Car Horns

Xenophile

What make and model of a modern day car has the friendliest horn? I ask this question from a drivers and "hearers" perspective.

I was recently in a fairly modern Mercedes 180 and noticed that the driver had to press down very hard on the off centre piece of the steering wheel which then emitted a loud cacophonous hostile noise.

It is important that cars are fitted with horns that allow the driver to sound a gentle beeb. This would serve as a salutation in acknowledging by way of saying hello that you have just noticed for instance a good friend, father, mother, your children, grandparents etc, etc. who may standing at the corner shop or walking on the pavement. A gentle beeb or honk would also be a polite way to get the attention of people who unknowingly may be standing in front of the entrance to your driveway or causing other innocent obstructions etc.

colm_mcm

Renault/nissan tend to have a weedy single tone horn

_Kaiser_

The horn in my Passat has what I consider to be a nice deep "manly" tone, but I remember leaving it in for it's first service and got stuck with a Micra for the day (yea yea.. why is it so damn hard to get something decent in automatic) and on my way back to the office some asshat decided to pull out in front of me on a roundabout...

I instinctively lean on the horn... to be met by a pathetic weak little beeeep :mad: No wonder the guy just shook his head and laughed

Mycroft H

We had a Pajero that had a weedy little tinny horn. Kinda like having an alsatian with a terrier bark.


The Clio is fine. It's mounted on the indicator stalk, which I like.

Anan1

Most horns can be used quietly by just giving a brief tap.

belcampprisoner

horns should only be used to tell people to get out of the way your in a hurry

like people taking to long to move on a green light


or to tell people your about to break a red light

or pedestrians crossing too slow


the louder the better

hobochris

Horns are fitted to vehicles in order to alert road users to your presence in order to avoid accidents etc.. In otherwise potentially dangerous situations, Not with intention of being used as social extensions as you are suggesting.

Xenophile

BX 19 wrote: »

It's mounted on the indicator stalk, which I like.

A very good idea going back to the days of the Ford Anglia...Model 105E.

colm_mcm

Then they figured out how to do airbag wheels properly.

Xenophile

hobochris wrote: »

Horns are fitted to vehicles in order to alert road users to your presence in order to avoid accidents etc.. In otherwise potentially dangerous situations, Not with intention of being used as social extensions as you are suggesting.

They can be used for both purposes very effectively.

Mycroft H

Xenophile wrote: »

A very good idea going back to the days of the Ford Anglia...Model 105E.

The more you know. It's much easier to hover over it in case that egjit does pull out of that junction in front of you...

Xenophile

belcampprisoner wrote: »

horns should only be used to tell people to get out of the way your in a hurry

like people taking to long to move on a green light

or to tell people your about to break a red light

or pedestrians crossing too slow

A bit of tolerance is required here, your attitude leads to road rage. People may need to safely break a red light in order to get an urgent case to hospital. Many pedestrians crossing slowly are doing so because of various health reasons. I sincerely hope you learn to be more patient and tolerant.

CianRyan

belcampprisoner wrote: »

horns should only be used to tell people to get out of the way your in a hurry

like people taking to long to move on a green light


or to tell people your about to break a red light

or pedestrians crossing too slow


the louder the better

Your horn should be revoked.

Xenophile

belcampprisoner wrote: »

horns should only be used to tell people to get out of the way your in a hurry

like people taking to long to move on a green light


or to tell people your about to break a red light

or pedestrians crossing too slow


the louder the better

CianRyan wrote: »

Your horn should be revoked.

At least prosecuted for illegal use!

Xenophile

Could we get back to discussing the quality of car horns. Would especially like to hear about ones you like. Maybe the top of the range cars have more arrogant sounding horns. But tell me about the hooter you remember as being pleasant and friendly.

CianRyan

The Spyker C8 has a nice little horn, doesn't it?

Voodoomelon

Your interest in what our horns sound like intrigues me. I would like to know more.

rovoagho

Research by the looks of it. Star reporter probably. Although a Star reporter might not understand some of the words they're using.

There's nothing worse than a dual horn car with one broken. Wife's car makes me feel like a weedy ref trying to part two sumo wrestlers.

<tinyvoice>scuse me please

Xenophile

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Your interest in what our horns sound like intrigues me. I would like to know more.

The simple things in life are the most interesting! So I encourage you to keep on being intrigued by the simple things e.g. the sound of car horns and how they are best placed in the car and utilised by the driver.

Xenophile

colm_mcm wrote: »

Then they figured out how to do airbag wheels properly.

At least the airbag cannot be engaged before the horn is sounded.

dgt

Horns you say?

I tend to ditch the standard horns....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FiUID8k5Bw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ucY-8Xq08

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmnsESj6ZhE

I miss that triple tone set..... It really woke up dopey drivers

Xenophile

In response to DGT.........the first two are great.........at least you have the option of variation.

But leave out the third one!

dgt

Xenophile wrote: »

In response to DGT.........the first two are great.........at least you have the option of variation.

But leave out the third one!

Erp?

