Unrestricted free movement is enshrined in the Finnish constitution, it’s one of the good elements in it…
This is nothing short of full-blown tyranny:
The Road Transport Act takes the view that the use of motor vehicles is intended to transport people from one place to another or to use them, for example, for work. Other driving is more or less unnecessary, according to the legislation.
The new Road Traffic Act briefly states that ‘unnecessary and disruptive driving is prohibited’ (Section 54 TLL). The short sentence says little, but it contains surprisingly much.
This law was announced after the fact, there was not a robust discussion over it, with plenty of public input, no, it was just announced. This is not how a constitutional republic is supposed to work. Quite to the contrary.
The price of street rallying is €100 – the new Road Traffic Act prohibits unnecessary and noisy driving throughout Finland
A joyride is unnecessary driving according to the law. Driving around and noisy stereos are disturbing driving. In June, these will be restricted under a new law.
The car, motorcycle, moped and moped car or tractor are not created as recreation equipment, but they are often used in such a way.
The Road Transport Act takes the view that the use of motor vehicles is intended to transport people from one place to another or to use them, for example, for work. The other driving is more or less unnecessary, according to the legislation.
The new Road Traffic Act briefly states that ‘unnecessary and disruptive driving is prohibited’ (Section 54 TLL). The short sentence says little, but it contains surprisingly much.
The most tangible change to the current one is that until now only unnecessary and disruptive driving in urban areas has been banned, but in June the new provision will be in force throughout the country.
It is therefore up to the police to assess, with a new perspective, when driving a vehicle is unnecessary, aimless or disruptive in terms of noise and exhaust emissions.
At the Police University of Applied Sciences, Chief Inspector Tuomo Katajisto, who is responsible for training on the new Road Traffic Act, knows that exactly unnecessary and disruptive driving is a bad saying because there is no precise definition of the expression.
“What is telling of such a ride is that you are not going anywhere, but rather consuming time, driving slowly and repeatedly on the same streets.
According to Katajisto, the police have interpreted this phenomenon, known as a block rally under their control, so that, for example, passing the police control point sufficiently many times has met the criteria for unnecessary driving. Typically, that number of times has been three.
“As such, the Constitution safeguards freedom of movement, but the breach of the peace (of the citizens’ home) is also protected by law.
The police are the referee of noise.
But there may be more to it than just a block rally that is unnecessary and disturbing. In Finland, however, both the current and the new law is downright kind in terms of disruptive driving.
In Germany, for example, the driver of a loud vehicle is stopped and the noise from the exhaust pipe is measured by means of a decibel meter. If the measured decibel value is higher than the maximum volume indicated on the registration certificate, the driving stops there.
It’s a good thing to make noise in Finland, but a distracting driving is a subjective thing. In Finland, the police must interpret on a case-by-case basis how disturbing it has been to cruise around, accelerate or play music. Calling the public to the emergency services usually brings the police to the scene, mainly as a referee.
“Often the sound attenuation of the vehicle’s engine has been changed and the operating sounds have been made more sporty. On the other hand, even a long enough driving without any more effects may seem disturbing to many listeners on a quiet block,” says Tuomo Katajisto.
Loophole seekers move around with an electric motor
Konsta Arvelin, police inspector of the Police Board, points out that the new Road Traffic Act is also intended to protect the fundamental environmental right in the Constitution (Section 20 of the Constitution). The police will take unnecessary exhaust gases and noise into account when interpreting unnecessary driving.
Of course, not everything can be denied, and it is not possible to completely eliminate transport emissions. What is interesting is how the police will react to the fun ride of electric vehicles if the engine’s sound is not heard and the music is not disturbed by outsiders.
Police Inspector Konsta Arvelin believes that a hybrid or electric driver can rightly plead that he’s not making noise or polluting while driving or idling in the Park.
“However, the police often find themselves, using their own common sense, whether there is disturbing noise or other visible and audible noises. Electric and hybrid vehicles are getting out of the way later this year. A legislative amendment to this area is currently under discussion in Parliament. It provides that the provisions on idling, i.e. the 2- and 4-minute rules, do not apply to such vehicles.
