Hey guys

I'm currently running a tanabe medalion touring, catless, on my Evo IX.

The other night I was doing some logging with my car, and when I got back I was letting the car idle outside on my driveway.

Sure enough, one of the neighbors, who chose to remain anonymous, called the police complaining about the noise.

As I was going out for one more log, a cop swung over (was waiting for me) and pulled me over. He gave me a loud muffler ticket (not a fix it), even though my muffler's really not that loud. I was talking to him, and he was very apologetic but he said because of the two anonymous noise complaints he had to write up something. He agreed that it wasn't that loud, but it was about 12am and the neighborhood was dead silent.

He also said that it is illegal in Illinois to have an aftermarket muffler that is louder than your stock muffler. Is this right? I don't know the exact decibels on each, but the medalion does boast being one of the quieter ones.

What can I do? Can I fight this in any way? Or should I stop being a cheap *** and pay the ticket?

Thanks guys!

 

If you have any paperwork stating its CARB legal, bring that with you and try contesting the ticket. What I would do is install a HFC and/or a secnodary muffler to silence the exhaust a bit more.

 

But if I show up at court they're not gonna all come outside to see how loud the car is are they?

 

No they wont. LOL, what I said about the HFC is just for future notices.

 

Yea I don't have any paperwork. I wasn't even gonna drive my car to court actually. Does the same thing apply like in speeding tickets where if the cop doesn't show up it gets thrown out?

Honestly I didn't get the ticket cuz I have a loud muffler. I got the ticket because it was the only noise around at midnight.

 

I've never heard your car, but if someone was doing WOT pulls by my house (I assume this is what you meant by logging) I would probably call the cops, too.

Pay the ticket (it's probably only $75 right?), forget about it, and next time be smarter about where you log (read: don't **** where you sleep).

FYI, here is the law. You're pretty much boned unless you're going to try and argue your exhaust is actually quieter than stock:
625 ILCS 5/12-602. Mufflers, prevention of noise
Sec. 12-602. Mufflers, prevention of noise. Every motor vehicle driven or operated upon the highways of this State shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler or exhaust system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise. No such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device. No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all the requirements of this Section. ---

 

^^ Yep, the law states that any modification is illegal. Pretty stupid really. I know my current setup with the new tune is friendlier to the atmosphere as it's not super rich!

I got one awhile back and it was pretty bogus as mine is not that loud. I put my OEM catback on, took pictures, and took it to a local TLC (Traffic Law Center). They took care of it and it got dismissed. In reality perhaps I could have just sent in old pictures; haha. But I did have them dated. I left the catback on the rest of last winter and have since avoided that stretch of road.

 

wasn't logging near the house, it was for idling in the driveway, after logging. but yea thanks for that info ! I guess I'll just cough it up

 

OT - do you like the Tanabe exhaust? I've been thinking seriously about getting it....

 

That loud exhaust stuff is such a load of crap. When I used to have a harley I put the loudest exhaust on it I could find. I was never stopped, in fact the police always drove right next to me and seemed to nod in approval. I realize it was an annoyed neighbor who made the call but that rule only seems to be enforced when it comes to imports. good luck

 

Thanks man

 

Take this for what its worth... I got pulled over for a loud exhaust last year (only a $30 city ticket or whatever so I just paid it). The cop asked if I had any questions when he was done so I asked him "how loud is too loud?" His answer was "anything modified."

 

And he was right.

One thing that some of you may not realize, that I was shocked to learn, a 3 DB increase in volume of your exhaust is a 200% increase in noise. So while it may only seem like a few decibels, it's a lot louder.

Also, bikes, cars and farm machinery all fall under different guidelines when it comes to noise emissions. Living within 3/4 mile of a state road I would love for enforcement of all noisy vehicles to happen equally.

 

I mean all that I get. Im just saying the point is I was idling, relatively quietly. It just happened to be at night, and my neighbors are such babies that instead of calling me they call the cops, anonymously, and now i have some bull**** ticket on my hands. I've driven next to cops and they havent so much as batted an eye because of anything my car was doing

 

I understand where you're coming from on that one, but with how irrational some people are now a days I'm not surprised your neighbor just called the cops. It's the path of least resistance.