Driver Ticketed $100+ For Singing C+C Music Factory in His Car
Bad news for anyone who's ever wanted to put the top down, crank up the radio and hit the highway singing.
A Montreal man received a $149 (CAD) ticket for singing C+C Music Factory's early '90s anthem "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" in his car while driving, CTV reports. (That's about $118.00 in U.S. dollars.)
Taoufik Moalla, 38, was driving to the store in September when his favorite song came on the radio, so he did what we've all done at one time or another: he sang along at the top of his lungs, because nothing is more liberating than singing while cruising in your own set of wheels.
Unfortunately, his singing caught the ear of local police, who pulled him over.
“They asked me if I was screaming," he told the Montreal Gazette. "I said, ‘No, I was singing.' I was singing the refrain 'Everybody Dance Now,' but it wasn’t loud enough to disturb anyone."
Officially, he was cited for screaming in a public place.
Moalla plans to fight the ticket, though it does appear there is at least some validity to it: Montreal law states that "to cause disorder by screaming" violates "peace and tranquility." What remains up for debate is if Moalla's singing actually did "cause disorder" and, if so, how.
“I don’t know if my voice was very bad and that’s why I got the ticket, but I was very shocked,” Moalla said. “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."
And just because you know you now want to hear the song behind this whole absurd mess, you can check out the original video up top.
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