Ticket?? Me??
 

Ok, I have never had a "normal" car as you can see on my sig. And besides totaling the two Spyders I really haven't had any tickets. Maybe two speeding and one bad u-turn in the treefitty.
So today I am going to work on the same road I have driven on for 2 years every day (cruise set). I pass a trooper and he pulls me over and says that I was speeding (which I technically was.... I live in south fla where the flow of traffic is semi-life threatening so like I said- 2 years on this road- every day). But then he says, "I also pulled you over for your exhaust." Then tells me that he'll give me an exhaust ticket and skip the speeding. I took it and ran (making sure to let the exhaust really, really sing.... in fact I'm certain I spit a large fire ball).
Now! My question is- He never looked at the exhaust and my car was off because I stalled setting up my voice recorder when I pulled over, lol. Can I fight it? I am taking the exhaust off to sell soon anyways and returning to stock. I will not say that I was stock at the time, but I will show them a stock mide-pipe and HKS high-power. Your thoughts? :D:

I dont see how returning the car to stock would get you out of this ticket......... you still has an illegal exhaust when he pulled you over unless he gave you a fix it ticket you might be able to return it to stock and get it dismissed but considering the way you exited I doubt he will be in a good mood at court lol.

Good luck w/ this one.

You never know what a judge is going to do on a certain day. Sometimes they are in a mood to teach, sometimes they are in a mood to punish. You won't know until you go. I ended up in court because I drive in the park setting with my fog lights on. I only turn my HIDs on when I'm outside dallas, it's plenty bright enough downtown where I live and work. The judge let me off saying my vehicle provides suffecient headlight in that setting but I'm also running a super bright LED in spot of the stock light.

^^^ Dangerous, idk why you wouldnt use HID's, those are your main sources of light, regardless of how bright your fogs or parking lights are they are not designed to be your main sources of light. If anything id write you a ticket for not having them on, they are not illegal so why not use them? You are putting yourself and others in danger my friend...

because in downtown dallas its bright as day at 3am. I use them when I leave downtown but thats not very often.

you sound stupid ^

Pay the exhaust ticket and move forward.... You got out of a speeding ticket, dont push your luck...

You might be able to get out of it if the cop gave you a fix-it...

Doc, I understand that it's 'light' in downtown at night, I used to valet there every night, but I still don't know why you don't use the headlights. I have HID fogs and I would still run the HID lowbeams there. People aren't necessarily looking for lights close to the ground only. When somebody looks in their mirrors they've got an expectation of where light should and should not be coming from. The foglights are designed not to shine upward anyways. If nothing else people probably just get upset with you. I know that I get mad at people with silver cars if they don't have their lights on if it's drizzling or anywhere close to dark. It's not for your vision enhancement, it's for others'.

I feel like I could fight it because of how the ticket was written and how the cop never looked at it at all. Plus there's no speed written down. He just circled the $255 that it could have cost. I feel lucky bit why throw away $115 if I don't totally have to.

You might need to sign up on the forum, but a local guy, yea PA i know, not FL but still might help, got off of a modified exhaust ticket.

http://www.tristatetuners.com/forum/...ad.php?t=68260

If you get a malware warning just igonore it, site is fine.

you say he didn't look at the exhaust but he pulled you over. So how are you going to prove in court that he didn't see enough of the exhaust system to write the ticket? maybe he used to own an 8 so he already knows? maybe he is a big track guru and he understands how it should sound. There are a lot of variables here to consider.

Idk man. He was old and didn't ask me anything. He just said "the judge has been cracking down on these custom exhausts." If he said where's your cat or, is this exhaust labeled 'off road only'.... Idk, to be honest I just thought it was funny and thought I'd get some feedback from my friends here.

What is the ticket for? I know you said exhaust, but for what reason is the exhaust not considered legal? It could be the result of noise violations, in which case, he doesn't need to see anything.

Based on a very brief search, it does seem that there's a noise level based law in Florida which may be what the citation is for.

This is my question as well. If it's a question of legality, then it comes down to what elements of the exhaust system are illegal. Cat-back systems are legal in all 50 states because they only provide sound alteration and not any kind of emissions function.

If it's sound, the only angle I could see is asking for some kind of sound reading as evidence that your exhaust is "loud". Normally sound laws are done with ordinances and would have to specify either a DB level and or a distance. Since the hearing of a person is highly subjective as is whether or not something is "loud" it is based solely on the opinion of the officer.

