Question the Constable! is a segment the Sunshine Coast RCMP features weekly. Residents can email or Tweet their questions related to the RCMP on the Coast, and each week one question will be answered. Persons submitting questions will have their information kept anonymous, and questions may be paraphrased. Submit questions via email: [email protected] or via Twitter: @COAST_RCMP.
Question: Some people like to put loud exhaust systems on their vehicles and rev their engines. Is this legal?
Answer: No. Motor vehicles must have a muffler that prevents excessive noise and has not been altered in any way. No device is permitted to be attached to the exhaust, which would increase the noise, nor can you have a muffler, which has a widened outlet. Additionally, Motor Vehicle Act Regulations prohibit the operation of a vehicle in such a manner that it causes any loud and unnecessary noise from the engine, exhaust system or the braking system, or from the contact of the tires with the roadway.
What this essentially means is that a vehicle cannot have an exhaust system which makes it louder than it was from the factory, and that revving an engine at a stop light or squealing tires from a sudden start or turn is also illegal.
RCMP encourages anyone considering installing an aftermarket exhaust system to be considerate of those around them and to minimize the noise they put out. Although it may be entertaining for the driver of the car to make a lot of noise, be aware that the noise may carry for several blocks, and it may not be welcomed by neighbours or pedestrians. Penalties range from a violation ticket to a vehicle inspection, which may result in the offending exhaust system being replaced at the owner’s expense. In response to concerns raised by citizens, Sunshine Coast RCMP will be on the lookout for excessively loud vehicles around the Coast, and will be targeting those who draw the most attention to themselves.
