Dirt Rider, noise limit violation fines

Fines for violating the decibel limit in California not a cut and dry matterBy now the sound limits for folks riding in California should not be new. For those stuck under their bike or a rock for the last six months, a brief recap. Effective as of January 1, 2003, the law (AB2274) states any OHV on public land in California should not be more than 96 dbA when measured from a distance of 20 inches using Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J-1287 test procedures. But the restriction depends on the year and type of OHV - it will be either 101 dbA or 96 dbA. You can use the graphic on the California Off Highway Motor Vehicle website to find out what is allowed for your bike.Okay, so we all know the rules and even how to ensure we're being tested fairly. But what kind of monetary damage can you expect if you are in violation of the limits? Finding this elusive amount is nearly an exercise in frustration for those not indoctrinated in the world of law. So we asked John Pelonio, Supervising Ranger at the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Headquarters to shed some light on this for us.Basically, in a sentence, he informed us that fines are set in stone and you could up pretty much at the mercy of the court - within limits of course. According to Pelonio the noise restrictions are from vehicle code section 38370. Violators can be cited under either 38365 or 38370. The vehicle code does not specify a fine for these violations. Vehicle Code section 42001(a)(1) sets the fine for a first offense vehicle code infraction at a maximum of $100. That does not include court fees.The bail amount for this section is not listed in the California Uniform Bail Schedule that most courts use to determine bail, so it is up to each court to determine the bail amount. The total bail amounts for the listed OHV violations (on page 25) range from $96 to $170.From there it is decided in the individual courts. If you dying to know or really must see some hard numbers in front of you before being convinced to spend any money on a quieter exhaust, you can give the court the vehicle code section and they should be able to give you the bail amount.For example, San Diego County Superior Court lists the bail amount for CVC 38365 at $25. See page 36 of their bail schedule. San Bernardino County's bail schedule lists the bail for CVC 38365 at $136 on page 123. Basically, the bottom line is don't be more stupid than you can afford.