Horn Blowing 101

October 15, 2018 by jansenschmidt

I don’t know about you, but I rarely use my car horn. I mean, seriously, hardly ever. And usually when I do, I have to press around on the steering wheel a bit to get the exact spot for sound to come out. I just don’t have an up-close and personal relationship with my car horn.

car horn

Oh, don’t get me wrong, if I’m at a stop light that has turned green a couple of seconds ago and the person in front of me hasn’t moved, I’ll hit the horn just a smidge to let them know that they need to pay closer attention and others are waiting to go. Or, sometimes, when I really need to alert someone of impending danger, I blow that sucker for all it’s worth. But, honestly, I usually don’t even remember the horn is there. Unless I set off the alarm system somehow, then I can’t shut that thing up soon enough.

man texting

Now where I live, people toot their horns all the time. I found it a bit disconcerting when I first moved here because I never knew if I was doing something wrong or perhaps offending someone. Turns out, people here use their car horns as a form of greeting. I know. Kind of weird. And yet, true.

If you’re driving down the street and you see someone you know, honk. If you’re pulling out of your driveway and you see your neighbor in their yard, honk. If you’re coming home and your children are playing in the driveway, honk. If you’re cruising through a parking lot and someone approaches from the opposite direction, honk, just in case you might know that person coming at you. You drive by the corner market and there is a crowd congregating for some reason, honk because chances are someone’ll wave or curse at you.

man waving

The horn blowing here is like a strange sort of morse code. Several short honks in a row, a long blast, two toots in rapid succession. I really don’t know what it all means, but if I hear a horn I’m going to wave or get out of the way, possibly at the same time, because I really don’t know what that driver is trying to tell me.

Be careful out there on the streets of Vicksburg folks. There’s a whole lotta honking and tooting going on. It might be a message or perhaps just someone who really likes the sound of their horn. Whatever the case, you’ve been warned.

What about you readers, do you use your car horn? Is there proper etiquette for using one’s horn?

Word of the day: hemiplegia

Fun fact about me: I used to have an “au-ooo-ga” horn on my Baja Bug. Now that was fun. I used that quite a bit.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, October 2018. Photos courtesy Pexels.com.

Posted in authors, blogging, driving, Family, Fiction, first car, friends, hill billy, humor, Jansen Schmidt, redneck, travel, vacation, Vicksburg, writing | Tagged car horns, cars, danger, greeting, hello, honking, horn blowing, horn honking, horns, morse code, random, signal, signals, steering wheel, vehicles, warning | 13 Comments

13 Responses

on October 15, 2018 at 7:55 am | Reply David N. Walker

I had to chuckle at your post this morning, Patricia. Even though Vicksburg isn’t in Texas, I guess the people there have a bit of Texas friendliness. We toot and wave at neighbors and friends all the time. Just being friendly.

Other than the friendly toot, I’m like you when I’m driving. I don’t even think about my horn unless someone is trying to sleep through a green light or stop sign or trying to pull into my lane while I’m there.

Never having been even partially paralized, I can’t think of way to fit hemiplegia into a sentence.

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- on October 15, 2018 at 10:27 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  I wouldn’t even dream of posting this blog if I lived in New York. I think everybody uses the horn all the time there. And not in a good way either.
  
  Thanks for visiting. Have a great week.
  
  Patricia
  
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on October 15, 2018 at 9:51 am | Reply Al

Agreed, Patricia. Horn blowing 101 teaches that a light tap at a turning green light after a few seconds is OK. That happens more often now with texting so wide spread. At least they’re not doing it while driving (I hope).

Never blow horn in anger, you just don’t know what kind of maniac might be behind the wheel of the other car and you’ll end up in the nightly news. If they’ve already done something stupid enough to make you want to honk at them, they’re probably crazy enough to escalate the situation. Discretion is, after all, the better part of valor.

Have a great day!

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- on October 15, 2018 at 10:28 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  I agree Al, that’s probably why I so rarely use my horn. I’m afraid I’ll get shot. Of course, I’m from California and that sort of stuff is more common there – angry horn blowing – but you just never know.
  
  Thanks for visiting Al. I hope your week is fabulous.
  
  Patricia
  
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on October 15, 2018 at 1:20 pm | Reply cjburright

I definitely use my horn to harass people in a friendly way. If I see someone I know walking (or whatever), I’ll send ’em a little honkity-honk-honk. Oh, and that person who’s messing around with their cell phone instead of going at the green light gets a less friendly version – still polite, just a single note rather than a song. 🙂

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- on October 15, 2018 at 2:39 pm | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Hokity-honk-honk. That sounds so cute. You’d fit right in down here in the deep south. I hope you’ll visit some day.
  
  Thanks for stopping by. Here’s to a honkity-honk-honk day.
  
  Patricia
  
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on October 15, 2018 at 2:24 pm | Reply lynnkelleyauthor

I think I’d be a nervous wreck driving around Vicksburg with all that honking. Not sure I’d ever get used to it! LOL!

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- on October 15, 2018 at 2:41 pm | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  I jump every single time. And then I spend several minutes looking around to see if maybe the honk was intended for me. I mean, I don’t want to be rude and not wave or something if someone I know is honking at me, but sheesh, there’s gotta be a better way. Like, oh, I don’t know, maybe waving perhaps. Waving works. It’s quiet and peaceful.
  
  Thanks for visiting. Have a great rest of the week.
  
  Patricia
  
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on October 16, 2018 at 2:33 pm | Reply josypheen

Oooh I’m with you! I jump every time I hear a honk! I hardly ever use mine.

You know some cars make a little honk when you press the lock button (to let the driver know it’s really locked!?) Well, that ALWAYS freaks me out when I’m cycling past! I’m so scared I’ve done something wrong, or that a car is about to hit me!!

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- on October 16, 2018 at 3:34 pm | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Yeah, that startles me too. I hate that little chirping noise. I ALWAYS look. I just feel like the honk is for me.
  
  Thanks for visiting today. Stay safe out there.
  
  Patricia
  
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on October 19, 2018 at 8:13 pm | Reply Serena Dracis, Author

I have a neighbor who honks when he drives by and sees my husband and I in our yard. Kinda drives me crazy, but now I know it’s a thing it makes more sense. Like you I’m a minimalist when it comes to horn use. Less is better!

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- on October 20, 2018 at 3:58 pm | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Yeah – it’s just weird. And a bit startling. I guess in certain parts of the U.S. noisy is better.
  
  Thanks for stopping by with your observations. I’m glad I’m not the only one leery of the horn.
  
  Patricia
  
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  - on October 21, 2018 at 3:52 pm | Reply Serena Dracis, Author
    
    Nope. And the honking makes my dog unhappy. So I’m really not a fan. Lol!
    
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