Massachusetts introduces bill to ban modified exhausts
Legislators in Massachusetts are set to introduce a bill in October that will ban modified exhausts in the land of a certain tea party and the world's best baked beans. The pious patriots over at SEMA have been fighting this day for years, but the politicians have decided they've had enough with the Flowmasters, already. The proposed law doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as Massachusetts already has a noise ordinance in place, and the bill doesn't even have any clear standard for the law to enforce. Lawmakers want to specifically ban any "exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust." While we're not all that excited about annoying exhausts that can wake a trauma victim out of a coma, we'd like to see this proposal go the way of the Boston Braves.
[Source: SEMA via Jalopnik]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Sean Flanagan 9:38AM (8/10/2007)
In Soviet Massachusetts, cars puts muffler on YOU!
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FrankTheCrank 10:40AM (8/10/2007)
What are you talking about? Soviet Massachusetts? Isn't Mitt "flip-flop" Romney from MA?
It's guys like you, that live out in the country on a big QUIET spread, that have no clue about how annoying and loud these exhausts are. You guys come into the city in your Ford pickups with glass packs and your Harley's. Like a bunch of drunken fugitives. Blasting through town to go to the mall.
You try living IN the city, especially in a busy area, where all you hear are these loud exhaust systems ALL the time.
When you live in the city, you appreciate a quiet Honda wooshing by your apartment building.
Mike 10:56AM (8/10/2007)
Frank, I think that Soviet comment was a joke. You know, humor? Go take a pill.
P.S. What does living in the country or city have to do with it? Stopping loud exhaust is what noise ordinances are for. I live in a busy New England town and the cops have a field day with ricers who's cars sound like chainsaws. No need to ban modifications all together, just get an ordinance passed and tell your local PD to do their job.
Sean Flanagan 11:37AM (8/10/2007)
I happen to have lived in Philadelphia for 6 years. Now I live in the suburbs, and the exhausts are just as loud. But I don't care. In fact, it's mostly humorous because the loudest cars are often the slowest, especially in the city.
Also, I drive a nice new Honda with a free-flowing factory exhaust and a 350w factory sound system. My car is probably louder than the Fords you complain about, and it's straight from the Honda factory in Ontario.
iamhoff 12:00PM (8/10/2007)
I just spewed soda all over my laptop! FTW on Soviet Massachusetts. And Frank, it's a joke (sort of). Get over it.
Don 3:57PM (8/10/2007)
I don't know about anyone else, but here in South Florida, we could do with less of these ill conceived fart can muffler mods.
TARZAN 11:43AM (8/11/2007)
Noticed the comment about appreciating a quiet Honda, and decided to chime in. Just wanted to let you know that many of the most annoying vehicles you will hear in the "inner city" come from "performance exhausts" on imports, which surprisingly supply no performance gains at all.
Also, we need to quiet down loud cell phone ringtones, loud talkers, remove horns from vehicles, remove all diesels from the road, quiet down emergency vehicle sirens, and make sure cats don't meow after midnight.
-Will
Rob 9:44AM (8/10/2007)
"we'd like to see this proposal go the way of the Boston Braves."
So, you want Georgia to pass the bill instead?
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geo.stewart 10:25AM (8/10/2007)
actually, it has to go to Wisconsin (Milwaukee) first, then Georgia.
EricNH 9:47AM (8/10/2007)
The nanny state is hard at work again. The heck with all the kids killing each other in Boston, the loud cars are disturbing my afternoon tea at Harvard.
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freckles 12:04PM (8/10/2007)
"the loud cars are disturbing my afternoon tea at Harvard."
hilarious! but seriously my neice who goes to school in Boston tells me all of the horror stories about people killing each other over nothing. i thought it was bad when i was growing up there.
felipe 9:47AM (8/10/2007)
in NY (when i was pulled over for my exhaust) I was told that any exhaust louder then OEM was illegal.
any aftermarket exhaust must be the same Db as the original or it is ticketable.
i later confirmed this online.
how is this different? are they going to start raiding AutoZone and Midas.
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rem83 9:51AM (8/10/2007)
Man, I would love a law like this in Texas. Everyone down here apparently thinks straight pipes on a pickup is the coolest thing ever.
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Mike 10:08AM (8/10/2007)
Its either the pickup trucks or the boy tuners with the trash can exhausts. I don't get why you need a performance exhaust on a pickup, its just silly, they weigh too much for it to even be that useful, its just annoying. Its always some asshole in a dodge truck too. Who buys Dodge trucks now? Why? Oh yea I live in Texas too.... unfortunately.
Jason 10:35AM (8/10/2007)
Mike obviously doesn't know much about trucks. Like loren said, it's not that hard (or expensive) to modify a diesel truck to beat most sports cars. Performance gas trucks are popular too, which is why there are Hemi and Viper-powered Dodge Rams, and why we got the Ford F150 Lightning and the Silverado SS with a high-output 6.0L. But yes, just like the fart-cans on ricers, there's a lot of folks out there that just put on aftermarket exhausts for the sound (ironically most people would agree most don't sound good, some do though).
As for buying Dodge trucks... we bought a Dodge because it had the biggest cab (Megacab) and the best diesel motor (Cummins) of the Big 3. Most people I know with diesels have Dodges, again, because the Cummins motor is arguably the best diesel on the road.
I for one, am proud to live in TX. If you don't like it here, you're more than welcome to leave.
JAMESDEAN2 5:16PM (9/10/2007)
Aww-Rem 83/+Plz-! ,-no more stupid laws are necessary that the gestapo boys cant enforce anyways..Never mind the fact the court dockets are loaded w/ real crime-related cases .. I happen to believe in ear plugs- ride with them in place all the time- and yes I can hear well enought to hold a brief _when necess._ conversation as well..they are really cheap- and you might get used to them while camping -or a day at the ballpark..You should buy a few pair- esp. If ya' live near me..LOL-ok -just kidding-..Really-unless you built your house right on the state hwy. thats your own fault-you'll prob. get used to it..If not,move way out in the sticks..Thats my .02 worth and, you my fellow taxpayers are funding the crappy laws so -think about it...
William 10:19AM (8/10/2007)
Lol, my girlfriend lives in Massachusetts, this'll be fun. My 350Z has test pipes and the a fairly loud exhaust, next time I visit her I'll have to make a pitstop by the legislators house, give him a lil' rev.
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Red Headed Stranger 10:12AM (8/10/2007)
I love the law but it won't matter. I bought a decimeter last year out of curiosity. Currently tuner and tuner wannabes are blasting out 85-95 decibels on normal acceleration measured from inside the house, which is well above noise regs. Law enforcement is ambivalent. The only saving grace is that they are ten to 15 decibels lower than the Harley Davidson.
Either way, grow-up, understand that the only reaction you get from blowing your flow master are people laughing at you.
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loren 10:15AM (8/10/2007)
Really thats funny, because I laugh at people like you who go to Radio Shack and blow there money on devices you will never use again.
F451 11:58AM (8/10/2007)
Recently, I read somewhere that Australia (I believe, but cannot remember which country) has developed the noise equivalent of the intersection photo enforcement camera, but using sound as the measurement to issue a ticket. With calibration becoming easier and quicker the old standby of going to court and using the calibration defense nonsense is quickly coming to an end. Maybe Massachusetts should be looking into installing these sound enforcement devices?