That holds about as much water as the notion of "I heard you speeding".

I wouldn't worry about "pushing your luck" as the police officer cannot turn around and cite you for speeding if you fight the ticket. I doubt any kind of retaliation like that is legal.

dude, you just got out of a speed ticket.. now you want to get out of your exhaust ticket..

i feel for you (knock on wood i dont get one), but i would just pay it. my brother had the same thing but he had tint tacked on the ticket too. the tint was a fix it. the exhaust he had to appear in court.. he ended up paying a hefty fine.

I'm not too sure on that. I didn't see a specific decibel limit, but I saw one result that was saying it was illegal to have an exhaust louder than stock. While I'm inclined to believe that was inaccurate, it could still be along the lines of the law. He really needs to figure out exactly what law he broke and how the legality is determined. That will indicate if there's a easy way to argue against the officer's claim.

If there is a legal noise limit, the single HKS could very easily be beyond the legal limit.

just pay the fix it ticket and be done with it? a lot better then wasting a few hours of ur life in court trying to fight it

I'd put on ur stock exhaust for ur court date and ask what proof he has that you had a modded exhaust

^^^ exactly he didnt take a reading on the exhaust so h doesnt know it was over the limit
unless it was for the sound...id fight it
this coming from a guy who fought a ticket for 110mph and won

Ok ok, I just looked at the ticket closer and it is marked "infraction that does not require appearance in court". Then above that he wrote "Exhaust modified - not factory stock - Much louder than stock" (lol).
Nothing is marked (crash, speeding, drugs...) Statute section was 316.293 (5) (b)

I like that you know you were speeding, you know your midpipe is illegal, but you're still looking to get out of the ticket. If you're doing something wrong, man up and pay it. It's the risk you took when you put on a midpipe. No one likes getting a ticket and our first instinct is to whine about it (I'm sure I'll do the same if/when I'm pulled over) but just pay it and be done.

See, that's what I thought I was reading last night. The HKS is very easy to identify as not stock. If the law is that it isn't supposed to be louder than stock, that's not going to be an easy one to fight unless it works as a fix-it ticket.

I like how you noticed that I try and get around the rules yet you're surprised that I would try and get out of a ticket when and if I can.

If it were a fix-it then wouldn't there be a court date or at least a deadline date? :Wconfused

yes, it would have a do by date.

I think there are times you can get out of penalties or have them reduced by fixing it anyways. I know some people in texas will get out of tickets for no front plates by putting them back on and taking pictures to bring to court. My speeding ticket (a few years ago, admittedly) did not require me to show for a court date. I had to submit payment for the ticket or submit proof of taking defensive driving or w/e it's officially called. Many tickets don't require you to show, but in order to contest it, you will most likely need to show up.

I don't remember how I got my date... I think they might mail you the date? Someone else will have to chime in on this as I dont really remember how all that worked. I've only had one ticket and that was 4 years ago.

i don't get why all the peeps in here are all high and mighty on morals about this...if he can get of it, why not?? if there was a decibel reading that was factual...sure, he has proof and you should just pay it. but to get a ticket that expensive because it sounds "louder than stock" is stupid. do you know how many people on this forum would be crying too if they got a ticket for an exhaust??? the cop didn't notice or say anything about an "illegal midpipe"...just that the exhaust was "louder than stock". that's stupidly subjective. i get the laws in FL might be very strict, but to me it sounds like the cop was giving you shit but also giving you an out...put your oe exhaust back on, take a video with sound, and tell the judge the cop must have been a little off that day.

I like this...

"I really haven't had any tickets. Maybe two speeding and one bad u-turn in the treefitty.
So today I am going to work on the same road I have driven on for 2 years every day (cruise set). I pass a trooper and he pulls me over and says that I was speeding (which I technically was.... "

No wonder why whe have an Obamination for an economy the way people think now a days.

well I really wasn't looking at porn at work.. only the hot wives and girl friends thread.


Mu ha ha.......

Set the courthouse on fire. The fire will eventually get around to all paperwork, and electronics. Problem solved

I think anyone who uses the word "Obamanation" or any alternative spelling should be banned for making political statements. Especially since the people that use it seem to only be able to do it in a completely unrelated context to the discussion at hand. Regardless of political views, statements like that should not be allowed if political discussion is not allowed. That statement basically had no relation to this thread aside from trying to force an opportunity to make a comment on your political views.

