A Lamborghini owner is suing New York City after receiving an $800 fine from a noise camera for his luxury car.
In New York City, a luxury car owner is making headlines after receiving a hefty ticket from a noise camera.
The ticket was issued for his $315,000 Lamborghini, and the owner is now suing the city over the fine.
This legal battle has attracted significant attention on social media.
The man gets furious after his Lamborghini is ticketed.
Anthony Aquilino, a self-described “car addict,” claims the $800 ticket is unfair.
He argues that his vehicle is stock and not altered to create excessive noise.
Aquilino argues that the ticket for his Lamborghini was a mistake.
He asserts that the city’s noise laws target cars modified to increase sound.
His Lamborghini, costing $315,000, has a factory-installed V-10 engine.
This engine is designed to produce powerful but legal noise.
He insists that he was driving normally when the ticket was issued, and the sound produced by his car is part of its design.
The ticketing system aims to cut down on noise pollution in the city.
It imposes increasing fines: $800 for the first offense, $1,700 for the second, and $2,700 for the third.
Aquilino expressed concern about the financial burden these fines could impose on drivers, especially if the city expands the use of noise cameras throughout New York.
After receiving the ticket, Aquilino took his Lamborghini to a dealership for inspection.
The results confirmed that there were no aftermarket modifications on the vehicle.
He argues that since he did not modify the car, he should not be held responsible for the noise it generates.
In his lawsuit, Aquilino emphasizes that he is not a reckless driver.
He was reportedly driving at a reasonable speed on 41st Street when the ticket was issued.
The man believes that if his car was excessively loud, pedestrians would have reacted differently,.
However, he noted that people around him did not seem bothered by the noise.
“The only remedy would be to sell the vehicle,” Aquilino said. “How else do you fight the fine?”
Officials spoke out about the fine
Council Member Keith Powers, who backed the noise camera program, said it targets all vehicles causing disturbances.
He emphasized that the initiative addresses noise issues regardless of vehicle modifications.
Social media reactions
On social media, numerous online users shared their views on the matter.
If he kept everything stock, I think he is in the right..imo, one user said.
He didn’t get the memo of either get an electric vehicle or use public transportation for NYC by 2030/35, the second user commented.
At the end, it will be down to WHAT words the noise code really used…
if the code reads “modified”, then that’s it, he can’t be fined… if the word isn’t there, then bad luck for him, the third user explained.
It may be stock…but not stock for America.
That’s like getting a Sherman tank and driving it down the street saying it’s legal because it’s legal in Germany, another wrote.