316.3045 Operation of radios or other mechanical soundmaking devices or instruments

316.3045 Operation of radios or other mechanical soundmaking devices or instruments in vehicles; exemptions.--

(1) It is unlawful for any person operating or occupying a motor vehicle on a street or highway to operate or amplify the sound produced by a radio, tape player, or other mechanical soundmaking device or instrument from within the motor vehicle so that the sound is:

(a) Plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet or more from the motor vehicle; or

(b) Louder than necessary for the convenient hearing by persons inside the vehicle in areas adjoining churches, schools, or hospitals.

(2) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law enforcement motor vehicle equipped with any communication device necessary in the performance of law enforcement duties or to any emergency vehicle equipped with any communication device necessary in the performance of any emergency procedures.

(3) The provisions of this section do not apply to motor vehicles used for business or political purposes, which in the normal course of conducting such business use soundmaking devices. The provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power, from regulating the time and manner in which such business may be operated.

(4) The provisions of this section do not apply to the noise made by a horn or other warning device required or permitted by s. 316.271. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall promulgate rules defining "plainly audible" and establish standards regarding how sound should be measured by law enforcement personnel who enforce the provisions of this section.

(5) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
History.--s. 1, ch. 90-256; s. 220, ch. 99-248; s. 9, ch. 2005-164.

This is similiar to the modified exhaust statute. Only the most obnoxious violations get my attention. If it's the thump thump bass boom that shakes cars around them I write the cite. There is no breaks in that regard. I get so tired of hearing it in my home that if I catch one while I'm on duty they get the $73.50 cite to remember not to do it again.

(As a matter of fact I just heard one go by my house while I was typing this...... :ahh: )

I have of late heard first then seen two different 4X4 trucks with what appeared to have external speakers in the front grill.

Music was blasted.

Obnoxious was an understatement

HP, Tallahassee NEEDs you up here. I've been next to cars that made me feel that MY car was going to get shaken to pieces from their subwoofer. It's enough to give you heart palpitations.

How in the world someone can be INSIDE one of those cars with the windows up and not have their ears bleed is beyond me.

And I REALLY love an old beater that you can hear all the sheet metal buzzing with certain notes. I would pay DEARLY for a device that would inject my own audio signal into that audio system......... :reddevil:

I used to know someone that had one of the most powerful stereos for competition. Hit something like 150db's in a Toyota Corolla!!! He would actually sit in the damn thing with it that loud. Haven't seen him in a few years...he's probably deaf now. :bash:

MADN3SS said:

I used to know someone that had one of the most powerful stereos for competition. Hit something like 150db's in a Toyota Corolla!!! He would actually sit in the damn thing with it that loud. Haven't seen him in a few years...he's probably deaf now. :bash:

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Yeah, you know it. I played in a band when I was younger and generally had the speakers to my keyboards right behind my head. Tinitis is with me always. I just don't think about it, but it is there, nonetheless. A constant whine that never stops. Plus there were times that I shot high powered rifles and handguns without ear protection. Yeah, my mom DID tell me I would ruin my hearing, but did I listen? Nah...... I was one of those dumb kids who thought older people just didn't know what the heck they are talking about. And that's not the only advice I got back then that I wished I had REALLY paid attention to.

IVOZ06 said:

I have of late heard first then seen two different 4X4 trucks with what appeared to have external speakers in the front grill.

Music was blasted.

Obnoxious was an understatement

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Well it only requires that we can clearly hear it from 25 ft away. It's a little more than a car length away. Most cars are around 18ft or so,,, In the case of the external speakers I would definetly cite them if they were blasting it where I could hear it.

Hot Pursuit said:

Well it only requires that we can clearly hear it from 25 ft away. It's a little more than a car length away. Most cars are around 18ft or so,,, In the case of the external speakers I would definetly cite them if they were blasting it where I could hear it.

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:thumbsup: Yep

Drives me nutz!

Shadow said:

:thumbsup: Yep

Drives me nutz!

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Mee too, It's my absolute favorite citation to write. I write several a week. No breaks on this one.

The way I see it, I feel it's impeding on other peoples space, and right to enjoy peace and quiet. My favorite ciatations to write behind the stereo all involve infringing on other peoples space (and respecting others). Another biggie for me is violation of right of way. I hate when people pull out in front of you or make a u-turn in front of you and you have to brake to avoid them. It usually occurrs when there's nobody behind you and if they waited a few more seconds they would be perfectly safe.

Hot Pursuit said:

Mee too, It's my absolute favorite citation to write. I write several a week. No breaks on this one.

The way I see it, I feel it's impeding on other peoples space, and right to enjoy peace and quiet. My favorite ciatations to write behind the stereo all involve infringing on other peoples space (and respecting others). Another biggie for me is violation of right of way. I hate when people pull out in front of you or make a u-turn in front of you and you have to brake to avoid them. It usually occurrs when there's nobody behind you and if they waited a few more seconds they would be perfectly safe.

