Mute noisy mufflers, City Council, but don’t go for a cash grab

The tailpipe, pictured, and muffler of a car are all part of the exhaust system. Loud mufflers may soon be caught on camera in downtown Chicago, potentially resulting in traffic tickets for drivers. (stock.adobe.com)

If the city decides to electronically crack down on loud mufflers, it should not follow the road it did with red light cameras.

New York City, Knoxville, Tennessee, and London have installed cameras with microphones to catch motorists and motorcyclists whose vehicles exceed legal noise limits. As the Sun-Times’ David Struett reported, Chicago is considering going that route with a downtown system that could go into operation next year. The next step is to bring it before the City Council’s Public Safety Committee.