Should car alarms be banned?

Since there's no bias in the issue itself, I guess it's OK to be under this topic.  (And it's not really about  transportation, per se.) It's a great issue, by the way.

We don't have a transportation topic.  There are many reasons why someone might not think they should be banned, so I'm not worried about it coming off as biased under this topic.

Good point Vizinertia about it being a local issue. But here is some evidence that there is at least one nationally notable person with an opinion.

Bloomberg Vetoes Bill To Ban Sales Of Car Alarms
By DAVID ANDREATTA
Staff Reporter of the Sun
August 17, 2004

Mayor Bloomberg yesterday vetoed legislation that would ban the sale and installation of certain kinds of audible car alarms, setting the stage for a City Council override. 

In his veto message to the city clerk, the mayor said he believed most aftermarket car alarms are equipped with adjustable settings and noted the legislation would not affect cars with alarms installed at the factory.

"[The bill] does not recognize the distinction between a car alarm that has been set at an inappropriate sensitivity threshold...and an alarm that has been set properly but by definition retains the potential to operate in a way that violates" the Noise Control Code, Mr. Bloomberg wrote

NY Sun

Yea, Jacki threw it under "Family and Society," I think.  That's a whole other issue.

This issue rocks my world. However, placing it in "Noise pollution" both introduces a bias and unnecessarily narrows the scope of debate. Don't we have a "transportation" topic somewhere?

I think this issue is okay when left pretty general.  We could probably get some organizations advocating for it as well.  I'm curious to see where users stand on this one.

Looks okay to me. (Though aren't most pf's likely to be local politicians and organizations not necessarily rising to the level of national attention?)

This issue moved from another topic. The original issue can be found here

fine

There's got to be two sides to this.  Here's one...

For almost thirty years, car alarms have polluted America's cities. The insurance industry says they don't reduce car theft–but they do rouse sleepers, disturb readers, interrupt conversations, and make neighborhoods less civil. Now that silent, inexpensive anti-theft devices are available, the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse is partnering with the anti-alarm group Silent Majority to banish car alarms for good.

Already, the New York City Council is considering legislation outlawing the use of car alarms within the city. A new report by Transportation Alternatives, a non-profit advocacy group, finds that the alarms are "alarmingly useless," and could be legally and effectively banned. New groups in Chicago and Hawaii are forming to introduce local versions of the proposed New York law.

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