Warning: You might want to replace the term ‘honking’ with ‘judicious use of the horn’ in the following post.
Just the other day I was going through an old issue of one of the automotive magazines I have, and I went through an article by one of the staff. The author brought out the fact that how he never or very rarely uses the horn while driving. How when he used the car of one of his acquaintances, that how the fellow was shocked that the author did not realize the fact that the horn in his car was non functional. This, in spite of the fact that the author had driven the car for a whole day.
All very well I say. Congratulations sir. Guess you have mastered the art of ‘silent driving’. No noise pollution either. Now all this sounds very good when you read about it. But does this actually work. Have you ever tried this? I did yesterday and it scared me silly.
Picture this, morning nine o’clock, I’m about to make a left turn on the T-junction, the first turn at the end of the lane where I live. I take this turn everyday. Doing less than 10 on the speedo. I forgo the usual practice of giving a ‘warning honk’. As I am about to turn the car, another car approaching from my right, brakes hard on seeing me. Misses me by a miniscule margin. Gives me a glance, and a few expletives as bonus. I give a wry smile back. So much for a good start.
Ten minutes into the drive, and I’m already being extra cautious. On the Ring Road. Traffic is pretty smooth. Doing about 55. An Accord decides to change the lane without warning. Careens across the lane in front of me. Again I forgo the customary ‘angry honk’. Left muttering a few curse words, and he didn’t even hear em.
Reached the destination, entering the Parking Lot, this lady is fighting with the attendant and blocking the passage in. I come in behind her. No warning what so ever, she has had enough and decides to reverse out of the place. I’m flashing the beam, but no, she’s in a hurry. Thank god for the attendant’s presence of mind he stopped her. Or else she would have reversed right into me. Lady drivers.
Later in the day, coming out of the Parking Lot, this guy is just sitting there not doing anything. Again, since it’s a ‘no honking day’ I roll down the window and shout at him to move. Guess what, he can’t hear me since he has his windows up, no response to the high beam flash either. I finally give up and punch the horn in disgust. Not that it matters, since it always sounds the same. You don’t expect me to get out of the car and knock on his window do you?
On the way, I decide to give this peaceful method another shot. Thankfully no problems till I reach my locality. Feeling good about the whole thing. Maybe I’ll try it again tomorrow. Entering the roads in the locality, around four thirty or so, again less than 10 on the speedo. This time I’m entering the lane leading upto my house from the other side. These kids are playing hide and seek or something to that effect. One of these little fellas decides to dodge the seeker and change his hiding place. Wrong timing buddy. Appears out of nowhere right in front of me. I brake hard and give him the good old ‘what the hell are you doing honk’. Poor kid froze in the middle of the road and guess what, he’s been caught.
What did I learn from this no honking business?
1. I almost got hit not a hundred meters into the drive. Had I done the usual warning honk, maybe he would have been more cautious, and not fired those expletives at me.
2. Had I gone with the ‘angry honk’ I would not have lost my cool while driving. Well I didn’t completely loose it, but I came pretty close. At least a honk would have reduced the anger and let the idiot know what I thought about his driving skills.
3. Had I honked at the lady at least she would have known somebody was behind her. Maybe that would have changed her ‘oh shove it’ reactions to the attendant.
4. Kids, they are all over the place during the evenings. Had the little guy got a warning from me beforehand he might have stayed put and had not come close to being hurt.
So what do I think of all this ‘I don’t honk’ thing? B******t.
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