Honking for Peace is now illegal??

January 21st, 2008 12:49 am
Protesters: We have right to honk

By Megan Pennefather / Mirror

FERNDALE, MI -- With a slight frame, soft voice and genteel manner, Nancy Goedert doesn't exactly fit the image of a crusader.

But as she walked out of U.S. District Court in Detroit late Wednesday afternoon, she sure sounded like one.

"It's communication; communication is speech," said the Ferndale resident. "Speech is covered by the First Amendment."

Indeed it is, but the question facing a judge who has to decide a federal lawsuit involving a group of anti-war protesters and the city of Ferndale is whether speech can include honking, even if it is for peace.

more . . . http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=10780

"Unnecessary honking" or some such ordinance under the rubric of disturbing the peace. Not enforced very often, but they're on the books.

Odd, isn't it, how many "unlikely" crusaders this no-good, very back, awful, horrible, completely fucked-up Bush administration is creating?

Why aren't the motorists (the honkers) being charged?

I know the answer and I think you do too :)

On edit, I read the article again and the cops DID ticket a motorist. My point is - why are they also charging the people holding the signs?

They incited motorists to honk (and, in so doing, incited another to break the law).

Without arguing the merits of the ordinance, it DOES exist and that's why the protesters were cited.

Not all forms of communication are protected under the 1st Amendment.

you may have a point.

OTOH, honking for peace could be, legitimately, equated with yelling "Fire" when there IS a fire.

Why not charge THEM instead of the people holding the sign?

The officer observed a motorist honk and that motorist was cited for honking.

The protesters were cited for inciting motorists to honk (break the law).

Two separate charges.

I disagree that the sign holders were guilty of a crime.

Maybe the law needs to be changed, but they obviously broke the law.

Huh???

"Christ maintains protesters violated the law when they incited motorists to honk, compromising traffic safety and causing a commotion with the noise."

It would be helpful to see the actual charge(s)...

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=10780

(on edit) Oh, you were talking about the actual charges....I don't know either...

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A honk disrupts the peace and may violate local noise ordinances.

A honk is legally considered in most places to be a warning. When no warning is necessary, a honk can be dangerous as it distracts other motorists.


...and I'm not even going to call you a name...

where honking is par for the course if you linger longer than 2 or 3 seconds at a green light. All you hear are honks. Whatcha gonna do at that point? Arrest them all?

...and the fact is that all of the honking in big cities IS a noise pollution issue and DOES cause distraction...and, at least in some large cities, it's probably in violation of local statute too.

Are you honestly arguing that because some jurisdictions don't vigilantly enforce certain ordinances, they should not be enforced anywhere?

Guess it only happens when something political is happening ie: Democrats saying 'honk for peace'.

Have you ever seen someone ticketed for 'noise pollution' ie: horn honking.... that wasn't political? Join the club, since I haven't either.

It's excuses, excuses, excuses. No bullshit about it.

I have the advantage of having worked in law enforcement for a few years, so I've probably seen more citations than many here have.

That's immaterial, though. The issue is that there is a law on the books and it was enforced. If one doesn't like a law, they can work to have it changed....they cannot, however, choose to just ignore it.

after the driver in front of him/her hesitated a second or two after a signal change? I find that one totally hard to believe.

I have seen/heard cars honking their horns many times in many cities and NEVER was anyone cited.

It's polical bullshit.

Once a COP always a COP.

Now, you are ignored.

I must be a Republican for believing that people are not free to just ignore laws?

"Once a COP always a COP"?


jeez...

raise a whole lot of cash - esp the tunnel from the Marin County side of highway 101 going to the Golden Gate Bridge. It seems like there were always folks honking in the tunnel - especially during rush hour.

When I see candidate supporters hooting and hollering at crosswalks, and I don't give a shit to whom they are cheering, I call the cops. During rush hour, somebody too slow is going to be distracted.

There ARE proper venues for things.

Fucking up already insane rush hours (or other highly visible locations) is not a proper venue.

A horn does not speak, by the way. It makes a loud, monotone noise - whose sole purpose is to wake up the cretin in front of you for not concentrating on driving. Which is usually the reason WHY accidents happen.

Sorry to swear.

:)

C'mon...that's just silly :)

or home to watch American Idol or to fire up their puters to read the latest on Britney?

Maybe they need to be distracted. :)

If honking offends you, stay out of New York City.
But as long as New Yorkers can do it, we all should be
free to honk like idiots, especially when it cheers the
people who stand for peace and justice. Amusing to see the
opposition to the honkers rather than the nuisance ordinance.
like a scary movie but worse.