Loud auto show celebrates increased volume

It is illegal for these cars to play their music while driving. But when they’re parked, it’s a festival.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Saturday was the start of a two-day show at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center to celebrate loud cars. The show was set up in an open field, but the music blared so loudly you could barely hear yourself thinking.
And that was the whole idea.
The seventh annual Summer Showcase brought contestants to Jacksonville to show off their stereos.
Starting July 1, Florida state law enforcement announced they would re-enforce a law that was already in place.
The law states that drivers can receive a ticket if their vehicle’s music can be heard at least 25 feet from their vehicle.
This means that it is illegal for these cars to emit their music while driving. But when they’re parked, it’s a festival.
“I have a 2×3 10 sunsets”, explains André Lonon. “I have it on an MD5Ktar amp and I have an 800 par 4 temano on my mids and highs and Rockville 6 1/4.”
(Editor’s note, we’re pretty sure that’s the technical term for: his car is getting super loud.)
Some of the cars were so loud that the systems literally blew people’s hair. The car show certainly brought some noise, but when it comes to loud cars, people we spoke to said it’s not about being disruptive. On the contrary, it is actually about bringing a community together.
“It’s like hanging out with your brothers,” Lonon says. “Everyone has one thing in common, we love him very much.”
Regan Rushing traveled to the show from Winter Garden, Florida.
“It’s almost soothing, it’s like you can’t do it anywhere else,” Rushing says, “a good place to go, bring a group of people together, like a family, brings everyone together.”
Rushing is also not a fan of the potential application of the “noisy car law”.
“I think that’s kind of ridiculous because I’m pretty sure a Bluetooth speaker can go 25 feet away,” Rushing says. “It’s almost like eliminating an entire community.”
Nevertheless, a potential crackdown on these noisy cars (if they were driving on the streets) is of concern to some of the attendees.
“It’s not a million dollar industry, it’s a billion dollar industry,” says Jefferson Lirio, “there are a lot of people spending to run their systems to get something what’s more.”
Lirio is part of a company that improves noisy cars and offers a compromise.
“We need more spaces like this where people building their custom system can come and show it off,” Lirio says. “The county regulates the permits for this, if they give out more permits for music shows, people will be off the streets.”
In the meantime, this group will continue to crank up the volume together.
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