Oddly, some "safe passing" or "3 feet" laws around the country require this. I was taken aback to see that New York's safe passing law mandated drivers honk if they're going to overtake a cyclist on the road. I feel the same way as most cyclists, that it is distracting and could even be dangerous if the cyclist is focused on avoiding an obstruction. It's not like we can't hear the car.

Unless it's a Prius. They alway surprise me.

Oh, yea. They need to put a low level buzzer or something on them.

TN has the same set of laws. Oddly and thankfully very few people adhere to them. Well, at least the honking part. Almost everybody gives me plenty of room. As many people who pass me on my rural commute it would drive me crazy if everyone blew their horn. :notamused:

On a side note, yesterday as I was pulling up to a 3 way intersection w/a stop sign on my road I was followed closely by what turned out to be a county sheriff. He never made a sound. Wasn't 'til he got past me that I realized who'd been following me.

Same state and era myself and... no, they never taught us that upstate.

:thumb:

No matter what you do, it will be wrong in the eyes of some motorists. In this clip, from my commute home last night, I had started at a light to the right of a black volvo, who decided to make a right turn into the first driveway on the other side of the intersection. I get around him, and then am passed by one other car before the green Miata comes along, with several toots of her horn, and a lot of frantic gesturing making it clear to me that she felt that my lane position was too far to the left.

I should not have positioned myself so far to the right at the intersection to allow the volvo driver to think that he could share the lane, but the Miata driver was one of those who would not be happy if my presence required her to do anything.

I used to hear a few beeps when I was riding.... Now I cannot hear them over whatever I happen to be listening that day.


Most folks that beep are doing it out of what they feel is being courteous. Not worth sweating. Just old your line. and turn up the tunes

Sorry, somehow I missed your post two above mine. Otherwise my post would have been similar to yours above.