It really does depend. A light, staccato two-tap just means “excuse me” but a long lay on the horn can be a big “fuck you!” When somebody is laying on the horn excessively long after you commit an infraction like cutting them off, it doesn’t just mean “pay attention.” It’s a middle finger.
Absolutely. You could have a gun that fires knives and be carrying all the knives you can carry, and you’ll run out of knives before you can get a block.
Actually, what it sometimes means, when aimed at pedestrians, is “I’m in a fucking car and will do whatever the fuck i want!”
As a pedestrian:
I’ve been honked at when using unmarked crosswalks.
I’ve been honked at when using marked crosswalks.
I’ve been honked at when using crosswalks with a green Walk signal.
I’ve been honked at when walking on a sidewalk that crosses over a driveway.
The fact is that some car drivers are fucking assholes, and either don’t know or don’t care that there are times and places where pedestrians have the right of way.
Honking at someone is considered rude here in Israel, but seeing as Israelis are extremely rude people in general, it’s an acceptable form of rudeness that no-one takes too seriously. I suspect that’s how New Yorkers see it, too.
Quoted for truth. That car did give me such impression. I’ve been in this country for years, and being honked at, especially at a pedestrian, is very rare and considered very rude.
The street I was crossing probably did not have zebra-crossing, but the way the street was intersected (it was a kinda like a Y section), should have made every driver slow down, because from my pedesdrian point of view, his/her car was actually BEHIND me when I was crossing the street. He/she definately should have given way.
You are right about that. In my country honking was common place so I would not have really cared if the same event happened back there. But in this Western country I’m in now, honking at a pedesdrian is very rare, so I assumed it must be very rude, and that was why I was pissed off.
So you were crossing a street without a pedestrian crossing, not looking behind you to see if a car was coming, and you got honked at, and you’re pissed off enough to want to stab someone?
Did you ever stop to think that it might have just been a friendly warning, a sort of “Hey, I’m here”, or were you so wrapped up in your little cloud of self-righteous hatred that it didn’t cross your mind?
Rare <> rude, necessarily. But don’t let that stop you from making assumptions.
I would think stabbing someone is considered a far more impolite act than getting honked at by a car horn.
In Barcelona, the most common cause of horns honking is a traffic jam. In the sleepy little town where I live, it’s that the driver saw an acquaintance…
I want a pussy horn that meows.
Whatever you do, don’t have sex with your grandmother.
Yeah, in Italy it’s a greeting. People honk even when they pass my house and see a car in the drive, even when I don’t know them. Took me a long time to stop looking around me trying to work out what I’d done wrong.
In London, however, a beep means ‘get outta the way arsewipe’. Although the (UK) Highway Code instructs us to use the horn only as a warning.
You know some drivers actually accidentally hit the horn sometimes. So, it is possible the beep was that the driver tried to reach for something and hit the horn in the process.
But, I agree with the others… stabbing in response to a beep? That’s a bit on the bitchy side.
The OP should stay outa St Martin. Beeping happens continuously as you drive. Drivers are very courteous, and each act of courteousy is recognized with a short “beep beep”. The response is a short “beep”. My first time driving around the island had me in tremors behind the wheel until my gf explained the culture.
Did dat dude’s HAWN say “Bleat Bleat”?
A rainy day about a month ago I was driving home. A woman was walking her large dog on the sidewalk on my left. Suddenly she decides to dart across the street in the middle of the block without looking. I see her in time and honk my horn as I slam on my brakes narrowly missing her dog who is 5 paces ahead of her on the retractable leash. She gives me the finger.
:rolleyes:
Very safe I’m sure.
West of what?
Hey. I honked. I waved. I thought we were friends.
You ignored me which is a great insult to me. It was a lucky thing that, at the time, I was unarmed.
Next time I’m throwing my shoe at you.
What were you wearing?
You weren’t wearing shoes?