Impound My Car For What?!?!

While local politics are not the focus of our website, and we will likely spend very little time on the subject, we thought it would be interesting to get some community feedback on an issue that does relate to music and our city culture.

Apparently, starting today, Monday, September 1st, Sarasota law enforcement can pull you over and impound your car if you are playing music and they determine that it is too loud.  According to the articles I have seen, it will cost up to $500 to get your car out of impound.  While some have accused the city of implementing this ordinance in order to pad the city coffers, law enforcement and city officials say that is not the case, as that would be illegal.  They say it is a quality of life issue.

Interestingly enough, this new “noise making device” rule is an amendment of ordinance no. 08-4816.  If you read this ordinance, you will quickly see that the vehicular property of a citizen listening to their stereo “loudly” is being treated the same as a vehicle that:

• was used in connection with prostitution
• contained controlled substances
• was being driven by a person with a suspended license

Obviously, loud music in your car is a “gateway” action.  Next, you’ll be running a bordello and opium den from the back seat of your car while driving on a revoked license.

Anyway, y’all might want to be careful…. or write a letter to your city officials.

Does this remind anyone of the movie Footloose?

Tags: Music

Written By: caustin
Monday, September 1st, 2008