Yikes!!! New 2019 California Auto Exhaust Laws
01-09-2019, 06:17 PM
#76
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by Police officer somewhere
The notion that tickets are a "revenue stream" is a bit short-sighted.
A police officer issues a citation. The motorist pays the fine. Now, where does that money go? The easiest assumption would be that it goes back to the department that issued the ticket. Nope, not at all.
The money goes to (most commonly) the county government. Now, all of the facets of the court system - the county attorneys, public defenders, court security deputies, building maintenance...everything down to the staples on the district court docket sheets...has to be paid for. That motorist who plead guilty and paid a $200 fine is also paying for the costs involved in the motorist who decided to fight the ticket in court.
There's no profit whatsoever. If there was, there wouldn't be a need for taxes to help pay the costs involved in running the court system.
Fines are simply the most humane way to penalize somebody for an infraction. We don't cane people, we don't stone them, and we don't put them in pillory in the town square. The courts punish less serious violations by way of inconvenience.
The notion that tickets are a "revenue stream" is a bit short-sighted.
A police officer issues a citation. The motorist pays the fine. Now, where does that money go? The easiest assumption would be that it goes back to the department that issued the ticket. Nope, not at all.
The money goes to (most commonly) the county government. Now, all of the facets of the court system - the county attorneys, public defenders, court security deputies, building maintenance...everything down to the staples on the district court docket sheets...has to be paid for. That motorist who plead guilty and paid a $200 fine is also paying for the costs involved in the motorist who decided to fight the ticket in court.
There's no profit whatsoever. If there was, there wouldn't be a need for taxes to help pay the costs involved in running the court system.
Fines are simply the most humane way to penalize somebody for an infraction. We don't cane people, we don't stone them, and we don't put them in pillory in the town square. The courts punish less serious violations by way of inconvenience.
01-09-2019, 06:17 PM
#77
It is a big misconception that the actual police department gets significant revenue from writing tickets. Out of a $150 ticket, they may get a few dollars after everything is all said and done.
Yes, a large portion goes to the state, but I don't think that'll motivate the police officer to do anything since they don't receive any direct benefit.
Otherwise the state would be hemorrhaging money for all the people who don't use turn signals or stay to the right on a highway.
From asking a police officer a while back:
"If I write a ticket a day, I make the department less than $300 a year." Granted this probably varies a little by region, but it gives you some insight.
Yes, a large portion goes to the state, but I don't think that'll motivate the police officer to do anything since they don't receive any direct benefit.
Otherwise the state would be hemorrhaging money for all the people who don't use turn signals or stay to the right on a highway.
From asking a police officer a while back:
"If I write a ticket a day, I make the department less than $300 a year." Granted this probably varies a little by region, but it gives you some insight.
01-09-2019, 06:22 PM
#78
It is like paying an HOA. Sure it goes back to the community, but does it really? :P Sure they publish all these financial documents, but there's no way to track anything.
01-09-2019, 06:32 PM
#79
Yes of course. But it isn't direct. You have a better chance of driving behavior if there was a direct reward ("Write this exhaust ticket and that $800 of that $1000 goes into this department getting a new big screen TV!"). Bad example, but you get my point.
It is like paying an HOA. Sure it goes back to the community, but does it really? :P Sure they publish all these financial documents, but there's no way to track anything.
It is like paying an HOA. Sure it goes back to the community, but does it really? :P Sure they publish all these financial documents, but there's no way to track anything.
And HOA's, ugh moved out of one 7 years ago. Otherwise a nice neighborhood, the president used his position to keep that damn basketball hoop on the street for his s-h-i-t-t-y kids. Used my driveway for a back court. Today I would have sued the HOA for lost valuation in not enforcing the CC&R's.
01-09-2019, 06:35 PM
#80
Rennlist Member
FasTrak is a big deal up there with your bridges...but I think the bigger issue, and why I said it is overdue, is that people have been driving 'new' vehicles literally for years in CA without any plates mounted at all. With so many vehicles without plates, it is extremely easy for cars stolen or involved in other crimes to blend in undetected. Not to mention gross polluters unable to be registered. All vehicles are now required to have visible, valid registration.
01-09-2019, 08:16 PM
#81
Here's the actual CA code. Note, this is for cars/trucks. If you modify your exhaust and you're over 95db, you're illegal in CA. Motorcycle limit is 80db.
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(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust equipment.
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Vehicle Code 21750. Adequate muffler required
27150. (a) Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.Vehicle Code 27151. Modification of exhaust systems
(a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust equipment.
01-09-2019, 08:25 PM
#82
Rennlist Member
FasTrak is a big deal up there with your bridges...but I think the bigger issue, and why I said it is overdue, is that people have been driving 'new' vehicles literally for years in CA without any plates mounted at all. With so many vehicles without plates, it is extremely easy for cars stolen or involved in other crimes to blend in undetected. Not to mention gross polluters unable to be registered. All vehicles are now required to have visible, valid registration.
