The law on aftermarket exhausts

[Steven11]

Its a sad day when your worried about getting into your car and going for a drive

[Dan1971]

Bottom line fellas is this ...

If the exhaust was illegal - you'd have been reported.

If you break the law - you will get stuck on. What some guys do is where they aren't sure they will warn.

Cops won't carry round legislation books to show you that under section 1 of the registration plate act - made that up by the way - your digits are 1 cm too close. What they will do is tell you that it's illegal and you then make your checks and decide whether you want to argue the point at court or not.

"Exhausts a bit loud mate - might be illegal" is a fair comment, but unless they are positive, you won't be reported for summons.

If you have a big bore exhaust bought from long life, powerflow, janspeed etc, which is for road use, you will be fine. If you knocked up a bit of metal tube and attached it to your manifold - you may well - and I'd say should - find yourself at court defending your position.

And beware the guy out alone in a panda. He might not be a traffic cop yet, but he may want to be, and by doing so may well know more than a traffic cop who's been doing it for 10 yrs. In many professions, the apprentice knows more about the theory than the experienced old hand ...

[MG ZS STE]

If you do an on-line quote with AXA car insurance (thats who I'm with incidentally), when you get to the modifications part it gives you a long list of items that you do not need to declare as modifications. Stainless steel exhausts being one of them. FYI - That s'all folks

[Steven11]

Originally Posted by Dan1971

Bottom line fellas is this ...

And beware the guy out alone in a panda. He might not be a traffic cop yet, but he may want to be, and by doing so may well know more than a traffic cop who's been doing it for 10 yrs. In many professions, the apprentice knows more about the theory than the experienced old hand ...

Couldnt have put it better myself Dan, well said. And like i said before this is not a cop bashing session. Have came across some really decent coppers in my time but like you say there are always going to be the odd one or two that ruin the image of most good police men & woman

I know im going to regret saying this but ive not been pulled in the 9 yrs ive owned my Zed and ive had my exhaust for about 4 yrs now. I guess ill cross that bridge when i come to it. But when the time comes ill deffinately remember what Dan said and stay calm and answer any questions i can and remain polite the entire time.

[Quadcam24]

trouble is it seems a high percentage of plods have this attitude, certainly most of the ones i have dealt with anyway. They are their own worst enemy, they have made me dislike them just because of their own awful attitudes and i think many people feel the same.
They cannot just treat everyone like criminals and talk to us like cr4p because that's what they some times deal with, the majority of folk are good people and they need to learn to treat everyone as good people until proven otherwise, instead in my experience, the normal is to treat everyone like a criminal, coming out with put downs and mouthing off like they are saints all the time,....and do you get an apology when they eventually find out you are completely in the right and they are completely in the wrong...do you heckers like .....i dont know who they think they are, but if they want my respect they have a long way to go.