How Long Should One Wait Before Blowing Their Car Horn At...

[arwalden]

someone who doesn't GO when the light turns GREEN?

-- Allen

Follow Up: And how should one blow when one eventually does blow? "Toot-toot, hurry up please?" or "HONK! HOOONK! Get the FUCK out of the way, JERK!"

[bif]

1. If you're a New Yorker, a nanosecond

And if you're a New York cabbie, a half a nanosecond.

[BigMcLargehuge]

37. New Hampshire too

it's also acceptible to blow the horn when the OTHER light turns yellow in NH.

[Burma Jones]

2. Toot Toot Hurry Please

And if that don't work, let 'em have it.

[arwalden]

3. ... and it's usually a "toot-toot" friendly blow... the FIRST TIME.

If they don't immediately respond, then I just LAY DOWN on the horn, and shout and shake my fist and flip them the bird.

-- Allen <-- a passive-aggressive driver.

[felonious thunk]

4. Under one second

The initial honk should last about 10 seconds and honks should be repeated at .5 second intervals, even when and if the person actually does proceed through the intersection. After progressing through the intersection, you should speed up and and get beside the person (either in another lane or on the shoulder) (or across the double yellow line) (and while still honking) and flip the other driver off with much animiation.

[arwalden]

9. In Germany, The Traffic Lights Flash Yellow Before GREEN

as well so that drivers will be prepared (and in gear) to move forward as soon as it turns green. --- But that was over 20 years ago... it might have changed since then.

Anyway, it makes sense to me. I think we should do it here too.

-- Allen

[Kellanved]

28. it does make sense

And it wasn't changed.

It is actually quite a problem for me when driving abroad, as I tend to look on the yellow light, not the green one.

[JVS]

29. If we did that here people would gun it on the yellow and get in a crash

[tom_paine]

14. I hope that was a joke...

Man, I'm a pretty aggressive driver, but dude, you pegged the needle, as it were!

[felonious thunk]

16. You should then follow the other driver to wherever they are going

Continuing to honk the entire time, and flipping them off so that they can see you in the rearview. When they reach their destination, if it is their home, you should park along the street and lay on the horn for about 10 minutes while singing your favorite Black Sabbath song. If it's work or a store or something, get your bullhorn out and tell everyone around about what a terrible driver this other person is, lacing your tirade with profanity, the likes of which the people around have never heard.

[arwalden]

18. That's Just Too Special!!!

ROFLMAO

[tom_paine]

20. All right allright. You got me

Good one! LOL

[JVS]

30. why not just shoot at them?

[TrogL]

5. NEVER

Do not startle someone into entering an intersection unless they're ready. They may see something you don't, like a fire truck or bicyclist.

[bigbillhaywood]

7. Bah, you from the midwest or something?

[jono]

11. Or Seattle?

People here are horn-phobic. :eyes:

"Outta my way, jerk-ass!"

[Missy Vixen]

33. There's a reason for this

Hello, I'm Julie, native of Seattle. ;-)

>People here are horn-phobic.<

Lots of people of Scandinavian descent settled into Seattle. While this is a stereotype, my grandmother's family came over on the boat from Sweden, so this is how it goes: They are super polite (some might say icy, depends on the person,) and somewhat reserved. As a result, using one's horn while driving is considered unforgivably rude.

You'll also notice the kooky Seattleleites waiting at the curb for the light to turn before attempting to cross the street. Before I met DH, I dated a New Jersey native who moved to Seattle for a "fresh start". He couldn't get over the people waiting on the street corner, either.

Another reason why I don't use my horn: 1 in 4 drivers now have a firearm in the car.

Julie

[jono]

35. Hi Julie

I'm a native of Seattle, too. ;-)

Similar to you, my grandfather's family came here from Norway, and I'm well aware of how many people here tend to act (I think "icy" is far more descriptive than "polite"). Despite my Scandanavian heritage, I do not wait for pedestrian signals (although I check for cops - it is Seattle, after all) and I don't find sparing use of the horn particularly rude. Since I don't fit your stereotype, I don't find your reason particularly convincing.

edited for grammar

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. I agree

and I'll add, my natural instinct is to honk almost immediately - or go around them. But experience has taught me that it is best to treat these situations as opportunities to practice patience, not to lose it. It helps my mood as well as being safer.

[2Design]

12. I like never.....

when I first lived in Raleigh in the 70's ...people were that way... they waited.....

at the most they might do a little toot.....and only if you didn't go for a while......and obviously weren't paying attention...

I have stopped at stop signs.....and forgot.... i was at stop sign and kept waiting for a green light.....and there was no light.... :):) and people were incredible....they waited....

