Use of the horn
Discussion
I do a fair bit of driving in the city every day as well as some A-roads/B-roads.
Several times throughout the day, especially in the city I experience general poor driving (drivers pulling out of a side road without looking, not giving way to the right on a roundabout, making turns late where they shouldn't.)
My general habit for years whenever someone cuts me up etc. is to blast the horn/ flash my headlights -partially to reprimand the other driver, partially to let them know I am there, although most of them are aware and some give me the middle finger or blast the horn back (typical!)
I decided to experiment not blasting the horn or flashing my headlights at all even if someone cut me up - I am now much calmer and bad driving bothers me much less.
Aside from letting someone know you're there, why do people use the horn? In saying this I am fully aware for years I used it out of habit at poor driving, but it seems it's never going to resolve bad driving and only get you more angry, so is there a reason to use it?
Friendly discussion
Several times throughout the day, especially in the city I experience general poor driving (drivers pulling out of a side road without looking, not giving way to the right on a roundabout, making turns late where they shouldn't.)
My general habit for years whenever someone cuts me up etc. is to blast the horn/ flash my headlights -partially to reprimand the other driver, partially to let them know I am there, although most of them are aware and some give me the middle finger or blast the horn back (typical!)
I decided to experiment not blasting the horn or flashing my headlights at all even if someone cut me up - I am now much calmer and bad driving bothers me much less.
Aside from letting someone know you're there, why do people use the horn? In saying this I am fully aware for years I used it out of habit at poor driving, but it seems it's never going to resolve bad driving and only get you more angry, so is there a reason to use it?
Friendly discussion
The trouble is, the horn has become synonymous with being a device for a rebuke, like indicators are optional except when you really need to jib in to a line of standing traffic.
I went to the local retail park petrol station the other day as its cheap, has Momentum and pay at the pump, oh and its on the way to work. Was exciting onto the sort of feeder road and there was a lady in a big SUV sat at the exit not moving, waited a few seconds and realised she wasnt waiting for traffic, she was just maybe messing with her phone or something.
The exit is maybe five cars wide and she was to the left so three cars width to the right so I edge forward and she then starts moving right without indicating, no immediate chance of colliding as I gave her a fairly wide berth but she did turn more than was needed so I gave one short beep and she slams her brakes on and lurches to a stop and glowers at me, jabbering what I assume were obscenities and then flicks me the bird, for telling her I was there !
Doesnt help that if you watch those DashCam videos, many a spunktrumpet makes a big effort to include themselves in an altercation by accelerating at something, then playing hard done by, all whilst holding the horn down, one the other day held it down for a full 19 seconds, seemed like an eternity.
Its for warning other motorists ? Maybe there should be a thing like on Teslas with different tones that can say "Caution, I am nearby" and one for the 19 second DCW that goes "I am a very angry many with a tiny penis and you momentarily got in my way, I want to take out my erectile dysfunction, poor credit rating, failing marriage, ungrateful kids and huge belly onto you, someone anyone ? Maybe a cyclist", In fact it should read your mind and say the real reason via AI and stuff.
I went to the local retail park petrol station the other day as its cheap, has Momentum and pay at the pump, oh and its on the way to work. Was exciting onto the sort of feeder road and there was a lady in a big SUV sat at the exit not moving, waited a few seconds and realised she wasnt waiting for traffic, she was just maybe messing with her phone or something.
The exit is maybe five cars wide and she was to the left so three cars width to the right so I edge forward and she then starts moving right without indicating, no immediate chance of colliding as I gave her a fairly wide berth but she did turn more than was needed so I gave one short beep and she slams her brakes on and lurches to a stop and glowers at me, jabbering what I assume were obscenities and then flicks me the bird, for telling her I was there !
Doesnt help that if you watch those DashCam videos, many a spunktrumpet makes a big effort to include themselves in an altercation by accelerating at something, then playing hard done by, all whilst holding the horn down, one the other day held it down for a full 19 seconds, seemed like an eternity.
