NEW YORK CITY (WABC) – A Staten Island man is suing New York City after receiving a noise violation for driving his Lamborghini outside the Lincoln Tunnel.
“It’s got a little bit of a rumble to it. I mean, it’s a sports car, so you can’t escape that,” Anthony Aquilino described.
Aquilino loves his $300,000 Lamborghini supercar.
And what’s not to love when rolling across the city like a thundercloud, unless other motorists or onlookers don’t like the way it sounds.
“You can’t get away from that. It’s a sports car, you know? It’s going to have a rumble to it,” Aquilino reiterated.
New York City says it’s more of a rumble.
“They say that, but the cameras may be a little too sensitive with what they’re picking up,” Aquilino suggested.
Over the past two years, the city has quietly been installing noise cameras throughout New York’s five boroughs. They are designed to detect noisy cars and trucks, and issue violations like speed cameras.
Late in 2023, the cameras snagged Aquilino and his Lamborghini in Manhattan.
The ticket was $800 for the first offense, which Aquilino says is unreasonable because he did nothing to modify the car and he can’t make it quieter.
“As you see the car right now, that’s how it was delivered from Lamborghini, from Italy to America,” Aquilino said.
Supporters of the cameras say noise is noise.
New York City Councilmember Keith Powers sponsored the law.
“New Yorkers have a right to a peaceful night of sleep, and that’s what our program aims to achieve,” Powers said.
Aquilino’s violation occurred on 41st Street near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. It’s a busy area with high-rise buildings nearby, but it’s not exactly a residential neighborhood.
Still, some New York City residents say it shouldn’t matter.
“When he bought it, he understood how loud it was,” one resident said. “If you accept responsibility for having something so loud, then you should also accept the risk that comes with it, which is a ticket.”
Aquilino is now suing the city and demanding an exemption.
“I can’t stop the car from sounding a certain way, especially driving at a normal rate of speed,” Aquilino claimed.
If he loses, Aquilino will have to avoid driving in the city.
But buying a Tesla, Aquilino says, is out of the question.
Copyright 2024 WABC via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.