What is the law for exhuast noise on the streets?

[SXS]

Any ideas? I think someone said a while back it was around 160db?

[flashheart]

Wife is a copper and we spent ages looking for this. Section 13 should just about do you. 'At 3/4 rpm at which the engine produces max pwr, the noise measured at 0.5m from the exhaust outlet at 45 degree to the axis of the outlet pipe in a horizontal plane shall not exceed 101db(A)'. Hope this is what you need. This is 2001 legislation, don't know if there is anything more recent.

www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2001/20010025.htm

Cheers

Flash

Edited to change the reference as the first one I gave was out of date


>> Edited by flashheart on Saturday 25th September 21:53

[trooper1212]

flashheart said:

Wife is a copper and we spent ages looking for this. Section 13 should just about do you. 'At 3500 rpm the noise measured at 0.5m from the exhaust outlet at 45 degree to the axis of the outlet pipe in a horizontal plane shall not exceed 101db(A)'. Hope this is what you need, don't know if there is more recent legislation. <a href="http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19963013_en_7.htm#sdiv2">www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19963013_en_7.htm#sdiv2</a>

Isn't that the legislation to pass SVA though? I thought that there was no official limit, only "too loud" if a copper wants to pull you over.


>> Edited by trooper1212 on Saturday 25th September 22:06

[flashheart]

You are spot on Neil. Wifey says that if she is out on the beat and decides that an exhaust is too noisy (subjective I know) she can pull the vehicle over and issue a VDRS (Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme) if it appears that the exhaust is defective or has been modified. You then have to take it to an MOT garage and get them to sign the form to say that it complies with the law. You then take the completed form to a Police Station and plod lets you go. Of course the problem lies with what the garage decide is ok. We need a reply from an MOT tester to see what guidance they are given. She adds that the Police are primarily looking for a defect or modification (or if you drive a wide-boy Nova with phat exhaust).

[FourWheelDrift]

Pardon?

[flashheart]

And if you really want some light bedtime reading have a butchers at this for the international report on it:

www.i-ince.org/data/Final%20report%202001.pdf

Wow, it is Saturday night and we are both surfing for noise legislation. How sad can a married couple get!?

>> Edited by flashheart on Saturday 25th September 22:42

[roop]

Are you sure...? 160dB is loud if measured at the standard 1m. The human threshold of pain is something like 140dB...

I think that if it seems too loud it probably is and you get nicked. Not sure if thius applies to a stock exhaust, only modded ones...?

[quote=SXS ]Any ideas? I think someone said a while back it was around 160db?[/quote]

[shadowninja]

roop said:

Are you sure...? 160dB is loud if measured at the standard 1m. The human threshold of pain is something like 140dB... I think that if it seems too loud it probably is and you get nicked. Not sure if thius applies to a stock exhaust, only modded ones...? [quote=SXS ]Any ideas? I think someone said a while back it was around 160db?

[/quote]



160dB is stupidly loud. That's SPL competition level for banks of subs etc!!

Anyway I can't see any MOT place failing a loud exhaust... certainly my 115dB one gets through fine.

[FourWheelDrift]

SXS said:

Any ideas? I think someone said a while back it was around 160db?

I think it was the answer to the question "How loud before my ears bleed?"