B16b2b

i just got a ticket driving home through a small town the other night.(bedford,va) anyways, it was for "improper exhaust" law section 46.2-1049. he didn't say that the exhaust was TOO LOUD, he just said that my exhaust had to be run like the factory exhaust, or basically b/c it isn't factory, it is illegal. SURELY that isn't right is it?

i have a buddy club spec3. i know it isn't the quietest exhaust out there...BUT it was late AND my wife was with me, so the butt plug was IN!!!! and he still pulled me for it. he had to make a u turn, after we passed each other making left-hand turns through an intersection from a red light!!! unbelieveable!!! small town state troopers i guess

anyways, does anyone know where i can access the actual laws that he cited to me 46.2-1049....and how i should plead my case?

i was thinking that i would ask the court about the officer's decibel reading training, and find out how he could have known that my exhaust was "improper" without a closer examination of it....i run a cat, and as far as i know, the state inspection thingy says you don't even need a muffler if you don't have any leaks, and run a cat, you're legal as long as you're not over the decibel limit. i think....

i would also ask to submit the car to a decicel meter test to see if it was legal, and maybe bore the court into throwing out the charge...

my court date is this monday,
what do you guys know bout all that???

10seconds

take a video clip of the exhaust with the butt plug in and show the court how quiet it is....then ask them what is illegal about it.....size does not matter. A harley or any 5.0 mustnag is louder. More then liky the judge will not give a **** about any evidence you bring and still make you pay the $50 dollar ticket...atleast it is $50 here.

steve

B16b2b

i'm hoping that if i go in there and present my side professionally, and courteously, that they will dismiss the charge, BUT i heard the judge doesn't really give a damn anyways

BTW the court costs are $47, and the ticket it $30. so if it is dismissed, don't i still have to pay court costs?

leprechan117

it has nothing to do with sound in va, if you modify anything after you head its illegal. my friend got a ticket for his stock si exhaust, cause the cop said it wasnt "stock". he argued it and got it thrown out, only because it was actually stock. it isnt just a small town thing, i live in charlottesville, and the cops have a list of people to pull over, they know who has what. no joke at all, the guy with the exhaust, the cop had the ticket filled out before he even went up to his car, he went up and sai "here you go mr. ***, the ticket is this much". they suck now.

and yes, youll still have to pay the court fees, just not the fine

shawnhayes

Sorry. You're screwed.

Natural Bridge cops pull this stunt all the time. If it didn't come from a dealer, or your local Midas shop (and you have a receipt), you're done for.

They CAN make it stick.

Shawn

Turbo Powa

exactly.... I had to go to court a few months back. Case was dismissed with the quickness. Guess what? Two months later I get another one and I explain to the cop that my case was dismissed from last time. Had no papers to prove it but the cop was an ***. I know for sure it will be dismissed agian. Dont sweat it. Be nice to the judge and it will be fine. Also ask for a copy that the case was dismissed so next time you get pulled over for the same thing you have something to show.

Boosthead

I was given a ticket for my thermal exhaust on my accord. The explanation I received in court was that a ticket can be written for anything other than an OEM system in good working condition. Even an OE replacement exhaust from "name an autoparts store" is technically in violation of the law. Enforcement of this law is the sole discretion of the officer and is complete BS.

leprechan117

yup Va sucks, its just like the "your car is to low" ticket. ive never seen them measure, they just decide if they think its to low.

onefastex

they try and pull that in MD, well at leats they used to....but stopped, cause they where all fix it tickest and the state troopers where tired of sigin off after the inspection was done...they tried to tell me it was a modified exhaust...so i came back with, well oficer its not modified its a replacement and meets carb and sound laws...so i ended up with a warning and "Well...its still to loud...blah blah blah" , here in delaware the only thing the get epople for is those GREAT hood pisser lights LMAO

B16b2b

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shawnhayes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

If it didn't come from a dealer, or your local Midas shop (and you have a receipt), you're done for.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

why would the local midas shop be a permissable alternative?

i HAVE a legal catalytic converter, and every other required part, so i'm thining that's what i'll try to argue....excuse me, PRESENT

EEK

**** after the 2nd ticket by the same officer they make you take your exhaust off or your car will be impounded, seen it happen already

B16b2b

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 10seconds &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">take a video clip of the exhaust with the butt plug in and show the court how quiet it is....then ask them what is illegal about it.....size does not matter.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i'm driving down there with my car....

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 10seconds &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> A harley or any 5.0 mustnag is louder.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

i know that, but if i go that route it will not come accross very well in court....

B16b2b

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EEK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">**** after the 2nd ticket by the same officer they make you take your exhaust off or your car will be impounded, seen it happen already</TD></TR></TABLE>

hopefully i could bank AGAINST that possibility by staying on 460 and going around bedford next time ....something told me i should've stayed straight.....

B16b2b

i know this saound WAAY ghetto....but has anyone (with a silencer equipped muffler) put foreign material in the silencer to quiet it down anymore??? i'm just thinking that if i can actually persuade the judge into having someone listen to my car (if that's the reason the cop offers..."noise pollution") that it will be extra quiet!!

idle sounds stock...
revving up gets farty...
revving down sounds broken up...

you know it will be downtown so it will echo off of everything in the town!!!

B16b2b

anybody know the actual law??? like you could quote or paraphrase that section of the VA law book(s) to me???

EKen9

yes the law says you can't modify the exhaust at all, you are screwed trust me I've been through it

B16b2b

hopefully not... italked to a friend today who just recently obtained his state inspection license....he double-checked the exaust section for me....
it said (paraphrased) that :

-you have to run a cat,
-and the exhaust must exit from the rear of the car.

not running a muffler is ok as far as inspections go, as long as there are no leaks, and except for the fact that you will be pulled for an exhaust that is too loud on the street. so it's kind of a catch 22.

ANYWAYS, armed with that information, i hope to be successful on monday morning. i'll have a direct quote form the inspection book in hand, in court.

i'll let you guys know what happens....