banerjek

Here's the rub. Some people do honk to announce their presence. If this startles you, it's a sign that you either need to be more aware of your surroundings or you need to work on your reflexes. If courtesy honkers make you jump, then the jerks that buzz you while really laying on the horn could easily make you crash -- a very dangerous situation. Also, it means you probably won't react very well in a real emergency.

I tell people who know me to honk at me (but make it clear that you should never do this with other cyclists) specifically to help train my reflexes. Whether someone is giving a courtesy honk, buzzing you, or there is an actual emergency where they are warning that you are about to be hit, you are in a much better position if you can keep your cool, quickly assess the situation, and take your best option. As soon as you panic, you are relying on luck alone which is a great way to get screwed.