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Anti-Noise Group Honked-Off At Noisy Hot Rods
CNSNews.com ^ | October 5, 2002 | Michael L. Betsch

Posted on 11/05/2002 7:34:37 AM PST by H8DEMS

(CNSNews.com) - A national organization devoted to fighting noise pollution has taken its battle to the streets, to combat loud exhaust systems installed in cars after they are sold.

Noise Free America spokesman Mark Huber says the manufacturers of hot rod mufflers are selling a product that is "lawlessly terrorizing" neighborhoods across America.

The Richmond, Va.-based group insists that noise pollution is a serious health hazard. It mentions hearing damage, sleep deprivation, aggression, chronic fatigue and high blood pressure as specific maladies stemming from our noisy world.

Noise Free America recently awarded Flowmaster, Inc., a manufacturer of high- performance, after-market mufflers and exhaust systems, with its Noisy Dozen award, an "honor" given to the nation's worst noise polluters.

According to Huber, Flowmaster was singled out for aggressively marketing products that bother people and are even illegal in some states. He said Flowmaster and other companies that distribute the noisy mufflers systems specifically boast about the "deep aggressive tone" or "deep throaty rumble" that their products produce.

A diverse cross-section of teens and twenty-somethings are installing the equipment that sells for thousands of dollars.

An article in Flowmaster's customer magazine, Power Press, acknowledges that there's a strong demand for loud exhaust systems: "Market surveys continually show...that many buyers purchase a Flowmaster system because of its unique and distinctive sound."

But Huber said he sees nothing desirable in Flowmaster's product line.

"For some reason, both fans of after-market exhausts and 'boom cars' seem to be obsessed with the lower frequency noises, which can disturb more people at a greater distance in all directions from their vehicle," he said. "Sounds of a lower pitch or frequency travel further and penetrate solids, such as windows and exterior walls of homes more easily than sounds of a higher pitch."

Illegal equipment

According to Huber, it is completely legal for manufacturers such as Flowmaster to market and sell their exhaust systems. However, he said, as soon as the car owner installs the equipment and hits the road, that car owner could be breaking the law.

Huber said approximately 40 states prohibit the modification of exhaust systems contrary to factory specifications. Virginia is one such state, he said.

Virginia's State Code (Sec. 46.2-1049) specifically states, "No person shall drive and no owner of a motor vehicle shall permit or allow the operation of any vehicle on a highway unless it is equipped with an exhaust system of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use on the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment, in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise."

But he said local and state police are lax in their enforcement of the state code in cases where vehicles equipped with noisy after-market exhaust systems are clearly in violation of the law.

Contrary to Huber's observation, Virginia State Police spokesman Sergeant Morris said the law enforcement officers statewide are cracking down on illegally installed exhaust systems; it's just that some counties don't enforce the law as strictly as others, he said.

"Different people have different things that they go after, fortunately or unfortunately," Morris said. "They have some police officers in Chesterfield County who are sticklers for those mufflers."

He said Chesterfield County's local police force writes a lot of tickets for vehicles with noisy mufflers because the devices are not standard factory equipment, nor are they compatible with standard factory equipment, as state code mandates.

However, Morris said judges in Virginia's county court system often rule against officers who issued tickets for noise violations. "Some will convict, some won't," he said.

Assault on freedom

Huber believes that people who purchase noisy mufflers see them as "some sort of extension of their personality that they want to share with the whole world."

"That's where the line is crossed," he said. "That's where they take away my freedom and they rob quiet off of my property and out of my personal space."

Aside from being a threat to public safety and an assault on the quality of life, Huber believes the tailpipe rumblings also affect the property values of homes within earshot of the hot rods.

He pointed to studies showing that homes located near airports lose almost two percent of their property value per decibel level emitted by jumbo jets. Similarly, he said, owners of vehicles that produce "aggressive, muscle car sound" may decrease the value of homes.

Noise Free America takes a grassroots approach to noise pollution. It lobbies politicians, even supplying model legislation, to address what it perceives as a health problem.

Flowmaster defends its products

"We have been in the business for over 20 years - and not by advocating that people break the law," said a Flowmaster spokesman who refused to identify himself to CNSNews.com . "That's why we make off-road products and products for street and emission vehicles as well."

According to the Flowmaster spokesman, the company designs exhaust systems for "race cars" based on the good-faith assumption that they will be installed on track-based race cars - not open-road passenger vehicles.

However, he said, "People, when they buy their cars and trucks, are free to do whatever they want, to a point. They go beyond that, oftentimes, and get in trouble."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Free Republic; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: freedom; noise; police; property; rights
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To: Carbonsteel
Hey, I thought this was a free country!! Boy, was I a dope.

Of course it is. That's why I'm sure you wouldn't mind me riding by your driveway in the middle of the night on a bycycle and tossing a bunch of tacks uner the tires of your excessively loud vehicle? After all, you wouldn't want to be a "cry-baby, bleeding heart who has nothing better to do then scream about how everyone one else should be living thier lives!", now would you?

61 posted on 11/05/2002 9:05:11 AM PST by templar
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All your cars are gay.


