pass referee in cali for loud exhaust...
 

Well so I had my appt today with the carb ref to get my ticket for too loud exhaust covered.

So I get there and since it's raining I have to wait for the rain to let up before they can do it.

While we're waiting the ref asks me if it's a stock exhaust. I said no, I have a cat back. So he pops the hood and verifies that's all I have, then looks at the mufflers and says he can't pass it, cause it has bolts holding in the baffles.

So since they're removable, he can't test it. So I ask if he can test it with the baffles removed and he says yes.

So to make a not so long story a bit shorter, it passed (barely) with the baffles removed and now I have my cert that I can show a cop if they pull me over again.

The ref even commented in the comments section on the certification that the test passed with the baffles removed.

So I'm stoked about that.

Jaden

What exhaust do you have?

Bet your neighbors aren't, though.

a spec d n1 copy...
 

a spec d copy of the n1.

Jaden

wtf is wrong with california? holy crap.

Hmmm... where should we start?

Glad im not there, first plenty of frs/brz and now you cant modified cars

Seriously.


First thing I did after driving off the dealership lot was slap on a cat back. I guess I won't take my living conditions in Texas for granted.

The same law(s) exists in almost every state, the only question is whether there is a sound limit or not.

Texas has a similar version of what California has, except it does not have a specific sound decible limit.

California law is actually pretty flexible in that it allows you to modify the exhaust as long as it complies with the sound limit. For a long time, the state BAR ran a program that allowed exhausts to be shown "in compliance" with the law. This also allowed you to have documentation ready to prove to an officer the exhaust is okay.

For OP, this is actually a great thing... if the car is ever pulled over in the future for an exhaust violation, it's basically a free pass.

But it's okay, easier to hate on California than understand what goes on in your own state.

-alex

I'm fairly certain I've never had to go to a "referee" to have my mods inspected. Pretty sure Texas cops won't pop my hood and look to see what I've done. Also pretty sure I can use whatever FI kit I want without having to worry about CARB certification. Also fairly certain my car can't be impounded for having "unapproved" mods.

Edit: oh yeah, no random roadside smog checks, either.

Fairly certain, or 100% certain?

Cops enforce laws at their discretion. If they deemed you to have done an illegal mod (for sake of being an ass, for example), the ticket is legally binding for you to prove your guilt or innocence.

The state BAR referee is simply a way for vehicle code violations to be inspected or verified. Some states call it an "annual inspection". Other states like Texas leave it completely up to the judge and officer to determine what is "excessively loud"

Every state has their pros and cons.

As for the comments about roadside smog and vehicle impounded:

1) I've gotten two "ref" tickets before, around 2003. The legal part of this is that you can drive your car after you have had a ref ticket, but if you currently have an outstanding ref ticket that is not resolved and you get another ticket, your car will be impounded. This is about the same as you getting a ticket for not having vehicle insurance, and then you get another ticket while the original ticket is unresolved. It's an administrative matter.
2) roadside smog is only an issue for people with poorly tuned cars.

-alex

LA

http://cires.colorado.edu/files/1113/8150/6776/LA.jpg

actually that's only partially true...
 

The referee told me that an officer can still write a citation for it even if I show him the paper, and I would have to get it refereed again or pay the fine...

So yes, Comuufornia still sucks balls.

Jaden

Texas has BY FAR the weakest laws concerning vehicle safety or at the very least they go completely unenforced. No roadside smog tests in Texas. The "inspection" here is a joke; not one vehicle that I have ever taken in has failed for any reason. Not even for wiper blades. Even though I maintain my vehicles carefully, I would have expected to encounter at least one or two items not up to snuff over the years. Cleary, the inspectors aren't making much of an effort to find problems.

Even if there are laws on the books concerning noise abatement, they go completely unenforced, except in some cities and these are local ordinances not state. Hell, we're about to go to a "system" where one sticker is used for both the tag AND the inspection.

You will have a much better chance of being shot in a gunfight here than of being pulled over for an inspection sticker or noise violation once our current legislative session is over.