New 'Noise Cameras' Will Mean Fines For Loud Cars And Bikes
From bus lane cameras to good-old-fashioned speed traps, there are multiple ways for motorists to get papped and fined by the authorities. And soon, there’ll be a new way to get a penalty charge notice landing on your doormat in the UK.
The government’s Department For Transport will be testing acoustic cameras in multiple locations over the next seven months. If a passing vehicle is detected - via a microphone - to be breaching legal noise limits for road usage, a photo will be taken to pick up its number plate.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said that the technology is intended to counter the UK’s police force - which has received various funding cuts over the last few years - being too overstretched to combat “boy racers in souped-up vehicles” breaking noise rules.
However, there’ll also be plenty of motorbikes out there which stand a good chance of setting off such devices. If you’ve been running your cans without baffles, you might want to think about popping them back in quite soon.
Motorcycle Industry Association CEO Tony Cambell said:
“With growing pressure on the environment, including noise pollution, illegal exhausts fitted by some riders attract unwanted attention to the motorcycle community and do nothing to promote the many benefits motorcycles can offer.”
If the test is successful, there’ll be a full rollout of these noise cameras. The UK won’t be the first country to go down this route, however - similar tech is already in use in the USA. Meanwhile in Edmonton, Canada last year, a trial backfired when road users treated systems with decibel noise displays - which the authorities couldn’t yet use to issue fines - as scoreboards…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
So cars with active exhausts (fitted from factory) such as a brand new Aventador only need to keep it quiet under a certain RPM will get fined because they are near or on the rev limiter at the wrong time. Yeah that seems totally fair….
And yes I can understand cars with aftermarket exhausts can breach a certain noise level. But really? These cameras in London possibly yes. In the very quiet Scottish Highlands or most of the British countryside? No. Just no.
Why would a car like an Aventador be revving its engine on the limiter in tehse built up or residential areas in the first place? Those drivers deserve to be fined. This article doesn’t contain the full information and most people will read the title and skim the text then pass comment, like you have done!
What if somebody uses their horn because somebody else ticked them off, and get a ticket for it?
I think car horns don’t break the noise limit though I’m not sure.
Tbh I think the sound of an idiot with a horn is much more annoying that a loud car. If you’re not in danger, don’t use it.
now heres an idea
what if someone gos to all these noise cameras in the country and just stick a never-ending alarm clock right next to the microphone.
Modern problems require modern solutions
Better?
Nah, just give em some headphones and ducktape.
Has anyone else noticed that in recent years it feels like new bikes are way louder than new performance cars?
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I agree with this.
I live near a motorway and sometimes I get woke up by idiots on motorcycles who are too selfish to realize that they are driving near a residential area. And my house is sound isolated, people with simple double glass windows have an even worst experience.
This shouldn’t be implemented everywhere because let’s be honest in some parts of the countryside this is not needed. But near residential areas? Do you need help installing them? I’m here if you need a hand.
Same here. Granted I do hear some nices engines every so often. I heard a V10 powered M5/M6 the other day
I’m down if they also get rid of backup alarms on trucks (which countless studies show does absolutely nothing anyways) I’m definitely someone who gets irritated by exhaust volume from time to time, especially v-twin bikes, but man NOTHING sets me into a rage like industrial sounds.. beeps, alarms, loud trucks, construction equipment, etc.
I believe the volume of our world is too loud and it is subliminally stressing everyone out.
Was torn from bed this morning, the one day I get to sleep in, by a biogas powered garbage truck and it’s overhead hydraulic rams which literally couldn’t be any louder… then to repeated slam the dumpster against the truck with said rams.
So fix that, then I’ll worry about car/bike exhaust volume because honestly… which is more prevalent? If Johnny Jackhammer can get at it outside my window at 8am I can drive my 3” pipes whenever I want because those are literally louder than gunfire, no car could EVER get that loud. Seems unfair, industrial sounds could easily be addressed, but that’s just not a concern, somehow… but it seems obvious to me a more peaceful world starts with undoing the industrialisation of our world, ergonomics. We built a world for industry, not people.
I think its kinda lame that they are finning people for having semi loud cars, i mean it may be annoying to other drivers but making them pay for being to loud is just pathetic
The problem is not other drivers, it’s people who live or work right next to motorways.
But, why? I’ve never seen a country go to such lengths to combat a minor, just frowned upon issue. People don’t regularly drive around in cars that Colin Furze made.
Especially with SOOOO many other more important things to worry about/allocate funding to
Well i’m boned…. my FD is a nightmare to keep quiet, and I’ve tried a number of exhausts
This is dumb… beyond dumb, I can see this in residential areas. But I don’t see anything wrong wit loud cars on the motorway, or turnpike or highway or whatever you call them there.
They wanna make us live in a I-robot society with zero liberty and enjoyment outside of contributing with your work to taxes until you die. Fouck that shit ! I have way enough $ to go live in a cool emerging country, with little to zero regulation like we got in the good old times, enjoying my loud exhaust in a Safari RS3 <3 Fouck them, I’m out !
Yeah and I have the right to be able to sleep properly without getting woke up by an idiot on a motorcycle doing 150kmh at 12000rpm… And the right to work properly without being interrupted by a moron with an illegally modified exhaust.
It’s not just freedom and more freedom. There has to be mutual respect as well. My freedom ends where other’s freedom and rights start.