You can now get ticketed for excessive noise from car. Will new FL law be applied equally?

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — It’s an unsettling experience when you’re sitting at a sidewalk cafe, enjoying a meal or beverage, and someone in a car drives by, or stops at a nearby traffic light, with music so loud you can’t have a conversation.That’s part of the reason Florida passed the new loud music law, which goes into effect Friday. The law says law enforcement officers can write a ticket if the music or other sound-making devices can be heard 25 feet from the car. Vehicles used for business or political purposes are an exception.The new law’s intention is protecting residents and businesses from a public nuisance.“This is a good first step,” said Fort Lauderdale commissioner Steve Glassman, whose district includes the beach.But some wonder whether the law will be applied equally, and whether law enforcement officers will specifically target young Black men.“Law enforcement often uses these as a basis for disproportionately stopping or searching persons of color,” said Johnny McCray, a defense attorney based in Pompano Beach.The Broward Sheriff’s Office said deputies won’t discriminate.“The law will be ap …