Rant: Are some drivers deaf or just jerks?

[FastCarFan]

Is it just me, or have others noticed it too? For the past few years it seems other drivers completely ignore my car horn.

For example...Driving to work this morning, as I was passing a slower car that was in the right lane, the driver began to move left into my lane, without signaling & obviously without looking. I sounded my horn & he just continued with his lane change. If I had not hit the brakes hard he clearly would have hit me.

It seems that years ago, the sound of my horn would have signaled to the other driver to quickly swerve back into his lane.

I have had many similar situations over the past few years where drivers just continue with their lane change rather than react to my horn.

Do you think it has anything to do with an increased number of aggressive drivers? For example, if these drivers make boneheaded moves on a regular basis, they probably get honked at (& "saluted") on a regular basis. Perhaps they have been conditioned to ignore horns.

What do you think? Have others noticed this problem?

Thanks for listening. I feel better now.

[kang]

Was he on the phone?

[Moses]

Originally posted by kang
Was he on the phone?

Yeah. Maybe your horn was interrupting an important call. How rude!

[cool_chick]

IMO, too many people use horns for anger purposes. Here in Chicago, it's almost constant. They're honking like madmen almost constantly, many shaking their fists. When people do that, eventually those around tune it out, as it's never a warning around here anymore, it's just someone pissed off at someone else for whatever stupid reason they get pissed off at in their car.

The horn should be used for what it's intended, to warn of danger. If people did that, others wouldn't tune it out, they would know it's for real.

Not directed towards you whatsoever, I don't know you. This is an observation I've made in recent years. People tuning it out because they're no longer used for danger.

[Moses]

Originally posted by cool_chick
IMO, too many people use horns for anger purposes. Here in Chicago, it's almost constant. They're honking like madmen almost constantly, many shaking their fists. When people do that, eventually those around tune it out, as it's never a warning around here anymore, it's just someone pissed off at someone else for whatever stupid reason they get pissed off at in their car.

The horn should be used for what it's intended, to warn of danger. If people did that, others wouldn't tune it out, they would know it's for real.

Not directed towards you whatsoever, I don't know you. This is an observation I've made in recent years. People tuning it out because they're no longer used for danger.

Funny you mention that. I've had my daily driver for more than a year. I've never sounded the horn.

When I lived in New York, drivers would tap their horns at intersections the INSTANT the light turned green. That was hard to get used to.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by cool_chick
IMO, too many people use horns for anger purposes. Here in Chicago, it's almost constant. They're honking like madmen almost constantly, many shaking their fists.

That's why cars need two horns.

One that says "meep! meep! excuse me please!"

And another that says "MWAAAAA MWAAAA FK OFFFF!!!"

[widgeon13]

I would imagine the driver was simply listening to the 1000 watt amp setup (heavy metal) and dialing his cell while drinking a coffee and munching on a Dunkin donut. What do you want him to do, actually pay attention to all those other drivers on the road.

[Hugh R]

I find people on the East Coast use horns a lot more than in Los Angeles. There its constant.

[nostatic]

You should go to Shanghai...

[VINMAN]

Originally posted by Moses
When I lived in New York, drivers would tap their horns at intersections the INSTANT the light turned green. That was hard to get used to.

Trust me, that hasnt changed one bit!

[masraum]

You need a better horn.

[ronin]

Originally posted by Hugh R
I find people on the East Coast use horns a lot more than in Los Angeles. There its constant.

up here in Seattle, using your horn has slid into the domain of road rage

[Superman]

Unless I need to take action to avoid a collision, I will ignore a car horn also. If I slid off an icy road into a snow bank and was trapped in the car, I would use the horn. Otherwise, honking just seems like whining and complaining, to me. I've held a drivers' license continually for more than 35 year now and I shudder to think how many miles I've driven. I very much enjoy driving. I can count on one hand the times I have honked a horn.

[rcecale]

Originally posted by nostatic
You should go to Shanghai...

The same in Thailand. It seems people there though, use the horn as a driving tool, letting people know there is omeone close, aking a move, etc. It's not necessarily used as a "@#@$%# - YOU!" kinda tool.

Randy

[on2wheels52]

The puny horns on a motorcycle are just extra weight. If some clown's moving over on me I can think of more productive uses of my time then fumbling around for a horn that sounds like someone strangling a duck.
Jim

[unimog406]

the p.o. of my car installed 2 aftermarket horns
now I have stereo honkage at about a billion decibals
nearly blew out my eardrums when i hit it by accident removing the steering wheel
havn't touched it since then...

[ChrisBennet]

I swear, if my horn stopped working I probably wouldn't notice for a year (um, actually, I think that has happened to me before). A friend of mine seems to use his every other time I ride with him.
-Chris

[masraum]

I think I blow mine about 3-4 times a year. Generally it's because someone on a cell phone decided to merge with me, no, I do mean that they try to share the same place at the same time. I'll honk the horn right before I hit the brakes so they know. Sometimes it works and they stay in their lane, sometimes it doesn't.

In the 911, I had enough grunt and stop to get the job done. In the miata, I have the stop, but not the grunt.

[Jeff Alton]

Horn? I can't remember the last time I used mine (I don't even have one in the 911). Ever make an error in judgement yourself? Chill out, people crap the sheets all the time behind the wheel, you too probably. They are probably not doing it on purpose....

Honk your horn and maybe they feel so stupid they don't want to acknowledge you? who knows..

But, it is as easy to hit the brake pedal as it is to hit the horn.


Cheers

[Peterfrans]

I drove an ambulance working my way through college. It is incredible how many drivers oversee and overhear a big chevy van with sirens on and lights flashing. Those sirens were loud compared to a regular car horn. After that experience I decided to err on the save side and always asume that they will not hear you. I suppose this gets worse as cars get better insulation, bigger stereos and cell phones (not to mention the operating navigation systems, SMS-ing, reading newspapers, doing make-up etc)