Discussion
JM said:
This is a place I have used and often meet others using their horn, on the NC500. Not many other places that I can think of that I would use it though.
[url]https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2307608,-5.2952187,3a,75y,28.81h,98.11t,-1.69r/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssKQ8eyM3T2_SyUAWYhmlrw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
[/url]
I'm sorry I couldn't open that.[url]https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2307608,-5.2952187,3a,75y,28.81h,98.11t,-1.69r/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssKQ8eyM3T2_SyUAWYhmlrw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
[/url]
There's a narrowing of a country lane near me between two houses, only one car width wide and totally blind. It's impossible to see any oncoming vehicle, so cars slow to a walking pace. No one honks (I suspect this is out of respect to the people who live in the houses though), and I've certainly not seen or heard of any accidents there. There are probably certain situations where honking might help, but I'd assume most good drivers were driving at a snails pace anyway if they couldn't see anything approaching - and not relying on an oncoming driver 1. hearing the horn in the first place and 2. being able to tell which direction the noise was coming from. Also it is a fact that when we are looking at something the brain reduces hearing in order to enhance the visual signal. Most horn usage therefore on narrow lanes is completely frivolous and pointless.
popeyewhite said:
JM said:
This is a place I have used and often meet others using their horn, on the NC500. Not many other places that I can think of that I would use it though.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2307608,-5.29521...
I'm sorry I couldn't open that.https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2307608,-5.29521...
popeyewhite said:
Rule 92 states you can use the horn when moving to alert other road users to you presence. If you can't see anyone round the bend does this mean you'd use the horn on every bend on every country lane? Of course not. Give me strength. Have some respect for the countryside and the animals and people that live there and enjoy the peace. Oh, and:
The countryside is only quiet because there's no-one bloody there.anonymous said:
[redacted]
Scaring wildlife, alarming cyclists, horse riders and walkers and disturbing the peace and quiet is certainly "giving information", but is hardly responsible.anonymous said:
[redacted]
I've already said that. So if you agree - why d'you need the horn as well? anonymous said:
[redacted]
No, it wouldn't.anonymous said:
[redacted]
No it wouldn't.Eyesight is the most important of senses when driving, if you don't honk people will still approach a narrowing bend slowly!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
"Appropriate vision"? Lost me there, sorry, nice soundbite though. anonymous said:
[redacted]
Don't know why. But I'll repeat what I've already written as you obviously haven't bothered to read the thread properly: Spare using your horn unnecessarily in the countryside, it scares animals, annoys locals and can actually cause an accident. As I've already explained.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Incorrect. anonymous said:
[redacted]
You're getting confused: I originally pleaded for the horn to be avoided if possible in the countryside, not for all road users to become a "silent road user"!!
See below:
popeyewhite said:
Please, please please don't do this. Think of others. People go to the countryside for peace and quiet, not to listen to the beeping of car horns. Lots of sheep on and around the roads here as well - you want to frighten them into the path of another vehicle? Really, just drive according to the conditions.
In response to:Reg Local said:
It's sometimes worth giving a horn warning on the approach to badly-sighted corners too.
The barking horn zealot (above) went onReg Local said:
The horn is a signal & it's entirely appropriate to use it as a warning to other road users, whether that's in the city, in the countryside or driving across the Kalahari desert.
No, it's not "entirely appropriate" to use it in the countryside as a warning - there are a number of other factors involved, which have been explained a number of times now, that don't occur in the city. anonymous said:
[redacted]
"fantastic and underused skill" Very good 
I live in town BTW.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
My sympathy.This beeping the horn malarkey is a total nonsense, probably any merit in it only extending to a slow motion time warp where Ford Anglias and Hillman Hunters are de rigeur again.
In our scenario, what likelyhood is there where the lads in their modern insulated VW Golf (probably with stereo banging out some garbage) approaching at speed are likely to hear the OP giving it the horn anyway, bearing in mind the distance at which they would need to hear it for it to have any impact on the result?
And were there a horse and rider around the corner the horn would be a bloody liability rather than a pre-emptive safety measure. Perhaps a pedestrian or cycle on the OP's side of the road might gain something from this, but on balance to me the practise is most definitely best avoided unless being seen as a bit of a bellend is an added bonus.
In our scenario, what likelyhood is there where the lads in their modern insulated VW Golf (probably with stereo banging out some garbage) approaching at speed are likely to hear the OP giving it the horn anyway, bearing in mind the distance at which they would need to hear it for it to have any impact on the result?
And were there a horse and rider around the corner the horn would be a bloody liability rather than a pre-emptive safety measure. Perhaps a pedestrian or cycle on the OP's side of the road might gain something from this, but on balance to me the practise is most definitely best avoided unless being seen as a bit of a bellend is an added bonus.
cmaguire said:
In our scenario, what likelyhood is there where the lads in their modern insulated VW Golf (probably with stereo banging out some garbage) approaching at speed are likely to hear the OP giving it the horn anyway
I think the driver's window was open, looking at the video, although absent the facts, your point is well made.thewoodgnome said:
...Is there anything else I could have done to avoid this?...
My input for what it is worth! Edited by thewoodgnome on Thursday 22 September 10:31
I think you could have been going a tad slower and been over to the left just slightly more, to be seen and to see better. Obviously I can't see what you as a driver were doing in your seat but I found myself leaning to my left the first time I watched it thinking 'someone's going to come flying the other way' - I was expecting a Peloton of Stava warriors though!
Personally for the bend in question I don't think a horn blast would make sense. The point at which you'd sound it the other car would be too far away to hear and as previously said, banging music etc. On a truly blind bend then yes but with reduced speed and better position it's not really a blind bend, just a slow one!
