How often do you use your horn?

daveharnett

I reckon in three years of driving, I've gone to the horn no more than a dozen occasions. I try to resist the urge to use it as a "f*ck you" button, but that urge still probably accounts for three or four of the dozen.

I probably should have used it on twice as many occasions, but it often seems too late to take a hand off the wheel by the time i realize i should be using it.

So, how much more/less do other drivers here use the horn?

MascotDec85

Rarely tbh. That little I could hardly put a figure on it.

That said I tend to prefer using the full beam if someone has done something naughty. More often than not drivers can't hear emergency vehicles due to their car stereo never mind a car horn so I tend to the the beam has a more visual impact

phasers

Too often, kids on my estate tend not to look when they run out onto the road...

**Timbuk2**

I use it to alert other traffic to my presence, if needs be, but I don't like using it as I think other drivers think I am rebuking them, or something similar.

Similarly I could flash my lights, but I hate doing that as it's never clear to other traffic what I mean by flashing my lights. I could flashing my lights at a car who is about to overtake (travelling in the opposite direction) to let him know that he can't because I am there, but a car could pull out of a side road thinking I am letting them on.

Last week I was driving and a car was overtaking, coming from the opposite direction, and he must not have seen me as he was heading straight for me with nowhere to pull in. I braked hard, flashing my lights and beeping the horn at the same time so he would notice me. Traffic in the other direction had to stop to let him back in. Seriously dangerous driving!

seamus

As said above, I use it so rarely that I couldn't put a figure on it. The only times I do use it are to tell someone (nicely) that the lights have been green for ten minutes or that they're about to encroach onto my lane.
For any other incidents, the horn will not prevent them from getting in my way and taking evasive action is of a higher priority.

MascotDec85

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I use it to alert other traffic to my presence, if needs be, but I don't like using it as I think other drivers think I am rebuking them, or something similar.

Similarly I could flash my lights, but I hate doing that as it's never clear to other traffic what I mean by flashing my lights. I could flashing my lights at a car who is about to overtake (travelling in the opposite direction) to let him know that he can't because I am there, but a car could pull out of a side road thinking I am letting them on.

Last week I was driving and a car was overtaking, coming from the opposite direction, and he must not have seen me as he was heading straight for me with nowhere to pull in. I braked hard, flashing my lights and beeping the horn at the same time so he would notice me. Traffic in the other direction had to stop to let him back in. Seriously dangerous driving!

You'll have to master the "friendly" flash and the "WTF are you at?" flash

**Timbuk2**

MascotDec85 wrote: »

You'll have to master the "friendly" flash and the "WTF are you at?" flash

I used to be obsessed with things like that. I used to do a very quick horn (e.g. half a second) for a friendly horn ("the lights have been green for 10 seconds and you haven't noticed") and about 2 seconds for an urgent horn ("don't cut me off on a roundabout and force me to brake dangerously").

The more I post the weirder I become *Logs off and throws away key password*

MascotDec85

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I used to be obsessed with things like that. I used to do a very quick horn (e.g. half a second) for a friendly horn ("the lights have been green for 10 seconds and you haven't noticed") and about 2 seconds for an urgent horn ("don't cut me off on a roundabout and force me to brake dangerously").

The more I post the weirder I become *Logs off and throws away key password*

Midnight_EG

I haven't got one, so I generally don't use it :P



Quick slap into neutral and a rev does the same job though (Y)

randylonghorn

Midnight_EG wrote: »

I haven't got one, so I generally don't use it :P

In fairness, it's probably better to have one, even if you're shy to use it.

Might come in handy some day when you least expect it ...

Scan Man

Not often enough

alexlyons

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Quick slap into neutral and a rev does the same job though

+1 but what I do is hit the clutch, gotta be careful about it though, don't want to lurch forward! I use the horn if I need to, and leave it if I don't

Midnight_EG

alexlyons wrote: »

+1 but what I do is hit the clutch, gotta be careful about it though, don't want to lurch forward! I use the horn if I need to, and leave it if I don't

My car is stupidly loud though, so they get the point after 3k revs at least

**Timbuk2**

I think revving the engine is more intimidating than the horn, or a flash of the headlights. The car ahead might be an inexperienced driver, or an old person.

ha-ya-said-what

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I think revving the engine is more intimidating than the horn, or a flash of the headlights. The car ahead might be an inexperienced driver, or an old person.

Trust me neither are any good when they never even looked in your direction and had been sitting at the junction for ages staring the other way then drive right out infront of ya!

cbmonstra

Did it by accident this morning outside work. Was indicating into a parking space and hit it and scared the bejasus out of a bloke getting out of his car

Other than that though, in 6 months driving, did it once to say Hi! to my sister out walking, and once to someone asleep at the lights...

My ex used to drive around Waterford city with his finger hovering over the horn, in anticipation of having to beep at people... Road Rage issues I think...:D

PhysiologyRocks

Twice:

Once I was out for a spin and saw the mammy walking.

Once a child was standing in the middle of the road, facing away from me in a housing estate - I was stopped behind him, and beeped to make him aware of my presence.

Both beeps lasted less than half a second.

BrigR

Never. So far it was always the accompanying driver who did it for me:D

robbie_998

i never used it ever myself.

i don't have the heart for the horn... if someone is sitting at the lights in front of me and they are green and the people don't move i just can't do it.

i never wanna use it.

i just don't like dragging a lot of attention to myself like that.

challengemaster

Better still, I had the tester use it during the test. Some eejits had blocked off the entire road which was part of the test route

cloneslad

it's the best friend of the korean driver, they don't use the brakes they just hit the horn.

I refuse to use it over here, just like I did at home. Idiot scooter drivers have massively loud trucker horns over here, you think you are about to get hit by an 18 wheeler and a piece of shít on a 50cc come flying past you.

af_thefragile

Only once.
To warn a guy backing up at the traffic lights (he had stopped a little ahead of the white line) from hitting into me. It was only a polite little "watch out you're getting a little too close to me" horn...

Other times I just ignore them. Won't do to others what I don't like being done to me.

highlydebased

Use it everytime I go out. Some dodgy overgrown corners on the road I live on.

Used it a few times when I've nearly been driven into by drivers who cannot use roundabouts correctly, and similar situations