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Problem neighbors.

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GSXRunner

Proven Member
160
36
Feb 24, 2013
Queens, New_York
I'm in upstate NY. Today I had a state trooper knock on my door (my wife told me afterwards that the state trooper lives around the block from us). He told me there were neighbors complaining about me driving too fast and "there are little children around here". I explained to him that I wasn't driving any faster than anyone else that lived around here (which is true), but they just think I'm going too fast because it's a 5 speed and me shifting makes it look that way; seems manual transmissions are a dinosaur these days. I was talking with this guy for at least 20 minutes. He went on about the sound of it, telling me it's an illegal exhaust. I told him according to my research before buying it, it was legal to install in NY. He told me it's a modified exhaust and while it will pass inspection, it's still illegal. I asked to see where that law is written, he asks me to walk over to his car; which I did. Then he said he doesn't have that information with him, but if I come down to the station, he would be glad to show it to me; is he lying? I told him I wanted to get a stock exhaust, but they wanted way too much for it and so I bought the 3" catback that's currently on it. This guy actually googled to find mufflers for me. LOL So basically it's now a noise issue.

Anyway, now I'm going to have to be extra careful driving around here. I think if these neighbors are going to be making a stink about the sound of my car, they're hypocrites because around here lawn tractors can be heard all day long almost every day as property sizes are quite big. I know my car isn't louder than a lawn tractor.

Just a little rant to let off some steam. Wondering if anyone else had to deal with this nonsense.
 
Take him on the offer go down to the station. But don't drive your DSM down there. Ask him to show you exactly the statute where it is written. And if the law says loud and excessive exhaust is prohibited, that is open for interpretation. Ask him to show you exactly where it states the decibel limit. My guess is this cop just has a personal issue with you or your car. And is using his title as a form of intimidation. If he does show you in the statute the allowable decibel limit written, go back home and test it out there are apps to record your decibel level. And if your car is over, Just purchase a cheap exhaust baffle insert that you can remove easily from the exhaust tip of your muffler.
 
I can across this on the web. http://www.newyorkcarlaws.com/exhaust-noise/

The following law excerpts are from New York Laws – VAT – Vehicle & Traffic, Title 3 (Equipment), Article 9 – Equipment of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles, Section 375 – Equipment.


Every motor vehicle, operated or driven upon the highways of the state, shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler and exhaust system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise and no such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cut-out, bypass, or similar device. No person shall modify the muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust system of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler or exhaust system originally installed on the vehicle and such original muffler and exhaust system shall comply with all the requirements of this section.

So low and behold there is a statue for it. Apparently there is no specific decibel limit because it would vary between vehicles. I doubt there is a limit recorded somewhere for a 1995 GSX, but who knows. Apparently this law isn't very defined and could possibly be beat in court, but who wants to deal with attorney fees?

I don't want to piss off the neighbors, but if they're going to start to complain about the noise being that lawn tractors are everywhere, then they're being hypocrites. I do have a baffle for it and will install it if it comes to that. I don't really want to though because it restricts flow. I don't think I've heard the last of this cop.

 
You should go rent a new mustang GT and drive it through the neighborhood, and see what Mr State Trooper thinks about that. No doubt that it would be louder in stock form than your modified car.
 
I think if I wind up getting a ticket for the exhaust, I'm going to go and buy one!
 
doubt there is a limit recorded somewhere for a 1995 GSX, but who knows.
New York is pretty strict. What I was saying is in my County/City they have a noise ordinance and every and all vehicles have to stay below a specified decibel level no matter the make or the model. But I have rarely heard of a cop enforcing the rule here. Unless you're running open headers on a small block Chevy... Lol.

You should go rent a new mustang GT and drive it through the neighborhood, and see what Mr State Trooper thinks about that. No doubt that it would be louder in stock form than your modified car.

I was thinking the same thing. But I was thinking more along the lines of a full size turbo diesel truck. Those things are ridiculously loud and annoying.
 
I think if I wind up getting a ticket for the exhaust, I'm going to go and buy one!

What kind of exhaust do you have on your vehicle. Is it one of the Megan Racing or generic eBay brands? If so purchase a Magnaflow or or Dyno Max Muffler that still is free-flowing but muffled and welded in place of existing Muffler. It will quiet it down quite a bit and give it a deeper lower tone. I do this with all of my exhausts because it cuts out the droning and the raspy-ness of the typical straight through can mufflers. They are still high flow but they are larger and offset with more sound deadening material in them. And they just sound much better at WOT in my opinion.
 
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Yeah, mine came with a fart blaster on it. Wasn't really looking for something like that, but I found few cat-back options for my GSX in my budget. I could probably change out the muffler for that one, but I'm certain they'd still complain. I'm surrounded by NIMBY's here and they don't like anything that doesn't conform to their ideals.

I even told the cop I was speaking to that if I did have a quieter exhaust, they'd still complain. He suggested I drive 25 mph. I wanted to tell him to go f*** himself, but you just can't fight authority, so I just laughed at him. The nerve; I'm supposed to alter my driving style (which is already within the speed limit) just to pacify these NIMBY's? Hell no!
 
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