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Taxi Driver Gets Ticket For Honking Horn

Friday, October 10, 2008 – updated: 8:05 pm EDT October 10, 2008

Metro Atlanta taxi driver Andrew Pless is ready to put his foot down -- not on his brake pedal, but on a law unbeknownst to most, which penalizes drivers for blowing their horns on a highway.

  • SLIDESHOW: Taxi Driver Cited For Honking Horn

  • “I just did beep, beep,” said Pless.

    Pless said he received a traffic citation for blowing his horn on Highway 139 in Riverdale.

    “I don't think I should be paying $140 for improper horn use, what they call it,” said Pless.

    Pless said it all started at a traffic light. He said the car ahead of him didn’t move when the light turned green.

    TOM JONES: Beep Beep Gets Taxi Driver Big Fine

    “I waited a few seconds, about 8 to 12 seconds, and then I was like what's up, you know, and I did like this beep beep,” Pless explained.

    Then he said he was pulled over by police.

    “I asked him why they stopped me and he said 'cause I blew my horn back there…and I looked at him like what,” said Pless.

    Most people at City Hall hadn’t heard of such a law, and neither did residents who talked to Channel 2.

    “I don’t think it is right for getting a ticket,” said Charles Brown.

    “I’ve blown my horn before. I never got a ticket,” said Denise Altman.

    After conducting research, the assistant police chief told Channel 2 that the officer used Georgia traffic code 40-8-70 to cite the taxi driver.

    The law states a driver of a motor vehicle shall give audible warning with his or her horn but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.

    Since Pless was on Highway 139, he was cited.

    Pless said he disagrees with the law and wonders how he was supposed to get the driver’s attention otherwise.

    “She was slow pulling off at the light, and I just went beep beep,” he said.

    Pless said he will challenge the ticket.

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