All cars should have a "positive" horn
Posted by MrsSquiggle@reddit | CrazyIdeas | View on Reddit | 83 comments
Imagine a car horn, but a pleasant one. Kind of like a happy little 'ding-ding'.
You'd use it to express gratitude, or even to signal "my bad" if you accidentally cut someone off or something.
Someone lets you merge? Give them a ding-ding!
It could transform the culture of our roads! Positive reinforcement, it would be infectious!
Right now, we have one audio tool for communicating between cars. The horn of alarm, the horn of anger and displeasure. Give us a positive tool, and make it a requirement in all new cars.
Training-Pea-183@reddit
People will stand an archestraon the signal. but it might be good initiative for humans but not the capitalistic demons that live among us coz they need chaos and less connection between people. i hope old times come u can walk into any borders and make love with anyone.
Sorurus@reddit
Give me a “hey asshole your brights are on” horn
NilesFortChime@reddit
2 short honks = positive 1 long honk = negative 2 short honks with a gap in between = go, please Any long honk overrides all other honks
Welcome to the road, it's fun out here.
SmoothOperator89@reddit
Horns are designed to be heard from inside a metal and glass box at some distance away. To the cyclist or pedestrian next to your car, there are no friendly honks. Please limit your noise to emergencies.
Imaginary_Sky_2987@reddit
The length of the long honk really sets the tone. I had some guy block my turn lane for no reason the other day. I sat on the horn until the light changed.
duskfinger67@reddit
No. Just no. Stop it with the unnecessary noise pollution. Cars are already noisy enough without the constant honks. Horns are over 100 db, they should not be used for expressing anger, let alone 'thanking' people.
The horn should be used in exactly one scenario - warning another road user of your existence.
Playstoomanygames9@reddit
This guy likes waiting at green lights
contramor@reddit
carbrain moment
filiped@reddit
From my experience in the states, honking 0.3secs before a light turns green is the great American past-time.
MEOWTheKitty18@reddit
All of these positive / negative distinctions all fall into that category (or can)
Two short honks: “hey, you didn’t do anything wrong I’m just letting you know I’m here / getting your attention!”
Long honk: “HEY ASSHOLE IM RIGHT HERE PAY ATTENTION”
Two short honks with gap: “other people are around you and waiting for you to move please move”
Choice_Price_4464@reddit
Then there's the time where you try to do 2 short honks but accidentally do 1 long honk and have to worry that the guy thinks you're a jerk.
Sufficient_Prompt888@reddit
Mine go like this
Beep beep, go
Beep beeeeeep, seriously go
Beeep motherfucking beeeeeeep, fuck you and your whole family.
TheLostExpedition@reddit
We suggest you try taking a carpool and relaxing with a good audio book through some nice, noise canceling, headphones.
Sufficient_Prompt888@reddit
Thanks. I suggest you put your phone down and pay attention to the road
TheLostExpedition@reddit
I own no phone. Retirement ftw.
Sufficient_Prompt888@reddit
Not sure what one has to do with the other but ok
Jugales@reddit
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep you almost killed me
EthicalPixel@reddit
100% agree.
allynd420@reddit
I’ve been saying this for years I hate honking unless I have to because it feels like I’m just walking around yelling “hey fuck you asshole”
Delicious-Pea-7594@reddit
I actually kinda love this idea.
steerpike1971@reddit
I'm in the UK and I would like our car horn to be a polite cough. Like an "ahem ahem" that reminds someone "hey is there something you might be doing right now?"
En-TitY_@reddit
Flashing hazards once is a thankyou.
DarthPowercord@reddit
A horn to say Great Job 👋👋
LiamTime@reddit
👋👋
thewickedbarnacle@reddit
I use Morse code
florencepughsboobies@reddit
This would also be good for when someone hasn’t noticed that the light has changed. I feel a honk is too aggressive for that but you also need them to notice
JayRMac@reddit
It would be deafening in Canada, the only way this could be worse would be if there was a way to apologize with your horn.
Now some sort of light we could use as an acknowledgement to other drivers might be useful.
Nearby-Tea-8328@reddit
We discovered what we call the “helpful honk” in New Jersey of all places- two quick light taps gets the job done without being too aggressive
Lelabear@reddit
Lovely sentiment, I'd appreciate that option!
But it does remind me of a Gallager comedy routine where he said all drivers should have little guns that shoot rubber darts that have a little flag that says "Idiot." When a cop sees someone with more than four flags they pull them over and give them a ticket for being an idiot!
Nubsta5@reddit
Mark Rober made a quick 2-honk button as like a gentle reminder honk. I thought the idea was brilliant. And then when he didn't like you, he used a train horn.
wavking@reddit
Scrolled way too far to find this one
Smileynameface@reddit
https://youtu.be/lv8wqnk_TsA?si=5C6AOJNcDZtsLD0J
Derivative_Kebab@reddit
Should be three distinct signals: Please, Thank you, and Sorry.
Spainstateofmind@reddit
There's literally a My Brother My Brother and Me bit about this!
speedostegeECV@reddit
I had to make sure credit was given to the brothers on this subject
747ER@reddit
Does the cheery wave no longer exist?
i75mm125@reddit
Not quite the same, but truckers will sometimes flash their hazards a couple times as a thank you for letting them merge.
filiped@reddit
This is standard where I live, not just for trucks.
