I got a ticket for "amplied music from a motor vehicle" in Houston...how to get off the fine?

Question

I have my rear speakers on the roof since I am in a Blues Brothers act and I have a bluesmobile. They are cheap $49 speakers that were inside a plastic box...I don't think they were too loud. Any ideas on how to get out of this ticket in court?

Answer 1

You are the only person not qualified to decide if they were too loud.  Come on, you put speakers on the OUTSIDE of your car, and ram your choice of music down the throats of every person on the street?  Grow up.

And the officer does not have to have a reading from a db meter!  All that is needed is confirmation that the sound could be heard from a certain distance away, or inside another vehicle that has the windows rolled up.

Your freedom to make noise ends at the same spot another's right to protection from noise starts.

Answer 2

That determing factor is a jugement call on the individual police officer. The statute is a "QUALITY OF LIFE" issue, aimed at people who distrub others for no good reason. get a lawyer or just pay it and apologize and don't do it again. Movies are NOT real life---I guess that is pretty evident by now. PLEASE--if you plan on explaining it and you don't use a lawyer to do your talking--you don't stand a chance. the judge will not give you any serious considerations at all. Serious means dressing properly for court--standing straight while your lawyer speaks. Good luck. Are you Jake or Elwood?? Look at you knuckles and tell me which one you are. I am a drummer who plays R&B--we do a Blues brothers set--exactly like the sound track. Horns and all

Answer 3

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

You got caught. Just pay the fine and keep it down, sonny.

Answer 4

look up the city ordinance and find out what the decibel level is that you have to exceed in order to get the fine... lets say its 85 decibels for example... print out some bullshit documentation on your speakers showing that the only go to a max of (under whatever the law says) bring it all to court, and when you tell them it definitely was not louder than it should have been, in fact my speakers cannot possibly go that loud. Ask them to see the sound pressure level meter reading from the police officer, which of course they wont have, and youll probably get off. Be careful how you go about it because if they think you are being a total wise *** it will probably stick... kinda like you can get off a speeding ticket if they dont have you on radar...

better than nothing right??

Answer 5

In many states the fines can be between $150 to $750 and if not paid the vehicle can be impounded.