thing is a non-starter. It's always struck me as strange that I can put any exhaust on my car and as long as it passes emissions testing then no worries, but on my bike it must be E-marked (and therefore quiet) to say it complies with European regs. Put an exhaust without the E-mark on the bike and it fails MOT regardless of anything else. As the car has passed an MOT with that exhaust I'd tell the pigs to take it up with VOSA if they have a problem unless you've got other reasons not to upset them. Half the coppers around these days talk out of their backsides whenever it suits their standpoint (no offence intended to the other half who may well be very pleasant individuals). Your two were most likely on a fishing trip.
Kevin

 

This has been posted on here before.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, there are NO Exhaust Noise levels etc.

Just Plod cracking down.

If I were you, I'd get advice about this.

I'm pretty sure they are in the wrong!!

Good Luck.


Regards


Alan MaC


PS Unless it has STI stmped on it, it's illegal, yeah right!!

 

A couple of jobs worth people there I'm afraid mate.

I only wish I had the time to do small things like that in a similar job that I do for the Police.

G

 

as long as your replacement parts are stamped with a british standard mark then you are fine, you also must have your insurance up to date with all the mods. cant see what the problem is. although if you have de-catted the car then you effectively cant pass a road side emmisions test so that is illegal

 

there IS a noise level limit,,, the rule THATS DONE BY VOSA ON MOT's is if the exhaust is excessivly loud compared to other vehicles of the same type

meaning that scoobies/tvr's/ old mustangs all are loud DUE TO THE ENGINE FITTED TO IT that unless its ALOT louder/out of the ordinary then its fine

seriously my company are one of the larges distributers of exhaust systems in the uk, we sell pattern exhausts to kwick fit, part co, GSF, grays tyres ect ect ect

so i need to be aware of this for my job

 

not true, exhausts dont have the same E mark test as other parts, most of ours are made in italy and we ONLY have a 6 digit code thats the part number on them

exhausts on cars are not the same as bikes !

the clio exhausts we sell and freelander exhaust we sell sound like ****ing cherry bombs when there first fitted !!!

 

you try telling this to 2 jobsworth coppers, id be inclined to tell them to shove the ticket and if they want to serve it bring it to my address with an inspector and a copy of the legislation they are issuing it on.

would it work though?

 

I was asked "And it passed the MOT like that?" - wtf were they trying to imply?

Well I am going to go pay the fine and I will be writing a letter to get exact details of this so called law.

Would be nice if any scooby owning officers could clarify, if I continue to drive with my exhaust as it is can they fine me with fixed penalty points?

When I stated I had a baffle for exhaust but it was not in there because it's due to get fixed (needs rewelding) the female officer replied "even with the silencer it's illegal unless it's a factory fit exhaust".

What a sht way to end the day

 

didnt mean just exhausts as he was on about modified cars, didnt the police in scotland prosecute a few drivers for the prodrive ppp exhaust?

imagine what they would of done if they had found a dump valve fitted

 

you have the right to appeal and just need proof, the problem with this country is the law only looks after the rich,,, the poor people cant get a good defence and get screwed over

my missus was dont for dangerous driving when she went to court the road was the WRONG NAME as it never exsisted and the judge said that he can see its ment to be " other " road as he lives near there,,,,,,,, even though she was driving on the road that crosses over it,,,, the judge said " whats in question is the offence,,,,,, not what the street name is ",,,,,, but she was asked how she pleaded to the summons,,,,, which she was NOT GUILTY OF

wasnt that bothered though as she was only on a privisional and she couldnt rememer if it was me driving the cossie or her with me in the passenger seat so it worked out ok,,, well sort of

 

So an Impreza Turbo with a sports cat and straight through centre section/backbox is NOT ALOT louder than one with a standard exhaust system? Methinks it certainly is, and both cars will pass the MOT all other things being equal. My car just passed at my local Subaru dealer and sitting in the showroom I knew exactly when they started it to run the test, something I wouldn't have known if it still had the standard exhaust.
Kevin

 

just cause a street copper gives you a fine dont mean they dont make mistakes interpreting the law, same with parking fines being given out illegally,,,,,, it DOES happen ALOT<<<<<< A AWFUL LOT,,,,, i should know as i used to train them for a living and seen what they all got up to

NEVER accept a fine IF YOU DONT BELIVE ITS TRUE !

i was tugged for speeding and the copper spoke to me in a way so I would confess to speeding,,,,,,, he accused me of doing more than i was,,, i carried on telling him i was doing MAX 30,,,, he tried to get me to confess i was doing 40,,,,, as if we was friends type speak but i wouldnt,,,, then he tried the old " on my calibrated speedo" line,,,,,, IT WAS A FORD TRANSIT MEAT WAGON !!!

i told him i was a mechanic at fords and my workshop services them and i KNOW theres no calibration on the speedos as there FORD PARTS unlike the electrics,,,,,, he shut up and ****ed off,,,,,,, ever since i was done for telling a copper i forgot to put my seatbelt on when i was tugged i will never admit to ANYTHING !!!