Bravo horn was ditched for the Nautilius, sounded much sweeter, the only horn on it.... Festy's standard one was rather weedy, the triple tone setup soon cured that! :pac:

Xenophile

Instead of weedy can we have some flowery horns?

dgt

Xenophile wrote: »

Instead of weedy can we have some flowery horns?

My last one.... Flowery enough?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39M6ZWDM_JY

Xenophile

Maybe something in here that would give a gentle beep. As I listen there is also something in there for the veteran, vintage or classic.

toastedpickles

I'd love to stick a truck horn on my car, be some craic so it would

Xenophile

toastedpickles wrote: »

I'd love to stick a truck horn on my car, be some craic so it would

Nothing to stop you from doing it, just depends on how you use it!

toastedpickles

Xenophile wrote: »

Nothing to stop you from doing it, just depends on how you use it!

This makes me happy

dgt

toastedpickles wrote: »

I'd love to stick a truck horn on my car, be some craic so it would

Go big or go home :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enF0m6J7g2w

toastedpickles

dgt wrote: »

Go big or go home :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enF0m6J7g2w

It's on! Next I'll have Irish rail after me for misleading the public :pac:


How does this sound?? :pac: http://www.trainhornkits.net/maximus-iv-train-horn-kit/

Xenophile

toastedpickles wrote: »

It's on! Next I'll have Irish rail after me for misleading the public :pac:


How does this sound?? :pac: http://www.trainhornkits.net/maximus-iv-train-horn-kit/

Just use it for fun in Private Industrial Parks etc.............and don't get into trouble at work. By the way reverse your car into the garage for a much safer exit!

toastedpickles

Xenophile wrote: »

Just use it for fun in Private Industrial Parks etc.............and don't get into trouble at work. By the way reverse your car into the garage for a much safer exit!

I live out in the sticks, it'l be grand :pac:

But I'll take that advice on board

BUBBLE WRAP

Ah Horns.

The Yaris horn is a slightly girly tut I always thought, So I use it a little as possible.

But on the other hand the horn on my fathers Isuzu Trooper is a fine manly HAAAUUUNNK!!

Sobanek

Volvos have nice deep horns.

Schnitzel Muncher

I hate when the fu***r behind you beeps the horn at the person in front of you and the person in front thinks it was you who beeped the horn.

goz83

Schnitzel Muncher wrote: »

I hate when the fu***r behind you beeps the horn at the person in front of you and the person in front thinks it was you who beeped the horn.

Yeah I do that when the person in front of me hasn't got the cojones to beep at the person in front of them! Usually when some eijet is too far over the line to see the lights change.

Schnitzel Muncher

goz83 wrote: »

Yeah I do that when the person in front of me hasn't got the cojones to beep at the person in front of them! Usually when some eijet is too far over the line to see the lights change.

So you are one of those ignorant impatient road users. Those few extra seconds are so important. Nice one.

Sobanek

Schnitzel Muncher wrote: »

So you are one of those ignorant impatient road users. Those few extra seconds are so important. Nice one.

Those few seconds could mean life and death - watch all those russian car crashes - if most of these people left the lights 5 seconds early, there wouldn't be so many crashes.

Andrew_Doran

Xenophile wrote: »

Could we get back to discussing the quality of car horns. Would especially like to hear about ones you like. Maybe the top of the range cars have more arrogant sounding horns. But tell me about the hooter you remember as being pleasant and friendly.

Fiat Punto 99-05 has a very jolly hooter.

It's no use for expressing anger and is far better put to use greeting people you know.

mitosis

My mark 4 Golf sounds like a strangled duck

stoneill

I had a car and the horn sounded like the squeaky penguin from toy story.

It was never used in anger.

goz83

Schnitzel Muncher wrote: »

So you are one of those ignorant impatient road users. Those few extra seconds are so important. Nice one.

No, No i'm not. But I am one of those road users who gets annoyed when idiots park too far ahead of the lights to see when they change. If the person directly behind them is in dream land, or doesn't have the balls to let out a little courtesy beep, for the sake of everyone else who is waiting in traffic, then I will gladly press down on that sweet note.

And yes, sometimes those extra few seconds are very important, especially if it's early morning traffic and every second lost becomes a minute on your journey. They soon add up.

I don't know what roads you frequent, but in my area, if you miss some lights, you can be stuck for about 5 minutes waiting for another round of green time. When traffic is heavy, I can live with it. When someone is falling asleep behind the wheel, I will wake them up. If you want to take a snooze, get off the damn road buddy, people are driving here!

cml387

How about those splendid trumpets on articulated lorries, with volume to match.Just the sort of thing to bring Shock and Awe to the driver in front who appears to be waiting for a particular shade of green.

RandomAccess

No point having a good horn unless its easy and safe to use it. Those buttons in center of steering wheel are crap. Old fords used to have them on the end of the indicator stalk, made it easy to give a short "bip bip" or blow the horn while having control of the steering.

I was thinking of upgrading mine, Ring have an iPhone app which lets you try the horns. But it doesn't give a great demo really.