Traffic Court Drops Fine Against Kaiser Honker Motorist Stopped At Striking Plant Calls The Citation ‘Plain Harassment’

Jack Scoles is a happy honker.

The Boilermaker union member who was ticketed by a sheriff’s deputy for “improper use of horn” outside the Kaiser Mead smelter was let off the hook in traffic court Thursday.

Scoles had been driving by the plant on Dec. 22, honking in support of striking Kaiser workers, when a sheriff’s deputy pulled him over. The deputy’s report said Scoles had been honking “constantly for at least 20 seconds.”

Several other motorists also have received tickets in recent weeks for honking horns near Kaiser’s plants.

Scoles, of Spokane, said he couldn’t believe he was stopped for blowing the horn. The deputy’s report also mentioned strong language Scoles used after the traffic stop.

“I don’t know if I will read this,” said Municipal Court Judge Pro Tem Harvey Dunham as he skimmed the report. “I think I’ll just skip it.”

He asked Scoles why he thought he shouldn’t be fined $71.

“I think that it was plain harassment,” said Scoles, who pointed out that there had been hundreds of cars honking while they’ve driven past the Mead plant since the strike was called Sept. 30. “In that case, everybody should be ticketed.”

Scoles said he had a good reason for honking. “My son works at Kaiser and he was on the strike line that night.”

After listening for a few minutes, the judge said he would dismiss the case.

Scoles left the building with a clean record and a wide grin. “If it didn’t work today, I was going to appeal it,” he said.

Scoles said he has not had a traffic ticket since 1978. “There was no way I was going to have this go on my driving record.”