Winnipeg car community calls for clarity from police on what’s permitted on city streets
Posted August 17, 2021 6:48 pm.
Last Updated August 17, 2021 7:09 pm.
This is the first installment of a three-part series on the relationship between police and the car community in Winnipeg.
WINNIPEG (CityNews) ─ Lucas Teixeria’s 2015 Hyundai Genesis Coupe glows in the morning light.
Its smooth aerodynamic lines cut from the car’s front grill, back to the exhaust across the vehicle, which is completely free of rust, dirt or anything but shine.
However, even in the vehicle’s pristine condition, it was recently ticketed by a member of the Winnipeg police, despite the fact Teixeria had put less than 2,000 kilometres on the car since it was purchased. The reason: it had no muffler and had improper tint on the windows.
But for Teixeria, the tickets came as a surprise, as he purchased the car — with a safety — from a dealership in the city.
“I’ve paid $700 in parts and labour for this car to be back up to inspection,” said Teixeria.
For Teixeria, he says he felt he was unfairly targeted by police for the look of his car, saying when he was pulled over, he claims he was following traffic and was doing nothing out of the ordinary.
“I 100 per cent believe he pulled me over due to my car, not due to my driving. I wasn’t causing a disturbance, I wasn’t driving erratic, I wasn’t doing anything but following traffic on a one-way road,” he said.
“To me, I just feel like I was targeted.”
Lucas Teixeria says he was surprised when he was ticketed in his 2015 Hyundai Genesis as the car had been purchased with a safety from a dealership in the city and says there needs to be uniformity between police, shops and the community, in terms of what’s allowed and what’s problematic.
Speaking to CityNews as he was getting a stock muffler reinstalled in the vehicle, Teixeria says there needs to be more clarity, and uniformity, in terms of what exactly is legal on the streets of Winnipeg. As for him, and others like him, he thought due a clear safety, his car was street legal.
“Then there’s no ifs ands or buts about it,” said Teixeria. “I don’t have to debate with him on whether this is legal or if this is too loud or too quiet, I just have a standard. I can then modify my car to that standard.”
CityNews has spoken with numerous drivers who have had interactions with the Vehicle Inspection Unit (VIU), saying in some cases, officers pull over a car based on looks alone, and then search for reasons to issue a ticket on the vehicle, even if the vehicle is operating with a valid safety.
While Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Safety Act does prohibit “unnecessary noise” caused by the cutting out of a muffler or otherwise, there’s no definition in the act as to what is classified as unnecessary noise. This also holds true for Manitoba’s Vehicle Equipment and Safety Inspection Regulations, which says drivers must have a muffler to limit “excessive noise,” there’s no explanation as to what that means.
Noise itself is also not mentioned in the regulations as a general, or hazardous concern, that may result in a car being penalized or rejected when it comes to a muffler or an exhaust specifically.
CityNews Winnipeg requested an interview with the superintendent of operational support within the Winnipeg Police Service, which oversees the VIU, to find out about its specific enforcement objective but the request was denied. The online VIU site itself has no information about modified cars or specifics about mufflers or exhausts and instead indicates the unit is focused on unsafe vehicles, requirements for commercial trucks and information on insecure loads.
In a recent educational video posted by the WPS earlier this year, the public was told an exhaust cannot be modified to be louder than it was when it came from the factory.
Many worry this creates a double standard in the community, as some cars, like a Ford Mustang GT or a Dodge Challenger Hellcat, can be much louder than a modified car, but by definition, are still stock.
However, in a statement the WPS said all members of the car community must abide by the rules and regulations, which they say have been in effect for years, noting some members of the service have been attending select meets in hopes of strengthening the relationship between car community and police.
Darren Darvill, a long-time member of the car community, says collaboration and dialogue is needed between police, stakeholders and the car community, as it’s one of the only ways confusion around what’s permitted and what’s problematic, will be cleared up.
This is a positive for long-time car community member Darren Darvill. A Brandon resident, Darvill has been a member of the car community since 2005 and he says this isn’t the first time the VIU has caused confusion.
“This is nothing new,” he said.
Darvill explained in the past, the confusion surrounded members of the low-rider and mini-truck community, creating uncertainty for those involved.
“They were getting sold out of the province, sold out of the country, people did not feel safe driving them because of this vehicle inspection unit,” he said. “And not because they didn’t meet safety requirements, but because nobody knew what was right and what was wrong.”
Darvill says that issue was addressed through dialogue and conversation with the wider community, which resulted in hard and specific rules. He says while Winnipeg police for the most part are doing an amazing job, there needs to be clarity before tensions rise further.
“There’s got to be a directive link of, ‘hey, this is a yes and this is a no,’” he said. “We can’t have just a generic, ‘oh, I don’t like the sound of your car, it’s too loud, I’m going to issue you a ticket.’”
Darvill says now is the time for more collaboration between the police, stakeholders and those who are passionate about their vehicles, as without a clear and distinct understanding of the rules, those in the community will still feel they’re trying to drive, and thrive, with the parking brake on.
“Saying our exhaust is too loud without having a designation for it, it just isn’t fair,” he said.
