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Seems the FHP has nothing better to do than pull people over for 'Modified exhaust'..

no comment on my exhaust being loud (I was just cruising by slowly when I came up to him). His sole issue was that it was NOT the factory exhaust and has 'a big tip'..

how lame is that?

Anyone ever fight or beat one in Florida?

Is it illegal to have an aftermarket exhaust in Florida?

I have some 6" aluminum pipe I could send you to replace your "big tip" with.

It's just a Greddy EVO exhaust.. the muffler is crome but mostly tucked up. the tip is about 5 inch diameter but the actual opening inside to the muffler is only about 2+ inches..

dude, in cali, you do NOT need a muffler to smog... cause all it does it get rid of SOUND... Cops recently have been acting all punk-assed... seriously, all those rookies right now are pissing up their own legs... not that I hate cops.. my mom works for the local station... but... god-damned. I feel for you. I got a ticket for "being paced at 70" when I did a 2nd gear pass with my EX tranny (doesn't 2nd top at ~55?) to pass this mofo that was doing 23Mph in a 45 for 3 FRIGGEN MILES! The one straightaway I pass him when clear, and right as I was going past, I saw a cop pulled in someones driveway... at the bottom of the hill/straightaway, he pulls me over (I am already pulling off the road, and long story short, writes me a ticket for "being paced" at 70 in a 40 zone.

Funny thing: I pulled over 30 GOD DAMNED feet into the 40 zone.... WTF?

Tell the cop his lightbar didn't come on there from the factory.... it was installed AFTER assembly. Also, he should what he is talking about before he says anything. Also... I don't see any trucks with FLOWMASTERS being pulled over... bring that one up... you can normally get them to admit because it is a honda.

I got a "not factory" ticket for my Thermal R&D exhaust about 5 years ago. I brought documented proof from Thermal that it was within the Cali noise ordinate db limits. I am in NY and the ordinates are the same here for the sound-factor. The ticket got dropped since I had the proof in hand that it was within allowable limits.

Perhaps you can contact Greddy and get their documents regarding that. I am sure they must have something along those lines much like Thermal R&D had (they use magnaflow mufflers).

I mean, Harleys go roaring by and never get tickets... WTF is up with that?!

I know you said the cop said nothing about it being loud but come on, if we can't have aftermarket exhuast on our vehicles, all of those companies will fall by the way-side and there will be a lot of screaming going on by various car groups around the country.

Good luck!

actually, since you mention harleys... I work for a Company called Custom Chrome...

You are only allowed to have one (1) custom modified or build motorcycle in your LIFETIME... because of emissions laws. 1 MSO per lifetime. No exceptions. If you bought a custom frame, and you already have a chopper, you will NEVER be able to register another one ANYWHERE in the US. If you sell your custom chopper, you are NOT ALLOWED a replacement. It would have to be a bike from a manufacturer.

Pretty soon you won't be able to put custom pipes on a harley/motorcycle.

Now... you can't use a RevTech Motor in California legally right now... it would be a ticket because of "EPA standards", shortly to be changed though, paperwork is in the mail.

If you get pulled over with so much as a custom cut/crimped oil line, it is a fine.... you have to have something of OE type, DOT certified. It is now DOT compliant if you make your own brake or oil lines... WTF?

Shit... it is getting harder and harder to "pinp out" your motorcycle while still keeping it legal.

it sounds like the u.s. needs a regime change.
either that or you all need to move to a free(er) country - that type of stupidity has to end in tears.

I beat one of those tickets in Colorado, Unusual exhaust noise was the charge and in the city limits it is illegal to change your exhaust from stock form. I went to the dealer and had them print out the entire exhaust system with pricing, It came out to like 1600.00. I then showed them the amount I paid for my piping and muffler, it was like 400.00. I told them the exhaust had rusted out and needed to be replaced but I could not afford the dealer and the car is 17years old. Also I must not HAVE to go to the dealer because there is alot of exhaust shops in the city limits that used aftermarket parts. When I got pulled over the cop asked if I did my own exhaust I said "yes". It must usually work for him but I brought my "Basic service welding " certificate, which showed I was capable of welding my own exhaust. The officer clamed he was trained in hearing "straight pipe cars" he said they sounded like weed eaters. You should have seen the prosecuting attornys face when he asked me if I thought my car sounded like a weedeater and I asked him a 2stroke or 4 stroke weedeater? Haha , Also go in to the vtec thing, tell them the car will suddenly change exhaust tones through the RPM range and that HONDA did it not you. Just some ideas that I used to beat mine, GOOD LUCK. The problem is there could be a SVT mustang next to you with cherry bombs and they always pull over the tuner car THANKS FAST AND FURIOUS!

I never heard anything about not being able to own more than one custom motorcycle..

Back on topic..

Greddy told me to be sure I have my cat & factory header in place and go to the dealer I bought the exhaust from. They will inspect for leaks and then hand me the paperwork that says it's legit.

Problem is.. my sister had the same deal with her '00 Lude and for 'some reason' the judge still didn't side with it. I will just have to find more info to beat it or get a lawyer.

