Anybody have any good advice or experience.

The said he stopped me for I quote "Having a Super Modified Exhaust" When I asked what qualified it as a "Super" modified exhaust he said that it is illegal to have an exhaust that again I quote "Does not have that little thingy that goes inside" LOL I know he was talking about the baffle but when I questioned him on what he was talking about all he could call it was "The little thingy" I was driving at highway speed 60mph in 5th gear. The car is very mellow at that speed. Around 2400 rpm.

Now the RCW he sited me on states you can not modify your exhaust to amply the sound ommitted to be louder than factory.

Here is my thinking. How does he know what the factory sound output of my exhaust is? He didn't decible test the exhaust to prove that it is a certain level. He had nothing to use as a gauge to determine it was louder than factory. He only had a visual of the exhaust. He took a picture from the direct back of the car. Nothing showing the muffler or anything underneath the car.

The other thing is that the exhaust I have does not even allow for a baffle. There is not one available for it and there is no way to mount one in the exhaust (no screw hole in the tip to secure one).


So obviously I am going to contest it and I think I have a pretty good case cause the cop couldn't even tell me in clear terms why my exhaust was illegal but wanted to see what some of your experience has been with handling these in court.

 

Yes, my friend (MTRJunior) just posted a thread for exhaust tickets as well. ITs his third 400 dollar ticket and he is having to go to court for it, plus seems like that cop couldn't really be specific on what he meant by "illegal exhaust" or just coudln't come clear about what really classified the exhaust as illegal. I say you fight it. He cant stop you and just by giving a quick look on the exhaust and come to a conclusion that the exhaust is illegal for not having a flange that opens and closes on the inside. Plus, we cant let these cops take advantage of us, especially when they do not really know what they are talking about, although some might know something, but we are really the ones that know what we have on our cars. Good luck with everything!

 

Just because the cop doesn't know the out's of an exhaust doesn't make them any more legal.

The RCW does state that any modification to the exhaust that amplifies the sound above factory level is illegal.

 

Not disputing that

The car is very quiet at that speed in that gear. Quiet enough that it does not amplify as the RCW states. He pulled me over because he saw a big tip, not cause he heard anything.

Also even with what the RCW says they have to prove that my exhaust does amplify sound. How did he do that? A picture does not provide sound evidence that it does. Nor is the officer's testimony that a larger exhaust tip which is all that he pictured prove that my exhaust is louder because from my experience in court on other issues officer testimony can not be considered expert testimony so if they dont require me to get a sound level test done they have nothing to prove its louder than factory.


The biggest problem that everyday citizens face with regard is the law is they take what they read as literal law. Yes that is what the law says but law like many other things is up to interpertion to a large extent in both directions.

 

When I was up in Spokane with my Evo, I was pulled over by an officer who stated that a new rcw allowed them to ticket for any exhaust other than stock, and that it was passed in like november of last year. He never actually cited me, but he did pull me over and give me a bunch of crap about it.

I've had a few officers tell me that it is possible, though usually they are using it as an excuse to pull you over so that they may find something else. This is down here in Vancouver however, and I know that the cops up in Spokane are a lot more bored than the officers down here are.

 

when i was pulled over for my exhaust, they told me that any exhaust other than stock was illegal. cars are not loud from the factory and we all know this. i think the 350z is quite loud from factory. if he heard your exhaust over the highway noise that pretty much told him it was louder than factory.

I complaint is motorcycles. they don't seem to get pulled over ever. every harley owner has lound pipes on them and it makes me sick that we get pulled over more than them!!!

 

No kidding

 

Oh I agree that if he heard it than yeah I'm busted. But thats what I'm arguing. Its that flippin quiet. The sound of my tires drownds out my exhaust when cruising on the highway. If he had his windows up, which he did there is no way.

Oh well. I'm going to still contest it.

 

Oh yeah the annoys the #^#@!#$%@#%@#$% out of me! I have harleys that are rattling the doors off of my car right next to cops, and NOTHING!

 

NO! NO! You don't live in Spokane where the Sherrif's Department has a fleet of Harley Davidson Police Bikes that rumble down the road as they ride.

How *** backwards is that!

 

just pay the stupid ticket it's like 55 bucks that what i would do

 

true story, a month ago, i got pulled over 3 mins away from my house for "modified exhaust" he told me that he wasnt pulling me over for "the noise" just because it was "modified" he even did thoose gay bunny ear quote things with his fingers. excatly 6 days later, my brother in law took my car up to a wedding in boston with my sister, on the way back home, a cop followed him on to my street and pulled him over in front of my house for the same thing, i also agree with lilman about the cycles

 

what do you mean pay, you know what it is like to just be driving around minding your own business, and get pulled over for some that gay like that, the cop pretty much told me he pulled me over because i have a shiney thing under my bumper

 

HA! $55 bucks. Try $134

You live in New York. kinda far from Washington State

 

+1..just pay the ticket man...everyone here knows that aftermarket exhausts are illegal anyway...gotta pay to play