New Yorkers, legislation that could affect you

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S9009

S9009 (ACTIVE) - SUMMARY

Increases the maximum fine for certain equipment violations; amends the threshold for violations relating to mufflers and exhaust systems; requires police vehicles to be equipped with decibel readers.

Well if they limit it to 49cc scooters and P71s that'll eliminate 99% of the miscreants.

I signed and shared it on Facebook. 60db is absurdly low. 

60db is insane.  I don't think most cars would pass that OEM.   Stock Corvettes are like 90-92 with Z06s at the 95 limit.  

NickD said:

I signed and shared it on Facebook. 60db is absurdly low. 

This chart gives an example of 60 decibels as "air conditioning unit at 100 feet." It's a good idea to replace an impossibly vague "excessive or unusual" criteria with real numbers, but the numbers they are asking for go beyond unreasonable and into "How the berkley is that even possible?"

"How the berkley is that even possible?"

Electric.  

Will they be holding the Harleys to the same standard? 

I'm not trying to hate on riders but there are some obscenely loud motorcycles.  

If 100% stock vehicles can't pass it it's not going anywhere. Hell, ambient in parts of NY is well over 60dB. The NY state legislature often floats completely unrealistic legislation, many times year after year.

John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:

Will they be holding the Harleys to the same standard? 

I'm not trying to hate on riders but there are some obscenely loud motorcycles.  

I'm reasonably sure that this is the target of this regulation. 

John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:

Will they be holding the Harleys to the same standard? 

No, motorcycles are explicitly held to a different standard, 95 db in this case.

Can we not just call this the mustang Harley law? This is too low, but I wouldn't mind seeing more reasonable enforcement. Of course, I don't see how 10in truck lifts are legal either. 

02Pilot said:

If 100% stock vehicles can't pass it it's not going anywhere. Hell, ambient in parts of NY is well over 60dB. The NY state legislature often floats completely unrealistic legislation, many times year after year.

While discussing this law with my friend Scott, he went outside his house and ambient was 67db. So in theory if you are rolling down that street in your Tesla, it could be construed by someone not well trained as the Tesla is breaking the limit.

grover said:

Can we not just call this the mustang Harley law? This is too low, but I wouldn't mind seeing more reasonable enforcement. Of course, I don't see how 10in truck lifts are legal either. 

The typically aren't because of regulations regarding headlight distance to the ground, but it's rarely enforced.  

In reply to z31maniac :

Legislators at all levels love making new laws to appease an audience, and they hate putting resources in enforcement. Proper enforcement of laws about vehicles would require a trained dedicated force that has state/province wide mandate and works in conjunction with local police as required.

I keep hoping some day they'll drop inspections... Never going to happen

Anyone use a DB meter at autocross? 

Levels are very dependent on how the meter is held, where it's pointed, how close, etc. 

Good luck enforcing it.

60dB?

I have a dB meter app on my phone. 

I just went into the bathroom and ran the water in my sink.  Meter hit 58 dB.   

Took a leak (TMI?): 65 dB.

Flushed the toilet: 75 dB.  Spikes into the 80's

so how does that work if your stock, from the factory, car fails?  If it passed federal standards, can they make you muffle it further?  Like said above, cars like the Corvette and even the 500 Abarth are at the limit from the design bench.

In reply to nocones :

Is that at WOT?

02Pilot said:

If 100% stock vehicles can't pass it it's not going anywhere. Hell, ambient in parts of NY is well over 60dB. The NY state legislature often floats completely unrealistic legislation, many times year after year.

Many parts of California have passed laws as such. If you go down the Pacific Coast Highway in Southwest LA County or Orange County there are signs everywhere that state "Loud engines will be cited." Meanwhile the county sheriff is flying their chopper at 100ft AGL and much louder than most any car on the road. 

I'm pretty sure my fuel pump is louder than 60 dB. Possibly even the door chime...

The amish buggy going down my road is louder than 60dB.

Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:

The amish buggy going down my road is louder than 60dB.

And they have a really annoying emissions problem. I used to drive through the emissions quite often when I lived in Central PA...