honking horn

[mospeed1]

my wife got pulled over yesterday for honking her horn

she was driving and this old man in a caddy pull across 2 lanes and cut right in front of her so my wife went crazy with the horn blowing it for about 30 sec
a motorcycle cop saw the whole thing and pulled her over and said there was no need to do that with the horn that the man was like 105 and there was no way he could hear you,he said that my wife was showing signs of road rage and honking horns is his pet peeve..

he should have pulled the old man instead of my wife
i told my wife to go and complain

[CraigFL]

Unfortunately the law says you can only honk the horn to alert someone of a dangerous/emergency situation. Although we would all like to do what your wife did, it is improper use and certainly does show rage. I use mine very sparingly because most people who are at the receiving end feel it is an act of agression on my part. I have received the finger many times for a light tap after the person in front of me is still stopped at the green light for more than 15 seconds. Your wife was probably lucky that the driver was 105 and not 25 with a gun....

[rubix777]

yeah, 1/2 second honk is fine just to get their attention. most people who doze off at the light are usually looking for something in their car.

[rwdriver44]

In Illinois the vehicle code reads. "...reasonably necessary to insure safe operation...".

In Illinois right turns are permitted after stops at traffic signals. I do not see anything unsafe about taking 2 seconds or 10 seconds for that matter, instead of the fractional seconds some impatient drivers give you before they start sounding their horns.

To answer your question is a 30 second horn blast reasonably necessary to insure safe operation of her vehicle? I wasn't there, but I did have a driver back right into me eventhough I sounded my horn for at least 5 seconds but he did not see nor hear me, 30 seconds seems an unreasonbly long time to "insure a safe operation of their motor vehicle".

In Illinois it is illegal to use the horn at any other time. Yet I hear cars marked "just married" blow their horns all the time.

[jon@af]

It's only illegal when you get caught. I'd honk at him if he pulled in front of me like that too.

[rwdriver44]

Not true. There is a higher law irrespective of what the "lawyers" prove or disprove.

[victimizati0n]

that is BS.

They put horns on cars for saftey reasons, if the cop doesnt like horns, then he shouldnt be a damn cop.

I would of done the same thing as your wife.

[keVinScIon]

Damn, i never knew there were laws against honking. I honk all the time. I even honk at people that drive slow. then i speed up past them and cut them off. haha

[95cord]

people that cut me off i just honk and give them the bird seems to piss them off more

[Thourun]

I honk at the cops in my town if they don't signal, if theres no emergency then I'd argue that I'm helping them ensure safe operation of their cars.... Its just not safe to signal, it helps that the cops in my town are all reasonable people though.

[andr3w]

i dont see anything wrong with using the horn. if you've ever visited new york, they use their horns for everything
i live in ohio, and you're actually "supposed" to flash your lights and honk lightly before you pass someone.

i use my horn when i find it to be appropriate, like when idiots try to share my lane with me. i, in fact, put a second horn in my Aspire so it now has a nice loud harmonious tone, rather than the previous beep.