Is it illegal in Maryland

I do it for everybody,sometimes adults sometime kids,but,only when its safe to do so and I think everyone in that car seen them give the arm move,and,only when there is no other cars drivers that could get scared. I don't know if its illegal,but it could very well be,because of scaring the drivers out there.

 

Well, I use to live there and I have never been told that it was illegal and I knew a LOT of State Troopers and local officer's there because I was working as a private police officer (in maryland they have what is called Special Police, state of Maryland commission's and I had mine!!) and dealt with them on a regular basis. I often asked about different things when it came to traffic law's and the subject came up one time. I was told that as long as it is safe and no danger of it being mistaken as a sign of aggression, that it was legal for a driver to honk his air horn when a child/adult made the sign to get teh driver to honk his horn.

I hope that this answers your question's reguarding this subject. I know that a lot of parents in today's society look at truck drivers as the bottom of the barrel or as the scum of the earth, but we are people just like everyone else and every other industry. You have the good and the bad just like anywhere else.

Take care and be safe.

 

Hey Locobaybee:

As a retired Law Enforcement Officer I can give you the answer to your question unequivocally. Technically, all horns on all motor vehicles are considered "emergency devices", including big rigs. Thus, the frivolous use of an emergency device is a ticketable offense under all state laws, including Maryland. However, except under extremely rare circumstances, no cop would ever even consider ticketing a trucker for such behavior. I have even given the signal to truckers while in my squad car, back in the day, and gotten the "Big Horn" in response. So feel free to Honk away!

In any event, should some jerk ever called you on it, just tell him/her that you were warning a driver who was about to collide with your vehicle and don't admit that you were honking for fun. On collateral issue, honking your horn to people who ask you too is probably the single best positive public relations action you can undertake as a Trucker. I do it all the time and the kids love it, as did I when I was a pup.

 

I don't care if it's illegal ( which I doubt) I will do it every time for kids, and adults alike. It really puts a smile on my face to see a kid do it.

 

Here! Here!

 

I'll have to agree! One Saturday after noon I was in Michigan heading to N.C. and a school bus was passing me on the left on the highway and I saw a lot of 'movement' out of the corner of my eye and looked over and saw about 10 kids giving me the blow your horn signal, this was a first for me as I was very new at the time, so I blew my horn and about 15 of them jumped up and screamed and hollered, clapped, it not only made them happy but it really put a big smile on my face for the rest of the day.

 

Hey - 3 kids mother speaking - my kids only see their dad for 34 hours in a two week period, they like it when a trucker blows their horn for them, I think it makes them feel closer to their dad - although my 5 year old boy says "Daddy's horn sounds better" everytime!! If a cop ever says anything to any of you, Have Them Call Me!!