Red light cameras are common but now in New York City, traffic cameras are also outfitted with sound meters to identify obnoxiously loud vehicles so the drivers can be ticketed. So far, a pilot program has resulted in dozens of citations issued to those violating noise rules. From the AP:
"Vehicles with illegally modified mufflers and tailpipes that emit extremely loud noise have been a growing problem in recent years," said City Council member Erik Bottcher, who heralded the arrival of the radars to his district to help reduce "obnoxious" noise[…]
The new devices record the license plates of offenders, much like how speedsters are nabbed by roadside cameras. Vehicle owners face fines of $800 for a first noise offense and a penalty of $2,625 if they ignore a third-offense hearing […]
"You listen to the noise out there, it is nonstop — the horns, the trucks, the sirens," New York City Mayor Eric Adams bemoaned during a recent press conference that blamed an expressway for noise and illness. "Noise pollution makes it hard to sleep and increases the risk of chronic disease."
(via Dave Pell's Next Draft)
