CHP ????

[BigJim_610]

My 21 YO son drives a stock Honda Prelude, except he has an aftermarket resonator. It is NOT loud. He has been stopped by the CHP four times and our local SO twice. They say the pipe is illegal but do not issue a ticket or tell him to fix it. Each time they "asked" him to open the hood of his car.

Is there a CHP policy on stopping Japanese cars?

I live on a grade that is a shortcut to many popular recreation areas. On the weekends tens of dozens of very very loud motorcycles roar up the grade. We literally cannot speak or hear sometimes.

Recently there was a wine festival down the street and I noticed there was a CHP parked next to about 100 motorcycles. Not one of the bikers were questioned about some of their obvious lack of mufflers.

The CHP guy was just sitting in his car for hours. It seemed to me at the time he could have inquired about the condition of some of the bikes exhaust system instead of sitting in his car for all those hours.

Is there a CHP policy to allow or look the other way when encountering obviously very loud motorcycles?

Motorcyle Owner
A quiet one.

[Justin3]

Well as a guy who has been pulled over many times for tint and exhaust, I find it strange that they would pull him over and not issue a ticket for the exhaust. The reason to open the hood is obviously to check for any illegal mods to the car.
I don't see why they don't tell him to fix it or cite him for it. Probably just doing it so they have a reason to pull him over to check for illegal mods.

Were the motorcycles older? Were they newer street bikes. I have noticed that guys in older bikes or HDs rarely get pulled over for loudness whereas japanese street bikes get pulled over more often.

Go complain to them if you see a cop there again. I mean they are there for you to utilize. They are government run for civilians.

[Fjold]

Jim, Your son's car may not be loud when he drives it around where you can hear it but driven differently they can be a lot louder. I have the same issue with my truck exhaust, I'm very careful when I drive around police in it. If he's been pulled over six times for the same problem maybe he should address it.

[nicki]

Japanese Cars.

It may have to do with how many RPMS the engine runs at more than the noise.

If your exhaust is loud and your engine is spinning at 3 to 4,000 rpms, you are going to sound like you are speeding even though you are driving at traffic flow.

I notice the engines have a high pitch also.

I drive a Trans Am with a 383 stroker, my car is loud, but when I'm on the highway, most of the time my engine is between 1,800 to 2,500 rpms.

Of course how your car sounds is objective. Even though my car is loud, most people like the sound.

Nicki

[code33]

Officer discretion plays a big role. One officer trying to take on a group may not be a good idea. An officer assigned to a special event is probably there for a specific purpose and cannot be distracted from the special assignment.

[Fire in the Hole]

My 21 YO son drives a stock Honda Prelude, except he has an aftermarket resonator. It is NOT loud. He has been stopped by the CHP four times and our local SO twice. They say the pipe is illegal but do not issue a ticket or tell him to fix it. Each time they "asked" him to open the hood of his car.

Is there a CHP policy on stopping Japanese cars?

I live on a grade that is a shortcut to many popular recreation areas. On the weekends tens of dozens of very very loud motorcycles roar up the grade. We literally cannot speak or hear sometimes.

Recently there was a wine festival down the street and I noticed there was a CHP parked next to about 100 motorcycles. Not one of the bikers were questioned about some of their obvious lack of mufflers.

The CHP guy was just sitting in his car for hours. It seemed to me at the time he could have inquired about the condition of some of the bikes exhaust system instead of sitting in his car for all those hours.

Is there a CHP policy to allow or look the other way when encountering obviously very loud motorcycles?

Motorcyle Owner
A quiet one.

No.

[yzErnie]

Is there a CHP policy on stopping Japanese cars?

Is there a CHP policy to allow or look the other way when encountering obviously very loud motorcycles?

I doubt there is any policy regarding these subjects. Imagine the outrage that would follow if any agency enacted a policy that said 'You can (or cannot) pull over any Japanese cars'.

[pat038536]

This is what is used to profile japanese cars so that they can be checked for 'illegal street racing mods'. I know someone in Stockton with a *bone stock factory original* Civic that gets pulled over frequently.. reason "loud exhaust"

Modification of Exhaust Systems
27151. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.
(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust equipment.
Amended Sec. 10, Ch. 92, Stats. 2001. Effective January 1, 2002.

