Motor Vehicle Sound checks in Toronto (dB)

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Yes, the police here are allowed to conduct roadside stops for document or equipment checks, and yes, it is considered being "detained" ... but they are allowed to detain you for such a roadside stop or equipment check for a "reasonable" time period. What's "reasonable" is left to the courts to decide ... and that's a function of whether they have reasonable suspicion. For example, at a RIDE check, they're allowed to stop you for the few seconds (verbal check) or perhaps minute or two (roadside breathalyser) it takes to establish if there is a reasonable suspicion of a violation. If that roadside breathalyser indicates a violation then that timeframe is off. They're allowed to haul you off for proper testing, and then "reasonable" becomes measured in hours.

For these noise tests, it's going to be the same sort of thing. If they set up a checkpoint and are stopping everyone, and you with your bone stock exhaust system get flagged in, they are allowed to detain you for the few seconds or perhaps minute or two that it takes them to establish whether you're probably going to be in violation or not. A time consuming detour out of your plans, to an out-of-the-way but "approved" testing location, might be found to be OK with the courts if you really were non-compliant and it really did end up with you being charged with the offence ... but if they do that to your quiet bike with its bone-stock exhaust system, that's probably not OK. I am saying "probably" because I don't think anyone has done us the public service of having this happen to them and challenging it in court yet.

The Caledon cops first gave up doing the elevated-RPM part of the SAE test, because they weren't able to prove the facts in a manner satisfactory to the courts.
 
Also, I recall reading elsewhere, that Toronto's bylaw omits the specified RPM of the SAE test, instead wording it as "at any higher speed". The problem here is that "at any higher speed" includes (let's say) 1 rpm short of rev limiter, and I doubt there is any vehicle that will pass that. This might be why they chose an arbitrary engine speed ... and you can thank them for giving you that break, because if they instructed you to hold it at redline, almost any stock motorcycle will fail.
 
what part does an engine under load compare to an engine just revving up, is not understood by the law makers?

Let’s say at 2000rpm running down the road will definitely make a difference as opposed to sitting in the parking lot and revving up the car or bike
 
ToSlow said:
what part does an engine under load compare to an engine just revving up, is not understood by the law makers?

Let’s say at 2000rpm running down the road will definitely make a difference as opposed to sitting in the parking lot and revving up the car or bike
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They are politicians making knee jerk decisions not SAE engineers.
 
I have a hard time having a hard time with this.

I can't count the number of times when I went through "blitzes" or spot checks in a commercial vehicle (cub van or stake/dump truck) where the detainment was well beyond a couple minutes. Never a charge or infraction though, thankfully.

In my view, we hold a license to operate a vehicle on public roads as granted by the government on our behalf as agreed to through the democratic process and its constructions.

If they decide they want to test the sound volume of my MC, go ahead, as long as the process is applied consistently to the subject group of the blitz.

My opinion is absolutely colored by the impact of noise on off road motorcycle user access to public lands as well as the racket I listen to every Saturday & Sunday on Hwy 2 and other times. I could also do without the jake brake noise now that I think about it.
 
xrljoel said:
I have a hard time having a hard time with this.

I can't count the number of times when I went through "blitzes" or spot checks in a commercial vehicle (cub van or stake/dump truck) where the detainment was well beyond a couple minutes. Never a charge or infraction though, thankfully.

In my view, we hold a license to operate a vehicle on public roads as granted by the government on our behalf as agreed to through the democratic process and its constructions.

If they decide they want to test the sound volume of my MC, go ahead, as long as the process is applied consistently to the subject group of the blitz.

My opinion is absolutely colored by the impact of noise on off road motorcycle user access to public lands as well as the racket I listen to every Saturday & Sunday on Hwy 2 and other times. I could also do without the jake brake noise now that I think about it.
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If a rider kept getting pulled in, I'd hope they come up with a system to speed things up. Eg. "here's my test ID number. You measured my Speed Triple with Arrow exhaust on xxxx date and I passed". Looking it up should be faster that waiting in line for a test. It may not be. Bureaucracy has no incentive to move quickly.
 
xrljoel said:
I have a hard time having a hard time with this.

... My opinion is absolutely colored by the impact of noise on off road motorcycle user access to public lands as well as the racket I listen to every Saturday & Sunday on Hwy 2 and other times. I could also do without the jake brake noise now that I think about it.
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100%; obnoxiously loud pipes cost rights.
 
GreyGhost said:
If a rider kept getting pulled in, I'd hope they come up with a system to speed things up. Eg. "here's my test ID number. You measured my Speed Triple with Arrow exhaust on xxxx date and I passed". Looking it up should be faster that waiting in line for a test. It may not be. Bureaucracy has no incentive to move quickly.
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This would require properly documenting every test, as opposed to a quick but undocumented screening which results in letting most people go with minimal delay.
 
Brian P said:
This would require properly documenting every test, as opposed to a quick but undocumented screening which results in letting most people go with minimal delay.
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It could be simpler. Hand you something like a business card with a date, bike make/model and officer signature. That card buys you xx days without being measured again. Most people aren't swapping exhaust often. Now, it may not matter at all if they only do one or two blitzes a summer. I was more thinking of if they did them weekly and someone kept getting measured.
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