Denver pigs are now ticketing motorists for support-honking at Occupy Denver.

[backscatter712]

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2011/11/occupy_denver_honk_support_ticket.php

Occupy Denver: Man pulled over and ticketed for two or three honks in support of protesters

Daniel Garcia's Saturday night ended with an unwanted surprise.
While driving downtown after the night's police raid on Occupy Denver, Garcia chose to publicly support the group by honking his horn. This, he would quickly learn, is technically illegal. Thanks to "either two or three honks," he says, Garcia was pulled over and ticketed by a police officer near 14th Street.

Just to be clear, Garcia takes out the ticket and reads it. On November 12, at 8:30 p.m., he was cited for violating city ordinance 54-71, labeled "horns or other warning devices." Garcia drove down 14th Street and was about to turn onto Broadway when a supportive honk earned a show of headlights behind him, accompanied by the signal for him to pull over.

My disrespect for the police only grows when I see this shit.

[Dawson Leery]

1. Break their unions.

If the cops want to protect Wall Street, then let them get their payment from there.

[Ship of Fools]

2. Idea: Get a HUGE group together, drive past and honk en masse at exactly x:xx o'clock...

[lunatica]

6. Brilliant idea. I hope this happens

I also had what I think is a brilliant idea. Donate goggles to the OWS to neutralize the pepper spray. It's fun coming up with ideas to nullify the police aggression in a peaceful way.

I wish I could recommend your post

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. I'm sure that will really get the support of anyone who lives in that neighborhood

Acting like an a**hole isn't the best way to gain public support.

[msongs]

11. nice pic of the union busters in your tag line there nt

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

21. I'm sure your posts get some support around here. And I'm pretty sure we're allowed to spell

"ass" here like the big kids do. Oh there I just did it. Ass. There did it again.

[Ripley]

26. You crack me up.

I've never seen a "liberal" or "underground" post by that entity. Lots o' flamebait tho. Hmmmmm.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

28. I kid because

I love. :evilgrin:

[Ship of Fools]

35. Naah. A one-time event. To make a point.

[donheld]

39. Nice try but, that part of the city really doesn't have any residences.

Only parks 4 to 6 very busy streets, lots of traffic, and state, city, & county buildings. If you don't know the city why make comments?

[sabrina 1]

17. I was thinking the same thing. That should be an easy protest

to organize also.

And people still want us to believe these cops are working for the people.

[abelenkpe]

3. tea party and republicans have been attacking public sector employees

spouting off about how they don't deserve the benefits and salaries they receive (That's teachers, firemen and POLICE) and went to protests armed with semi automatic weapons yet OWS supporters get maced, ticketed, beaten and arrested. Makes no sense at all.

[eleny]

4. They only deepen the divide

[hifiguy]

5. That is chickenshit assholery of the highest

conceivable level. And they wonder why we call them pigs. They've earned it countless times over.

[MADem]

8. Roll down the window and yell, "BEEP BEEP BEEP" perhaps?

I think he might be able to beat this with a "First Amendment" argument. If money is speech, why not honking as speech?

Here is the precise language of the ordinance.

http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientID=10257&stateID=6&statename=Colorado

Sec. 54-71. - Horns or other warning devices.

(a)
Every motor vehicle when operated upon the streets and highways of the city shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal atmospheric conditions for a distance of not less than two hundred (200) feet, but no horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound. The driver of a vehicle, when reasonably necessary to ensure safe operation, shall give an audible warning with his horn, but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a street or highway.
(b)
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, have charge of, drive, install, cause the installation to be made, or use upon any motor vehicle any siren, exhaust whistle, or any red spotlight; provided, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to authorized emergency vehicles as provided for in this chapter.
(c)
A low-power scooter shall be equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet; except that a low-power scooter shall not be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a low-power scooter a siren or whistle.
(Code 1950, §§ 507.5, 507.5-1; Ord. No. 686-09, § 3, 11-23-09)
State law reference— Similar provisions, C.R.S. 1973, 42-4-221

[PoliticAverse]

13. Recent Washing State case affirming free speech right to honk horn.

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/washington_state_justices_find_horn_honking_restrictions_violate_free_speec/

[MADem]

14. There ya go! nt

[Laelth]

19. Interesting link.

In that case the horn was used to harass a neighbor. I would think that would not be protected speech, but the court said it was.