Its for warning other motorists ? Maybe there should be a thing like on Teslas with different tones that can say "Caution, I am nearby" and one for the 19 second DCW that goes "I am a very angry many with a tiny penis and you momentarily got in my way, I want to take out my erectile dysfunction, poor credit rating, failing marriage, ungrateful kids and huge belly onto you, someone anyone ? Maybe a cyclist", In fact it should read your mind and say the real reason via AI and stuff.
aceofspades1 said:
I do a fair bit of driving in the city every day as well as some A-roads/B-roads.
Several times throughout the day, especially in the city I experience general poor driving (drivers pulling out of a side road without looking, not giving way to the right on a roundabout, making turns late where they shouldn't.)
My general habit for years whenever someone cuts me up etc. is to blast the horn/ flash my headlights -partially to reprimand the other driver, partially to let them know I am there, although most of them are aware and some give me the middle finger or blast the horn back (typical!)
I decided to experiment not blasting the horn or flashing my headlights at all even if someone cut me up - I am now much calmer and bad driving bothers me much less.
Aside from letting someone know you're there, why do people use the horn? In saying this I am fully aware for years I used it out of habit at poor driving, but it seems it's never going to resolve bad driving and only get you more angry, so is there a reason to use it?
Friendly discussion
I only use it to let people know the lights have turned green and they haven't moved (short toot) or they've about to crash into me (long toot). General driving like a knob I just tut and get on with life, no need to make them part of my day.Several times throughout the day, especially in the city I experience general poor driving (drivers pulling out of a side road without looking, not giving way to the right on a roundabout, making turns late where they shouldn't.)
My general habit for years whenever someone cuts me up etc. is to blast the horn/ flash my headlights -partially to reprimand the other driver, partially to let them know I am there, although most of them are aware and some give me the middle finger or blast the horn back (typical!)
I decided to experiment not blasting the horn or flashing my headlights at all even if someone cut me up - I am now much calmer and bad driving bothers me much less.
Aside from letting someone know you're there, why do people use the horn? In saying this I am fully aware for years I used it out of habit at poor driving, but it seems it's never going to resolve bad driving and only get you more angry, so is there a reason to use it?
Friendly discussion
MesoForm said:
I only use it to let people know the lights have turned green and they haven't moved (short toot) or they've about to crash into me (long toot). General driving like a knob I just tut and get on with life, no need to make them part of my day.
+1 short, friendly 'toot' if some has missed the lights turned green and a long, loud 'toot' if otherwise someone would drive into me. Every other use of the horn in traffic is "chav" and/or "council".
MesoForm said:
I only use it to let people know the lights have turned green and they haven't moved (short toot) or they've about to crash into me (long toot). General driving like a knob I just tut and get on with life, no need to make them part of my day.
Agreed, this is my approach. It's also my opinion that many of the 'driving like a knob' types are looking for confrontation. They love any excuse to have a fight so the last thing I'm going to do is give them what they want. I completely ignore them.
MesoForm said:
I only use it to let people know the lights have turned green and they haven't moved (short toot) or they've about to crash into me (long toot). General driving like a knob I just tut and get on with life, no need to make them part of my day.
What sort of level of toot is required to let a passing young lady know that you find her attire pleasingly revealing?Asking for a friend....
Deranged Rover said:
MesoForm said:
I only use it to let people know the lights have turned green and they haven't moved (short toot) or they've about to crash into me (long toot). General driving like a knob I just tut and get on with life, no need to make them part of my day.
What sort of level of toot is required to let a passing young lady know that you find her attire pleasingly revealing?Asking for a friend....
Angry Parp - Watch out, you swerved into my lane and nearly hit me.
Light Toot - Lights have changed!
Ding dong - For approving attire (not in Scotland where it's misogyny).
Debaser said:
I can't remember the last time I used the horn, I don't think I know what it sounds like in my current car.
Indeed. If I have to use the horn, it is my failure to anticipate adequately, and adjust accordingly. I like to anticipate others’ upcoming mistakes before they even know they are about to make them. It’s calmer, and allows you that wry smile that only you appreciate.
I don't even toot for the light change.
The longer they sit there on green the larger the panic / embarrassment. I like to watch them for the moment they realise.
