Denis Clark asks:
>
> Are there any sound limitations at Monster? My car has open exhaust
> and it's pretty loud. It would run in OSP in the first run group.
>
All regional SFR Solo2 events are governed by a combination of the National
rules and our SFR supplemental instructions.
The region elected, in the 80s, to adopt an objective rule defining
allowable sound limits. The 95dba@100' limit has been in force, through our
supplemental regulations, continually since that time. It applies to all
regional events at all locations.
The Region elected to impose an objective limit, rather than rely on the
subjective and unenforceable, or what I'll call a "paper tiger", National
"properly muffled" rule. (He asks, has anyone ever been disciplined, except
for violating local site rules, at a National event because of a violation
of the National rule?)
The purpose in adopting our specific limit was to be in compliance with then
existing, and possibly still existing, CA State regulations for sound limits
on motor vehicles activities operating on public, local and State,
properties.
At the time most of SFR regional events were held at the public Alameda
County Fairgrounds site in Pleasanton CA. There was concern, on our part,
that, since that site was located adjacent to ever-expanding residential
housing developments, a pre-emtive, and voluntary, effort on our part to
"control" sound levels was in our best interests. It would set the stage, so
to speak, for our having demonstrated "good citizenship" in the event of any
local objections to our noise.
Since the goal of the rule has been to demonstrate that we employ a
disciplined approach to sound control, we refined the rule over time, as it
exists today, to allow for an initial violation that would not impose any
penalty unless the violation was repeated at a later event(s).
Therefore, although I'm not suggesting that anyone initiate a contest to see
who can have the loudest "one-time" sound level, ANY sound level, no mater
how loud, will not impose any penalty for a first offense. That means that
Denis can run his car, at least for one event, without being subjected to
any penalty. If, in the event his sound level is monitored, and, as a
result, found to have exceeded the limit, he will be advised of the
violation and be put on notice to correct the violation before running the
next SFR event. Of course, if his car really is obnoxiously loud, even
without monitoring, the peer pressure might be enough to "cause" it to "get"
quieter for subsequent events.
The obvious here is that, even before a first violation can be recorded,
there must be a disciplined sound monitoring activity in place at an event.
There was a time, with many more, potentially loud, Prepared and Modified
cars running, where we employed an every-event monitoring program. With the
changes, over the years, in the makeup of our participation, there are very
few really loud vehicles entered at our events. Accordingly the need for,
and the frequency of our, actually, accomplishing sound monitoring at events
has, understandably, decreased.
Don
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