On the other hand, honking in support of an Occupy movement is undoubtedly political speech and should be protected, imho.

-Laelth

[ret5hd]

9. Political speech is protected speech., Fight it in court.

[shraby]

10. He should have told the cop that he was honking at a

pedestrian who was about to step into the roadway.

[DFab420]

12. How about the Seattle Cops? Pepper spraying an 84 yr old woman

[Fire Walk With Me]

15. Each person they ticket is a recruit to the movement!

Keep getting people angry at you! I love it!

[NeedleCast]

16. Everyone Who Gets A Ticket For This Should Take It To Court

It'll end quick, fast and in a hurry when judges get tired of trying 100's of cases a day based on honking horns.

[Sherman A1]

18. Precisely

Clog up the system hoisting them on their own petard.

[noiretextatique]

20. here's the problem: money

i fought a ticket, but i had to post bail to go to trial...to the tune of $450.00. i eventually won the case, but only because i had the money to post the bail. most people are willing to plead guilty so they can make payments on the fine. our "justus" system routinely penalizes people who don't have money.

[NeedleCast]

25. I Get That

But in this case, assuming we're only dealing with a traffic ticket and the person is not actually arrested, there shouldn't be bail involved. Take it to court, and in a week the traffic judge(s) will be sick to death of dealing with it and will put a stop to it.

[noiretextatique]

36. my case was a traffic ticket

but i hope you are right. still, a lot of people just plead guilty so they can make payments.

[EFerrari]

22. Fresno is doing this, too. nt

[leeroysphitz]

23. +1 for telling it like it is. n/t

[Obamanaut]

24. If it is true that horn honking is a violation, where exactly is the problem with

being cited for the offense?

[Rebubula]

27. Don't you know...

...that the cops are just assholes and they only operate to keep freedoms from us??



They are not there to enforce a law that makes sense - when I am driving and someone honks the horn, I get distracted and start looking for what I did wrong or what I need to avoid.


:eyes:

[Fumesucker]

31. So you're down with targeted prosecution?

Horn blowing ordinances are so seldom enforced it's laughable.

[Obamanaut]

34. 'seldom' and 'never' are not synonyms. I see people on the interstate exceeding the

posted speed limit. Some are stopped, others get by with it.

If there is a statute covering horn blowing, one can choose to ignore it and risk the ticket. It's a matter of choice, just like exceeding the posted speed limit.

When the local LEO finished my ticket for exceeding the posted speed limit and not wearing a seat belt, he told me I could go to court and protest it. I asked him why would I do that - I was obviously not wearing a seat belt when he stopped me for obviously exceeding the posted speed limit. You buys your ticket, you takes your ride.

edited spelling error

[Fumesucker]

37. So you are down with selective prosecution..

Good to know that..

[Obamanaut]

38. If "down with" means "agree with", it doesn't matter what my point of view is. I related what

I have seen, and I'm sure if you've driven anywhere you have seen similar things.

It is even possible that you yourself have transgressed some law of society, and in your quest not to be considered "down with" selective prosecution or whatever the other one was you mentioned, I'm sure you turned yourself in to the local constabulary for your rightfully deserved penalty.

Come on, did you, really?

Edited to add this: Why is it so often the case that when a person starts out with "So...", baseless assumptions follow?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

29. What if you honk in favor of the police?

Not that *I* would but how would the police know who you're honking for?

[blindpig]

30. 'Dixie' n/t

[Better Believe It]

32. So he was honking without a permit?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

33. That kind of question will get you maced. nt