Laws on loud car exhausts

kurt largo

I was just wondering if someone could tell me what the regulations are on loud car exhausts or where I could find more information about those regulations? Also, do you know what sanctions are available to the Gardai to clamp down on loud exhausts? I live in Cork city and I would be driven demented by the excruciatingly loud sounds that are regularly emitted by cars belonging to boy-racers and motorbikes with unnecessarily large exhaust pipes driven by a wide variety of inconsiderate, selfish muppets, were it not for the fact that I wear ear-plugs whenever I am at home.

Surely at this stage, there should be reasonably strict noise-pollution laws in place to limit the size of engine exhausts and if so, why can't the Gardai just hand out substantial on-the-spot fines to the guys who break those laws? At this stage, I am somewhat used to listening to these people tearing up and down the streets, day and night, more often than not with "music" of some shape or description blaring out of their car windows, but I'm concerned about the effect that these loud noises would have on young children or elderly people. Thus, I'd like to find out what the laws are and whether or not they are being fully enforced.

MagicSean

There is a new device currently being rolled out in Garda traffic corps that can be used for measuring the decibel level of cars as well as one for the tint level. I would say after a certain grace period there will be a number of prosecutions over the next 6 months or so.