Nobody yet has mentioned the use case for the horn where you're on very familiar roads you drive on every day and you spot a driver who is lost or unsure about which exit to take at a roundabout so has slowed down a little to get their bearings / follow the sat nav. In such a case you should drive up behind this driver, observe he might be a little lost so help him by sitting 1/2 an inch off his bumper with your hand on the horn. Happens to me every time I go to Manchester.
The longer they sit there on green the larger the panic / embarrassment. I like to watch them for the moment they realise.
Nobody yet has mentioned the use case for the horn where you're on very familiar roads you drive on every day and you spot a driver who is lost or unsure about which exit to take at a roundabout so has slowed down a little to get their bearings / follow the sat nav. In such a case you should drive up behind this driver, observe he might be a little lost so help him by sitting 1/2 an inch off his bumper with your hand on the horn. Happens to me every time I go to Manchester.
aceofspades1 said:
I do a fair bit of driving in the city every day as well as some A-roads/B-roads.
Several times throughout the day, especially in the city I experience general poor driving (drivers pulling out of a side road without looking, not giving way to the right on a roundabout, making turns late where they shouldn't.)
My general habit for years whenever someone cuts me up etc. is to blast the horn/ flash my headlights -partially to reprimand the other driver, partially to let them know I am there, although most of them are aware and some give me the middle finger or blast the horn back (typical!)
I decided to experiment not blasting the horn or flashing my headlights at all even if someone cut me up - I am now much calmer and bad driving bothers me much less.
Aside from letting someone know you're there, why do people use the horn? In saying this I am fully aware for years I used it out of habit at poor driving, but it seems it's never going to resolve bad driving and only get you more angry, so is there a reason to use it?
Friendly discussion
That's it for me, only tend to use the horn nowadays in an urban environment, when some clueless Several times throughout the day, especially in the city I experience general poor driving (drivers pulling out of a side road without looking, not giving way to the right on a roundabout, making turns late where they shouldn't.)
My general habit for years whenever someone cuts me up etc. is to blast the horn/ flash my headlights -partially to reprimand the other driver, partially to let them know I am there, although most of them are aware and some give me the middle finger or blast the horn back (typical!)
I decided to experiment not blasting the horn or flashing my headlights at all even if someone cut me up - I am now much calmer and bad driving bothers me much less.
Aside from letting someone know you're there, why do people use the horn? In saying this I am fully aware for years I used it out of habit at poor driving, but it seems it's never going to resolve bad driving and only get you more angry, so is there a reason to use it?
Friendly discussion
in a Range Rover (other makes/models available, just seems to be Range Rover idiots nowadays) tries blending in to the side of my car because they haven't bothered adhering to the lanes marked in the road. No angry retort from the 4x4 drivers and no further gesticulation from myself, just use the horn as a "Oi, there's a car here incase you hadn't noticed". Must admit though whether i've had to use the horn on the way home from work or not has little to no bearing on whether or not i'm calm
J4CKO said:
The trouble is, the horn has become synonymous with being a device for a rebuke,
Beautifully put; 9/10 I hear a horn it's fairly clear that it's a road-captain expression of aggravation rather than a legitimate "heads up."I avoid using it as a result, people just get rubbed up the wrong way by it.
The horn must surely be the most pointless part of a car. If someone cuts you up or does something stupid around you and you blast the horn, the two likely outcomes are:
1. The person is too dim to comprehend what they have done wrong and other than making an irritating noise you'll achieve nothing, or
2. You'll inflame what, if you look back on the incident honestly, was a pretty trivial inconvenience.
Having watched a good number of those dash cam compilations, I've often found myself wondering how much more pleasant the roads would be if anyone who sounded their horn received an instant driving ban and had their car replaced with a bicycle.
1. The person is too dim to comprehend what they have done wrong and other than making an irritating noise you'll achieve nothing, or
2. You'll inflame what, if you look back on the incident honestly, was a pretty trivial inconvenience.
Having watched a good number of those dash cam compilations, I've often found myself wondering how much more pleasant the roads would be if anyone who sounded their horn received an instant driving ban and had their car replaced with a bicycle.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff