Do you use your horn correctly?

andygb

It is not often tthat I use my horn, maybe to wake someone up at traffic lights when they change to green.
However, yesterday I had to use it to warn another driver, and it ended up with them speeding up and flashing their lights at me.
I was on the M25 and I was in the middle lane (overtaking very much slower cars in the inside lane), and as I approached another car, it suddenly moved partially into my lane and then back again, causing me to brake quite hard. I then tried to overtake them again, and once again they started drifting, so I gave a longish blast on the horn - I figured that if they were falling asleep then it may shock them into waking up.
As I passed them, the driver was making all kinds of signs at me and then accelerated out of his lane and flashed his lights at me - he had lost the plot:eek:
He obviously did not like me sounding the horn, but I think that I used it correctly.
Is it just the case that many people cannot accept their own bad driving, or for that matter accept when they make mistakes in life?

Jamie_Carter

andygb wrote: »

It is not often tthat I use my horn, maybe to wake someone up at traffic lights when they change to green.
However, yesterday I had to use it to warn another driver, and it ended up with them speeding up and flashing their lights at me.
I was on the M25 and I was in the middle lane (overtaking very much slower cars in the inside lane), and as I approached another car, it suddenly moved partially into my lane and then back again, causing me to brake quite hard. I then tried to overtake them again, and once again they started drifting, so I gave a longish blast on the horn - I figured that if they were falling asleep then it may shock them into waking up.
As I passed them, the driver was making all kinds of signs at me and then accelerated out of his lane and flashed his lights at me - he had lost the plot:eek:
He obviously did not like me sounding the horn, but I think that I used it correctly.
Is it just the case that many people cannot accept their own bad driving, or for that matter accept when they make mistakes in life?

A horn is an audible warning device that should be used to warn others that you are there. And this is what you used it for.

From what you have said, it sounds like you used it correctly. But as you say, some people can't take any criticism about their driving. It is as bad as you saying they are rubbish in bed.

Cycrow

Most people dont use thier horns properly really.

althou from the decsription, it does sound like acceptable horn use, althou maybe it shouldn't have been a long blast of the horn, as it might have been taken as aggressive

btw, using it at traffic lights to wake someone up is not acceptable
and your not supposed to use your horn if your stationary

OddballJamie

Cycrow wrote: »

btw, using it at traffic lights to wake someone up is not acceptable
and your not supposed to use your horn if your stationary

I've had to use mine a few times when some numpty in a 4x4 has started reversing at me and not realising I'm there.

What would you recommend in this situation, expressive dance?

Aretnap

Except at times of danger due to another moving vehicle (linky).

jase1

OddballJamie wrote: »

I've had to use mine a few times when some numpty in a 4x4 has started reversing at me and not realising I'm there.

What would you recommend in this situation, expressive dance?

I had a white van stop dead in front of me, cars whooshing past in the opposite direction and cars backed up behind me. Van starts reversing into a parking space to my left.

I have no choice but to sound my horn -- the van gave no indication as to what he was going to do, and as we were all travelling slowly the following gaps were small.

He kept going, and reversed into my car.

Then he had the nerve to get out, and shout at me for not getting out of his way.

Errrr, where was I going to go exactly? If he'd bothered to indicate, I'd have seen what he was planning to do and given him space to do it...

Lum

Ahh, parallel parking in traffic. If I really have to do that then I'll normally indicate and stop alongside the space so that traffic stops behind the space, then do the parallel park.

It often stops the person behind from filling in the gap, but not always.

Jamie_Carter

OddballJamie wrote: »

I've had to use mine a few times when some numpty in a 4x4 has started reversing at me and not realising I'm there.

What would you recommend in this situation, expressive dance?

It is ok to use it as a warning to other road users (even when you are stationary).

Gloomendoom

Except in emergency, is it still illegal to sound your horn between the hours of 11.30pm and 07.00am or anytime when a vehicle is stationary?

DCFC79

Cycrow wrote: »

btw, using it at traffic lights to wake someone up is not acceptable
and your not supposed to use your horn if your stationary

Yet drivers still do it like alot things they shouldnt do whilst driving.

OddballJamie

jase1 wrote: »

I had a white van stop dead in front of me, cars whooshing past in the opposite direction and cars backed up behind me. Van starts reversing into a parking space to my left.

I have no choice but to sound my horn -- the van gave no indication as to what he was going to do, and as we were all travelling slowly the following gaps were small.

He kept going, and reversed into my car.

Then he had the nerve to get out, and shout at me for not getting out of his way.

Errrr, where was I going to go exactly? If he'd bothered to indicate, I'd have seen what he was planning to do and given him space to do it...

It's usually the way that the stupid inconsiderate driver blames someone else.

I was waiting behind a Freelander to exit a car park onto a main road two years ago. Numpty puts it in reverse, I beeped and he just came straight back into me. There was a car behind me so I couldn't go anywhere. Had to have new bumper, wing, headlight and bonnet on a six month old car, was not pleased.