 

Anyone in MK with tinted windows check this link out......

Current press releases

Andy

 

technically any aftermarket zorst is illegal. Dont get me wrong i have one fitted on mine, as the OP rightly said in a previous post 'this country is fcukd.

Some light bed time reading for ya
ANNEX I
PROVISIONS FOR EC TYPE-APPROVAL IN RESPECT OF THE
SOUND LEVEL OF A TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE
2.1.1. Vehicles intended for the carriage of passengers,
and comprising not more than nine seats including
the driver's seat
74dB


Taken from
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...70705:EN:PD F

So it looks like, from this that 74dB is the max??

All we need now is a group buy on decibel meters ;-)

Also found this on PH
C&U Regulation 55 deals with noise and lays down the required limits for every different type of car. It refers extensively to the EC Directive on noise (and this obviously changes depending on the age of the vehicle) but the limits vary between about 89 dB(A) and 92dB(A). The important thing, however, is that the Directive measures noise as a "drive-by" test with the car moving and the noise meter much further away than the "static" SVA noise test. It would be practically impossible for the plod to take these measurements as you need a test track with a special surface.

 

no a aftermarket exhaust is not alot louder on idle than 2 B&M cats amd a rear section made by euroflo,,,,,, i know this as I SELL THE ****ING THINGS

this aint some internet no it all,,,, THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING !, IM INCHARGE OF DEALING WITH THE ISSUES/FAULTS OF ALL THE PARTS WE GET MADE FOR US

IMPORTS also have different rules too,,,, but the bottom line is aslong as its full sealed, has the CORRECT cats fitted to it and NOT EXCESSIVLY louder than the other scoobies on the road then its road legal

considering that after 5 years most dealers stop making exhausts and even MORE dealers just buy them from my company ( or others ) due to the costs of factory systems,,,,,, and not to mention that i my company sells 300k a month worth of exhausts all of which are louder than the main dealers and i PERSONALLY answer 200 calls a day about exhausts and50% of them are to do with fitment issues,,,,,,,,,

i like to THINK i know what im talking about

whats YOUR experience on this ????

 

Lets face it though - even a Magnex back box is plenty louder that the std pea shooter so i would say that going by your rules, 90% of aftermarket exhausts are illegal - on the basis that the magnex item is one of the quieter ones!

 

[QUOTE=finalzero;7806467]
But the icing on the cake was when the male officer (who was writing out the ticket) turns around and says "It would be a fair comment to say you can't afford to drive this car otherwise you would have replaced the exhaust by now?"... LOL, what a ****, I asked him how much he earns but he wouldn't say so I quite sumgly said "I bet I earn both of your salaries combined"... haha they were not impressed.


I love it when people stick it to the cops!!!!

Well done matey!!

 

[QUOTE=happy dude;7806616]
i once told 2 coppers they better behave as my taxes paid there wages................................. spent a good night in cells for that

 

my mate once got lippy with a copper when drunk AND THE SAID COPPER BENT HIS THUMB BACK AND BROKE HES THUMB !!!

remember that when you getting a little fresh with them, my mate was the one who seperated me and the other bloke up from fighting,,, hes thumb is deformed too due to the way it snapped

 

Right I have 7 days to pay the fine so I am going to talk to a solicitor first thing tomorrow and find out where I stand on this matter.

 

I wonder how many of the 39% of accidents that involved people not seeing hazards involved cars with tinted windows, and how many were caused by people just not paying bloody attention to what they're doing.

Obviously bollocks to the other 61% of accidents that were caused by people simply driving like turds.... but why bother trying to catch bad drivers when you can so easily throw tickets around by simply measuring something.

 

BBC - Action Network - Noisy car exhausts

On reading these comments you should have your car crushed. You boy racing, non seatbelt wearing, drug dealing yob.

I'm to sick to death of these police ***** who fanny about while there are real criminals comitting crimes. Just think when the new age copper retires his achievement will be. This guy issued 15,000 speeding tickets. And we pay for these ****** pensions as well. And they retire early due to stress of issuing speeding tickets.

 

Here is what the ticket says:

Offence Code: CU93 - DRIVER CAUSING EXCESSIVE NOISE

 

Ah, the copper was talking bollox here as well, says 28 days to pay the fine on the back of the ticket...

What a tosser, ruined my evening