City Basically Admits ‘No Honking’ Signs Are a Joke

Though there is a law on the books that says unnecessary honking is illegal and punishable by a $350 fine, its enforcement is so limited (just 206 summonses were issued in 2012) that the city is essentially giving up on it. From the New York Times:

In a move condemned by critics as a tacit surrender to a ubiquitous noise, the Transportation Department is removing all “Don’t Honk” signs from the streets, and predicts there will be none left by the end of the year.

The signs, like the one pictured above on Argyle Road, may disappear in an effort to “declutter the streets,” but for now, the law is still active.

With a decrease in honking complaints to 311, and this removal of the signs, are the streets any quieter? Or have we just giving up on complaining about what’s become a part of our daily lives, because we feel there’s nothing anyone can do about it?