CAM427R

A guy I was talking to the other day was telling me about how he got pulled over for his exhaust system on his Civic. I don't know what he had but my friend who knows him tells me it's not very loud at all, not one of those obnoxious things you see on them sometimes.

Anyhow, the officer tells him that anything louder than OEM is illegal according to Louisiana state law. He promptly tickets him for the exhaust.

The guy asked him why he pulled him over for such a trivialty when almost every Chevy Silverado made between 1970 and 1993 has glasspacks on it, not to mention almost any other truck on the road in town. The officer replied that he honestly didn't expect a 35 yr old to get out of the car, he was expecting a young kid.

To me this law sounds like it's just an attempt to crack down on younger folk with rediculously loud Civics and the like, that pissed-off bumblebee sound. It seems unfair to stereotype in that fashion, but I do agree some of them are rediculous. On that same note though, I enjoy a rather loud V8 rumbling down the road, but it's the same principle. That loud V8 won't get pulled over as often as a loud 4-cylinder. It's an obvious stereotype.

Skythe

I'm sure this officer didn't provide the statute number or anything for you reference to look it up for yourself. There's a law like this in California, I had no idea that there was anything like this on the books in LA.

I saw a 20/20 special on California and "street racing" and the police were talking about that very thing. You can purchase an Evo or an STI or a vette or a viper and make all the noise you want. But the moment you put on a different muffler or anything that modifies the exhause or intake system, then you are in violation and if you are found to be in violation then you must return your vehicle to OEM form or else risk fines or vehicle confiscation.

it's not right, just not right

rotarygod

If I really cared about what the law says, I wouldn't have removed all the emissions devices from my RX-7.

Keef

so your surprised that police officers stereotype? I would not be surprised one bit if their existed more bad cops than good cops... I mean jeez... I actually got pulled over a couple of days ago, for running a red light (completely)... Cop pulls me over and all I have to do is give him all my respect (and since stereotypically), cops are people that want power, all you have to do is show the idiot that's right in front of you, that he is pretty much a god to you...

It's people doing what they love, so think within the mentality of "I'm an enforcer of laws", and then decide if you would be one to abuse power or not...

CAM427R

I'm not surprised in the slightest about the cop, I just didn't realize such an all-encompassing law existed like that. I was under the impression there was more leniency.

ALWAZL8

Yes, this law DOES exist in Louisiana. I just went through a similar situation here in north Louisiana when my ex-boyfriend was pulled over for the exhaust on his Z71. It was a bullshit deal - Saturday night and nothing goin' on so they pulled him over for lack of anything better to do. It pissed me off because 90% of the trucks in this part of the country have loud aftermarket exhausts, but, of course, the cops pick and choose who they pull over.

lone_wolf025

A large majority of states have laws governing the noise allowance of cars. Most state that the sound must be above a certain level or just really noisy when nothing else is around. However due to the fact that sound is a relative thing most "loud exhaust" tickets won't stick in court unless the officer has a sound measurement to back it up.

CAM427R

Yeah, I thought it was a disturbing the peace type of thing, whereas you could modify just as long as it wasn't too rediculously loud. I had a friend who was pulled over for speeding and the cop wrote him up for disturbing the peace as well because of his straight pipes. But, apparently that's not the case as far as the law goes.

Kyle St Angelo

I personally have a 2006 Chevy 1500 Z71 with a 5.3 and I put true dual straight pipes. I’ve had this for a year and I have never been pulled over. I even hit the gas to make it loud for a second next to a cops and all they did was look.

Sythe

Move to arkansas, they don't give A ****. My buddy has a bmw that sounds like a rocket ship and my cars are all straight piped except the eight. My brother and I have a literal chassis with a 5.3 in it and lights, seat belts, etc. It weights probably 1300 pounds counting the cage and we roll around in that thing so much, dual short pipes LOL.