NAPLES, Fla. — Collier County is cracking down on illegally modified exhaust pipes. The move comes amid increasing complaints of noise pollution.
On Wednesday, the Southwest Florida Noise Task Force, a coalition of local law enforcement groups and the organization Quiet Florida, held a press conference to remind residents that altering a car's exhaust pipe to be louder than it was originally manufactured is illegal in Florida.
"We want to educate and enforce," said Mary Tatigian with Quiet Florida. "We want to let people know it's a nuisance. It is harmful," she added.
Violators of the law could face a $313 fine for a first offense, with a second offense potentially costing up to $613.
Despite efforts to remind residents of the consequences, some critics argue that the rules are vague and that law enforcement doesn't use the right tools to track violations.
"They didn't even quantify how much noise was coming out of my car, so I don't even know how to fix it," said a Naples resident who has received two tickets that he has challenged in court. He spoke to Fox 4 News but asked to remain anonymous due to ongoing litigation.
"If it's not quantifiable, how am I supposed to correct it?" he added. "And they would say, 'Well, just put the factory equipment back on.' Well, not every car is 1, 2, 3 years old. Some of us have 30-year-old cars, and there is no factory equipment," the anonymous resident explained.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office says it has documented an increase in noise violations but did not specify its techniques for identifying violators.
FOX 4 asked a representative from the Naples Police Department how they identify violations.
"I see hundreds of Toyota Corollas driving down the street, and then I see another Toyota Corolla driving down the street with excessive noise coming out. I can tell the difference between that," said Sergeant Sheridan from the Naples Police Department.
The task force is also targeting businesses that install illegal mufflers. The Collier County Sheriff's Office has sent letters to several auto shops, advising them to put up signs to keep customers and workers informed about the law.
