Advocacy & Safety - What if cars didn't have horns?

The instances that actually require a horn are so rare when compared to the times that the horn is misused/abused that it makes me wonder if cars really do need horns at all? I mean, apart from mechanically 'yelling' at each other what critical use does the horn serve today?

I say horns should be banned, what say you?

Disagree. Like the automobile itself, there is nothing inherently wrong with the horn. There, however, exists multiple problems with the operators of these devices.

A horn exists to prevent accidents and other such emergencies, and serves a rightfully useful purpose in that capacity (as opposed to its use as a vehicle of expressing one's heated emotions). Think of how many times you might have wished to have an easily accessible thumb-horn on your bicycle whenever you've been nearly right-hooked; or in any other such case.

Guilty as they are for many things, motorists are not free of the stupidity of their own kind, and - just like the cyclist - will find themselves in situations wherein a horn is a perfectly legitimate method of accident warning due to another motorist's stupidity.

As with aggressive driving, the problem lies in the proper driver education and enforcement of road rage, not in the elimination of the device. Take away the motorists' horns, and they'll substitute their bumpers.

-Kurt

I've actually used my car horn quite a few times to keep other people from getting into accidents. Same with the one on my bike.

In the current times of multi-intra-vehicle-distraction I HONK HORN frequently to snap drivers out of their all invincible more-important-than-life-itself-electronic-stupor to prevent their cars from drifting into me lane or off the road etc etc... unfortunately my courtesy is not appreciated as such as well as the same courtesy cannot be afforded or possible when I'm riding however.

The really sad bit about car horns is that there are only three expressive options annoyed (light tap,) angry (loud burst) and in a rage (prolonged honk.) Which basically gives motorists the verbal communication skills of a chimpanzee.

What would we do in wedding processions without horns?

If a motorist honks at me while I'm on my bike, I'm guaranteed that he/she sees me. That it may also cause a nearby inattentive driver to snap to attention is a bonus. I get honked at on almost every ride, and practically every one of the honkers passes or deals with me in a safe manner. I do still sometimes get angry though... briefly anyway.

I use a horn so rarely (never have, actually) that in any situation when I could use it I forget it exists and concentrate on steering. Of course, I could say the equivalent about a car these days.

People here honk at me so rarely that I get startled and annoyed when someone gives me the well-meaning "light tap" before overtaking.

Yeah, I know you're there; I'm surrounded by traffic. Save it for the people who fall asleep at green lights.

Horns should remain. Bells should be added.

I think we should go one step further and require PA systems equipped on every car.

The horn on our newest car is computer controlled (the horn button is a computer input, the horn relay is a computer output). Given that, it shouldn't be difficult to set it up so that the horn only worked a total of 15 seconds a week. Plenty for emergencies (unless the driver himself is the cause of the emergencies), but would expire pretty fast for abusive horn users.

Ha ha... I like the horn rationing idea!

Cars need horns. I use mine when I am driving usually to either wake someone up at a stoplight that turned green 5 seconds ago, let another driver know they are about to do an illegal or dangerous manouver like make a turn onto a one way, and probably most controversially here at A&S, to get slowpokes (i.e) speed limit abiding drivers out of the left hand lane on the highway, but only when they are going slower than or speed matching the right hand lane, and I allways give them ample oppertunity to notice they have someone behind them that probably wants to pass before I go as far as using a horn. I actually almost never use my horn when I am cut off or something on the road, It just doesn't occurr to me. I rarely use it at all really.

Horn use varies based on the location. I've lived a few placed in the US. In Baltimore, there was significant horn usage. In Atlanta, a horn would only be used -after- you plowed into someone or something. In Portland, horn use is very rare. In NYC and other NE cities there is a LOT of horn usage.

I have often wished for a "positive" horn in my car that is different than the regular "negative" or "warning" horn. Something loud enough to be as clearly heard, but that means "go ahead" like for a bicycle at a stop sign and such.

Horns are good for anything going over 5 miles and hour :D

If cars didn't have horns, drivers would have to roll down their windows and actually communicate with folks outside of the car.

Horn use varies based on the location. I've lived a few placed in the US. In Baltimore, there was significant horn usage. In Atlanta, a horn would only be used -after- you plowed into someone or something. In Portland, horn use is very rare. In NYC and other NE cities there is a LOT of horn usage.

This is very true, I live in Victoria B.C. Canada and horn use is very rare. Think portland filled with mild mannered Canadians. Any time you hear a horn Its a good idea to check around because It almost always is being done for a purpose. This makes the little honk to pass thing more annoying because even though its unnecessary, you are conditioned to equate horns with more serious things.

