New member and a bit of a problem!

[Matty-YellowS3]

Hi guys registered up a fair while ago and lost all my password as had internet cut off for a while and forgot it. So hello for the 2nd time

Done a few things to the S3 over the last few months, had the wheels refurbed in black, tinted windows (rear) de wipered, new CAI, and a Cat back Blueflame exhaust system and hoping to get a remap in the coming weeks. Anyway was driving home last night and the old bill pulled me over for my number plate! fair enough it was in the window cos the holder clip had snapped and i hadnt had chance to sort it due to working long hours. So il take that as my own fault! but the two traffic cops are saying my Blueflame exhaust is illegal and there going to take me to court over it!? Admittedly i argued the fact but they saying anything that isnt standard is illegal!? Which is c**p in my eyes surely if any car passes an MOT or has an MOT on it its road legal right? Whatever state its in. can anyone clear this matter up for me is a cat back blueflame exhaust fully road legal!? Thanks for all your help!

Matty

 

[<tuffty/>]

The only thing I can think of is the noise... the MOT test (IIRC) should include a noise test for the exhaust which can make a car fail if over a certain level. Most don't do it unless the exhaust is obviously loud but it may be that they have a concern about the noise level of yours.

<tuffty/>

 

[Matty-YellowS3]

Yeah maybe, but its not overly loud not much more than standard its got a bit more of a burble on tickover and a deeper noise past bout 3k, but the copper said can you turn your engine on and hold it on 3k Revs and about a second later said yep thats illegal no DB test or anything. I just thought wtf i really cant see that being above 67DB... My mot runs out end of this month i was thinking bout putting it in early and if it passes surely theres nothing he can do is there?! He also said hes going to look out for me from now on and put a note in to his 'mates' and im unluckily enough to have the only yellow s3 in my area ... shouldnt be too hard finding me Great!

 

[<tuffty/>]

humm, there was something I heard about a drive by test where they would use a DB meter to establish how loud an exhaust is as a more 'real world' test.

I think you still have the burden of proof on your side though... if you can prove it would pass an MOT (as thats the only thing I can think of that constitutes it being an offence) then I think you will be ok.

A3Tom may be able to shed some light on this as he is 'a man of the cloth' so to speak and also has an A3 with a custom 3" catback system... I am damn sure his is legal!!!

Rather than get an MOT, just get the test station to test your exhaust to see if it would pass. If it does then I am pretty sure you are ok (I am no legal expert though so don't take it as read).

I suspect these guys get a lot of boy racer type complaints they have to deal with and as your car stands out by being yellow and having an aftermarket exhaust then maybe you have just caught them on a bad day.

Does your system have a center box/resonator? that may be an option to tone it down if its borderline

<tuffty/>

 

[Matty-YellowS3]

Yeah could just run it in a station actually, yeah mate is has a centre box n is resonated thats what i couldnt understand! Surely if miltek can sell there non res systems then wheres the problem??,

yeah i bet they do get loads of complaints it just annoys me because im sure my car is 100% legal and i think hes just being funny, he also said if i keep you here another 10 mins you're tax runs out! I have a lot of respect for policeman as i think they have their work cut out but traffic police dont half annoy me LOL!

 

[Mr.G]

Hi...

Well i'm probably the only one here who'll say what i think, this bloke (policeman) sounds like a right tosser!

What were you doing to get pulled and get a bad attitude from the policeman? If you were doing something you shouldn't be then fair enough, he has a right to give you attitude. But to give you attitude because he thinks your exhaust is illegal is absolutely rediculous.

Get it to a test centre get, if you have an iPhone or a Multimeter (some come with DB readers) test it.

This info was taken from the Skyline owners forum:

"I've been stopped before by the police, admittedly for being a little hasty. They slapped me with a notice to get my exhaust fixed. Wtf?!

Nothing wrong with the exhaust. Had to pay a local MOT place to replace the CAT and stamp the notice which I then took back to the police."

VOSA or a test centre should be able to tell you if it's illegal or not. If by putting an aftermarket exhaust on your car you make it illegal then surely it would be illegal for suppliers to provide fitting services for those exhausts.

Don't take this lying down mate. That policeman is obviously using bullying tactics by saying "i'll look out for you from now on, and so will my mates".....i mean come on GROW UP!

Hope you get the result you want.

G

 

[Mr.G]

More information found on the tinterweb:

Fitting an aftermarket exhaust can be louder than the standard exhaust, just as long as it meets the BS standards and EU legislation for your cars year of manufacture.
The standard exhausts tend to be more restrictive and quieter than actually neccesary to allow for a larger margin in complying with regulations.
If your aftermarket exhaust does not have an approved BS kite mark, or EU equivalent, then it does not comply with the law and you can be prossecuted.

 

[<tuffty/>]

How does that work with custom exhaust type people then???

<tuffty/>

 

[A3Tom]

How does that work with custom exhaust type people then???

<tuffty/>

I have no idea, perhaps the silencers are homologated for use on UK roads (E marked). I know when mine was done it got a big thumbs up from all the traffic lads at work so I'm not expecting any problems. Mine just sounds a bit deeper than standard so its got no annoying rasp, when cruising about it doesnt sound offensive, its just a bit deeper.

There are 'drive by' noise regs that cars have to pass as new (my mates an NVH engineer for Jag and designs exhuasts, I'll get the exact figure in Db off him).

Noisey exhausts can be dealt with by a fixed penalty notice, but to be fair thats more for a 'defective' exhaust rather than one thats just a bit loud.

As to why the officers was giving it a bit of attitude I dont know why, we only know one side of the story so we dont know if there was any 'attitude' going his way to start with . The 'Police' is just like any other company/insitution/job role....you get some good ones, you get some bad ones! (sadly). No excuse for being rude IMO, I'll always treat people how I would expect my mum to be treated if she was stopped....cant go far wrong that way!.

The only time I've ever seen exhausts getting looked at is when we do a joint operation with VOSA and the go over all the cars that get pulled in. Unless the exhaust is hanging off or in a really poor state of repair I dont see what an officer roadside can do, I doubt very much they have any sort of device to measure the volume of it....unless they did?. Because the noise reading is the evidence..."At this time and date, location this car had an exhaust that measured **Db".

Oh, and just to confuse things even more....what VOSA find unacceptable can still pass an MOT!. Confusing yes....its all about 'Construction and Use Regulations' which is a mindblower to get your head around.

I'd just sit tight and see if anything at all happens, I'd be prepared to say you'll not hear anything else.

Only you know if your exhaust is overly loud, if it is then stick an extra box in it (I did when mine was made, but that was more personal preference than a requirment).

T

 

[A3Tom]

Oh, and I'm pretty sure an officer needs to be a 'vehicle examiner' to slap a case against you for a noisy exhaust...not many of those about so chances are the one that stopped you was just trying his luck or trying to put the frightners on you to get it quietened down a bit.

T

 

[Dani_B19]

The copper in question sounds like a right w*nker, he'll have been board, saw you and got jealous because he'll have a clapped bag of w*nk and thought i'll be a p*ick, aslon as you can gt the exhaust passed on the DB reading and have declared to your insurance company then f**k im, i wouldnt worry.

 

[A3Tom]

What car were they in?, and were they wearing white caps?. If not then its not a traffic officer so chances are....didnt know what they were talking about when it came to vehicle regs.

