Please support AB 390 - repeal of exhaust noise law

[John248]

First my background than my 2 cent option....retired 2 years ago from a mid size city in central California. Of my 32 years, the last 15 were spent on motorcycle (yes, I was that “guy” who wrote tickets). I can’t speak for other officers, but......

In my time on a MC, I wrote several exhaust tickets....all of them were to the foreign cars with the high pitch bumble bee sounding can hanging out the back. They got tickets because they decided to draw attention to themselves either at a red light or in traffic by revving their engines as if to say “hey look at me”. And I did.

The guys with the muscle cars (cobras) who rumbled at the red light, didn’t rev their engine, and pulled away with traffic smooth and easy were looked at. I would try to find every opportunity to get next to them at the next light, to talk about their car, and give them a thumbs up.

It’s all about presence and respect. If you think with your brain, instead of your right foot, then chances are the only contact you will have with LEO’s is that random thumbs up and their envy.

As for the fix it part....once the loud exhaust correction is made, then an officer signs it off and it usually is a $25 admin fee paid to the court. IF the offender is stopped again with the same violation (as in the owner undid the fix to make it loud again) then the officer or the judge has the discretion to make the citation “non correctable” or a nuisance. The fines can run as high as $500+ for repeated violations.

I know my opinion is just one, but 99% of the guys I worked with had the same basic philosophy. “If you don’t want my attention, don’t scream for it......and if you get it, don’t blame me”.

John