Cars need horns. I use mine when I am driving usually to either wake someone up at a stoplight that turned green 5 seconds ago,

Not legal. Form of road rage.


to get slowpokes (i.e) speed limit abiding drivers out of the left hand lane on the highway,

Not legal. Form of road rage.

-Kurt

Not legal. Form of road rage.

-Kurt

This is my point. Even my fellow cyclists who I tend to believe would be less likely to deliberately mistreat or road rage fellow road users think that their use of the horn is benign or otherwise justified while it is in fact illegal, and they're not even aware of. If that's where we're at, what do you think the chances are of your typical 'cager' understanding what the legal or appropriate use of the horn is? ...is the correct/legal use of the horn even tested as part of licensing? is misuse policed anywhere? it sure aint here.

In ANY major city all around the entire planet where there are laws governing the legal use of horns I'll bet you can find two things - 1) Nobody limiting themselves to the legal use of the horn, and 2) Not ONE single cop enforcing the law with respect to misuse of the horn in their vicinity.

If we're going to keep horns, they need to sound funny again (ahhh-OOOO-gaah!).

I have often wished for a "positive" horn in my car that is different than the regular "negative" or "warning" horn. Something loud enough to be as clearly heard, but that means "go ahead" like for a bicycle at a stop sign and such.

That's either a wave by day, or a double headlight flash by night.

The really sad bit about car horns is that there are only three expressive options annoyed (light tap,) angry (loud burst) and in a rage (prolonged honk.) Which basically gives motorists the verbal communication skills of a chimpanzee.

Exactly. I was speaking with a non-cyclist friend of mine who mentioned honking at a cyclist to let them know they were there. I told her that even a well meaning honk sounds aggressive to a cyclist in some way -- it's a natural interpretation of an extremely loud, startling noise that is primarily used to express annoyance and anger. It's also unnecessary, assuming that most of us are already aware that cars are on the road and can hear them approaching anyway. She thought I was only hearing the honks with defensive ears, but it's difficult not to see it as a threatening gesture regardless of the driver's real intentions.

Also, the options for this poll need to be worded differently. They're far too polarized and add too much of the OP's own attitude/bias.

Poll flawed - no no option.

Yes, horns are necessary, but some people should have security codes to unlock them.

It looks like I voted wrong - maybe because I read the text of the 'no' options and disagreed with what it said.

Horns as they are should be part of standard motor vehicle equipment. Just as accelerators are - no need to ban them just because sometime people over or illegally use them.

Horn use is almost nonexistant here. The ONLY time I hear a horn is if something dangerous is about to happen. At a light if someone is "asleep at the wheel" (usually texting) the person behind them will usually give an extremely brief "wake up" blip. I don't think anyone would classify that as road rage.

I think I could stand on a corner in town all day and maybe hear one or two honks.

In addition to what's been covered the horn is also useful in greeting.
bep-bep = "Hi, Jeff!" I see you're out in your yard as I drive by.

bep-bep = "Hi, cyclist(s)!" Look and see me give you a thumb-up of encouragement. (This one is never given while behind the cyclist(s); only after passing, or before passing if approaching from the other direction.)

BEEEEEEP-BEEEEP = "Hi, we're here!!!" Some of my next-door neighbors grown kids when they frequently visit them.

I got a honk from a Jeep Cherokee today. Ever notice how submissive Jeep horns sound? Like a child quietly asking to go to the bathroom.

I HATE it when people use their horns to announce that they've arrived. I had a roommate once who carpooled to work with his dad... at about 5 a.m. Dad always honked, and my bedroom looked over the driveway :notamused:

Similarly, my neighbours installed ahome alarm with a klaxon that blips at full volume whenever they enter or exit their home or garage (sounds like a car alarm, but louder, if that's possible). Imagine if everyone had one of those?

One more things I like about bikes... they're quiet

Similarly, my neighbours installed ahome alarm with a klaxon that blips at full volume whenever they enter or exit their home or garage (sounds like a car alarm, but louder, if that's possible). Imagine if everyone had one of those?

You can probably make a case for nuisance there, or noise pollution or something. There's no reason why an alarm should do more than beep loud enough to hear from 10 feet away.

Get a jersey that clearly reads "Honk if You're Horny!!", then the motorist has to decide whether he is so angry that he's willing to alert the rest of the world that he is, in fact, horny.

Get a jersey that clearly reads "Honk if You're Horny!!", then the motorist has to decide whether he is so angry that he's willing to alert the rest of the world that he is, in fact, horny.

+1

Not enough choices on the poll. I do not believe they should be banned from motor vehicles as they do have legitimate uses as a warning device. The problems lie in how people abuse them. I have a horn on my bicycle as well, and it's saved me a couple of times from being struck by cars.