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Basel police seized 13 cars with tampered exhaust systems in August. 41 drivers were arrested for deliberately causing avoidable noise and technical changes to the vehicle. It is not the first time that the Basel police have cracked down on so-called car phonies: reports of this type have repeatedly appeared in the media in recent months. But why is the topic so current?
As Adrian Gaugler, media spokesman for the Basel police force said, upon request, complaints from the population about noisy cars have been received for some time. However, the problem increased in the spring of this year during the crown lock: “We suddenly noticed a sharp increase in complaints across all channels.” The police have decided to respond with greater controls. Statistics are not kept, but there are a dozen controls that have been carried out since then. Furthermore, suspicious cars would also be checked under normal patrol. This year between 60 and 70 vehicles complained; however, not all the identified defects led to the seizure of the vehicle.
BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz
The planned missions are generally carried out in the afternoon. “The patrols crowd and listen for traffic,” Gaugler explains. The posers are acoustically very audible. The right vehicles stop and check. In the event of discrepancies regarding the technical condition, the car is taken to the base of the traffic police in Sissach. “If tampering with the exhaust system is found, a noise measurement and a comparison with the type certificate is made,” says Gaugler. If the car is too noisy, it is transferred to the motor vehicle test station. But when does a car make too much noise? And who is really considered a car imposter?
With the legal setting, Gaugler says, a car becomes individualized; changes are generally subject to inspection and notification: “A legally adjusted vehicle has demonstrated and recorded all modifications.” Police, on the other hand, describe drivers who want to attract attention as phonies. “The typical car enthusiast drives a powerful vehicle,” says Gaugler. They are usually BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz models. Car simulators often have tuned cars, but not all tuned cars can be assigned to a “car poser scene.” In addition to the noise factor, Gaugler mentions recurring and unnecessary driving in built-up areas, revving the engines at low speeds and starting the vehicle as a feature of the autoposer. Y: Car poses are more of a male problem, “but we also noticed that women were driving in vehicles that were not compliant and were making too much noise.”
Furthermore, it is not only cars that are affected: motorcycles are also monitored and reported in case of violations. The Basel prosecutor’s office was unable to provide information on the amount of possible fines yesterday.
Many reactions from the Facebook community
The Basel police received many comments on Facebook. The corresponding post has almost 200 likes and more than 100 comments. Besides some negative comments, there are mainly words of praise. Several readers give advice for the next police operation: this is how users write where autoposters are and where they can be stopped by the police.