The ticket he wrote simply states "Operating vehicle with modified exhaust noise abatement device modified"

He cited Fla statute 316.293.5b as the one I violated.

no sound measurement was taken, only digital photos of the back of the car (including the exhaust tip)


Below info copied from http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=316.293&URL=CH0316/Sec293.HTM

316.293 Motor vehicle noise.--

(1) DEFINITIONS.--The following words and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in this subsection, except where the context otherwise requires:

(a) "dB A" means the composite abbreviation for the A-weighted sound level and the unit of sound level, the decibel.

(b) "Gross combination weight rating" or "GCWR" means the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a combination vehicle.

(c) "Gross vehicle weight rating" or "GVWR" means the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle.

(d) "Sound level" means the A-weighted sound pressure level measured with fast response using an instrument complying with the specification for sound level meters of the American National Standards Institute, Inc., or its successor bodies, except that only A-weighting and fast dynamic response need be provided.

(e) "Department" means the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

(2) OPERATING NOISE LIMITS.--No person shall operate or be permitted to operate a vehicle at any time or under any condition of roadway grade, load, acceleration, or deceleration in such a manner as to generate a sound level in excess of the following limit for the category of motor vehicle and applicable speed limit at a distance of 50 feet from the center of the lane of travel under measurement procedures established under subsection (3).

(a) For motorcycles other than motor-driven cycles:
Sound level limit
Speed limit
35 mph or less Speed limit
over 35 mph
Before January 1, 1979 82 dB A 86 dB A
On or after January 1, 1979 78 dB A 82 dB A

(b) For any motor vehicle with a GVWR or GCWR of 10,000 pounds or more:
Sound level limit
Speed limit
35 mph or less Speed limit
over 35 mph
On or after January 1, 1975 86 dB A 90 dB A

(c) For motor-driven cycles and any other motor vehicle not included in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b):
Sound level limit
Speed limit
35 mph or less Speed limit
over 35 mph
Before January 1, 1979 76 dB A 82 dB A
On or after January 1, 1979 72 dB A 79 dB A

(3) MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES.--The measurement procedures for determining compliance with this section shall be established by regulation of the Department of Environmental Protection as provided in s. 403.415(9), in cooperation with the department. Such regulations shall include the selection of measurement sites and measurement procedures and shall take into consideration accepted scientific and professional methods for the measurement of vehicular sound levels. The measurement procedures may include adjustment factors to be applied to the noise limit for measurement distances of other than 50 feet from the center of the lane of travel.

(4) APPLICABILITY.--This section applies to the total noise from a vehicle and shall not be construed as limiting or precluding the enforcement of any other provisions of this chapter relating to motor vehicle mufflers for noise control.

(5) NOISE ABATEMENT EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS.--

(a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or any other noise-abatement device of a motor vehicle operated or to be operated upon the highways of this state in such a manner that the noise emitted by the motor vehicle is above that emitted by the vehicle as originally manufactured.

(b) No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon the highways of the state with an exhaust system or noise-abatement device so modified.

(6) EXEMPT VEHICLES.--The following are exempt from the operation of this act:

(a) Emergency vehicles operating as specified in s. 316.072(5)(a).

(b) Any motor vehicle engaged in a professional or amateur sanctioned, competitive sports event for which admission or entry fee is charged, or practice or time trials for such event.

(c) Any motor vehicle engaged in a manufacturer's engineering, design, or equipment test.

(d) Construction or agricultural equipment either on a job site or traveling on the highways.

(7) VIOLATIONS.--A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

History.--s. 4, ch. 74-110; s. 32, ch. 76-31; s. 2, ch. 78-280; s. 28, ch. 79-65; s. 136, ch. 94-356; s. 16, ch. 97-300; s. 205, ch. 99-248.

318.14 Noncriminal traffic infractions; exception; procedures.--

-edited out non-important BS before and after #6..

(6) The commission of a charged infraction at a hearing under this chapter must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.


So from what I am reading here.. he probably hasn't proved "beyond reasonable doubt" that my exhaust "is above that emitted by the vehicle as originally manufactured".. how can he? I wasn't revving the motor and I was merely idling by below the speed limit when he came behind me.

Heck... I can't even find info stating the sound level of my car in stock form..

They can't require a test after-the-fact, can they?[/i][/u]

Greddy re-neg'ed on what I was told last week... SOB's! I guess I should have gotten the idiots name.

Watch out they might consider the officer as the sound testing device if he has been educated to do so. They do shit like that

reply to above post:

ask them for proved certification of calibration every year....

most mag's like superstreet, ext. have the greddy advertisment in them with the db level chart on it. also, if you read, "b) Any motor vehicle engaged in a professional or amateur sanctioned, competitive sports event for which admission or entry fee is charged, or practice or time trials for such event." that means that if you autocross or drag, that would meet the law!

May I suggest that a discreet, slash-cut, flat black exhaust tip no larger in diameter than necessary would prevent half of the problems with law enforcement. I have yet to figure out the purpose of tips larger than the muffler inlet in the first place.