Imagine you’re cruising down Pine Grove Ave., maybe heading to the mall for whatever reason, or you’re on your way to downtown Port Huron. Suddenly, you’re favorite song comes on the radio (most likely while you’re listening to 96.9 WBTI) and you just HAVE to sing! We’ve all been there. So, you crank it up for those three minutes and sing a duet with Taylor Swift or Adam Levine. After the song ends, you go about your day. That should be the end of it, right? Well not if you’re Taoufik Moalla.
About a month ago, Taoufik was on his way to a store in Montreal when a straight jam came on his radio: C+C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”. You’re going to be hard pressed someone who doesn’t react to this song. When I played it for Kacie Kelly automatically started dancing to it! Here, I challenge you to listen to it for yourself while staying completely still and silent.
You failed. I don’t even need to see you to know it.
No one can blame Taoufik for signing along. I mean, he was in the private sanctuary of his own car after all! Aside from the shower, there should be no safer place to let loose with the vocal of your favorite tune. So, he didn’t think anything of it when the flashing lights of the squad car appeared in his rear view mirror. No traffic infractions had occurred, and Taoufik was prepared to allow the officer to pass when he was surprised by an announcement over the speaker to pull over. He was even more surprised when FOUR cops approached his car, two on each side. After a brief car search, one asked if Taoufik had been screaming, to which he replied that he had actually just been singing.
A zany misunderstanding, right? End of story. Except it’s not.
Translated: “Having shouted on the public domain” From CTV News
Poor Taoufik received a $149 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. Though his wife joked that he should have been ticketed more for his bad voice, Taoufik was understandably shocked as he says he wasn’t even singing that loudly. “I understand if they are doing their job,” he told CTV News, “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.”
As ridiculous as this is, Taoufik demonstrated the patience of a saint and actually thanked the officers for during their duty. He knew that this could be contended in court, and is currently waiting to present his case in front of a judge. His defense is to simply explain that he was only singing.
And don’t worry about this happening in the Blue Water Area because if you ever get a ticket for listening to 96.9 WBTI, we’ll totally pay it for you!*
* 96.9 WBTI and RadioFirst will totally NOT pay your traffic tickets. But please keep listening anyway.
