Taipei City Police Department

 
   Owing to the advent of the summer vacation season and the state-mandated relaxation of anti-Covid precautions, the first week of August has seen traffic flows into and from Taipei City reach new heights. In order to prevent social disturbances and noise problems caused by illegally modified automobiles, the TCPD, along with the Department of Environment Protection and motor vehicle agencies, carried out “Operation Silence” during the final weekend of July. In total, 132 automobiles were flagged down, and 5 cases of excessive noise production were prosecuted, along with 6 other cases of various infringements against traffic regulations. Through this prestigious program, the police successfully protected peace and quiet among communities in Taipei City.
 
    The TCPD further pointed out that owing to the relaxation of pandemic precautions during the vacation period, the roads in the Yangmingshan area were rife with heavy and oftentimes modified motorcycles in the late night; thus, along with authorities from environment protection and motor vehicle departments, “Operation Silence” was initiated in order to crack down on excessive noise as well as illegal vehicle modification. Police pulled over offending vehicles during the night hours, and subjected them to noise emission tests on the spot. According to the Noise Control Act, motor vehicles producing noise levels exceeding regulatory levels will be fined for a sum between 1,800 to 3,600 NTD, and the cause of the noise must be rectified post-haste. In addition, modified headlights, high-frequency car horns, lack of transmission covers or exhaust pipe-related items, driving without a license and other traffic violations will be prosecuted according to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act.
 
    The TCPD will continue to cooperate with related government agencies to enforce traffic regulations during the summer vacation, targeting hotspots of dangerous driving and road sections susceptible to noise pollution (Such as Yangde Boulevard, Yangjin Highway, and Shimin Boulevard among others). “Operation Silence” will also be carried out following a flexible schedule upon various points in Taipei City, and the public is advised to be compassionate to their neighbors who crave peace of mind, and refrain from using non-conforming exhaust pipes, lest they would like to rid their own wallets of a tidy sum.