62 posted on 11/05/2002 9:05:48 AM PST by IowaHawk
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To: billbears
What's happened is that they've got Flowmaster mixed up with complete cat-back systems that does a complete replacement of the whole exhaust system including Catalytic Converters & Muffler. Hell you can go to a local exhaust center where I live and get complete dual exhaust system, remove Catalytic Convertor & put in Flowmasters & Chrome tips for under $500.00. I think they're talking mostly about the Rice Burner systems like Greddy & Revolution not Flowmaster. Somebody didn't do their homework apparently, but some of these @ssholes ust don't give a hoot.
63 posted on 11/05/2002 9:06:23 AM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: H8DEMS
Time to check on Flowmasters for the fleet - thanks.
64 posted on 11/05/2002 9:06:52 AM PST by lodwick
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To: billbears
What kind of Flowmaster system costs 'thousands of dollars'?

"The Riceboy Rip-off Special" (hint: the stickers really drive up the cost....)

65 posted on 11/05/2002 9:07:08 AM PST by stainlessbanner
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To: MissMillie
Better look & feel again darling.
66 posted on 11/05/2002 9:07:44 AM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: justshutupandtakeit
While some consider me an anomaly I don't believe I am unique in this case.

At least one other "anomaly" here.

67 posted on 11/05/2002 9:08:45 AM PST by templar
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To: MissMillie
That way blind people can tell we are coming, too....

"But officerrrr, I didn't see him......

68 posted on 11/05/2002 9:09:33 AM PST by Smokin' Joe
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To: H8DEMS
The knuckledraggers at FR don't agree !!


BUMP

69 posted on 11/05/2002 9:12:16 AM PST by tm22721
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To: HELLRAISER II; billbears
A full cat-back for my YJ costs about $500 (incl exhaust, headers, etc.). Most guys I see slap glass packs on their import and spend money on speakers rather than true performance accessories.

HR - you know I'm just joshin' about the rice burners. Whenever I see one, I think they are probably laughin' at my 6" lift and 36" super swampers on the mud buggy. It's fun looking down at them though : )

70 posted on 11/05/2002 9:12:29 AM PST by stainlessbanner
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To: stainlessbanner
Don't sweat it, until I bought my Probe & my MX6 I thought the same way you do. What happens is that when you break down & buy one (a descent one that is) you find out that you can compete with the V-8's & you can also get 20-25 miles to the gallon and trust me when I tell you that's just what happens.
71 posted on 11/05/2002 9:16:07 AM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: templar
And what exactly is your idea of "excessively loud"? I mean since you seem to know what I drive.

Even a Flowmaster has a muffler. In fact, I thought it was illegel for a street legal vehicle to be on the road without one.
72 posted on 11/05/2002 9:16:48 AM PST by Carbonsteel
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To: billbears
What kind of Flowmaster system costs 'thousands of dollars'?

An imaginary one, I reckon. Summit Racing Equipment's online catalog lists the most expensive Flowmaster exhaust kit at around $540.00 - for a late-model Corvette. Most other applications list at prices between $150.00 and $350.00. Now, if you go look at the Borla product listings, there are three which approach or exceed $1,000.00 - kits for the Corvette, Viper and (!!) Chevy Monte Carlo. Of course, Borla's stuff *is* high-grade stainless steel and for all practical purposes *permanent*.

Even if you also replaced every gasket, bolt, nut, hanger and even the catalytic converters, it would be tough to nudge a Flowmaster system cost over $1,000.00.

73 posted on 11/05/2002 9:19:26 AM PST by Charles Martel
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To: billbears
"So what about women that like the sound and the rumble. Is there something deficient with them as well?"

Gosh, I sure hope not. I guess I better not admit I like the sound of our 1968 AMX. Sits there and sort of rocks from side to side at idle. Of course, it's not a "daily driver"...
74 posted on 11/05/2002 9:22:19 AM PST by Darnright
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To: al_c
Every little bit counts, especially in the 1/4 mile.
75 posted on 11/05/2002 9:22:20 AM PST by 38special
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To: H8DEMS
What SHOULD be illegal is a loud muffler on a car with an automatic!!
76 posted on 11/05/2002 9:26:41 AM PST by Fresh Wind
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To: templar
I sure hope that if you had a problem with somebody you would confront the person & not hurt the car, because if somebody damaged my car on purpose in the middle of the night like a coward they would be toting a serious @ss whipping when I found out who it was.
77 posted on 11/05/2002 9:27:00 AM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: H8DEMS
Sounds like another f*cking pussy dirtbag RAT bastard who has a personal identity crisis, and wants to take it out on the rest of us.
I do agree with him on one point. Flowmaster definately deserves an award, for superior products! I have Flowmasters on my 5.0 Mustang and my F-250 FWD Ford. The truck REALLY sounds great! Nothing like Flowmasters w/ headers attached to 460 cubes of V-8!
78 posted on 11/05/2002 9:29:36 AM PST by wjcsux
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To: Charles Martel
Well Borla I can see. He's probably talking about general engine work, looked up the highest price he could find, and uses that as the standard. I was looking at some of the new chargers a couple weeks back and was truly amazed at the difference on the models for a regular car and a ricer
79 posted on 11/05/2002 9:35:37 AM PST by billbears
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To: HELLRAISER II
You should be so lucky.
80 posted on 11/05/2002 9:37:06 AM PST by MissMillie
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