I had a visitor and told them that.....at one point they were in a situation where normally they would have honk....and they decided to see if what I said was reallly true.....no one waiting honk....

When I hear honking horns, I get nervous and look around rapidly thinking there is something I need to notice...especially while driving....and so many people honk their horn to say hello up north... it would scare the living day lights out of me...

[hlthe2b]

6. Depends....

Do they have an "I Love my Guns" (NRA) bumper sticker?

[m-jean03]

8. If they have a Republican bumber sticker,

don't hesitate. Just LEAN IN!!! :D

[Loonman]

13. 0 seconds

Move your ass!

[DS1]

15. You let go of yours?

:shrug:

[Bossy Monkey]

17. Just bip the horn if they don't go when the light turns;

if they still don't go after a couple more seconds, bip it again. After that, it's BEEEEEEEEP time. Most people's minds wander at red lights for the obvious reason that red lights are extremely boring. Most don't mind having it called to their attention that it's changed; beeeeeeeping immediately, however, is both unnecessary and fucking rude.

[arwalden]

19. If Someone Ever "Bips" At Me... I Give Em A Wave To Say "So-o-ory"

-- Allen

[ForrestGump]

21. I usually wait a fair length of time...well, as long as it takes to load

and aim my .357 magnum at the SOB. :D

Okay, I've been watching LA Story again...

[ringmastery]

22. The only times I do it

is when I am behind some asshole who was trying to beat the light to make a left turn and then "uh oh" they get trapped in the intersection like a fucking idiot and I have to honk at them as a courtesy to tell them the light changed.

This may piss some people off but I don't fucking care. I always wait a couple of seconds after the light turns green to look around the intersection to see if there are any cars approaching and running a red light.

You'd be a fool to go barreling through an intersection the second it turns green without looking around.

That's why people die. Too much in a fucking hurry to wait 3 seconds at a green light.

Well fuck 'em, they can honk their horn at me all day. I'll take my damn time and go through the intersection when I feel it's safe cause my life is more important than some asshole's 3 seconds.

[harper]

36. Hear Hear

I hate it when people honk. What's the big crime if someone doesn't immediately race through an intersection when the light changes. I can't tell you how many times I've seen the light change to green, waited a couple of beats and then seen someone barreling through the red light at about 60 miles/hr.

I always wait to make sure nobody is going to kill me before proceeding. And if the assholes behind me want to lay on their horns, screw them.

[Beaverhausen]

23. Here in Los Angeles you have to wait about 30 seconds

for all the cars waiting to turn left finally get thru the intersection after their light turned red.

It's lovely...:eyes:

[Canuckistanian]

24. Reminds me of Johnny Carson joke

A blind guy with a seeing-eye dog crosses the road at the corner. When he's halfway across the street, the light turns red.
A taxi driver IMMEDIATELY blew his horn at the guy. Carson asks the guy what the problem is, can't you see the guy is blind, with a guide dog?
The Taxi driver sez, "Well, the dog should've known!"

[beyurslf]

25. A couple seconds is fine I think and just a quick toot toot should be

enough. I know I have many times been engrossed in a song or debate on the radio or conversation with someone and didn't go. A quick polite honk is appreciated.

[Endangered Specie]

26. In Raleigh, the accepted standard is .068 seconds.

[geniph]

27. It's actually against the law to do that

in most jurisdictions. The horn is only supposed to be used for "emergency traffic conditions." You're not supposed to use it to nag at other drivers, just to warn them off when they're swerving into your lane and such. That comes from a cop friend of mine; however, she says they won't ticket for a toot-toot unless they have another reason to want to ticket you, or if you're driving aggressively or it's a neighborhood where people invariably bitch bloody murder about honking horns.

Here in the Pacific NW, they did a study a few years back, and people here honked much more slowly than in other parts of the country. People in Portland never did get around to honking - they just let the light turn red again!

I was sitting behind some little twit driving his mommy's car a few weeks ago, and finally beeped at him after about 10 seconds, and the little bastard flipped me off and then went! HE flipped ME off because he was too busy jerking off to notice the light had changed?!

[latebloomer]

31. I saw a study of this years ago

and I think the average length of time in NYC was 2 seconds, as compared to 17 seconds in North Carolina.

[ScreamingMeemie]

32. The sooner they beep...the slower I go.

;)

[Bertha Venation]

34. In DC the definition of a NANOSECOND is:

the amount of time elapsed between when the light turns green and when the jerk behind you honks.

I don't honk. I let the person get it on their own. I'm not in that big a hurry. (Besides, chances are the taxi behind me will have honked before the light has changed.)