According to a recent article published in The Daily News Journal,  police are sick and tired of hearing your music- at least in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Police are cracking down on noisy car stereos over the next few weeks as part of a larger effort to increase safety on the streets.    Said Murfreesboro police spokesman Kyle Evans:

Driving with your stereo turned up so loud that other people can hear it endangers yourself and other drivers…For one reason, you can’t hear emergency vehicles approaching and you can’t hear other warning signs like horns honking or someone yelling for your attention.

The truth is that Evans has a point.  To test this theory, try driving around with your car stereo on full volume and see a) how good your concentration is and b) whether or not you can hear other emergency vehicles approaching.  According to the noise ordinance in Murfreesboro, TN:

Playing “a radio, CD player or tape cassette player in a motor vehicle on a public street that can be heard in another vehicle with the windows rolled up, or heard on private property” is considered a violation.  Additionally, playing “a radio, CD player, or tape cassette player on private or public property where the sound can be heard beyond the property line” is considered a violation as well.  And the police mean business.  The price for violating the noise ordinance is a heft $116.  Keeping all of this in mind, the following are a few tips for keeping it turned down:

• Going Residential-When driving through a residential neighborhood, make sure your radio is turned down or off, especially if you  are driving through a residential neighborhood early in the morning or late in the evening.
• Keeping your windows up will contain most of the noise as well as adjusting the bass levels on your stereo.
• Skip the Profanity- Not only is profane music rude, but it will get you reported to the cops faster than you would think, especially if a parent hears it first.
• A Note to Party-Goers- If you’re planning a house party, always make sure that you check with the property authorities first so that you can avoid violating any laws.  It may also be a good idea to let your neighbors know about it, since they are the ones who will more than likely report you first.

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