Modifying to be illegal?

Modifying to be illegal?

Author
Discussion

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
email from Gvt...not had time to watch\read anything yet.

You recently signed the petition “Do not implement proposed new offences for vehicle "tampering"”:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/600954

On Monday 25 April, MPs took part in a debate on vehicle tampering offences, prompted by a petition you signed. The debate was opened by Petitions Committee member Nick Fletcher MP, and Transport Minister Trudy Harrison MP responded for the Government.

Watch the debate:
https://youtu.be/TxV7WyUO9F4

Read the transcript: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-04-25/d...

Read House of Commons Library research on this issue: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-brie...

Opening the debate, Nick Fletcher set out petitioners' concerns, and called on the Government to make sure the proposed new laws are clear about what is meant by 'tampering'. He also said the Government must take steps to ensure the motorsport and classic car sectors are not harmed by these proposals.

Responding to the debate, Transport Minister Trudy Harrison sought to reassure petitioners that the Government does not intend its proposals to prevent legitimate motorsport activities, restoration, repairs or legitimate improvements to vehicles such as classic cars and motorbikes. The Minister said more detail on its plans would be set out in the Government's formal response to its consultation on the Future of Transport, which she said will be published "in the summer".

How petitioners said the proposed offences would affect them
Ahead of the debate, the Committee ran a survey of petitioners asking how these proposed new offences would affect them. We received over 5,600 responses, and a summary was shared with MPs ahead of the debate. Thanks to everyone who took part!

Watch a short video summarising the key findings from the survey:
https://twitter.com/HoCpetitions/status/1518590655...

Read a full summary of what petitioners told us: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/1...

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament
Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference: https://parliament.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?...

Thanks,
The Petitions team
UK Government and Parliament

lb3nson

811 posts

89 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
I’ve read the transcript and it actually seems like it was a sensible and balanced debate!
Certainly sounds like ‘modifying’ as a whole is unlikely to be outlawed. I tend to agree that anything that could be unsafe for autonomous vehicles, or just generally obnoxious like stupid loud exhausts, should have some level of control.

crofty1984

15,860 posts

204 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
lb3nson said:
I’ve read the transcript and it actually seems like it was a sensible and balanced debate!
Certainly sounds like ‘modifying’ as a whole is unlikely to be outlawed. I tend to agree that anything that could be unsafe for autonomous vehicles, or just generally obnoxious like stupid loud exhausts, should have some level of control.
Me too, I was cautiously/naïvely optimistic that grown up people were talking sensibly about something.

CarCrazyDad

4,280 posts

35 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
trails said:
Terminator X said:
From debate yesterday ish:

" I therefore start from the premise that tampering with any part of the system that can increase the original vehicle’s emissions is wrong and should be discouraged. That may include the mapping of cars, which can dump fuel to create popping from the exhaust."

TX.
Brilliant. Thanks VAG shoot
Even though a lot of pops and bangs are from timing retardation and a trickle of fuel rather than dumping 100ML of fuel directly into the exhaust (not sure how some people think these pops work)

CarCrazyDad

4,280 posts

35 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
liner33 said:
Most modern cars have intergrated audio so bye bye aftermarket units, BMW Ecus are very locked down nowadays they require removing and posting off to a specialist to unlock (only place was in Russia) so don’t be under any illusion that it’s coming
Sorry, didn't see this post

As I said sir, everything is crackable

Everything, sooner or later, it may take 6 months, it may take a year

Even the latest generation BMW ECUs can be unlocked for remapping now

bigothunter

11,270 posts

60 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
CarCrazyDad said:
Even though a lot of pops and bangs are from timing retardation and a trickle of fuel rather than dumping 100ML of fuel directly into the exhaust (not sure how some people think these pops work)
Beyond showing off in a loutish manner, what's the attraction of pops and bangs?

CarCrazyDad

4,280 posts

35 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
Some are OK, some are extreme, like anything

My son has some on his M140i, I think they're from the factory, just a few burbles for a second or so, not the gun shots you may think of - I quite like them , makes me feel young again !

In any event, I'm sure the motorists who like their extreme pops and bangs think similarly about some of your preferences - if we all liked the same thing life would be boring.

lb3nson

811 posts

89 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
CarCrazyDad said:
Some are OK, some are extreme, like anything

My son has some on his M140i, I think they're from the factory, just a few burbles for a second or so, not the gun shots you may think of - I quite like them , makes me feel young again !

In any event, I'm sure the motorists who like their extreme pops and bangs think similarly about some of your preferences - if we all liked the same thing life would be boring.
There is a difference between preference and what is socially acceptable though.
Burbles, pops etc are fine at a certain volume or on a racetrack. Some of the aftermarket maps/exhausts/GPF deletes however are just anti-social and annoying, especially at night in built up areas.

CarCrazyDad

4,280 posts

35 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
lb3nson said:
There is a difference between preference and what is socially acceptable though.
Burbles, pops etc are fine at a certain volume or on a racetrack. Some of the aftermarket maps/exhausts/GPF deletes however are just anti-social and annoying, especially at night in built up areas.
That may be true, the loudest car where I live is a Jaguar F Type convertible.
No idea who the owner is but I can hear it coming a mile away, don't know if it's standard or not

There are a few modified cars around (Golf R and the like) and they can make a noise but I tend to hear the sound of the Jag more

All too often these types of discussions crumble into an "anti remap" / "anti modification" debate all while the elderly (myself included) members forget we also put throttle bodies on Mk1 Escorts and did silly things to exhausts as well , only that we didn't have the internet to listen to our neighbours complain on smile

Even with the odd noisy car these days compared to how loud some cars from the 60s/70s/80s were I think the overall trend is towards a quieter street,

Besides most modern cars have switchable exhausts which is great !

otolith

56,147 posts

204 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
There are some really offensive pop and bang maps. Some utter knob in Swindon has an S3 which constantly emits really loud bangs when shuffling in traffic - proper backfires that make people jump.

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
Terminator X said:
From debate yesterday ish:

" I therefore start from the premise that tampering with any part of the system that can increase the original vehicle’s emissions is wrong and should be discouraged. That may include the mapping of cars, which can dump fuel to create popping from the exhaust."

TX.
Full quote...gives a bit more context rather than turning this into tabloid quote..

"We need clarification of what is classed as tampering. Good tampering should not be made an offence. I am a believer in climate change and that we must act to mitigate its worst effects. I therefore start from the premise that tampering with any part of the system that can increase the original vehicle’s emissions is wrong and should be discouraged. That may include the mapping of cars, which can dump fuel to create popping from the exhaust. If a system creates just a little more noise than first intended but does not break current noise regulations, that is fine, but we must have regard to climate change and look after our planet."

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
crofty1984 said:
lb3nson said:
I’ve read the transcript and it actually seems like it was a sensible and balanced debate!
Certainly sounds like ‘modifying’ as a whole is unlikely to be outlawed. I tend to agree that anything that could be unsafe for autonomous vehicles, or just generally obnoxious like stupid loud exhausts, should have some level of control.
Me too, I was cautiously/naïvely optimistic that grown up people were talking sensibly about something.
All seems very reasonable once you read the whole transcript, reassuring it's not just a load of MPs putting the boot in. Steve Baker is certainly after the drivers vote! Some of the comments were mildly amusing too; I for one am glad the 309 Gti didn't get a whale tail smile

A wait of some 'months' before we see anything further then.

Debaser

5,848 posts

261 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
trails said:
I really like the reply from Steve Baker!

lb3nson

811 posts

89 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
Debaser said:
I really like the reply from Steve Baker!
Yes, it’s nice to know he is obviously speaking as ‘one of us’

Nexus Icon

570 posts

61 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
Debaser said:
I really like the reply from Steve Baker!
Me too, and I think he's generally been one of the biggest c***s in the country over the last six or seven years. Weird, huh? The totally fatuous point made by Mike Kane, in reply, made my blood boil, however. I can't think of an unmodified car that couldn't do 80 in a 30, if the driver so desired, so why bring modifying into it?

KarlMac

4,480 posts

141 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
bigothunter said:
Beyond showing off in a loutish manner, what's the attraction of pops and bangs?
The Focus ST (with the Volvo 5pot) did it for cylinder cooling to prevent an issue with the notes going over.

I think a lot of it stems from growing up watching WRCs with wastegate chatter and anti lag has convinced people it sounds cool. Trends seem to be turning now though.

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
Debaser said:
I really like the reply from Steve Baker!
Yes, I was surprised by the passion smile

DodgyGeezer

40,471 posts

190 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
Nexus Icon said:
Debaser said:
I really like the reply from Steve Baker!
Me too, and I think he's generally been one of the biggest c***s in the country over the last six or seven years. Weird, huh? The totally fatuous point made by Mike Kane, in reply, made my blood boil, however. I can't think of an unmodified car that couldn't do 80 in a 30, if the driver so desired, so why bring modifying into it?
'amusingly' (not knowing either of the 2) I made a little bet with myself as to the political allegiances of these two gentlemen. I wasn't wrong

A Winner Is You

24,983 posts

227 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
otolith said:
There are some really offensive pop and bang maps. Some utter knob in Swindon has an S3 which constantly emits really loud bangs when shuffling in traffic - proper backfires that make people jump.
Not just that, there was a Harley rider next to me at the lights today revving his engine and the noise was utterly horrendous. So loud it wasn't just drowning out my stereo but that you could feel the vibrations. That is the type of thing that should be clamped down on. Imagine having to live on the same street as that.

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
quotequote all
A Winner Is You said:
Not just that, there was a Harley rider next to me at the lights today revving his engine and the noise was utterly horrendous. So loud it wasn't just drowning out my stereo but that you could feel the vibrations. That is the type of thing that should be clamped down on. Imagine having to live on the same street as that.
One of my friends mums has Screaming Eagle pipes on her Harley, which are so loud they almost hurt.