Honking motorists found themselves being pulled over and either ticketed or issued warnings on Wednesday when they sounded off in support of San Francisco hotel workers embroiled in a labor dispute.

San Francisco police issued $50 citations to a dozen motorists for their sympathetic honking on behalf of picketing hotel workers at the Palace Hotel on New Montgomery. Many more were warned verbally and had their license numbers recorded.

Police Capt. Denis O'Leary said that in answer to complaints about the racket, he asked the union for the workers to stop holding signs that urged motorists to "honk for health care'' -- a request they agreed to. But people honked anyway.

O'Leary said he has received 20 faxed letters from businesses along New Montgomery near Market Street. "A lot of them are consultants, therapists, they need to talk to people and they can't be heard.''

Meanwhile, in another effort to lower the volume, the Fire Department banned its crews from sounding air horns in solidarity with the workers.

Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said the department has received six complaints this week that crews used horns and sirens in front of the picketed hotels. Workers struck four hotels two weeks ago and were then locked out of 14. Hayes-White said firefighters could be subject to discipline for violating the policy.

"Obviously we have to rely on the vehicle code -- we can't take advantage of our horns and sirens,'' she said. "It's not appropriate, it's not professional. It's just not conducive to our mission to take a side or to do something that may be disruptive.''

A hotel worker on the picket line said Wednesday that people should have the right to honk in support of the cause.

Harris Harada, a picket captain for Local 2 of the union at the Palace Hotel, said police went "a little overboard'' in citing motorists.

"I understand people are trying to do their jobs in this area, but the motorists are just trying to show support to us. They are giving citations for that? I don't understand.''

O'Leary said that those who simply tapped on their horns got warnings, but those who laid on the horn for 30 to 60 seconds got ticketed.

"We have been citing blatant violators of the vehicle code,'' O'Leary said.

"It's a two-lane street, surrounded by older buildings -- we have the same number of picketers on Third Street, Eighth Street and Market Street, but all the noise complaints are from the unit block of New Montgomery.''

He said since the picketers removed the signs and the enforcement action, the honking was "somewhat diminished.''

One motorist who was given a warning about using her horn was angered at what she considered a restriction on her freedom to support the workers.

"I gave two little honks on my horn, gave them a thumbs-up in support the strikers, and as soon as I did so, a cop pulled me over in the middle of the street,'' said local businesswoman Laurie Muschel.

The officer demanded her license and told her she was disturbing the peace. "You must be kidding,'' she said, but the officer explained that businesses in the area had been complaining.

"I'm just shocked -- it feels like my rights were being violated,'' she said. "It just seemed like a tactic to dissuade people from supporting the strikers. I was not going by laying on my horn. It was just two little short beeps.''