nickw2000 Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 Just wondering what's the legal noise limits for kit cars in the uk on the road? Having a bit of bother from neigh boughs so I have herd from the guy next door who's cool, saying others are trying to do a petition or complain about me and my westy with exhaust noise. Anyone know the noise limits? Stupid really bugging me, car comes out once/ twice a week if I'm lucky, it's not a boy racer car! I have the big tech craft exhaust silencer fitted. Only half the packing in it tho. Any advice welcome please. Cheers Nick Quote
Mark (smokey mow) Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 IIRC the current IVA limit is 99dBA Quote
nickw2000 Posted June 30, 2011 Author Posted June 30, 2011 How many meters away and how many revs should a test be done? It's not long ago passed the Mot Quote
carpetstu Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 A standard production car is (according to business link) 74db or below. No production car should have an after Market exhaust fitted that raises the exhaust noise above it's manufacturers exhaust level. I don't know may Westfields that would passes 74db ? Business Link linky Quote
sparky21 Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 How many meters away and how many revs should a test be done? It's not long ago passed the Mot 1m away from exhuast....... Quote
echoz Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 My oldman had this as well, some people will moan about anything! If it comes down to the local fuzz paying you a visit, may pay dividence to have a list of times dates and activities that your neighbours have done to upset you in the past month Quote
Norman Verona Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 My little echo. The last action that should be taken in this matter is to start accusing your neighbours of upsetting you. If a council official calls (I doubt a policeman will call) then the way to deal with it is to explain that the car is legal as made by the manufacturer and that you always drive it quietly when coming or going from/to the house. The way to deal with the neighbours is to talk to them. Keep cool and be polite explaining that you hadn't realised the car was causing so much aggravation. Then go on to explain that you will try and be much quieter in the future. You really must keep in with the neighbours as if you have a dispute it may be very difficult to sell your house when you want to move on. That what YOU should do. Me, I'd just go around and flatten them all. Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 And at the same time, taking all reasonable measures to keep the noise in check; refill kits aren't dear so get the exhaust done, it'll be more comfortable for you too! Might also be worth just taking a step back and get a friend to perhaps have a listen as you do an impromptu drive by test there are more noise sauces than just the exhaust on a WF. It maybe that the neighbours are picking up a combination of things - induction for example. But as Norman said, a battle with the local (unofficial) residents committee is best avoided. Quote
fatbaldbloke Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 A quick tale to support the case for dicussion rather than confrontation.... I was restoring an Austin Healey years ago with loads of chassis and bodywork issues. One nice Sunday afternoon when I was having a bit of a rest with Mrs FBB in the garden our neighbours teenage son was playing music in my opinion excessively loudly. I went to ask my neighbour, I thought quite politely, if he could turn it down, and my neighbour lost it completely. He shouted at me about all the bl00dy noise of my welding and grinding which had been going on for months. I had no idea it was so annoying, and he'd obviously said nothing until it just broke his patience. I ended up saying I was really sorry, as I didn't realise the problem I was causing. I tended then to only do the noisy work when he was out or went and checked it was OK first. He quietened the music a bit and we get on now better than ever. Quote
jim_l Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 I have seen an occasion when multiple complaints did lead to the police being roadside with noise meters. I don't think they deal with it now though, it is the environmental officer. You don't HAVE to do anything about it until your local council serves you with a noise abatement order, which could take a year or more during which they will have to fill in log books, have monitors placed in their houses, etc. By then though, you'll be living amongst a bunch of hostile people, and who needs that. I would take Norman's advice and talk to them, it is route one to finding out exactly what the problem is. It may be, for example, that you can run it all day but they just would rather you left the house quietly in it in the morning because they don't want it as their alarm clock. Some people will complain about anything, but there may be a genuine problem where you are adversely affecting somebody's life, you need to find out, and if there is a problem do the right thing, like maybe put the packing back in... Quote
jim_l Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 PS - I'm just doing a full rip out and refurb on a semi, spoke to the neighbors and said there'll be a bit of noise for a while, but after that if I make too much noise let me know. He said " You'll have a job, we can only hear our own TV through these amplifying headphones" Happy days Quote
MGF255 Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 I`ve found that mostly my neighbours are ok with the noise from my car but I think this may be because I try and keep it to a minimum by not running it on the driveway to adjust or check things in the evening , I tend to do this if I need to in the day time on a week day when everyone else is at work as the shifts I work allow me time off in the week . Luckily though one of my neighbours has a drum kit that seems louder than the westy somedays so maybe this helps . Quote
blankczechbook Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 noone has come forward to ask you nicely - directly to keep the noise down? if not - then it wouldn't be deemed reasonable to go straight to the council with a petition surely. if your couple of trips per week were late at night then sure they'd be more touchy about it.. all noises seem louder then. ask your friend who is the main culprit - lives on the left or right - where the exhaust is - on the way in or out? - do you blast off or tootle off from home - etc, etc.. doesn't need to be loud to be a nuisance.. little yappy dog can be worse if constant... Quote
MGF255 Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 no one has come forward to ask you nicely - directly to keep the noise down? I agree this is what you would expect to happen first What seems to happen is people always want someone else to sort out their "problem" by making a phone call to "authority" for example on the odd occasion I have inadvertantly blocked someones driveway with my work van to access the car i`m working on but more often than not people will phone the number on the side of the van and report it rather than coming over & politely asking you to move for a few minutes . Quote
Captain Colonial Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 Agree with most of the above. Put some more packing in; don't rev the nuts off the engine, especially when it's in the garage which amplifies things; be reasonable on revs and speed around your neighbourhood; don't start making a racket before 7 or 8 AM or after 10 PM; most of all, wait for them to complain - if they have a problem, let them tell you, and have an answer ready for them. If you're car's legal and you're taking reasonable care to limit the noise, tough cookies to them. If you approach them first, you're basically acknowledging you're causing a nuisance (even if you're not) in their eyes, and the complaints will never stop after that. We all have a least one local who's a prat. Quote
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