Can Minnesotans Get a Ticket for Honking Their Horn?

We've all tooted our own horn from time to time, but are there instances in Minnesota where doing that is against the law?

Yesterday afternoon I pulled up to Coborn's on Cooper in St. Cloud just as one of my co-workers was walking along the sidewalk in front of my car. What did I do? I honked my horn to scare the crap out of him of course. Turns out, that may be against the law in Minnesota.

Here's what the State of Minnesota says:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall give an audible warning with the horn only when necessary for safe operation. It is illegal to honk the horn if it is not a safety-related situation.

I know a few people (who will remain anonymous) that use their horn at every chance they get to communicate their displeasure with other drives who appear to be hell-bent on personally targeting the unmentioned with evil driving tactics. Of course, that's probably not the case, but honk 'em if you got 'em, right?

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Minnesota Statute 169.68 Horn, Siren

Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway must be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet. However, the horn or other warning device must not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to ensure safe operation, give audible warning with the horn, but shall not otherwise use the horn when upon a highway.

Minnesota law enforcement officers probably have better things to do than hand out tickets for horn honking, but now you know -- it could happen. And it sounds like you could be ticketed for not having a horn too.