The horn menace | Indians are honking way too much

akg7091 · 22nd March 2021, 01:02

I used to hate unnecessary honking, but have forced myself to change my habits simply because in India most bikers, pedestrians, children, e-rickshaws etc expect vehicles to honk before acknowledging the fact that there are rules for right of way - you are supposed to drive in lanes / not play on roads etc. I'd now rather make do with small beeps every time I approach a kerb / turn / pedestrian than be responsible for the life and safety of some moron I barely know.

adisan · 25th January 2022, 12:20

One category of people who honk too much: they would have earlier been in (or witnessed) an incident, where in retrospect they feel that honking would have helped avoid the incident or to reduce its severity.

They then become avid honkers.

aerohit · 27th January 2022, 14:19

On a related topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbtxtUrIxy8

venbas · 14th June 2022, 19:19

After driving abroad for most of my formative years it was a Travesty to honk when I first came back to India for good (a decade ago). But now I realise that it's just not possible to save our skin on our roads without honking.

Following are some instances where I give a LOUD horn
1. People jumping signals when I have the Green light.

2. Squids on bikes cutting across my safety space.

3. Aggressive 3/4 wheeler drivers cutting me off dangerously.

4. Blind curves and/or oncoming (overtaking) vehicles on 2-way roads. 2-3 close shaves with "silent" driving made me realise that I can reach home alive only by slamming the horn in such instances.

5. Morons stopping or turning on the road without any indication whatsoever. The honk is loud especially when the road is otherwise clear and the driver ahead is just being a prick.

Following are instances of single/quick Honk
1. Overtaking another vehicle especially on narrow/crowded roads.

2. Overtaking a slowly moving vehicle that is occupying the overtake lane. This honk will become a loud blare only if the slowly moving vehicle continues to hog the road and prevent an easy overtake.

3. Kids on the road. Whether playing as a group or cycling happily without a care. Usually a quick/simple horn alerts them to danger.

All the other instances I avoid honking. My wife is still not happy that I honk. But I frankly see no way out of this problem

Kosfactor · 14th June 2022, 19:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by venbas

After driving abroad for most of my formative years it was a Travesty to honk when I first came back to India for good (a decade ago). But now I realise that it's just not possible to save our skin on our roads without honking.

Good that you have had that realization and relearned the ways of our roads. I have had some terrifying experiences sitting next to drivers who cannot adapt to our roads after learning to drive abroad, there is this sense of I`m doing what`s right, I`m expecting others to do it as well attitude - It just do not work that way on our roads.

Drpaul · 5th August 2022, 10:00

I personally don't like to honk. I try to avoid honking as it seems impolite, ( of course it's not impolite when you are doing it to avoid a potential catastrophe). I also don't like to apply the brakes

. Some one has told me brakes are for emergencies only, and it stuck. I understand my car well now that I can easily calculate how my car will slow, stop with just engine braking and friction, most of the time.

I would like to state a couple of instances I had a discussion about honking with my co passengers

1) honking at people who are walking on the road unaware that a car (a silent petrol) is behind them and needs space to cross them. This happens a lot in my place with small roads with less traffic.

When she drives she used to drive closer to them(not sneak up on then, still far enough that they don't hear the car yet) and honk. If it's some group of girls they usually startle and scurry over to the side, causing them some embarrassment.
If it's a band of fellows it usually hurts their pride and delay moving trying to make you slow down more than necessary.

Being on such roads frequently I had automatically developed a sweet spot(to honk) where in the people can move away quickly enough without causing them any embarrassment and you don't have to apply breaks to slow down. We were able to demonstrate this via a little on car experiment that drive.

2) honking at 2 wheelers and autos.

I drive at a speed that averages at the upper levels of the speed limits. In those speeds I give a short alerting horn while passing vehicles even if they are keeping the left side of the lane. I have a phobia that they will veer to the right anytime. Most cars and some bikes, I can see the driver's reflection in their rear view mirrors and see what they are upto, and then I don't have to honk. But it is difficult in 2 wheelers and one cannot see the rear view mirrors at all, of autos from behind.( I don't think the autowallas can see anything but their passengers in the company provided rear view mirrors). So I end up honking at them. My friend thought I honked too much. Sometimes I felt that too.

