Loud exhausts cost money?

New Camera Mails Tickets to Noisy Cars
New technology allows police to mail automated tickets to cars with loud stereos and noisy exhausts.

Transportation officials are looking to expand the use of photo enforcement to cash in on motorists who blast their stereos or use modified, high-performance exhausts. At least one agency has expressed interest in a ticketing system developed by Acoustic Research Laboratories, a New South Wales company that developed acoustic detection equipment for the Australian Navy.

The fully automated setup mails traffic citations to passing vehicles that exceed a predetermined noise threshold. It can detect loud subwoofers, a noisy exhaust, or even an inopportune honk of the horn.

A combination of sound level meters, cameras and computer processors identify these targets of opportunity. Separate microphone and video modules are pole-mounted in waterproof boxes that communicate with a laptop control unit using WiFi. The manufacturer claims that the system distinguishes predetermined trigger sounds from general background road noise. Once the system is configured, it will generate up to 10,000 tickets before the on-board hard drive is filled. A 10-second video and audio clip is stored for each incident.

Similar red light camera and photo radar technology has generated billions of dollars worldwide. In Washington, DC alone, cameras billed drivers more than $171 million since 1999.

So, I'm thinkin', I'm sittin' there on a stock mufflered bike or in my wife's Toyota or whatever and this 18 wheeler or one of the loud welding trucks, don't have to be a bike, blows by. The camera is trained on me and the decibel meter sets it off and I get a ticket in the mail????? WTF! I see lots of abuse of this deal even if you're not guilty.

I can also see the sales presentations in small town mayor's offices around the country hawkin' how much money they can make as they "clean up the streets" of noisy vehicles. I'm sure in THIS town they could cover the cost of one of these units in a day or two. I reckon 9 out of every ten dollars collected would find its way into some local politician's or JP's pocket, too. Of course, they'll justify the program by cracking down on loud motorcycles, never mind the 18 wheelers and welding trucks in this town. But, bikers don't carry a lot of ballot box clout in most small towns and they are an obvious target what with all the straight pipes running around.

And, whatcha wanna bet the tickets go down as moving violations to insurance companies can get a cut out of the deal?

sounds like california, all the way

Won't people figure out where these things are mounted and just idle past in those areas? Or are these very portable so they can be frequently moved?

I agree that we are already over regulated. I live in Massachusetts. In the past several years, they have implemented several new pieces of legislature.

There is a new seat belt law where you are required to wear it but they can only site you if you are pulled over for another violation. That is about to change so they can pull you over for it. Like we didn't see that coming.

They have banned smoking in all public buildings. I can't say that one bothers me much but many of my friends and my wife aren't very happy about it.

They implemented the more stringent California style emmisions standards for our cars.

They are in the process of changing the already strict exhaust standard so no vehicle can have an exhaust system that has been altered from stock for any reason. The only exception will be antique and custom built vehicles.

They changed the firearm laws a few years back. We used to have permits that once you had them, they lasted for life unless revolked. Now they must be renewed. If you fail to renew you have to take a safety course to re-aquire it no matter how long you previously held the permit. And when you do, you will likely not get the same level permit you once had. My Dad had a permit for life and property which is what the police are required to have here. When one goes to get that permit now, you have to have a specific reason for that permit or you get a lesser one, if one at all.

We already live near the New Hampshire border. It is getting so bad we were actually thinking of moving over the line. We both work in Mass though so it isn't worth the bother and expense.

I feel that all these things are to get more money out of us rather than make our lives safer or better.