And yes, there are a LOT of vehicles rolling dealer placards (my favorite is a four-generation ago A4 on Sonnen plates that are disintegrating) or no plates up here, too...
01-09-2019, 08:25 PM
#83
01-09-2019, 08:59 PM
#84
If it’s not about money, then why is the prosecutor so quick to accept a “I’ll pay extra but don’t let it appear on my driving record” deal so readily?
also there are many investigations that found that many departments are funded largely by traffic enforcement. One that comes to mind is a county in Virginia that had a crazy % like 55%. A rule was put in place after that put a cap on the portion of revenue that is allowed to come from traffic citations, just to curb that behavior.
also there are many investigations that found that many departments are funded largely by traffic enforcement. One that comes to mind is a county in Virginia that had a crazy % like 55%. A rule was put in place after that put a cap on the portion of revenue that is allowed to come from traffic citations, just to curb that behavior.
01-09-2019, 09:05 PM
#85
01-09-2019, 09:40 PM
#86
Rennlist Member
Here's the actual CA code. Note, this is for cars/trucks. If you modify your exhaust and you're over 95db, you're illegal in CA. Motorcycle limit is 80db.
================
(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust equipment.
================
Vehicle Code 21750. Adequate muffler required
27150. (a) Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.Vehicle Code 27151. Modification of exhaust systems
(a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust equipment.
01-10-2019, 03:07 AM
#87
Any mod to the emissions control is illegal, it's as has been stated, there's no enforcement because most LE agencies are too busy with service calls.
Sense quite a bit of entitlement here, it's OK, to yourself, to remove your cats or controls for your personal pleasure, however, you're polluting with noise and gases more that others that have left their engines legal. If your actions affect me adversely, don't expect me to approve of what you're doing.
If you get caught with an illegal mod and you have to pay the price, it's on you. You already have have a car that in stock form runs like the wind and makes a nice bit of noise, for me I'm satisfied with what I'll have and leave it stock.
I live right beside a scenic, gently curving 2 lane road beside a river, narrow, with trees within inches of the road, the speed limit is 20 MPH. Because of the scenery, we have walkers, joggers, bicyclists, motorcyclists and drivers up and down the road at all hours. Some of those using the road seem to think that they are entitled to do what they want, speed 20, 30 MPH over the limit, many with aftermarket exhaust, blow though stop signs (bicyclist are the worst, particularly the Tour de France wanna-be groups). The motorcycle riders aren't much better, particularly the two who died right in front of my house when they went off the road and ran into trees (I found bits of the plastic from their cycles on the ground for some time).
If any of those here that want the "right" to make as much noise/emissions as you want, maybe you should think about others and how you affect them.
Sense quite a bit of entitlement here, it's OK, to yourself, to remove your cats or controls for your personal pleasure, however, you're polluting with noise and gases more that others that have left their engines legal. If your actions affect me adversely, don't expect me to approve of what you're doing.
If you get caught with an illegal mod and you have to pay the price, it's on you. You already have have a car that in stock form runs like the wind and makes a nice bit of noise, for me I'm satisfied with what I'll have and leave it stock.
I live right beside a scenic, gently curving 2 lane road beside a river, narrow, with trees within inches of the road, the speed limit is 20 MPH. Because of the scenery, we have walkers, joggers, bicyclists, motorcyclists and drivers up and down the road at all hours. Some of those using the road seem to think that they are entitled to do what they want, speed 20, 30 MPH over the limit, many with aftermarket exhaust, blow though stop signs (bicyclist are the worst, particularly the Tour de France wanna-be groups). The motorcycle riders aren't much better, particularly the two who died right in front of my house when they went off the road and ran into trees (I found bits of the plastic from their cycles on the ground for some time).
If any of those here that want the "right" to make as much noise/emissions as you want, maybe you should think about others and how you affect them.
01-10-2019, 08:24 AM
#88
Drifting
You've got some serious smog issues in Cali.. so this makes sense..
01-10-2019, 10:59 AM
#89
Rennlist Member
On the list of cars to target, a high-end car with out-of-country plates is likely at the bottom. I'll call it now: when I head to Cali next month with my RS, I won't receive a single noise-related infraction.
01-10-2019, 02:29 PM
#90
What happens if your OEM exhaust is over 95db stock? You have to convince the officer or someone at an inspection station (who has probably never seen a Porsche exhaust system) that "the car comes that way!" As long as I'm going to Laguna I'll keep the track nanny installed and I think it's got a switch setting that will keep the valves closed or at the very least one could quickly program a quiet zone at the inspection station.