i got pulled over in ocean ridge, florida yesterday. cop said my V&amp\\;H SS were pretty much straight pipes and gave me a $91.00 ticket. What should i do? just pay it or go to court. I was not even being loud. Bullshizit!

 

Wilburz, what exactly is the local&nbsp\\;ordinance or law that the LEO said you violated?&nbsp\\; Read up on it and determine if you were in compliance with the local laws down there.&nbsp\\; If you are in compliance, then definitely go to court and challenge this.&nbsp\\;

 

Florida cops tend to be ********.&nbsp\\; I'm a former LEO and have visited several states and this has been my experience.&nbsp\\; Definately check the local ordinance for compliance.&nbsp\\;

 

the ticket is checked off as "improper or unsafe equipment". then he wrote as a comment ," vance and hines shorts, 6 inch baffles".
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sect 316.272 , sub section 111

 

Look here http://www.abatepalmbeach.com/legislativenews.html

 

If it doesn't put any points on your license you might come out ahead just paying. unless you want to spend the time and money to try to fight city hall. Last time all the judge asked me if they were stock mufflers from the factory. when I said no, case closed, I had to pay.

 

Sucks, if you take it to court good luck. I would shoot this guy an e-mail and see what he has to say.
president@abatepalmbeach.com

 

I'm no lawyer but I do know that a ticket has to have a certain amount of specificity. In this case, it should be about decibels. The cop for instance can't just say you were going too fast. He has to clock you. He has to state exactly how fast you were going. In the case of noise, he has to measure the decibels. He has no way of knowing what kind of baffles you have unless you erred and told him.
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If you get stopped don't tell the cop anything about your pipes. Make him figure it out and wait to see if he measures the decibels.
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Suppose the muffler on my car goes bad and I buy a new one but its a stock replacement from Sears or Midas? Suppose its no louder than stock and is a replacement? Just because I didn't buy it from GM doesn't make it louder or illegal.
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Unfortunately I believe the only way out of this is to get a lawyer. Judges will walk all over you. It's up to you but if they didn't actually measure the sound I'd be pissed enough to pay a lawyer a lot more money than the ticket would cost.

 

I would contact the abate chapter. I also wonder how many tickets this fine representation of law enforcement writes for loud radios and exhaust on vehicles. Another example of a law applied with a heavy pen by an overzealous department or a *****?

 

The argument would simply be that constitutionally the burden of proof is on the accuser. They need proof of the exact amount of noise and not just opinion or predjudice against bikers or aftermarket pipes.