To Honk or Not to Honk?

So, we were driving at night. HUGE drifts of snow cover full traffic lanes. They blindside you at every corner. They fill half of every parking lot. But the snow is not the problem.

Blinker on to enter the Kohl's parking lot. Roll slow over the sheets of ice that cover the road.

But no.

Two people (no cars in sight!) are standing in the middle of the entrance. Apparently oblivious of the car (for which the entrance was intended; and which could cause them some serious bodily damage).

We stop. We wait. They don't move.

In the end, Rick flips off the blinker and heads to a different entrance.

Discussion ensues.

Me: You have a horn you know.

Rick: I don't like the horn. I think the horn is rude.

Me: It depends on how you do it. If you lay on the horn, of course it's rude! But if you tap, tap, tap, it's merely a way to say, "Excuse me. May I get by?"

Rick: Well I think it's rude.

Me: You, who drives ten inches from the next car thinks the horn is rude?

Rick: I drive in DC, so sue me.

Me: If you had any money, maybe I would. [Okay, so I didn' really say that.]

What I really said was: Hmmm, this would make a good subject for a blog. Let's let the masses decide.

So we ask you to end our perfectly civil "discussion" for us. Is it rude to honk the horn?