SAN MATEO, Calif. — The California city of San Mateo has put a 45-day emergency ban on private karaoke rooms out of fear they could be used for activities other than crooning.
San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer said other cities have seen problems ranging from alcohol violations to prostitution to shootings at clubs with private karaoke rooms, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday.

Many testified on the issue at a city council meeting Tuesday night, including people who said they have terrible voices but still like to sing.

“My voice is terrible,” said Walter Lei, a San Francisco bus driver who said he’d rather sing in a private booth. “If I was singing here, everybody would run off.”

Andrew Cassidy, of San Mateo, said, “There’s no way you’d get me to sing karaoke without some soundproof containment. I wouldn’t sing in a room like this and you wouldn’t want me to.”

City officials said they would decide within the 45 days whether to make the ban permanent.