AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 15 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPump up the volume and pay the fine
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Marietta has started cracking down on people who blast their car sound system. For those who get pegged the fine will be $135 - a nice chunk of change for sharing your tunes with the rest of the world.
This hits home to me for two reasons. One, I drive an ancient Volvo that has an underachieving air conditioning system, so in the warm months I drive with my windows down and can hear anyone cranking their sound system. Second, I’m an offender.
One disclaimer - my car audio system is nothing to write home about, so I don’t know how far the sound might go when it wafts out through the sunroof. But no matter, on occasion you can hear Toby Keith or Trace Atkins flowing out on my ride.
And if your karma is not in order that day you also get to hear me singing. I don’t want to think about what I could get fined for my vocal rendering of “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” [note - this is the proper name of the song] during rush hour on Roswell Road.
That aside, it might not be the worst idea for our city officials to consider the same measure. In addition to discouraging my rolling version of The Grand Old Opry, it would be nice to do something to bring down the volume of every day life. Not everyone wants to hear my radio. Or yours. Or anyone’s $1,000 sound system blasting country, hip-hop, hard rock, Rush Limbaugh or whatever they enjoy.
By the way - why is it that some of the most powerful sound systems are in some of the shabbiest-looking rides? Isn’t there a common-sense moment that should kick in when one is about to install a stereo that costs twice what the car is worth?
I can predict the opposition, because it will be the same crowd that fussed when the city trimmed the hours that late-night clubs could stay open. When that happened people screamed that the city council was trying to take the “fun” out of being a Sandy Springsteen , that they were trying to drive people out of town.
If they got that incensed over the closing time of a bar, an ordinance over the volume of their car radio would put their knickers in a twist that might never relax. Which, for my money, is reason enough to do so.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
Comments
By Gael
September 17, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this
First of all, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” I love. I fear that my joy of listening to music or whatever on my radio, in my car will or could cost me. Why? It only takes a bad judgement from one human, AKA, a cop, to say he/she heard it from 100’ away. Does everyone know how many feet that actually is? Take a nice still day or even worse, night, where sound can carry a long way…need I say more? Intention good but not practical.
By Bubba
September 18, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Play your car stereo as loud as you want. Shoot, even some of the ka-thunk-a-chunk crap I hear from the shabby cars sounds better than the more urbane sounds in the city.
Instead, put a time limit on the ka-thunj-a-chunk. After, say, 10:00 PM, the volume goes down. If it doesn’t, bump the fine up to $500. That is, if the issue is really about disturbing your neighbors with loud music.
By Harry
October 5, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
If your car’s sound system causes my mirrors to vibrate, you need to turn it down.
If I can hear your car’s music with my windows rolled up and my radio playing, you need to turn it down.
And if your car is blasting “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”……. just stop….for the love of god….just stop.