Crippled Man Ticketed For Honking Horn


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Man, that cop needs something better to do, like helping to reduce real crime.

Shreveport man cited for honking horn

July 29, 2005

By Loresha Wilson

ljwilson@gannett.com

You live and you learn. And 59-year-old McKinley Lewis learned Wednesday that you don't honk your vehicle's horn unless it's an emergency situation.

Police issued him a citation for honking while in the parking lot of A. B. Palmer Park about 4:30 p.m.

"I blowed my horn two times and beckoned for my brother to come to the car," the Shreveport resident said. "I wasn't disturbing the peace, just trying to get his attention."

The officer advised Lewis of the violation, demanded his license and then walked to the back of the patrol car.

"You must be kidding," Lewis said, but the officer wrote the citation without further explanation.

"I told him I was unaware of the law, so I thought he was going to show it to me. But he didn't care about that," he said. The Cedar Grove resident has an artificial hip and a handicap identification card. He said it's common for him to pull up in a yard, at a park or even at the store and honk his horn. "I told him that I'm crippled and can't get around good. He didn't care though. He wrote the ticket any way. The least he could have done was given me a warning."

A city ordinance and state law prohibits the use of vehicle horns in nonemergency situations other than parades, tours and other special events. Shreveport police have issued only three honking horn citations this year. According to the city clerk's office, it's an estimated $108 fine.

Detective Kevin Goodwin said police have enough crime to deal with besides people blowing their horns, but it is a law.

"A lot of people don't know about some of these laws, but they are on the books. The laws are tools that we use and have to enforce," Goodwin said. "We are not there to harass anyone but to protect the citizens of Shreveport."

On Thursday, Lewis contacted police administrators and local and state representatives regarding the matter. Because of the officer's attitude, Lewis sais he would have reported the incident even without being issued the citation. "His tone, his attitude was just awfully rude. I'm a law-abiding citizen and a church-going man, and I didn't deserve that."

Goodwin said the incident is under investigation.

When asked if he intends to honk the horn again, Lewis said, "No if it's against the law."

Src: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS01/507290341

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That sucks, I can understand it if they issue tickets for that at unreasonable hours i.e. midnight to say 5 o'clock.

It's like the one in the UK this week - A taxi driver noticed that the female in the back of his taxi was being assaulted by the 2 males that were in with her. He sped to the nearest police station, was caught by a speed camera and was issued with a ticket for speeding.

(John Denver, Chris Farley :( :( )

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Gives a whole new definition to 'corruption in the police force.' Cops that look for the smallest things to go after people for.

I'd force that cop to serve in a large city and try the same crap on some car. He would probably get laughed at for doing that. :yes: Here the horns always go off 24/7, and most of the time not during emergency situations.

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The cop is a jackass, why the hell would you give a ticket for that.... the man cant walk around that good, what else is he supposed to do, yell his ass off, then he would get a ticket for yelling... I would be satisfied if that cop got fired...

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"A lot of people don't know about some of these laws, but they are on the books. The laws are tools that we use and have to enforce," Goodwin said. "We are not there to harass anyone but to protect the citizens of Shreveport."

Laws that stupid are only there to give cops the oporitunity to harrass people. I am pretty sure the citizens of Shreveport can protect themselves for car horns all by themself and without the assistance of cops with too much free time on their hands.

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Christ - This just tops off my night !!!

WHY ?!??!?

People press there horn for the smallest little thing - BUT yet am I to hear somebody press thier horn which is at an unreasonable hour.

The police realy do need to get some better work done !

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That's such a silly law to enforce on a disabled poor guy. I honk every time and then (even in the presence of police and they don't care as long as I don't do it too long). I do it to my parents in another way of Bye or waving.

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Yet another item to add to the list of reasons that I dispise cops.

The US police have lost all sight of INTENT of the law, and focus only on the money makign machine that is LETTER OF THE LAW. Cops no longer use discresion to figure out WHY the person was honking the horn (was it a quick tap to have someone come out [something we've all done], or was it som punk trying to irritate people and cause problems)?

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Sometimes people just like to excercise their authority in nit-picky little ways. Happens with cops, bosses, moderators, husbands and wives, etc.

Not saying it is fair, but it seems human nature to sometimes want to be petty.

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