For more information, please visit my weibsite: www PedrosGarage.com.

Happy Porsche'ing (while we can still drive them),

Pedro

Ⓒ2024 Technolab / PedrosGarage.com

I've tried to be apolitical in my articles up to now, but that's it!

The government is dead set in getting rid of our joys, and toys, one at-a-time.

Now they've picked on our cars … again.

It's starting in New York City and the State of California is looking into it as well and it'll spread quickly if we allow it.

I'm referring to The “Stop Spreading the Noise” Act which went into effect in NYC on December 6, 2023.

It intends to decrease noise and “increase the quality of life for New Yorkers”, by creating a network of hidden sensors (SoundVue microphone/camera) that ticket loud vehicles.  This Act makes noise cameras part of NYC's traffic infrastructure and gives a boost to the Environmental Protection Agency's noise inspectors.

Vehicle owners that exceed 85 decibels (dB) will be ticketed.  

85 dB is the CDC's

recommended safe

upper limit.  

This surveillance is picked up by aforementioned hidden monitors that will be scattered along traffic routes in all 5 NYC Boroughs.  

Fines begin at $800 and go up to $2,500 for repeat offenders.

That all sounds good, making the city quieter, but here's the rest of the story …

As reported by Road & Track, a man known as Jerry H owned a 2010 Carrera S in New York City.  Mr. H prided himself in keeping his Porsche Carrera completely stock, but apparently the symphony in flat-6 from his exhaust triggered one of the newly installed noise sensors at 90.4 decibels while accelerating up to a traffic light before entering the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.

That generated an $800 violation letter that he received in the mail a few weeks later.  Because Jerry's car was factory-stock, he assumed that there must be a mistake, so he appealed.  He provided an independent decibel test, and certified documents proving that his 997.2 was completely stock.  He lost.  Twice.

The city provided footage that showed the car hit a peak decibel level of 90.4, which was over the set limit, that's all the judge needed and the outrageous fine stood.

The $800 fine for driving a stock Porsche is harsh, but it's not the worst of it.  The $800 fine is for first offenders.  Repeat offenders also get a “nice letter” announcing a $2,500 fine.

Keep in mind that the maximum fine for speeding in New York is $600, and that's for going 30 mph or more over the limit, so someone doing 100 mph in a 65 mph zone would get a lesser fine that the owner of a stock 997.2 would while driving at the speed limit in the city.  A stock Carrera 997.2 is not a GT3 or a GT3RS!

This fine sets a worrying precedent for all car enthusiasts.

Jerry was so upset at the fine levied at him and concerned about the possibility of becoming a repeat offender, since the 997.2 Carrera was his daily driver, that he traded it in for an Acura Integra!

The government is really intent on forcing SUVs on us, better yet, according to their thinking, fully electric SUVs. It's for our own good.  It will increase the quality of our lives.

Yeah, right.