Montreal driver gets ticketed in bizarre fashion

There's a lot of in-vehicle offences that can raise insurance premiums hugely for drivers; speeding, improper moves, and using damaged equipment all come to mind.

One thing that doesn't come to mind? Singing along with an upbeat dance tune, which is exactly what happened to Montrealer Taoufik Moalla earlier this fall.

The 38-year-old Moalla was just driving along in his car, nearby his home in the city's Saint-Laurent neighbourhood, when all of a sudden, police pulled him over on Sainte-Croix Avenue and asked him what had been going on.

To Moalla's knowledge, the answer was "nothing," but the cops saw things a different way. Having heard his zealous singing—an accompaniment to C+C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)"—they proceeded to issue him a $149 ticket under the charge of "screaming in public."

Most people—let alone drivers in closed off cars—have little idea that such a charge exists. It's one of the reasons Moalla was "really upset" he was notified of what was happening to him.

"If they found that everything was OK and there was no danger, they should have told me to continue on my way," he said. "But not a $149 fine.

"I was singing loudly in my car. Is there something that forbids that, or did I really bother anyone?"

Moalla is contesting the ticket and still waiting to hear back about the determination. If he wins, it'll be a nice victory for drivers who like to let loose a little bit in the comfort of their cars. If not, he'll be a cautionary tale for similarly spirited folks at the wheel.