Loud Exhaust?

[Ben]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-10726415

A crackdown on noisy vehicles and is under way in Suffolk.

Police recently carried out a trial of a new type of noise meter with 96 drivers stopped and 68 fined

[Ben]

82 Decibels !! ... nothing's 82 Decibels ...

[Bart]

Ben im sure there is a secondry law that conflicts what you have put mate about noisy exhaust, there was a law intruduced in the late 90's to say that a car canot exceed the db limit from when it was manifactured as it was tested and noted at production.

so cars like the sierra's, golfs etc we run can not be put up against there regulations as our type of cars do not have a db limit from when they were in production.
for example what are the guys going to do who drive around in lamdo's, farraris who's cars will exceed 100db but yet they are standard factury cars.

[Daniel]

I asked my sister about this (she's Norfolk police) and she says that Suffolk police are extremely vigilant on cars and have virtually zero leniency, so watch your backs guys especially around; Ingham, Bury St. Edmunds and Sudbury which are their favourite places to test cars.

[rayman gtir]

I asked my sister about this (she's Norfolk police) and she says that Suffolk police are extremely vigilant on cars and have virtually zero leniency, so watch your backs guys especially around; Ingham, Bury St. Edmunds and Sudbury which are their favourite places to test cars.

i know the bury one, they have a vosa weigh bridge there (nr Risby on the A14) so it would be an ideal place to test the motors, and they test for red diesel in bury truck stop all the time.

[chrislandy]

Ooooh I love these stories. There is so many ways to got out of the fine.

Considering the current db limit during an IVA test is 99db from 0.5m and the SVA limit when I did mine was 105db IIRK.

The test has to be taken at 200mm above the ground, 0.5m and 45deg from the exhaust in an "approved" area which is basically away from additional noise (other traffic) and buildings so the sound does not get reflected. The engine should also be free reved to 2/3rds maximum power revs i.e. (and I had this clarified by the SVA tester) if your maximum torque is at 3000rpm the test should be taken at 2000rpm.

If you've got a more recent car there might be a target db @ x rpm data sheet on their system which you are allowed on an average of 3 tests to be 2db over the target noise limit.

Basically, if they've done the test anythere other than a propper VOSA testing station it's probably invalid

[Harry]

This requires considerable qualification of a) the qualification of the trainer, performasnce outcomes, criteria to measure the performance outcome.b) methodology of testing and aproving body(ie was this an independant test house with qualified accoustic and motor engineers)

We could argue this till the cows come home but there is a serious side to this and that is the long term effect on hearing when subjected to continuos exposure to noise at varing intensities for example H&S legislation identifies 95dbA as a first action point, at this level an inndividual needs to take action for instance wearing ear dcefenders at action level 2 (I think 105dbA it is an offence not to ensure ear protection is employed and engineering solution at source (where the noise is emmitted from, it should be remembered that the noise levels are exponentialy increased and therefore very harmful as the levels rise.

We know that from noise level restrictions at circuits that there is a drive towards lower noise levels (protection at source)

What I beleive is more damaging to hearing and a far greater hazard both to hearing and concentration is those wretched great speakers that vibrate the whole car

Oh well no doubt this will spread to other forces but the testing methodology and appropriate training needs to be ensured

[Stuart]

Viva la mk2

A very interesting thread and some decent contributions too.

[BigFil]

Don't know how I would stand with the car being an import? Would they know what the db should be?

How do you stand with a replacement engine, If you had a vw camper with a porsche engine would they take the readings as the vehicle being a porsche or vw?

Would they know how loud a 9800cc engine should be - I heard that pardon

[Fast Eddy]

Yes, this is high profile in Suffolk. I have had people come up for an idea of their exhaust levels to see if they are at risk. Not had one below 90db yet lol.

The Police down there seem to be making their own laws that people have trouble contesting. It is a real problem for some of them that are probably within the law depending which one you use.

Eddy