Over the weekend, I witnessed a gentleman being arrested for hooting in the wrong place, and the entire crowd was in anger because they just could not comprehend how someone was being arrested for using his car.
At this point, I realized that it is not common knowledge that a road user is not supposed to hoot in some places, and these include;
State Lodge Nakasero and State House Entebbe
The Statehouse hosts the head of state, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and one is not expected to hoot while around it. This will cause a security alarm, and the president’s security is of high concern to the country.
Hospitals
You are not supposed to hoot within or while around hospital premises because this could scare patients. For example, you can hoot, and it causes health problems for people with heart complications and high blood pressure. On the other hand, you may cause panic for the disabled who are using wheelchairs to assist you, despite the fact that they have every right of way.
Zebra Crossing
Zebra crossings are marked with alternate black and white stripes on the road and zigzag lines on both sides. It gives a warning to drivers that there may be pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road. They also tell drivers that they must give way to pedestrians on the crossing, so one cannot hoot for someone with priority access.
Army Barracks
Barracks host secretive security apparatus in the country; a single and endless hoot will be suspicious, and the person behind it is termed potentially malicious.
Courts of law premise
Hooting while on court premises is an act of deliberate disobedience or disregard for the laws, procedures, and proceedings of court. Anyone can be held liable for contempt of court when one interrupts proceedings through their actions or words.
Game parks
If a hoot is heard by a wild animal, it will be unfamiliar to the animal, hence it might cause migration—running in fear of potential danger—and in worst-case scenarios, it will attack whoever hooted at it.
Road users are urged not to hoot anywhere with the hooting sign, which directs drivers to respect the silence zone and not use horns.