Ticket for Honking the Horn...

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Some of you may remember the ticket that I received 3 weeks ago in Hermosa Beach, for using my horn at an SUV that had cut me off almost side swipping me in my rental Dodge Neon...and then stopped in the middle of a school interesection blocking traffic and possibly putting kids in danger.

I blew the horn at the idiot to move....and a...stupid cop on the motorcycle gave me the ticket.

Today, I received the notification in the mail. $147 fine and god knows how many points...for "violation of" 27001A. All for using my horn at a reckless and careless driver.

Un-fuking believable....

osidak · 03-22-2005, 07:43 PM

Wow -

Do you live in the peoples democratic republic of California?

I use my horn quite a bit just to let people know I am there sometimes. A friendly little honk. Tax collector must have known the SUV driver.

jyl · jyl's Garage

You should contest that ticket. Make the city work for its money. Ridiculous.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Yeah...im working up a defense, but its just so logical and truthful that it probably wont work anyway...

juanbenae · 03-22-2005, 08:29 PM

was it an uuuggaaa or mmooooing horn at least? you know, getting your money's worth? i bet you will never enjoy that rollercoasters song no more,,, you know "beep beep,, hey, toot toot !!"

mikester · 03-22-2005, 09:36 PM

Sonic - I tried looking up that code on the CA DMV site and came up nada...a little help?

I'd like to read it.

mikester · 09:40 PM

Found it.

Use of Horns

27001. (a) The driver of a motor vehicle when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation shall give audible warning with his horn.

(b) The horn shall not otherwise be used, except as a theft alarm system which operates as specified in Article 13 (commencing with Section 28085) of this chapter.
Amended Ch. 993, Stats. 1977. Effective January 1, 1978.

Seems rather vague to me. You were using it to ensure the safe operation of your vehicle. Fight the hell out of it.

THat is by far the stupidest ticket I have ever heard of.

Ever.

Plus in Code #27000 they require you have a horn in good working order - This is the stupidest ticket of all time.

Bill Douglas · 03-23-2005, 12:56 AM

Make a formal complaint about the cop. Add a bit of drama to that arseholes life.

gaijindabe · 04:40 AM

By the letter of the law you were wrong to use your horn. We can all sympathize with you, maybe a judge will too.

But the use of horns has turned into the boy crying wolf. They should only be used to warn of an impending accident. Frustrations and friendly little warnings are not a reason.

This city is crazy. Lights turn green and everyone starts honking, speeders honk at every side steet. Taxis and livery cars are the worst. $147 bucks? Like Sun Tzu said: Kill one and scare one thousand! We need more inforcement of this very real quailty of life nuisance..

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Within the guidelines of that law, I was justified in using the horn. However these laws can be manipulated by the justice system to be interpreted any way that they want. I am almost positive that I am going to come out screwed on this one... I will fight it in court, but those judges are always on the side of "police officers". Its just frustrating that this office can get away with this abuse of power. Small things like this lead to bigger abuses naturally.

mikester · 03-23-2005, 05:54 AM

By my interpretation he was entirely justified in using the horn.

The law is too subjective to be enforced.

on-ramp · 06:53 AM

you got a ticket for using your car horn? this is a joke , right? i think you're putting us all on.
If it's true, though, it's a sad state of affairs, one more way the people are screwed into paying more taxes.
one day the people will rise up and revolt.

this is a great story for the networks, however, i'd contact them right away. shed some light on this crazyness. next thing you'll know, we'll be ticketed for turning our lights on in the daytime. they'll find a way.

gaijindabe · 03-23-2005, 06:58 AM

Sonic man, I feel you pain. You see a million crazy stunts around you every day as you drive, and the cops always seem to be hiding in the bushes on the downhill side of a wide open highway - waiting to us fish in the barrel.. But by your description - the SUV was stopped, and you were not about to hit him. Did tooting him "insure safe operation" for anyone? A narrow interpretation is not manipulation.

on-ramp · 03-23-2005, 07:01 AM

i can't believe there is a law of when and when not is a right time to use your car horn and you're actually debating the issue. haha.
this like it depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

That's really nuts. The two reasons I wouldn't go to court and fight it -

1. You'll lose
2. Lost wages while losing the court case

Have you ever driven in Europe? I don't think the folks there would know how to drive without a horn.

ubiquity0 · 03-23-2005, 07:49 AM

Thats idiotic. I'm sure the SUV driver that felt his time was so important that he was justified in driving onto the intersection, thereby blocking everyone else from going anywhere & creating a road hazard got a free pass. Don't you just love those people? Of course thats illegal as well, but its good to see this cop had his priorities straight

LeeH · 03-23-2005, 03:14 PM

Weren't you honking at the kid on the sidewalk who was about to run out in front of the SUV?

on-ramp · 03-23-2005, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeeH
Weren't you honking at the kid on the sidewalk who was about to run out in front of the SUV?

clever, go to court and lie about why you were honking, hahaha.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

hmmmmm..... Lee H is really F Lee H Bailey...

targa911S · 03-24-2005, 05:29 AM

They would make a fortune in NYC!