In his campaign to improve the quality of life for New York's 15 million residents Mayor Mike Bloomberg has begun what is likely to be his toughest task to date - he has told the world's noisiest city to shut up.
Mr Bloomberg launched Operation Silent Night to keep down nocturnal noise in the city that never sleeps.
Strike forces of police and city officials will patrol 24 areas of the city each night armed with noise monitors, clutching court summonses and issuing fines for the worst offenders.
On the mayor's hit list are owners of barking dogs, people who play music too loudly and arguing couples. He also will have traffic police clamp down on motorists who play their radios too loudly, who rev their engines in residential streets, and owners of cars with over-sensitive alarms. They will clamp down hard on the perpetrators of New York's quintessential symphony of the street - the car-horn virtuosos.
'Examples will be made - we are going to seize cars - that is how people will get the message,' the mayor's senior adviser on noise pollution, Vincent LaPadula, told the New York Times.
Police will issue tickets for fines of US$25 (HK$195) for the smallest offenders. The biggest fines will be reserved for bars, clubs and restaurants that break the noise codes with loud music or boisterous patrons. They face penalties of up to US$25,000.