British Expats - Absurd Noisy Cars in NZ

The Government are now ratifying regulations that will permit cars to run at 95db, which is way way noisier than any other country in the world.

It looks like NZ will continue to be plagued by noise pollution for many year to come.

The following note is produced by the NoiseOff association who are fighting a losing battle to bring NZ up to the rest of the world.

It would be funny if it wasnt so ridiculous.
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To: Members - Noise Off (http://www.noiseoff.org.nz/)

Since the Minister of Transport Safety signed off on the white draft of the Vehicle Equipment Rule 2007 we have been very busy:

1. Lobbying Members of Parliament in both the Government and the Opposition.

2. Working with local politicians in Christchurch .

3. Providing media statements and press releases.

4. Writing letters to the editor.

5. Presenting at meetings organised by other interested groups.

6. Conducting vehicle noise testing with the Christchurch City Council.

7. Appearances on TV3 and giving radio interviews.

8. Plus the numerous telephone calls and one-on-one meetings with interested parties.

So that is what we have been doing. What has the Government been doing? Well we had some success as a result of all your submissions to Land Transport New Zealand :

(a) The 90 decibel level which will apply to all new vehicles is not now deferred to 2010 but will apply from 1 June 2008 for all light passenger vehicles registered in New Zealand after that date; and

(b) There will now be no tolerance of 3 decibels applying to new vehicles.

These are the two principal concessions that have been made as a result of our submissions.

Unfortunately however the maximum level that will apply to vehicles registered between 1985 and 1 June 2008 will be 95 decibels. This is despite the fact that the vast majority of the 2,500,000 vehicles currently in service are well below 90 decibels. In fact we believe that the only vehicles which would exceed 90 decibels are modified vehicles.

Despite intense lobbying and frank meetings with the Minister and other Members of Parliament the Government is insistent on adopting a 95 decibel level for all in-service vehicles.

The Government's own officials say that of the 130,000 modified vehicles 50,000 will exceed the 95 decibels and 80,000 will be between 90 and 95 decibels. It is because of these 80,000 vehicles that the Government will not reduce the level for existing vehicles to 90 decibels. They are concerned about the political ramifications that this would have for them. So, rather than require those vehicles to comply with the easily attainable 90 decibel level, or grand-father the vehicles, either by time or equipment, the Government has decided that the way to solve the problem is to effectively allow the other 2,420,000 vehicles to also increase their noise to 95 decibels.

This decision has been justified by the Minister, the Honourable Harry Duynhoven, the Minister of Police the Honourable Annette King and even the Prime Minister the Right Honourable Helen Clark as being required due to "Kiwi mums and dads" who have unwittingly purchased Japanese cars with modified exhausts that exceed 90 decibels. We do not know of any "Kiwi mums and dads" who have unwittingly purchased vehicles with modified and noisy exhausts. We do know however of hundreds of thousands of Kiwi mums and dads and businesses who are plagued by the problem of noisy cars.

We are concerned about the 95 decibel level because:

1. 95 decibels is extraordinarily loud. It is equivalent to the noise that you would experience standing ½ metre away from a four stroke motor mower operating at full speed. The Environmental Protection Agency of Australia which enforces their 90 decibel level has advised us that a 95 decibel car when lined up against 90 decibel cars would be "noticeable and objectionable"; and

2. Secondly, we are concerned that by adopting the 95 decibel level from 1 June 2008 the Government will legalise and entrench this high level of noise for the foreseeable future in respect of the two and a half million cars currently in the fleet. It will therefore take 20 years for the more sensible level of 90 decibels to apply.

3. Unfortunately as a result of this policy setting we do not expect there to be any noticeable change in the overall noise generated by noisy cars. We can expect that all of the "car enthusiasts" will modify their cars so that they do not exceed 95 decibels however, that level in itself will be quite objectionable according to the Australian authorities. Our noise testing of motor vehicles collaborates the Australian's advice.

Subsequent Events

Following further public meetings, the Government announced additional proposed changes to the Vehicle Equipment Rules which would require those road users who breach the 95 decibel level to comply with the tougher 90 decibel level. This appears to be designed to target those who are more likely to exceed the 95 decibel level. However, such knee jerk and piece meal rules will fail because:

1. They cannot be enforced in a practical sense. For example, as soon as the "car enthusiasts" have passed the 90 decibel test he or she can legally modify the car back to 95; and

2. It will depend, in the main, on the Police identifying those vehicles exceeding 95 decibels. When there are thousands of cars on the streets all at 95 decibels or over that is virtually impossible.

In an attempt to talk up these latest initiatives and the 95 decibel level being introduced the Minister has this week taken out a half page ad in the Christchurch Press exhorting boy and girl racers to ensure their vehicles are less than 95 decibels or fit a standard exhaust. He then refers to his new proposals to require them to reduce the level to 90 decibels if they exceed 95 however, he does not make it clear that at this stage this is still a proposal only.

In any event, no amount of public relations spin will change the fact that a policy setting of 95 decibels for the existing fleet will further entrench and exacerbate the existing problem. We know that the manufacturers of noisy exhausts have been seeking 95 as the maximum decibel level. The Minister has granted their wish. They will be encouraging their customers to buy their 95 decibel noisy exhausts which will be legal!

What are we going to do now

1. We will continue to lobby the Government and members of the Opposition; and

2. We will continue to write letters and seek interviews with the media; and

3. We will lodge a complaint with Parliament's Regulations Review Committee; and

4. Endeavour to keep you updated on a more regular basis of our efforts in trying to have the Rule changed to 90 decibels.

What can you do

1. Write to your MP using the material in this letter to bring to their attention the absurdity of permitting all the existing fleet to increase its level to 95 decibels when there are only a small number of modified cars between 90-95 decibels which would have to change their exhausts or they could have their exhaust systems grand-fathered by time, for example a further 2 years before they have to change to 90 decibels.

2. Write letters to your local paper regarding the issue.

3. Keep the issue alive and advise your MP's that this will be an election issue for you.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions and appreciate any help that you can provide to the campaign.

Please note that we have virtually no funds left to keep running the website and pay our disbursements; so any donations would be most welcome.

Yours faithfully

Jonathan Gillard & Richard Raymond
Trustees Noise Off