Driving with a loud exhaust in Michigan could become expensive if two proposed House bills are passed, with offenders facing fines of up to $1,000.
Modified cars with loud exhausts have become a problem for many residents, prompting lawmakers Natalie Price and Jason Hoskins to push House Bills 6151 and 6152 into law.
Currently, the bills are before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. They must pass the Legislature and be signed by the governor to become law.
Under the proposed bills, police officers would not be required to use sound meters before issuing citations. Instead, officers can directly penalize offenders whose modified vehicles are obviously louder than the limit.
Loud Pipes Crackdown Could Get Serious
Image Credit: Rahul Soni via Pexels
Metro Detroit News revealed on Instagram that the new House Bills target vehicles that are louder than the set legal limit. This especially applies to vehicles with modified exhaust systems.
If the bills become law, police officers can penalize drivers without referencing a sound meter that displays the sound level. Usually, readings from sound meters determine whether a vehicle exceeds the legal noise limit.
However, officers would no longer need to rely on a sound meter and could instead issue citations for vehicles that exceed the legal decibel range. Speaking of fines, drivers will be charged $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for repeat violations.
But there are exceptions. The post states that first-time offenders and drivers with mechanical problems could avoid penalties by having their vehicles repaired and providing proof to the court.
Residents Say the Loud Exhaust Problem Has Gotten Worse
WXYZ Detroit reported that those living near Woodward Avenue in metro Detroit have been facing the issue of loud exhaust noises throughout the year.
One resident, Audrey Stone, who lives near Woodward Avenue in Berkley, revealed that the problem has gotten worse over time. She said:
“It’s really loud, and it’s hard to even have a conversation in the backyard some nights.”
“I would say from the time spring hits now right until the snow hits, especially Thursday through Sunday. We used to go out of town (dream cruise weekend) because we lived close to Woodward, but now it’s really every single weekend.”
Stone said the problem isn’t limited to loud exhausts. According to her, drag races also take place:
“There are clearly people trying to drag race down Woodward.”
Price, who is pushing the bills, said loud exhausts are a serious problem faced by residents. She said:
“This is the No. 1 issue I hear about from my constituents.
“There is no need to modify your vehicle to be excessively loud and disruptive.”
A major advantage of the proposed legislation is that it would apply to Woodward, which is a state highway. Notably, local rules could never be enforced on state highways, but that could change if the bills are passed. Price added:
“Unfortunately, those local ordinances cannot be enforced on state highways. And Woodward is, believe it or not, a state highway.”
Price also mentioned that for excessively loud vehicles, law enforcement officers would only be required to document the vehicle using their bodycam or phone. She said:
“So the law enforcement will say yes, I heard that it was excessively noisy and they’ll need to show that there is a modification made to the vehicle, which they can document with their bodycam, with cell phone. They don’t need to go under the car or in the car to show that it was modified to be excessively noisy.”
The report by WXYZ Detroit also presented the other side of the story. A motorcyclist named Simon said the fines were high:
Saajan Jogia is an automotive and motorsport writer with over a decade of experience, having written for Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, MotorBiscuit, GTN, The Sporting News, and Men’s Journal. When he’s not covering horsepower and headlines, he’s road tripping to quiet places, learning the art of offbeat living, and capturing spaces through professional architecture and interior photography.
