In Harrisburg, honk if you want to pay a fine

HARRISBURG - Blowing the horn could blow a driver's bankroll under a Harrisburg noise ordinance calling for fines as much as $1,000 for excessive honking.

Cabdrivers were among the first to complain about the city ordinance, which was passed Tuesday night. D. Lee Bigelow Jr., who represented cabbies at the City Council meeting, said a couple of beeps on arrival was the best way to summon a fare. "We're just trying to do our job," he said, "but now if I honk my horn, I get nailed."

The ordinance also bans blaring car radios and restricts hours for construction noise. Noise plainly audible 50 feet from its source in a residential area or 75 feet in the city's Second Street Restaurant Row area is a violation. - AP