I hate using my car horn

[Life_is_Good]

Today, I was in the car wash line... inching along with all the others. I was behind an older guy in a pickup truck. The driveway curves around at the entrance to the actual washing facility. There was plenty of room between me and the pickup in front (I'd say a good 20') . All of a sudden, the guy pops it into reverse and lurches backwards rather quickly - a very unexpected move in a car wash line! He was reversing so fast, it caught me off guard and I didn't know if he saw me. I honked to alert him that I was there while he continued to jet in reverse. His truck went completely across the front of my car, narrowly missing my bumper. He hit the curb on the curve with his right rear wheel and finally stopped.

He immediately rolled down his window and aggressively yelled out at me, "Hey, you got a problem?". I put my open hands up and replied "No problem... I was worried you didn't see me". He responded, "I saw ya" and that was the end of it.

My intent was to use the horn as an alert.... not a $#%@ you. People are too quick to jump into a road rage. I hate using my car horn!

[HFWR]

Humans are just wild animals with larger brains...

[JoeWras]

At least he missed you. I was front-ended by a reverse driver at a stop light. I was laying on the horn. He never saw me or heard me and crashed into me.

Apparently he was backing to change lanes to make a right instead of going straight. More focused on that than the traffic behind him, and the horns. Amazing he didn't hear it.

Luckily, he was honest and admitted it all to the policeman. I really feared I was in some sort of "rear end scam" situation. But no, honest mistake with an honest man. Too bad the horn was useless to him.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Life_is_Good My intent was to use the horn as an alert.... not a $#%@ you. People are too quick to jump into a road rage. I hate using my car horn!

I totally get that and try to use my horn as little as possible for the same reason. Even when only to warn some folks take it as a personal insult.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR Humans are just wild animals with larger brains...

Sometimes.

[marko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Life_is_Good My intent was to use the horn as an alert.... not a $#%@ you. People are too quick to jump into a road rage. I hate using my car horn!

You're not from Massachusetts are you?!

'round here, if you don't use your horn, you'll be stuck in three traffic light cycles while the moron at the front of the line leisurely reads and answers his texts.

[Big_Hitter]

if you use them sparingly (like I do) then you'll want to get these for safety reasons


Amazon.com: Hella SuperTone Horn Kit, 118 db: Automotive


I run Hellas in all my vehicles

[sailor]

Hmm,
I don't remember last time I used my car horn. Maybe 4 years ago? We should start a poll

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Life_is_Good Today, I was in the car wash line... inching along with all the others. I was behind an older guy in a pickup truck. The driveway curves around at the entrance to the actual washing facility. There was plenty of room between me and the pickup in front (I'd say a good 20') . All of a sudden, the guy pops it into reverse and lurches backwards rather quickly - a very unexpected move in a car wash line! He was reversing so fast, it caught me off guard and I didn't know if he saw me. I honked to alert him that I was there while he continued to jet in reverse. His truck went completely across the front of my car, narrowly missing my bumper. He hit the curb on the curve with his right rear wheel and finally stopped. He immediately rolled down his window and aggressively yelled out at me, "Hey, you got a problem?". I put my open hands up and replied "No problem... I was worried you didn't see me". He responded, "I saw ya" and that was the end of it. My intent was to use the horn as an alert.... not a $#%@ you. People are too quick to jump into a road rage. I hate using my car horn!

You should have shot him. His brain is likely getting soft; he needs culling.

[marko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailor Hmm, I don't remember last time I used my car horn. Maybe 4 years ago?

Seriously, I have to use my horn 3 or 4 times per hour every day just to wake up the person texting when the stop light turns green .

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[calmloki]

I dislike horns. Always figure the user of the horn could be focusing on doing something more productive; like driving.

[Elbata]

I'm glad to see that most here don't use their horns. I don't know if most would agree, but I find those who blast the horn are the ones causing the initial problem.

Or to be more blunt, most horn blowers are rude idiots.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elbata I'm glad to see that most here don't use their horns. I don't know if most would agree, but I find those who blast the horn are the ones causing the initial problem. Or to be more blunt, most horn blowers are rude idiots.

lots of horn blowers in Houston, very few in paradise

it took months before I ever heard a horn here

[easysurfer]

I don't use the horn often but had to the other day.

Some driver in a Cadillac didn't see me in his blind spot and was tempted to cut in my lane.

No harm, no foul.

[Jack_Pine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko You're not from Massachusetts are you?! 'round here, if you don't use your horn, you'll be stuck in three traffic light cycles while the moron at the front of the line leisurely reads and answers his texts.

Not just Mass. I think the horn is a public service to let folks know when they are behaving badly. Today sat through a green arrow because lady was reading her texts.........she got a toot.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elbata I'm glad to see that most here don't use their horns. I don't know if most would agree, but I find those who blast the horn are the ones causing the initial problem. Or to be more blunt, most horn blowers are rude idiots.

That's a pretty broad brush (OK, you did say 'most').

I will definitely use my horn as a warning. As others have said, I've had someone start to back up, not aware I'm behind them it seems, and me getting on the horn probably avoided a trip to the repair shop and a lot of hassle and $$$.

I've found that people who are too reluctant to use the horn don't even know how. That sounds silly, but some cars have horns that have to be hit in a certain area to get them to sound, not so great in an emergency. My Mother had that happen, she described some guy backing into her, and I asked if she got on the horn, and she said at first no, then said she tried but missed 'the spot'.

I'e been with DW when I screamed "WATCH OUT FOR THAT GUY!!! BLOW THE HORN!!!" and she just fumbles because she never uses it.

It's a tool, and like any tool it can be used or misused. I'm pretty sure blowing your horn when traffic is backed up further than you can see isn't going to help!

-ERD50

[Rickt]

I always smile when I remember the incident when a friend of mine in NYC blew his horn at the car stopped in the front of him when the traffic lights turned green. A traffic police officer walked up to him and wrote him a $40 ticket for "blowing horn without danger"

[Car-Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 Sometimes.

+1

I rarely use my horn but on the few occasions I have, the person I was blowing my horn at must have thought I was right since they often indicate to me that they think I'm number one. Although I'm not real good at reading sign language.

[Jack_Pine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickt I always smile when I remember the incident when a friend of mine in NYC blew his horn at the car stopped in the front of him when the traffic lights turned green. A traffic police officer walked up to him and wrote him a $40 ticket for "blowing horn without danger"

Really in NYC? When I am there all I hear are the horns.

[ronin]

I don't always use my horn but when I do, I do it while drinking Dos Equis. Well, not really. The streets of LA are populated with many tiny brained people. Sometimes they don't wake from the cell phone coma on their own.

On a related note, I frequently use the bell on my mountain bike as the same phone zombies hike the trails while staring at their screens in total ignorant bliss.