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Justifying the use of your automobile's horn
sndymorn
Veteran
I have come to the conclusion that most,if not all, people who employ their automobile's horn do so unskillfully. As I examine my own deployment of this noisemaker I realize I have , over the years, found less and less use for this piece of my automobile's equipment. This discussion is prompted by my experience yesterday in a busy crosswalk. As I crossed, a horn sounded a one second burst right near me. I was startled (then a bit annoyed), then quickly sought the cause of the noise. It seemed, to my way of figuring, that one driver had taken a wide position (blocking two lanes) from which to make his right turn, and a driver behind, wishing to make it through the intersection during this signal's interval, lost patience. So I was startled, the "wide driver" was not hurried, and the horn sounder did so uselessly as he pulled around the perceived offender to make his light.
I got to thinking: How, short of an emergency , could a Buddhist justify the use of his horn? Even in an emergency, the sounding of a blast is probably too late. The toot one might have sounded to summon your best girl has been replaced by a cell phone call from the curb in front of her house. The neighborly tap "Hello" can startle an unsuspecting bystander and rarely can be said to satisfactorily substitute for stopping and chatting at this chance encounter.
Does a Buddhist's car even come with a horn?
I got to thinking: How, short of an emergency , could a Buddhist justify the use of his horn? Even in an emergency, the sounding of a blast is probably too late. The toot one might have sounded to summon your best girl has been replaced by a cell phone call from the curb in front of her house. The neighborly tap "Hello" can startle an unsuspecting bystander and rarely can be said to satisfactorily substitute for stopping and chatting at this chance encounter.
Does a Buddhist's car even come with a horn?
0
Comments
It is also useful when approaching a steep bridge.
Legally, in most jurisdictions, the horn is supposed to be used as a warning, not as revenge or an expression of disapproval! In UK, it isn't even supposed to be used in a built-up area.
I think maybe you should research how a horn is supposed to be used. But I agree people are using them unskillfully, and usually, illegally.
Anyway, there's nothing inherently wrong with using the horn. Have you been to Asia? It depends on how it's interpreted. If someone gets all huffy about someone sounding the horn while she doesn't notice that the light is green 'cause she's putting on her make up (it happens), then that's hardly my problem.
By the way, I am not really that negative about drivers, there are some people who really shouldn't be allowed to drive though.
In a car, the main concern is to make sure it's not your fault so that you don't have to pay to repair the damages. On a bike, it's your body that's at stake, so fault is kind of moot.
I find lane positioning plays a big role in being seen. Also, make sure your high beams are on during the day.
Honk if you're horny!
Transferring thread to that much overworked, and very overloaded Military Officer, General Banter.
No really... car horns can save lives. I've seen this.
That's one of those stupid human things... yes? LOL!! I'll just be amazed as I watch it on TV... we're a crazy bunch, that's for sure!
Etc.
The idea of trying to communicate niceties with one note should be long gone...
Besides, as has been pointed out , it is illegal to use ones horn in anything but an emergency.
Maybe, if you are waiting behind a inattentive driver you could broadcast "Ommmmmm," as you continue to be patient.
I realised that by getting angry in my car, i have ZERO affect on other drivers, and simply give myself bad thoughts and a bad mood. I also realised that the horn is useless as an aggressive signal, or even as a warning (it is too late to stop things by the time you push the horn). The only time the horn seems to be warranted is if your car allows for a gentle 'half-beep' to let the person in front of you know that the lights have turned green if they haven't noticed.
Basically, by accepting that there are a lot of bad, aggressive & rude drivers out there, and by deciding it is not something worth getting all worked up about because i can't do anything to change it, i have become a far calmer person behind the wheel.
I highly recommend trying it out as an experiment for a week or so, and you'll be amazed at how much better you feel.
Namaste
In the U.S. it is far from illegal to use a horn.
I also use a horn if somebody makes a mistake and I want them to recognize their error. So its a cultural thing. Probably someone in the UK would be infuriated if someone honk at them, but in the U.S. it is completely normal behaviour. Culture.
As Buddhists, shouldn't we be asking if our actions are skillful, rather than cultural?
I wasn't arguing to blindly follow your conditioned behaviour. On either side of the pond.
Wait lets have a big argument about americans and their negatives?
I drive the roads and freeways of Los Angeles leaving plenty of space for people to enter or leave the lane in front of me. I find it a very peaceful experience. Sometimes I do anger people behind me as they feel I leave too much space and they race around me as a sign of displeasure . This does not happen often.
It certainly is a wonderful feeling to drive along 'without a care' so to speak, feeling calm and unaffected by all the chaos and anger flowing around.
Happy driving
"Never execute a manoeuvre that would cause any other road user to either take evasive action, or modify their current state."
He also said that when you're behind a car in a queue, or a traffic jam, you should be able to see their rear wheels.
That gives you enough time to brake, if someone rear-shunts you. Notice I say 'queue or traffic jam'. That presumes moving at less than 5mph.
In a fast-moving queue or stream of traffic, this is a good thing to remember;
"Only a fool
breaks the two-second rule.
When it starts to pour
Increase it to four.
If Ice plays it's tricks
best make it six.
with fog, or if late -
Try making it eight...."
A "driving lifestyle" I try to practice is to always leave both yourself and the other guy an out.
I use my horn fairly often as a warning, never in annoyance (although it is annoying to see people constantly break the law). There are many terrible drivers here. A huge majority are people who ignore or disregard red lights and stop signs; I was nearly run over by someone who stopped at an intersection, then decided to go anyway even though it was red and I was in the crosswalk. I live in an area with many blocks of one-way streets; I can't tell you how many people I've seen going the wrong way down a one-way, then continuing even with cars honking and coming towards them!!! :eek2:
After all life is so fragile and It would be awful to have a death or injury on my conscience. Hit and run is definitely not my bag..
Gosh it's cacophonous fun....
I rarely use the horn, but a few months ago I was stopped at a light and saw a guy on the corner start beating up another guy. I honked the horn - to let him know I was watching - and it broke up the fight.