Acoustic cameras being tested to reduce noisy vehicles.

[Cowley]

Afternoon folks.

This story on the BBC news website caught my attention.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-48564995

It’s about a new kind of camera that will measure the decibel level of a passing vehicle, take a photo, and potentially send a fine through the post.
I live by a fairly busy road that heads from the city out towards the countryside.
On a quiet night sitting in the garden the peace is regularly shattered by the odd vehicle (motorbike or car with performance exhaust type thingy) roaring past and eventually disappearing from earshot.
On a Sunday we can have convoys of bikes storming past for about ten minutes.

Personally speaking then, I’d like to see these introduced (and preferably about twenty five of them on all of the roads around our house ).

I wonder though if the same thing that happens with fixed speed cameras - ie people learn where they are and just drive slowly past those spots - might happen here?
Is there scope to have some kind of decibel test as part of an MOT, where a vehicle is revved hard and noise measurements taken?
I wonder what the permitted noise level should be as well?

Any thoughts? Am I just getting old?

 

[Peter C]

In my town, there is constant traffic. It's all lorries going through roads which are far too small for them and almost killing all of the pensioners doing their shopping.
I like the idea of this, but surely just a camera and microphone would work (just going off of your description)?
I think that having a decibel test as part of an MOT is a nice idea, but "They" can't do that as it's too much work and effort to get perfect (or near perfect) conditions for sound testing.
Permitted noise level: just a little quieter than I talk so I don't have to shout when a lorry goes by!

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

In my town, there is constant traffic. It's all lorries going through roads which are far too small for them and almost killing all of the pensioners doing their shopping.
I like the idea of this, but surely just a camera and microphone would work (just going off of your description)?
I think that having a decibel test as part of an MOT is a nice idea, but "They" can't do that as it's too much work and effort to get perfect (or near perfect) conditions for sound testing.
Permitted noise level: just a little quieter than I talk so I don't have to shout when a lorry goes by!

-Peter

I was chatting to my neighbour about it last night (he’s a classic car enthusiast ) and he said that there is a noise test (which also includes checking the soundproofing around the engine bay) in an MOT.
But as he pointed out, people swap their exhausts for a standard system to pass the test and then put the modified one back on afterwards.
I suppose these cameras could help to change that though.

 

[Busaholic]

Afternoon folks.

This story on the BBC news website caught my attention.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-48564995

It’s about a new kind of camera that will measure the decibel level of a passing vehicle, take a photo, and potentially send a fine through the post.
I live by a fairly busy road that heads from the city out towards the countryside.
On a quiet night sitting in the garden the peace is regularly shattered by the odd vehicle (motorbike or car with performance exhaust type thingy) roaring past and eventually disappearing from earshot.
On a Sunday we can have convoys of bikes storming past for about ten minutes.

Personally speaking then, I’d like to see these introduced (and preferably about twenty five of them on all of the roads around our house ).

I wonder though if the same thing that happens with fixed speed cameras - ie people learn where they are and just drive slowly past those spots - might happen here?
Is there scope to have some kind of decibel test as part of an MOT, where a vehicle is revved hard and noise measurements taken?
I wonder what the permitted noise level should be as well?

Any thoughts? Am I just getting old?

Don't you think this will just be used as a cash cow?

 

[Peter C]

I was chatting to my neighbour about it last night (he’s a classic car enthusiast ) and he said that there is a noise test (which also includes checking the soundproofing around the engine bay) in an MOT.
But as he pointed out, people swap their exhausts for a standard system to pass the test and then put the modified one back on afterwards.
I suppose these cameras could help to change that though.

Oh OK. I don't drive so I wouldn't know!
People are always going to find a way to cheat the system.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Don't you think this will just be used as a cash cow?

Yep.

 

[edwin_m]

Sometimes I think the solution to this problem ought to involve spot checks and a mobile crusher. But I suppose it might be rather noisy.

 

[BJames]

Hard one, but living near to the A10, the amount of racers that rev up their engines at well past acceptable hours and acceptable noise levels can sometimes penetrate the walls of my house.. I'm sure it's the same for all of the neighbours. Personally though, I'd rather just see more police enforcement in the area - they removed the regular speed cameras, I can't see them installing new noise cameras as well.

 

[Tom B]

This is tested as part of the MoT, but the reason for rejection is quite vague and open to interpretation...

"The system emits appreciably more noise than a similar vehicle fitted with a standard system in good condition"

I think this is a new addition in last year's rule changes, though.

Those determined to take the mickey will as said above just swap the exhaust, in the same way that somebody (say) expecting a failure for emissions can tweak the carburettor slightly to get through the test then reset afterwards.

 

[tsr]

I'm pretty sure that at least some vehicles have their prescribed decibel limit printed on them somewhere, and very sure there is a specific legal limit. Will see if I can dig it out, unless anyone else can!

 

[Cowley]

I'm pretty sure that at least some vehicles have their prescribed decibel limit printed on them somewhere, and very sure there is a specific legal limit. Will see if I can dig it out, unless anyone else can!

That’d be very interesting tsr if you get a chance.