[sreeharipv]

This makes sense if the law says something like, new trucks and those going in for fitness test won't pass with this sign. Plain and simple. In fact, someone should check if the new regulation actually spells it that way. In which case everything is fine.

Any small yet cost effective step for improvement of a bad situation is welcome!

[Cartman]

Superb move! It will totally cut down on noise pollution. All truck drivers will scramble to get the Horn Ok Please removed right away, you know - not to get fined.

No?
- Arre, the Transport Commissioner has ordered it!

Still no?
- Ok! 100 do aur nikal jaao

What an utter load of nonsense this is!!!People honk for the heck of it. Even if you're stuck at a signal with ~100 secs to Green, there shall be a genius behind you in a beat up M800 who'd honk. Why? Because WHY NOT!

Please focus on making sure the trucks aren't the death-traps they are. Instead of issuing non-sense blanket bans, I wish they'd come up with something logical for a change!


Cheers!
Cartman

[saket77]

I am amazed that the Govt. has solved a problem of this magnitude with just a small ban. Suddenly people will become more aware and will know the ill-effects of honking because there will be no 'Horn OK Please' written behind the trucks.

Also, are trucks allowed on the city roads during the day time, particularly the office hours when honking is at the highest level? If not, then Govt. may consider the option.

Next in line to be banned is 'buri nazar wale, tera muh kaala' phrase. That will be banned soon because someone will sooner or later realize that it promotes racism.

[hrishik]

I agree that banning "Horn OK Please" is not going to solve the problem of irrational honking in India, it would be naïve to believe in such an eventuality. But, every thing, however insignificant, that may encourage people to honk without a compelling reason to do so, must be done away with.

Let us also not underestimate the power of subliminal messages being projected in such everyday situations, especially onto the "aam junta", who usually do not like to think much about things. Why do you think advertising works?


Hrishi

[SS-Traveller]

In that case, someone also needs to wake up and edit the list of road signs. Because this is a valid road sign under Indian rules, and is also part of the theory test for learner drivers.

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by saket77

Next in line to be banned is 'buri nazar wale, tera muh kaala' phrase. That will be banned soon because someone will sooner or later realize that it promotes racism.

Going by the Govt's logic, they might think this phrase will promote pollution. While you're behind a truck and curse him for his slow speed, your face will literally get black with the smoke that the truck throws out.

On a serious note, where are we headed? Banning of sunfilms, NGT says 10 year old vehicle needs to get off the road and now this one.

[lamboguy]

I'm all in for this rule as far as something like this replaces the "Horn OK Please".



If you do something, do it right!

[jkrishnakj]

In my personal opinion - taking off that OK please will do good. Atleast, we dont read those, and all those blaring their way ahead thinking the horn can move them faster ahead than the engine, will not read those any longer. Ofcourse, it doesnt stop those perennial honkers to stop, but atleast, we dont have a sign that would encourage one to horn.

[ani_meher]

Here I am, driving quietly in the night, and suddenly, this damn truck comes in front of me, with big letters at back, commanding me to "Horn! OK? Please!" I have no alternative but to honk against my will.

So it's a good thing that they are banning these. On the same line, can they publicly honour the proud parents who request people to drive carefully because 'Baby on Board!'? I am sure that as much as the truckers are responsible for the noise pollution, these caring sharing parents have been responsible for saving many a careless drivers.

Maybe the 'Mommy's gift'/'Wife's gift' stickers should be fined too, as they create unnecessary jealousy in the EMI paying car owners.

/s

Can you imagine, being challaned for taglines and board signs

[mayuresh]

I do not know whether such regulation is right or wrong. But I have some observations.

A notion that "blowing horn is a necessary characteristic of existence of a 4 wheeler" is embedded somewhere deep in Indian psyche.

Try to recollect any movie song that has mention of a car (E.g. "Baju samjho ishare" or "Mannubhai motar chali" from yesteryears' movies. There will be many more). They would most typically refer to it as a machine that honks...

A typical Marathi speaking household (and perhaps in other regions also) introduces their little one to a car as "look at that pum pum" (to mean an object that makes "pum pum" sound) as if honking characterizes a vehicle.


Of the times vehicle drivers blow horns, probably 1% are legitimate situations. 99% blow them just out of impatience, habit or whatever.

Many of us would have seen how rare it is to honk in other countries - no matter whether there is a traffic jam or any such circumstances. One would look at a honking vehicle a bit startled, as if there is some emergency situation.

Many of us would be getting a chance to meet / host foreign friends or business associates in India and would have easily noticed that the first thing they react to on coming to India is - honking.

In general, whether honking or playing loud music, disregarding others' right to live a peaceful life in their homes at least, there is definitely something wrong with our society.

It's so deep in our psyche that I don't see this changing in my lifetime at least.

[w0lf]

Atleast the next time when any of us who've read this article find ourselves behind a truck, it'll remind us not to honk.

Maybe this is just a noise pollution public awareness stunt initiated by the government, although I doubt there is anyone intelligent enough in the govt to consider this in such a perspective.

Honking, especially in the cities has become unbearable. I live in a house right at the interjunction on a residential road that is just parallel to the main road. Motorists take this road as a shortcut to avoid the traffic on the main road and honk intolerably to speed past junctions.

These are the kind of areas the government should be considering, instead of forcing poor truck drivers to sit and scratch paint off their vehicles to supposedly avoid noise pollution on highways where mostly no people live.

[Arunshek]

So this means all Non-MH trucks that are entering Maharashtra, need to remove it? or Stick a Yellow Tape across it while in MH?
Will Non-MH trucks comply to the rule if it says remove it since covering it will not work?

Definitely expect more jams in Toll Booths, as Traffic Police will be ever ready to fine the "Offenders".

[sadnabrina]

Years back (2005/06?) I had taken a colleague's brand new car for a spin in Hyderabad with him sitting on the front passenger seat. Don't remember the exact route but it was a round trip route around hitech city in Hyderabad during peak office hours. At the end of the 30 minute drive when we reached our office parking lot, he exclaimed "how could you drive for such a long distance without honking even once?". My response was "the horn is not a replacement for brakes".
Today I still try to follow the same principle, but am often lured to honk .... mostly for my own safety and sometimes for the innumerable slow moving vehicles that stick to the right lane at 40 kmph on a highway. Our roads are not yet fit for civilized driving.

Even the smallest effort to bring some sanity should be appreciated.

Our children are the future drivers of the country and if they do not grow up seeing a sign which states "it is ok to honk when you see a truck", there is a chance that they will honk less.