 

[Matty-YellowS3]

Cheers for all your replies, as i said what i did wrong to get pulled was i had one of them audi zentrum plate holders and the bottom bit snapped meaning the plate would just fall off so i laid it on the dash til i could get some sticky pads. But he was having none of it and said 60 pound fine bla bla and i sort of said look can i not just get it sorted and that be that! but no.
I was in my opinion really polite and courteous. But when he said about im going to check your exhaust it looks illegal and if i keep you here 10 mins you'll have no tax or insurance i was like why am i being nice here.!? Dont know if anyone else would have thought the same i know they uphold the law but jesus!
I am gona source the app for me iphone and do a DB reading on it but since i last posted i have rung blueflame themselves and he said the policeman is talking **** and he says if he threatens you again with court then let him and he'll lose and saying all blueflame products are road legal unless specified for track use only or something lol and i have his name and contact number soo.
They were in a ST220 no hats though and did say something about being an examiner!?! He sort of said to me i got a book of all laws or something in the car and by this time with the tax thing and tyres and exhaust i was like to be honest mate i dont care anymore! Both of them were twats they turned their nose up at me straight away. I am 20 dont look it but maybe you right dani just jealousy! but hey blueflame have said its 100% road legal so il leave it at that til the next time ive been to halfords and got my sticky pads lool!... Ive been randomly searched about 10 times its ridiculous ive even been pulled over when taking my girlfriend home and asking where im going because i live in the other direction WTF lool!

 

[Dani_B19]

It's becau your 20 mate, im 20 a the filth hate it.

 

[Mr.G]

Just remember if they do pull you again or their friends do and it becomes a problem, get to the Station demand to see someone in Authority and make a formal complaint against the PC (s). You should always take the PC number down or remeber it they aren't hard.

I've never had to do this as i've only ever been pulled once in my life, where i got a ban for av 119.5 MPH on the M4 (serves my own right). But mark my words, i took his number down. Just in case i needed to refer to it at any point.

Always be courteous to the police though, i've never been anything different, unless i feel they are being unfair.

Get it tested/proved and get a letter written to the Police if you are worried about it. If not leave it and see what happens.

G

 

[Matty-YellowS3]

It's becau your 20 mate, im 20 a the filth hate it.

so true mate!

LOL at averaging 120mph! you only live once tho mate

People have said about taking the number i always ****** forget though until i drive off then im like S**T. Im always courteous but like u say when i feel there taking the **** or being unfair i usually think whats the point and i do have a short fuse sometimes aswell. but thanks for your advice and i will do that get it tested and keep a record in the glove box or something incase this happens again! Just hassle i dont need!

 

[thegoal007]

I do think it's fact of life when your young and driving a flash car...And if it looks modified again even more of a chance of being pulled. I think it's probably scare tricks so that you remember to drive responsibly (?).

I got pulled over on a motorway a few years back. Cops followed me for a good few miles on the M1 and noticed I was speeding up 97mph, but complimented (!) me on my road discipline (i basically always got back into the left hand lane and overtook only on the right, didn't tailgate anyone - simply waitied til they saw me and pulled out of my way). As soon as I was pulled over I got out of the car to greet one (it was raining lightly) of the cops - I didn't deny that I was speeding, simply apologised. He was surprised I didn't spot them ages ago as I occasionally had to slow down to 70mph to allow other drivers to get out of my way and they were right behind me (in my defence it was night time and with their headlights on, it's not that easy). I would then put my foot down and pull away whilst getting back into the left hand lane quickly. The other cop went over to speak to the mrs.
Anyway, to cut a long story short - they simply told me just to be ''a bit more careful with my speed and be on my way" !
Other factors of note: I was about 30 yrs old (youngish) !, wife in passenger seat and the outlaws, oops I mean the inlaws (60+) in the back seats and I was a driving a mint 1981 BMW 635csi at the time - chrome wheel arches, uprated exhaust and very low profile tyres. Luck ? well maybe - not exactly sure what swayed the situation in my favour, but probably a combination of things I mentioned.

Moral: Always think about carrying old people in the car in future ?

 

[666markyboy]

just throw another spanner in... i dont think it's been mentioned but i only quickly flicked through the thread..... have you notified your insurance that you have a non standard exhaust ??? because if you have'nt then technically they could get you that way no matter how loud or quiet it is.... not to notify the insurance means it's null and void, null and void means your driving it illeagally just be carefull thats all i'm saying

 

[Broken Byzan]

If you had a fixed penalty notice or NIP then you already have his number on the paperworks yes?