the meaning of 'honk'

A while back there was some discussion of the intent of automobile horns
honking at cyclists. I meant to comment but did not get to it before it
dropped off my server.

Here is my take on the types of honks:

[1] The Malicious Prankster: Usually a young male who thinks it's a kick to
try to startle a cyclist. Perhaps the most annoying but least effective as
I'm attuned to a car horn as it is intended: a SAFETY and WARNING device,
not a toy. But be awa If one does chose to play that particular trick you
had better make damn sure I don't catch up at the next light.

[2] The Annoyed Misinformed: Usually an irritated beep that says; 'What do
you think you're doing on the road? Get back on the sidewalk where you are
supposed to be!' I am both amused and bemused by the obliviousness of these
honkers who seem to be both so certain of their righteousness yet so wrong
in objective fact.

[3] The Hi! beep: Often someone you know, co-worker or some such, who
thinks a tap on the horn is a great way to give a friendly greeting. Sorry,
but see [1]. That is not the purpose of a car horn.

[4] The Oblivious non-Beep: this might the most disturbing, the automobile
that overtakes you with out beep but also without any effort to give
clearance. At least in the first 3 cases the driver is aware of your
presence. I wonder if the non-Beep close passer is aware. If so they have
either have a disregard or are unaware of the lane space their vehicle
occupies. It isn't so much that they honk or don't that is bothersome but
the obliviousness.


Ok. End of rant.

On Jul 16, 10:12 pm, "recycled" wrote:
A while back there was some discussion of the intent of automobile horns
honking at cyclists. I meant to comment but did not get to it before it
dropped off my server.

Here is my take on the types of honks:

[1] The Malicious Prankster: Usually a young male who thinks it's a kick to
try to startle a cyclist. Perhaps the most annoying but least effective as
I'm attuned to a car horn as it is intended: a SAFETY and WARNING device,
not a toy. But be awa If one does chose to play that particular trick you
had better make damn sure I don't catch up at the next light.

This one is easy to disregard. It's the ones that throw drinks and
such as they honk that bother me.


[2] The Annoyed Misinformed: Usually an irritated beep that says; 'What do
you think you're doing on the road? Get back on the sidewalk where you are
supposed to be!' I am both amused and bemused by the obliviousness of these
honkers who seem to be both so certain of their righteousness yet so wrong
in objective fact.

This one is often accompanied by slowing down and pointing off the
road, as though you're going to suddenly think "Oh, they don't like
where I'm riding, I must pull off the pavement immediately!" I ran
into this guy recently, slowing down to match my speed just ahead of
me so he could should and point to the right. Mind I was riding
within a foot of the edge of the road, and the edge was broken roughly
so any closer would have caused constant weaving. I accelerated
swiftly to get alongside him (he was gesturing through his passenger
side rear door window, I caught up to his passenger side front door)
and gave a "get outta here!" type wave, which apparently confused him
enough that he accelerated back to well above the SL and left me to my
ride. Mildly amusing, if nothing else.

[3] The Hi! beep: Often someone you know, co-worker or some such, who
thinks a tap on the horn is a great way to give a friendly greeting. Sorry,
but see [1]. That is not the purpose of a car horn.

I don’t mind this one at all, at least in the country/suburbs. In the
city it’d be a bit confusing and over the top, but in an “everyone
knows everyone” kind of town I consider it inoffensive.


[4] The Oblivious non-Beep: this might the most disturbing, the automobile
that overtakes you with out beep but also without any effort to give
clearance. At least in the first 3 cases the driver is aware of your
presence. I wonder if the non-Beep close passer is aware. If so they have
either have a disregard or are unaware of the lane space their vehicle
occupies. It isn't so much that they honk or don't that is bothersome but
the obliviousness.

Brush passers. Somewhat irrelevant to the subject, but annoying.

A couple mo

[5] The drawn out “outta my way!” honk. I encounter this most often
when in the far left portion of the lane, signaling a left turn and
waiting for an opening in traffic. I ignore these people, if they
can’t pilot their vehicle around the rest of the lane with my bicycle
occupying maybe 2 feet of the left edge, they’re probably not the best
of drivers, or thinkers. Also, they wouldn’t be honking at a car
trying to make a left, why a bike?

[6] The “letting you know I’m there” honk before passing. This one
annoys me, but the intentions are usually good, so I let it go. A
coworker or two (ladies 40+, the type to preface most statements with
“gosh”) have been known to do this, and then explain at work “I just
wanted you to know I was there so you didn’t dart out in front of me
or anything. God forbid there was an accident!” These are the same
people who say things like “I can’t believe you ride your bike to
work. That’s awful brave. I could never do that… too dangerous!”.
Amusing when spoken from 350+lbs people who couldn’t ride a mile on
flat ground to save their life. Lady, your weight is more dangerous
to you than my cycling is to me. I often respond to the “I wanted to
let you know I was there” comment with “I’ll be ok. The other hundred
or so cars that pass me each day don’t honk, and I’ve managed to hold
my line and stay off their hoods so far.”

[7] The legit “Hey, I’m driving here!” honk, same as would be used car
to car. It’s rare, but I’ve been so tired toward the end of a ride,
sweat in my eyes, that I missed an approaching car with my head check
before beginning to pull out into the lane for a left turn or such. I
reply to this with a raised open hand to symbolize “sorry”, and a loud
shout of “sorry about that!”. By acknowledging my mistake I usually
defer any anger the driver had, and all is well. Note this accounts
for less than 1% of honks, since it probably happens less than once a
year. The car is almost always grey or silver as well.

Here in The Carolinas, it seems that drivers

a) All know the true function of a horn (warning device) or

b) Don't know their car has one.

I think I've been honked at five times in the seven years I've been here
(not counting the friendly toots). Once was a true warning honk as I was
too far out in traffic for my own good.

I'm speaking of country riding, I avoid the cities like an IRS audit.
Fortunatly that's easy to do h ere.

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

If you want to E-mail me use:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

My website:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

wrote in message
...
On Jul 16, 10:12 pm, "recycled" wrote:

[4] The Oblivious non-Beep: this might the most disturbing, the
automobile
that overtakes you with out beep but also without any effort to give
clearance. At least in the first 3 cases the driver is aware of your
presence. I wonder if the non-Beep close passer is aware. If so they have
either have a disregard or are unaware of the lane space their vehicle
occupies. It isn't so much that they honk or don't that is bothersome but
the obliviousness.

Brush passers. Somewhat irrelevant to the subject, but annoying.

Ya. I think I added it becoase it annoys me and recently.

A couple mo

[7] The legit “Hey, I’m driving here!” honk, same as would be used car
to car. It’s rare, but I’ve been so tired toward the end of a ride,
sweat in my eyes, that I missed an approaching car with my head check
before beginning to pull out into the lane for a left turn or such.

True enough. I doubt anyone can claim to have never been at fault in a
traffic situation.