MONTREAL (AP/WSVN) — A Canadian man’s decision to belt out a 1990s dance hit while inside his car has landed him a $149 ticket for being too loud in public.
But Taoufik Moalla said Monday he’ll fight the ticket and denies his singing was as deafening as authorities claim.
Moalla says he was happily singing along with the windows mostly rolled up to C+C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” which neared the top of the Billboard chart in 1991, when he was stopped.
He says he initially thought Montreal police wanted him to move out of their way.
“I was thinking they wanted to pass, but they called on the speaker, ‘Please go to the right side,’” Moalla told CTV Montreal. “I stopped and four police came, two on each side, and checked the inside of the car. Then they asked me if I screamed. I said, ‘No, I was just singing.’”
Moalla says he was asked if he was yelling and he said no. One of the officers walked away and returned with the fine for screaming in a public place.
According to a Montreal bylaw, “to cause disorder by screaming” violates “peace and tranquility” and can be punishable by a fine of $50 to $1,000 for a first offense and $100 to $2,000 for subsequent infractions, CTV reports.
“I don’t know if my voice was very bad and that’s why I got the ticket, but I was very shocked,” Moalla told CTV. “I understand if they are doing their job, they are allowed to check if everything’s okay, if I kidnapped someone or if there’s danger inside, but I would never expect they would give me a ticket for that.”
Moalla said he will contest the ticket. However, he told CTV that his wife was not surprised that her husband’s vocals got him a fine.
“She told me, ‘If it was for singing, I’d have given you a ticket for $300,’” he said.
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