Using This Basic Car Function May Be Illegal In Massachusetts

Some of you Massachusetts faithful may perhaps be familiar with this, but until just recently, I was not. It involves a common aspect of driving specifically concerning the habits of other drivers and how they relate to you and your vehicle on the road.

I'm referring to the common practice (for some people, even more common) of honking your horn. Believe it or not, for something so common that almost everybody does it, it might actually be illegal!

How many of us have innocently honked our horns while seeing a good friend or family member walking on a sidewalk or in another vehicle? Just saying hello, right? It turns out that if you happen to do that and a police officer notices it, that officer can give you a fine to pay!

At this point, you're probably thinking to yourself, "Why does my car come equipped with a horn if I can't use it???" Many of you already know the answer. The reason your car is equipped with a horn is because it's a safety feature.

In other words, the horn is there so you can alert others to imminent danger. Got it? You can blast your horn if it appears that another vehicle is going to ram into you, but you can't use it if the person in front of you is driving too slowly. See the difference?

Now the big question: Is it illegal in Massachusetts? Yes, it is. If you blow your horn for anything other than safety reasons, it is illegal. According to the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

No person operating a motor vehicle shall sound a bell, horn or other device, nor in any manner operate such motor vehicle so as to make a harsh, objectionable or unreasonable noise.

Just something to keep in mind. I know old habits die hard, but you may want to ease back on that horn-honking hand. Especially if you occasionally lapse into fits of road rage as I sometimes do. LOL.