On topic: He might be able to fight it, but questioning the officer's ability is not necessarily the best way to approach it. If the cop is there and that's the argument, it is unlikely he will win. The HKS exhaust is way too loud to be mistaken for a stock exhaust. If the law is that it can't be stock, then faking it might not be the best idea. Fixing it and asking for reduced penalties would probably be best as you might actually get off.

Razz's use of the O word is unfortunate, but his sentiment is on target. We have a whiner who got a break - equipment ticket instead of speeding - and wants to abuse that break by trying to get out of even that.

The OP should put his stock exhaust back on, as he said he plans to. When he goes to court he should tell the judge that he's repented, and ask for consideration on that basis.

Ken

^Definitely agree with the advice of how to approach the ticket. Don't get desperate to get out of it... present proof that you've reverted back to stock and request reduced penalties. Accept whatever the given result is.

The sentiment that this is something recent is not quite on mark. People seem to generalize a lot of specific ideas as if they're spreading into every segment of society. In the grand scheme of things, society has not changed greatly over the last 10-15 years.

i'm not sure on this, but he might NOT have gotten a break...it he was only going 7 over or something minor, THAT ticket could be less expensive than the exhaust. i guess the break is he didn't get BOTH. :dunno:



^Yes, this.

sounds like the cop was trying to make a ticket "quota" my girl got pulled over for speeding a week ago and was told that her tints were too dark and given a ticket per window instead of the speeding ticket she was gonna get...

btw, i havent been pulled over for my exhaust and it's def. louder than stock.

i havent gottn pulled over for my exhaust..... weird.... 8upad what exhaust do yu have??

chino you still got that loud a** midpipe installed?

no i have a RB dual rez

Did he have a decibal meter

HKS high power + Exotic speed w/ a single ressonator.



lol No


I was told that cops are the good guy my whole life. Then I grew up and realized that they are tools used to maximize the states income. It's obvious that this guy knew that 80 mph is normal and he could give me a ticket but instead he let me off with an exhaust ticket that had no points and cost 1/2. But unfortunalty I'm just not a chump and I don't roll over that easy. Here in south fla there are more loud Civics and Ferraris and trucks.....ect. than I could ever count in one day. I pay my taxes and contribute pleanty to the state by working hard and going to school. If polution is the problem then get on the phone with China and ask them to stop dumping toxic waste everywhere. My 1.3L isn't the issue. Not to mention that a cat only works at specific temps and the gas it wastes is much worse than the fumes. I went from 16.2 to 19.5 mpg with this set up (along with pre-mix, lowering springs and a home made intake). So because he gave me a ticket in the laziest way possible because he didn't want to be working on Labor Day makes me feel like fighting this would be well worth my time. I'll call and see if I can get a court date or something tomorrow.

You're gonna blame me for the economy? I think the Dems decision to let everyone in the country own a house and all the bailouts were a little more the reason man. A few tickets in normal for everyone I know.... All the money I save and the 780 credit rating however is not so typical. I'd like to see you drive on the Turnpike for 2 hours a day in south fla for two years and drive under 75. You will get run over :p:

Does it sound like a fart cannon? Because if it does, I'd give you a ticket as well. We aren't driving little Civics here..

I don't understand your argument.......... if Florida law is that the exhaust can't be louder than stock........ why are you so bent out of shape that you got a ticket for your louder than stock exhaust. A cop doesn't have to jack up your car and inspect the entire thing to determine that its not stock.

^^ lol what?? I paid extra for the fart noise. That way maybe someone would think I had a B16 swap yo.

I hope you didn't buy that fart can from the Chinese, who are to blame for all of this. :)

Ken

Well.. Fart cans do add some HP. I can see why you installed it.

I'll throw you an analogy..... Ever throw a lit cigarette out the window? That's littering, endangering people animals and property with fire hazard, rude, ect. ect. Ever J-walk? I could go on but seriously, we are on a forum in which it is common practice and widely accepted to redline every day. Think of all the squirrels that's killed! I just hate being taken advantage of and when it's this obvious that the cop was just meeting a quota and/or being a dick for having to work on a holiday, then I am going to see if I can get out of it at the least. When I start talking about setting city hall on fire we may have a problem.

Listen man, no one but you said anything about a fart can ok? lol it's rude. Rotaries can sound really really bad but I'm a mechanic, I made it sound good and if I were to keep it I would make it even juicier with an ECV. So blahh!

lol. I need a.. :spank: Me sorry.