22nd March 2021, 01:02	#136
akg7091 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Noida Posts: 425 Thanked: 850 Times	Re: The horn menace \| Indians are honking way too much I used to hate unnecessary honking, but have forced myself to change my habits simply because in India most bikers, pedestrians, children, e-rickshaws etc expect vehicles to honk before acknowledging the fact that there are rules for right of way - you are supposed to drive in lanes / not play on roads etc. I'd now rather make do with small beeps every time I approach a kerb / turn / pedestrian than be responsible for the life and safety of some moron I barely know.
	(3) Thanks

25th January 2022, 12:20	#137
adisan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 1,094 Thanked: 1,171 Times	Re: The horn menace \| Indians are honking way too much One category of people who honk too much: they would have earlier been in (or witnessed) an incident, where in retrospect they feel that honking would have helped avoid the incident or to reduce its severity. They then become avid honkers.
	() Thanks

14th June 2022, 19:19	#139
venbas BHPian Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Chennai Posts: 138 Thanked: 418 Times View My Garage	Re: The horn menace \| Indians are honking way too much After driving abroad for most of my formative years it was a Travesty to honk when I first came back to India for good (a decade ago). But now I realise that it's just not possible to save our skin on our roads without honking. Following are some instances where I give a LOUD horn 1. People jumping signals when I have the Green light. 2. Squids on bikes cutting across my safety space. 3. Aggressive 3/4 wheeler drivers cutting me off dangerously. 4. Blind curves and/or oncoming (overtaking) vehicles on 2-way roads. 2-3 close shaves with "silent" driving made me realise that I can reach home alive only by slamming the horn in such instances. 5. Morons stopping or turning on the road without any indication whatsoever. The honk is loud especially when the road is otherwise clear and the driver ahead is just being a prick. Following are instances of single/quick Honk 1. Overtaking another vehicle especially on narrow/crowded roads. 2. Overtaking a slowly moving vehicle that is occupying the overtake lane. This honk will become a loud blare only if the slowly moving vehicle continues to hog the road and prevent an easy overtake. 3. Kids on the road. Whether playing as a group or cycling happily without a care. Usually a quick/simple horn alerts them to danger. All the other instances I avoid honking. My wife is still not happy that I honk. But I frankly see no way out of this problem Last edited by venbas : 14th June 2022 at 19:33. Reason: Typos
	(1) Thanks

5th August 2022, 10:00	#141
Drpaul BHPian Join Date: May 2016 Location: Ernakulam Posts: 29 Thanked: 64 Times	Re: The horn menace \| Indians are honking way too much I personally don't like to honk. I try to avoid honking as it seems impolite, ( of course it's not impolite when you are doing it to avoid a potential catastrophe). I also don't like to apply the brakes. Some one has told me brakes are for emergencies only, and it stuck. I understand my car well now that I can easily calculate how my car will slow, stop with just engine braking and friction, most of the time. I would like to state a couple of instances I had a discussion about honking with my co passengers 1) honking at people who are walking on the road unaware that a car (a silent petrol) is behind them and needs space to cross them. This happens a lot in my place with small roads with less traffic. When she drives she used to drive closer to them(not sneak up on then, still far enough that they don't hear the car yet) and honk. If it's some group of girls they usually startle and scurry over to the side, causing them some embarrassment. If it's a band of fellows it usually hurts their pride and delay moving trying to make you slow down more than necessary. Being on such roads frequently I had automatically developed a sweet spot(to honk) where in the people can move away quickly enough without causing them any embarrassment and you don't have to apply breaks to slow down. We were able to demonstrate this via a little on car experiment that drive. 2) honking at 2 wheelers and autos. I drive at a speed that averages at the upper levels of the speed limits. In those speeds I give a short alerting horn while passing vehicles even if they are keeping the left side of the lane. I have a phobia that they will veer to the right anytime. Most cars and some bikes, I can see the driver's reflection in their rear view mirrors and see what they are upto, and then I don't have to honk. But it is difficult in 2 wheelers and one cannot see the rear view mirrors at all, of autos from behind.( I don't think the autowallas can see anything but their passengers in the company provided rear view mirrors). So I end up honking at them. My friend thought I honked too much. Sometimes I felt that too.
	() Thanks