Screenshot: YouTube/CTV News
Everyone loves singing in their car — hell, sometimes you’re so into it you end up getting in a car accident. But one man in Montreal, Canada, actually got pulled over by police and ticketed simply for singing in his car.
Taoufik Moalla was on his way to buy some water when he suddenly started blasting and singing along to one the most popular songs from the ’90s: “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by C+C Music Factory. Well, that was short lived because Moalla was soon pulled over.
“I was thinking they wanted to pass, but they called on the speaker,” Moalla recalls. “‘Please go to the right side.’ 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 said police checked his licence and registration and then came back with a $149 dollar surprise: a ticket for screaming in public. 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 offence and $100 to $2,000 for subsequent infractions.
“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 that’s an awesome song, which makes this even more absurd.
Moalla said he will be contesting the ticket in court. Although according to Moalla’s wife, she would have given her husband a $300 ticket simply for singing.
Brutal.
And now I think it’s only right we wrap this up with this glorious one hit wonder.