[EBWhite]

Typically officers use vehicle codes to pull cars over so they can get the owner on something bigger. Many of these ricers are young kids with dope or possible gang members. They need a violation to pull the car over. It seems to me that they get him on that, once they pull up and talk to him they figure he is not a problem so they just let him go...

[Unit74]

Maybe he should just fix the exhaust and stop whining? Obviously there is an issue. You don't see grandma getting jammed up for her stock Camry do you?

I rarely see any officer issue an exhaust ticket. We use the violation for PC to stop and dig for something deeper. Guns, dope, parolee violations.. etc.

I went to the street racing course and will always do a vehicle inspection if the vehicle appears to have been modified. I was amazed all all the wizbang things these folks do to their cars these days. If anything under the hood has been altered, a trip to the Referee may be assigned.

FWIW... only 3 months after going to the course, I nabbed a stolen motor and a VIN plate removed from a tranny.... Good stuff there.

[Jonathan Doe]

I drive Japanese cars, and all of them are pretty quiet, even Lexus SC400 with V8 engine.

[Doheny]

Maybe he should just fix the exhaust and stop whining?

Ya think?

[Unit74]

And to answer your question about the M/C's, I will requote from a PM I sent to another member regarding the inability to enforce ANY air quality standards against bikes after a large enforcement check point we conducted in San Diego County:

Originally Posted by Unit74


I fielded numerous calls by the cited riders and they had a valid gripe. There was nowhere for them to show proof the bikes exhaust was in compliance. This included the "Enduro" style bikes we cited for removal of charcoal canisters.

I called CARB to discuss since many of the MC riders were fighting the cites. We set up all of them on the same court day and CARB came down.

In court, the judge explained to them that there is a very good possibility their bikes are not in compliance. The CARB rep was called to speak and explained to the riders what was and what was not allowed to be done to the emissions systems.

His last comments were that CARB did not have the inspection stations in place to handle MC's at this point. CARB was tasked with ensuring MC's were in compliance and State would provide funding for training of specified and legitimate MC shops to do inspections.

So in essence, although 27151 and various other emissions based laws did apply to MC's, there was no teeth to enforce it. The riders had nowhere to validate their claims the exhaust was in compliance as required in the case of a BAR inspection on a passenger vehicle.

All the cites were dismissed and the riders pretty much gave us the finger and laughed as they walked out.

Afterward, the rep said it's only a matter of time till they have the inspection stations certified. CARB is aggressively pursuing this and our enforcement action (150+ cites) rattled the cage in Sacramento a little. So much so they felt the need to allow the rep to come down.

So that's all I know on the matter.

And with the new budget issues, I don't foresee any new inspection stations coming online anytime soon.

[SVT-40]

This is what is used to profile japanese cars so that they can be checked for 'illegal street racing mods'. I know someone in Stockton with a *bone stock factory original* Civic that gets pulled over frequently.. reason "loud exhaust"

Modification of Exhaust Systems
27151. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an exhaust system so modified.
(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to, nonoriginal exhaust equipment.
Amended Sec. 10, Ch. 92, Stats. 2001. Effective January 1, 2002.

How exactly is that "profiling" ??

If you modify your exhaust system to the point of causing excessive noise YOU are violating the law. LEO's are tasked with finding violators.

It their job to enforce the laws as written. So if you don't like being stopped don't modify the exhaust system on your car.

[pat038536]

How exactly is that "profiling" ??

If you modify your exhaust system to the point of causing excessive noise YOU are violating the law. LEO's are tasked with finding violators.

It their job to enforce the laws as written. So if you don't like being stopped don't modify the exhaust system on your car.

I guess you missed the part about factory original ie: as originally equipped by the manufacturer.

'Excessive noise' is completely subjective and subject to officer's discretion. Domestic vehicles are not held to the same standard as imports. Example: late model Mustang with aftermarket exhaust vs. Civic with huge 'fart pipe'.

btw.. I l don't like the 'fart pipe', I think they are stupid, but that isn't the point.