A state trooper had pulled a car over on the opposite side of the road in Vancouver Washington(State). The road was 1-lane each way, 35MPH speed limit - 18th street (18 blocks from the columbia) and around 125th.
Medium traffic both ways. No trucks or large SUVs in the vicinity. I honked my horn as I was passing him on the opposite side of the road. He whipped his head back and forth trying to figure out where the hell the sound came from.
I think he saw that the driver of the Honda Civic (my car) had ear muffs on. He must have gotten back into his car and managed to catch up with me at the Safeway (NE112th and 28th street).
He got out of his car and began communicating with me.
He had a lean army look to him, was wearing his trooper hat, caucasian, about 35-40yrs old.
He insisted that I was the one with the train horn. I kept on saying that it must have been somebody else and I honked my stock horn to demonstrate. He did not back down.
He went back to his car and printed out the ‘crime’. He cited me with “Reckless endangerment emergency zone worker” (46.61.212).
After giving me the printout, he said something about up to 90 days in jail, $5000 fine and 60-day license suspension. He said that he could take me to jail right now, but he wasn’t going to.
Soon after this he said He asked ‘Do you want to pop your hook so that you can proof me wrong’? I said “no”.
About 30 minutes later, he arrived at my places of residence. Asked for My mother who owns the car (Her name is on the title of the car). But she is in California right now. He told my aunt ‘his car has a freight train air horn on his car. I had pulled someone over who was 60 years old and was trying to get his registration when he went by and honked in close proximity’. My ears are still ringing! I am filing a injury complaint’. He wanted to let my mother know (the owner of the car) that her son had a freight train horn!
I admitted at this point that yes, my car has that horn. He said “I know that”. I said ‘I’m just saying eye to eye’.
The conversation soon ended and he left.
I am hoping that I can get the charge reduced to “improper use of horn” or some such traffic violation. It doesn’t help that I already have the “improper use of horn” traffic violation from a few months ago…
I don’t know how I endangered anybody with the horn, except for the trooper’s ears. In all my horning experience, not one driver has made any swerving or other fast alteration of their vehicle’s trajectory or speed when they have heard my horn.
Will keep you guys updated on what happens. My court date is on 4/29/11. I am thinking of getting an attorney/lawyer (whatever the right one is) at least for consultation.
I don’t plan on responding to this thread too often as i need to focus on school right now.
’ ’ means paraphrasing
EDIT::
I need to also say that he briefly mentioned why he gave me the “crime” that he did. He was an emergency worker since he had pulled someone over and within 200 feet either way, no automobile drivers can do actions that endanger the emergency worker(s) or property.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.212
from site;;
“A person who drives a vehicle in an emergency zone in such a manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger any emergency zone worker or property is guilty of reckless endangerment of emergency zone workers. A violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW.”