Vehicle Noise Ordinance - 'Unreasonably excessive' is plainly audible at a distance of how many feet?

• A. 50
• B. 25
• C. 100
• D. 200

Answer: (A)

In Vehicle Noise Ordinances, a noise is considered unreasonably excessive when it is plainly audible at a specific distance from the source. The threshold used is plainly audible at 50 feet. If the sound can be heard clearly from about 50 feet away, it’s treated as disruptive enough to violate the ordinance, because it reaches others beyond the immediate vicinity and is not just a local, momentary noise. This 50-foot standard provides an objective, enforceable measure that balances practicality for officers and fairness to drivers. Distances like 25 feet tend to be too easily circumvented in busy settings, while much larger distances like 100 or 200 feet would capture too much non-disruptive noise and become harder to apply consistently.