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Amen:thumbsup:

Hot Pursuit said:

Another biggie for me is violation of right of way. I hate when people pull out in front of you or make a u-turn in front of you and you have to brake to avoid them. It usually occurrs when there's nobody behind you and if they waited a few more seconds they would be perfectly safe.

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Man, we NEED you in Wakulla County! The people here drive me NUTS. They will pull out in front of you suddenly like you are completely invisible, drive for less then an eighth of a mile, then SLOOOWLY turn off into a side street like they have a goldfish tank on the front seat and don't want to slosh the water.

I had the whole stereo thing when I was younger. Well, not that much younger anyway. I had a box with 2 12" subwoofers in the back of my Camaro SS. So that was just last year. I wasn't really into the bass thumpin stuff. I just wanted to enjoy good music...loud. The only time I really cranked it up was on the highway when I was driving with the windows down. It really pisses me off when I'm sitting at a traffic light and someone has theirs so loud, that I can't hear myself think!

I agree with you guys on the U-turns. If you're going to pull out in front of me, don't try and get better gas mileage by go 0-50 in 5 minutes!

Another thing is the damn blinkers! People that don't use them, or flash them once when changing lanes. Or the people that turn them on after they've moved over. I gotta say, not to pick on you gentlemen in particular, but a lot of LEO's don't use their blinkers. I understand you probably have a lot going on in the car. Computer, radio and driving. But I'm just ranting.

Lets not even get into the cell phone thing, or now the morons that text message while they are driving!! :ack2:

:rant: OFF!

Scott

Madness...I feel you pain:hehehe:

There is a lot going on inside a police car and even more that we're responsible for to the citizens, going on outside that we try to keep an eye on. Sometimes we forget, other times, like any other citizen, we just forget. But, you're right. We should set the example:thumbsup:

Now, the cell phone thing...take a look at the next 10-15 LEO's you see in cars over the next week. How much you want to bet that at least 70% of them will be on a cell phone?

This past week, almost every one of the HCSO guys/gals I've seen have been yacking away. One, a female, almost hit me head on in an EMPTY PARKING LOT!! Just a couple days ago, she came around one of the raised tree medians in an abandoned parking lot (Mission Bell-Dale Mabry/Fletcher) and took the turn like she was driving a double trailer rig

I'm coming straight up the lane in the proper direction (thats another story in itself) and she's coming straight at me. I finally stopped and she moved. I'm in an 89 Elephant Chasing Landcruiser so all I'm gonna feel is a bump:crazy03:

Sometimes, these calls are work related, but I'm sure they're not all that way.

Again, we need to set the example. Hands free at least!:thumbsup:

I think about the absolute WORST place I have ever driven in has to be Boston. That place scared the hell out of me. Maybe it's changed now, because that was many years ago. But the drivers in Boston used the blinkers as a "get the hell out of my way" signal. If you saw someone in the right lane next to you put on his/her left turn signal indicating a lane change, it means he/she IS coming over, regardless of what you think about it. I guess everyone else there knew the drill, but I sure didn't!

Rich Z said:

Man, we NEED you in Wakulla County! The people here drive me NUTS. They will pull out in front of you suddenly like you are completely invisible, drive for less then an eighth of a mile, then SLOOOWLY turn off into a side street like they have a goldfish tank on the front seat and don't want to slosh the water.

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Rich,,,, unfortunately sir they are EVERYWHERE! I could write a whole ticket book a day and not put a dent in it in my area I work.:ack2:

MADN3SS said:

I had the whole stereo thing when I was younger. Well, not that much younger anyway. I had a box with 2 12" subwoofers in the back of my Camaro SS. So that was just last year. I wasn't really into the bass thumpin stuff. I just wanted to enjoy good music...loud. The only time I really cranked it up was on the highway when I was driving with the windows down. It really pisses me off when I'm sitting at a traffic light and someone has theirs so loud, that I can't hear myself think!

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I agree, it is very irritating. I write the thump thump ones. The average factory radio is technically able to be too loud, but it's usually no where near as obnoxious as the boom boom noise. In FL most people drive with the windows up and the air on so the factory, or just above, are not too bad.

Shadow said:

Madness...I feel you pain:hehehe:

There is a lot going on inside a police car and even more that we're responsible for to the citizens, going on outside that we try to keep an eye on. Sometimes we forget, other times, like any other citizen, we just forget. But, you're right. We should set the example:thumbsup:

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I agree. We should. I try to stay true to the system. If I miss a red light for example, and I wasn't on a call, the next close barely run light violation I witness is a freebie for the guy (provided it wasn't super dangerous or super late and near crash etc). Grin, I try to keep good Karma,,:rofl1:

Hot Pursuit said:

I agree. We should. I try to stay true to the system. If I miss a red light for example, and I wasn't on a call, the next close barely run light violation I witness is a freebie for the guy (provided it wasn't super dangerous or super late and near crash etc). Grin, I try to keep good Karma,,:rofl1:

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Good Karma:rofl1: :thumbsup:

I know what you mean:thumbsup: