Police to target excessive noise from vehicles in November
In response to frequent complaints, Kawartha Lakes Police Service will be targeting vehicles that are causing excessive, or unnecessary noise.
Members of the Kawartha Lakes Police Service will be monitoring areas where complaints about noisy vehicles often originate, such as major intersections in Lindsay throughout November.
Drivers could face fines of $110 if they are charged with making unnecessary noise, or having an improper muffler, and up to a fine of $10,000 and a driver’s license suspension if they are charged with stunt driving.
In a story from last August in the Advocate, Sgt. Dave Murtha of KLPS said at the time that a lot of complaints from the public would spur police to act on this issue.
“There are many products sold for vehicles such as license plate covers, tint for windows and loud muffler systems…that are legal for retailers to sell, but not necessarily legal for drivers in Ontario to add to their vehicles,” said Murtha.
Many of these products come with warnings to buyers that the product may not comply with local laws and regulations, he points out, but this is often ignored by the consumer.
“When the vehicle owner makes modifications to the muffler system or adds a new system designed to be loud, there could be an offence taking place,” he said.
Murtha said many officers will charge a driver with unnecessary noise, rather than an improper muffler charge, if the exhaust system of a vehicle is excessively loud. The evidence for the charge is based on the officers own observations and their opinion about the noise emanating from the vehicle.
“Police services do not rely on some type of device to measure decibel readings for noise coming from a vehicle, as the Highway Traffic Act does not specify an acceptable decibel level for vehicles,” he notes.
The sergeant says an officer will therefore rely on his or her own observations.
“For example, did pedestrians nearby stop and appear disturbed by the noise of a vehicle as it accelerated loudly from an intersection?” This could also include unnecessary squealing of tires.
I was looking both on the ckl bylaw site and Lindsay police bylaws for car noise by-laws. I came across an article that mentions there isn’t a decibel level but the officers discretion. The noise and speed from some vehicles in Lindsay has gotten totally out of control. Last night approx. 4:30 my wife and I were walking our dog when we heard a truck coming from Albert/Mary 4 way stop. By the time he reached us at Mary/Adelaide he must have been going 90 to 100kph along with the roar. When I yelled to slow down he sped up even more, honking his horn giving us the ‘finger’ his arm out the window. This speed and noise is an every day occurrence in this area with no control . So sad and I’m ready to move out of Lindsay.
Why limit it to one month to target noise from vehicles? Seems like laziness to me. Maybe I’ll just forget to pay my taxes for the police service next year…
KLPS needs to enforce existing laws and apply the appropriate penalties to drivers with vehicles emitting excessive noise. They should need to prove the resonator or exhaust has been fixed when they are fined for excessive noise. Mabye instead of using officers observations, which are obviously flawed, it could be measured by a decibel meter. Most of these drivers are trying to annoy everyone. “Look at me” then when you direct your gaze at the source of the sound, they give you the ol finger. Not fining these jerks is causing conflict. Since the KLPS has failed to address the problem of these drivers, i will likely get in a fight with one of these a-holes, and then i become the badguy. Thanks KLPS your traffic department sucks