If I had to use that road 'most days' I think I'd find an alternate route. It'd be too stressful not knowing if I'm going to meet (physically or otherwise) some moron going way too fast.
As for the OP, I don't think he could have done a great deal more. He was going slow enough to stop without too much fuss.
As for the OP, I don't think he could have done a great deal more. He was going slow enough to stop without too much fuss.
popeyewhite said:
Please, please please don't do this. Think of others. People go to the countryside for peace and quiet, not to listen to the beeping of car horns. Lots of sheep on and around the roads here as well - you want to frighten them into the path of another vehicle? Really, just drive according to the conditions.
Jesus wept. You seem to be as stupid as you are soft. The horn is a proper and legitimate tool to be used in the appropriate situation. No, it's not meant to be used as a rebuke when you're cut up. It's an excellent safety device. I quite like to use it on approach to sections where the road narrows and there is no crossview, or on approach to narrow bridges, where the structure occludes the view of oncoming traffic.
You might be surprised to learn that the countryside isn't full of softies. Outside of the retirement villages, the folk there are usually pretty practical and sensible. They certainly won't lose sleep over a toot of a car horn in it's proper context.
te on this site, never expected to see it in this particular sub-forum.JM said:
This is a place I have used and often meet others using their horn, on the NC500. Not many other places that I can think of that I would use it though.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2307608,-5.29521...
+1https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2307608,-5.29521...
You never know what might be approaching on the other side. I can think of quite a number of other places on single track roads where it is a sensible precaution.
Another example - https://goo.gl/maps/ygjvCm3J8kP2
This one is particularly dodgy because the road on both sides is dead straight and people tend to tank along in both directions.
Not only that, but the approaches are much steeper than the Google camera car makes them appear. It's like the summit of a roller coaster.
At first glance it looks like two cars could pass, but not at anything more than walking pace if at all.
The configuration on the other side sees to that - https://goo.gl/maps/nTqGrXGo52p
The purpose of the horn is to warn other road users of your presence. Otherwise the state would have had no need to enact Section 37 of the C&U Regs.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regul...
I've had 2 recent incidents where I used the horn on my car, one being a trip to my friends down south on a road that I have not used for quite some time.
On this road there is a bridge, its hump backed and blind, goes left and then right but also narrows in the middle.
Yes I used the horn when approaching, due to the stream that goes under it, the trees and brick surround on the bridge, hearing traffic coming from the other direction would have been very difficult, use of horn solved that problem and let any on coming traffic know that I am there.
Other one was a little unwanted, turning right into a car park and then having a lad on his scooter go on the outside of me (very bright of him), then tooting my horn, totally not the right thing to do but it did one of two things, let him know my displeasure at his bad driving and ensuring the police car that was parked up on the left knew I wasn't happy.
Nice to see the police car go after him though
On this road there is a bridge, its hump backed and blind, goes left and then right but also narrows in the middle.
Yes I used the horn when approaching, due to the stream that goes under it, the trees and brick surround on the bridge, hearing traffic coming from the other direction would have been very difficult, use of horn solved that problem and let any on coming traffic know that I am there.
Other one was a little unwanted, turning right into a car park and then having a lad on his scooter go on the outside of me (very bright of him), then tooting my horn, totally not the right thing to do but it did one of two things, let him know my displeasure at his bad driving and ensuring the police car that was parked up on the left knew I wasn't happy.
Nice to see the police car go after him though
Having read the posts about horn use on country roads, I find myself agreeing with those who would sound it as a warning at locations where vision is very poor. Such use might cause a horse to spook, but the likelihood of meeting a horse (especially an unschooled one) is substantially lower than meeting another vehicle, so I'll go with the balance of probabilities.
As for the countryside being quiet - it seems as though the poster claiming it ought to be is one of those people who move to a village and then moan about the church bells on a Sunday morning, or the pub kicking out at night.
As for the countryside being quiet - it seems as though the poster claiming it ought to be is one of those people who move to a village and then moan about the church bells on a Sunday morning, or the pub kicking out at night.
As someone who does live in the countryside, unlike mr anti-horn 
and who has ridden all his life, and who recognises the hazards of being on a half tonne live animal on busy country roads, I would much rather a car approaching briefly sounded their horn to let me know... Any rider around here would prefer that to a car suddenly appearing (more likely to spook a horse). Any horse which spooks at a horn shouldn't be on the local roads they are not safe, how will they cope when tractors, gravel lorries and all the other heavy kit goes past...
As for locals and the countryside being quiet, what total nonsense, the countryside is a very noisy place, from jets screaming overhead to combines running into the small hours of the morning there is always something going on and it is usually noisy, gentle ramblers wandering past a yokel who is leaning on he gate straw in mouth is not exactly an accurate representation of the countryside- and if it is quiet, then there is no one around to hear the horn anyway, so it doesn't matter!
and who has ridden all his life, and who recognises the hazards of being on a half tonne live animal on busy country roads, I would much rather a car approaching briefly sounded their horn to let me know... Any rider around here would prefer that to a car suddenly appearing (more likely to spook a horse). Any horse which spooks at a horn shouldn't be on the local roads they are not safe, how will they cope when tractors, gravel lorries and all the other heavy kit goes past...As for locals and the countryside being quiet, what total nonsense, the countryside is a very noisy place, from jets screaming overhead to combines running into the small hours of the morning there is always something going on and it is usually noisy, gentle ramblers wandering past a yokel who is leaning on he gate straw in mouth is not exactly an accurate representation of the countryside- and if it is quiet, then there is no one around to hear the horn anyway, so it doesn't matter!
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff