Why are people so passionate about honking horns?

I don't get it. Why is there such strong FEELINGS generated by a honking car horn?

Time the arguments I read are very strongly on one side or the other. Horns are fine vs horns should be banned by law or only activated in emergency situations.

To me it is the same as hearing arguments on why knives should not be used to cut vegetables vs knives being used to cut any food is fine.

I don't care if someone honks at me and appreciate it sometimes when I am travelling and don't realize I should turn left when the red light blinks fast versus slow, which means stop. I don't honk much but usually only for the same reason someone not realizing a light is indicating they should go. 

I have had passengers complain on both sides of the hot war. I should have honked or a quick toot was extremely aggressive behavior.

To me it is no different to my driving life than. A squirrel crossing or sun glare or another car driving on the freeway.

Why is there sooo much personal emotion revolving a periodic noise?

I think it's a regional thing.  Having grown up in northern New Jersey and being acclimated to the "Cult of the Horn," I was somewhat surprised when I moved to Virginia and found that the horn is a rarely used instrument in these parts.

In my experience, New Yorkers, who are apparently very passionate about most things, are especially passionate about the sound their car can make. 

I drive 2 lane roads a lot.  If someone is coming at me and their tire is over the line, they get a toot.

Advan046 said:

To me it is the same as hearing arguments on why knives should not be used to cut vegetables vs knives being used to cut any food is fine.

How the hell do you cut an onion without a knife?

I don't mind short beeps, but its a fine line between short and long.  

Riding with my uncle in Chicago was a new experience, for me. When he pulled out of his parking garage, he gave a quick toot. Pulling onto the main street, another quick toot. He said it was just a common courtesy in the city, not aggression. 

I rarely use my horn, but when i do it’s because the moron texting in front of me isn’t going for the green light. 

I don't use the horn in the Ram because it's very sad sounding and something so small shouldn't come from a vehicle so big.

1988RedT2 said:

I think it's a regional thing.  Having grown up in northern New Jersey and being acclimated to the "Cult of the Horn," I was somewhat surprised when I moved to Virginia and found that the horn is a rarely used instrument in these parts.

Horn honking is pretty uncommon in Minneapolis and Minnesota in general.  I can't remember the last time I used mine.

I can't say I have ever used mine in agression.. but I have given quick "toots" when somebody looking at their phone fails to realize the light has gone green

Slippery said:

Advan046 said:

To me it is the same as hearing arguments on why knives should not be used to cut vegetables vs knives being used to cut any food is fine.

How the hell do you cut an onion without a knife?

Mandolin, kitchen scissors, food processor, smash like a giant garlic clove, and be vary passionate about your choice!!!!!

Advan046 said:

Slippery said:

Advan046 said:

To me it is the same as hearing arguments on why knives should not be used to cut vegetables vs knives being used to cut any food is fine.

How the hell do you cut an onion without a knife?

Mandolin, kitchen scissors, food processor, smash like a giant garlic clove, and be vary passionate about your choice!!!!!

Trying to figure out how to cut an onion with one of these.   Coming up empty.

I have read more and more about it being mostly about avoiding someone shooting you. As in, "don't honk your horn at anyone because they might jump out their car and shoot you."

I understand that happens but can't fathom why. Yes regional driving environments create different horn usage norms. I used to use my horn more similar to the Chicago style. Heck I used to use it along with a hand gesture to let someone know that I see them in the crosswalk.

My worst experience in road rage was someone thinking I honked at them when it was some cars behind us both fighting over a merging issue. But the guy in front of me assumed it was me and went crazy, jumped out the car and yelled and then following me to the 7-eleven I was headed to for more yelling. Luckily a cop was in the parking lot and the guy left. That was 20 years ago. 

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

LOL yes. Not that mandolin, 

Those kitchen mandolines:

Ever been to India?  The “horn” is a form a complete communication.  It covers “hey what’s up” to “get the F out of my way”.  I asked my driver how often he wore out his horn amd he gave me a befuddled look.

I swear more people have lost fingertips to kitchen mandolins than knives

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

The horn honking in New York is greatly reduced from when I grew up.  Now it’s almost always as a warning to impending collisions, which thanks to people walking with phones and learning to ride bikes in traffic is not getting better. 

In reply to Advan046 :

Well, I'll be....  You learn something new every day.

I visit a lot of rock quarries and one of the safety rules is a 2 blast horn when backing up and a single blast when you go forward.  Sometimes I’m at some random location and think I need to beep when reversing.  

Also you’d be amazed how much horn beeping is being done on a short visit to the quarry.  

Wally said:

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

The horn honking in New York is greatly reduced from when I grew up.  Now it’s almost always as a warning to impending collisions, which thanks to people walking with phones and learning to ride bikes in traffic is not getting better. 

I remember driving in Manhattan many years ago, and it happened that I was making a proper right turn at an intersection with a signal, from the right lane, with my right signal flashing.  The light turned green, and I proceeded into the intersection, and was partway through my turn when I had to stop for a large clump of humans in the crosswalk.  The excitable guy behind me laid on the horn.  I don't know if he was blowing at me or the pedestrians, but the pedestrians clearly had the right of way, and I clearly had to stop.  I suppose he would have preferred that I drive right over them.

84FSP said:

Ever been to India?  The “horn” is a form a complete communication.  It covers “hey what’s up” to “get the F out of my way”.  I asked my driver how often he wore out his horn amd he gave me a befuddled look.

After we went to India I told my wife that 80% of horn honking in India is communication. The other 20% was commentary. 

Advan046 said:

Why is there sooo much personal emotion revolving a periodic noise?

Probably for the same reason people lose their E36 M3 when I pass them.  Unfortunately I don't know what that reason is.

I honked at a young guy in a lifted Dodge truck the other day because he was sitting in front of me at a red with his right turn signal on and nobody was coming. Not like that mattered because he had his own lane.

I honked again.

His girlfriend opened the passenger window and gave me the finger. Then they turned right at WOT covering me in coal.

I used to tell my wife stories about people like that. "You must be doing something wrong" she said. Since she's seen it happen a bunch now she knows that I'm not.

In reply to Grizz :

The one in our new loader at work is embarrassing. Sounds like a Corolla or a Civic, not a 70,000lbs piece of heavy equipment

This reminds me I planned on hitting LKQ this weekend to get a louder horn. I guess I'll have to do that tomorrow.

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

Once they started handing out tickets in no honking zones it helped quiet things a bit.

I had no idea about the knife thing.  I’ve always used the same knife for everything, and when I asked in cooking class if it mattered everyone said it didn’t as long as you’re comfortable with it and keep your blood inside. 

In reply to Suprf1y :

right turn on red is an option.