Noise pollution is a scourge in New York. To combat this pollution, the city imposed more than 56,000 euros in fines last year.
Noise pollution is omnipresent in New York City. A city report indicates that in 2022, over 71 tickets related to loud exhausts were issued. However, the value of a fine is not the least: it ranges from 800 to 2,625 euros! Enough to discourage owning a noisy vehicle, like a muscle car, in New York.
Tickets are issued using a traffic camera which records the noise of passing vehicles. A device that aims to limit noise in New York, as it becomes disabling for its inhabitants. Eric Adams, the mayor, does not hide it. “You listen to the noise outside, it’s non-stop – the horns, the trucks, the sirens (…) Noise pollution makes it difficult to sleep and increases the risk of chronic diseases”.
Unclear legislation on noisy vehicles in New York
Of course, these fines for noise pollution are not entirely unknown to New Yorkers. Still, they contain many gray areas. In particular, the location of surveillance cameras and noise measuring devices is not known. This results in an unknown whether or not the offense is respected, especially since its precise contours are not well delineated.
Pressure is then exerted on New York motorists. A situation certainly wanted by the city, since it plans to reduce noise pollution. These violations then respond to noise thresholds generated by vehicles. Their weight is also taken into consideration. Recidivism is even provided for: a higher fine applies for people who are on their third noise violation!
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A device that is intended to expand
Even if these violations do not always seem clear, the system is intended to be extended in the future. New York wants to fight as much as possible against the scourge of noise pollution, which truly poisons the lives of the inhabitants. The next step targeted by the town hall is to target vehicles that would be illegally modified, and which therefore emit much more noise than normal.
The exhaust pipes noisier are then no longer welcome in New York City! However, its mayor observes that they are more and more numerous. For the moment, he continues to favor digital surveillance to identify cases of excessive noise pollution. Alternatively, police vehicles specifically used for noise measurement could be deployed, a device that already exists in California.
