Driving around with music at full volume may be punished in Florida (USA) with fines of more than one hundred dollars as of July 1 because of a new law that insists on an issue on which the state Supreme Court ruled ten years ago in favor of the “noisy ones.”
The new legal text establishes fines of up to 114 dollars for when the music comes from a vehicle can be heard well at a distance of at least 25 feet (7.6 meters).
The amount of the fines will be higher if the car emitting the music passes through places close to churches, schools and hospitals.
One of the points of the legal text authorizes law enforcement officers to immobilize noisy vehicles for up to three days under certain circumstanceslike impromptu parties in which a large number of cars play music in unison.
NBC television channel 6 collected opinions for and against this law that empowers police officers to fine those who exceed decibels.
One of his detractors, Christopher Dodge, considered that this law is “a new gadget to fill the coffers of state agencies” and he wondered if the agents are going to carry devices to measure the decibels that a vehicle emits or if their word will simply suffice to accuse someone.
Supporters say it’s going to be a welcome change, especially in neighborhoods where many people are used to blasting music with their car windows down.
Police Lt. Mike Crabb told NBC 6 that it’s not about stopping drivers from enjoying music, but to put limits on noise pollution in the streets.
In 2012, the Florida Supreme Court agreed with a lawyer, Richard Catalano, who filed a lawsuit against a similar law on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment to the Constitution, which enshrines the right to freedom of expression.
The new text amends that law invalidated ten years ago.