Kaste-bort-konto@reddit
in most of europe, we do a left-right-left-right blink rather than the hazards
left-right-left-right-left-right if you know the other truck driver or his truck is cool lol
klimekam@reddit
Do you mean high beams? Quickly flashing high beams coming from the opposite direction means “caution: cops up ahead” where I’m from.
i75mm125@reddit
They flash their hazards when you let them in front of you. The exchange goes something like this: truck signals they want to merge, you pull back until there’s room in front of you then flash your brights when it’s safe for them to merge, they merge and then flash their hazards. Highbeams are another useful communication tool though.
BBorNot@reddit
Japanese do this.
IAmPandaKerman@reddit
I've heard it from some dudes in central America too. 2 quick flashes of the hazards
SkiyeBlueFox@reddit
I do the same in my car
i75mm125@reddit
I’ve started doing it too lol
gertvanjoe@reddit
Around here hazards are pretty standard as sorry and thanks. Even as "maybe you should switch of that indicator of yours, nowhere to turn to for miles on end". Although this one may need to be driven home with some oscillating indicators
StopStealingMyAlias@reddit
So you want to just drive in India?
Ban2u@reddit
That would not be fun for people outside cars.
all_upper_case@reddit
if it sounded pretty it would be! i hate hearing car horns as a pedestrian (all the time, really) but i think a "tweetaleet 🐥" or "da-ding ✨" would be really nice
SubstantialWasabi298@reddit
Indian trucks and busses actually have this. Idk if u still want it tho
Ban2u@reddit
I love the optimism, and I hope you're right, but it would still be noise. I think that bike bells are quite pretty, but I've been in a bicycle traffic jam before, and the sound starts to grate you if it's all around.
BrowningLoPower@reddit
Pedestrians should just git gud. /s
Various-Week-4335@reddit
Reminds me of this presentation from Dropout's Smarty-pants https://youtube.com/shorts/_m-6TPC3cKw?si=LKW7pvcynn2PxbEA
Sovereignth@reddit
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR YEARS!!!
Boonaki@reddit
Hand signals work
mycall@reddit
A horn for emotions, not emergencies.
onebit@reddit
the horn should sound all the time to indicate normal operation of the motor vehicle.
JustAGraphNotebook@reddit
My car horn doesn't work so I've taken to just flashing my lights at them
tlrmln@reddit
I'm all for the idea of having a polite little toot to let people know the light has turned green when they are looking at their phone, but the last thing we need is MORE noise on our roads.
bidness_cazh@reddit
honk [derogatory]
Paddywagenaus@reddit
I like the Japanese method where you give a quick flash of the hazard lights to say thank you- a horn would would just be too noisy for me.
erin132@reddit
We do that in Ireland too
duskfinger67@reddit
In the UK, we often flash our headlights to. I would go mad if people were honking for thanks on top of the constant barrage of unnecessary "I am angry at the traffic" honks we have.
mrmcplad@reddit
solved by the smartypants society' Paul Robalino https://youtube.com/shorts/_m-6TPC3cKw?si=i_shK2LfBD0fLA_9
janbanan02@reddit
I mean its common practise to use blinkers or hazard lights as a thank you
SneakyPhil@reddit
I would only use it sarcastically.
migukau@reddit
You can flash your high beams or hazards.
tendonut@reddit
I agree with this. It's too hard to press a horn lightly, so doing a friendly little "toot toot" it's just not practical. I want a separate button that does basically that.
RadiantHC@reddit
There should be 3 types of horns:
1 that's the current one. It should only be used when people are being dangerous
1 that's a light toot to get people's attention. Like if a pedestrian is in front of you
1 that's a positive toot.
docweston@reddit
Tesla is your answer. I've seen a few TikTok videos of people who have programmed their horns for various things. Some have dialog, some use various sounds... That's basically what you're advocating for, right?
Rbxyy@reddit
When I was in Aruba I noticed that cars beep to let people go, similar to how we flash our brights to let someone go
Pretty-Stick-7475@reddit
No, I think it is the unpleasantness that jolts you back to reality on the roads.
orz-_-orz@reddit
In our country we just use the normal horn
Skygge_or_Skov@reddit
Nah, it would be just more noise pollution, and people would start using it sarcastically.
HistoricalTowel1127@reddit
OP I really like your idea.
ddollarsign@reddit
There should be a horn of arousal. After all, why would they call it "horny" if there's not a horn involved?
DataOk6565@reddit
As someone who has lived by a crossroad I agree that that's truly a crazy idea..
DotBitGaming@reddit
You can buy different horns for your car.
Logical-Scholar-2656@reddit
Where I live it’s mostly used for friendly dings and letting other people turn! Just tap it with your fist, or if you’re extra cheerful give it a double tap
MrsSquiggle@reddit (OP)
That sounds great. Where are you located? In my state of Victoria (Australia) we're legally only supposed to use the horn as a warning device. This isn't always the case of course, you still get occasional toot-toots. But most of the time, when you hear a horn blast, it's used m in anger, especially in built-up areas.
MrsSquiggle@reddit (OP)
I'm seeing lots of different workarounds cited here, all of which are great. But they all seem very localised and rely upon people knowing the informal conventions. An official "attaboy" horn with its own distinct tone would solve this.
thenormaluser35@reddit
Usually you flash your hazards to thank the one behind
Triga_3@reddit
We need a "i am going straight on" indicator waaaaay before we need a positive horn, kuz that's just a toot toot, rather than bwaaapr, which is oi, hurry tf up!