Then it’s likely you don’t have a significant commute to work in a city with heavy traffic.

How's honking helping the commute?

Using the horn to prevent myself from being squashed by yank tanks with a hood and tailgate height significantly taller than my car (and most adults) helps the commute. They'd have to shut down part of the road to clean the car bits and the red goo off the road otherwise. If my country legislated those absurd vehicles out of existence I wouldn't need to lay on the horn to make my existence known.

> yank tanks with a hood and tailgate height significantly taller than my car

Not a thing over here.

It helps when people try to merge into the side of your car or when someone forgets to watch traffic signals after stopping at a red light.

> It helps when people try to merge into the side of your car

fair enough!

> when someone forgets to watch traffic signals after stopping at a red light

I dunno. If you wouldn't blow a horn while walking the sidewalk when inconvenienced, I don't think drivers should either. You're not the only two people on the street, there's other people around here and they don't need to be abused by impatient drivers. ymmv, ianal, etc.. of course.

I don’t lay into the horn like a jerk when someone is inattentive to a traffic light. I just give a quick tap to get them to snap out of whatever it is they’re distracted by. I also wait at least a few seconds. Most people seem to appreciate this because they don’t want to block traffic, either.

And in that situation it probably was easy to use because most likely you REALLY needed it, which these laws are trying to make sure happens: it's easily accessible.

I disagree, whenever in the past I needed to use the honk, I've failed to do so because it's hard to press and requires you to take one hand off the wheel, which is the last of your instincts when you panicking, or both if you are juggling your gearstick.

Your instincts suck. Sorry to be blunt. It's similar to correcting a slide: your brain won't do it automatically, but it's worth learning because it's a safety feature.

If somebody enters your lane at speed, the safest thing to do is to let them know you're there. Swerving or breaking in response multiplies the problem, as now there are two cars driving erratically. The horn won't always resolve everything, but it's by far the most effective way to get somebody's attention in a hurry.

>Swerving or breaking in response multiplies the problem, as now there are two cars driving erratically.

Holding your steering wheel with a single hand will cause you to drive erratically too.

>The horn won't always resolve everything, but it's by far the most effective way to get somebody's attention in a hurry.

That's why it should be possible to activate it with an easy to reach button or lever, preferably next to the emergency lights, instead of a heavy pressure button right in the center of the steering wheel.

In fifteen years you’ve never been stuck behind someone stopped at a green light?

You’ve never had to give someone a “hey don’t back into me” toot in a parking lot?

You’ve never seen your friend Ricky, on the sidewalk?

You're making the world a better place. 100% sincere.

99% of time there is absolutely no reason to honk. People only do it because the button is there and they're safely insulated from getting punched.

> 99% of time there is absolutely no reason to honk

Could it also be that in different places, there are different expectations, and different environments that makes people use the honk for various purposes?

I get that in the US it seems to mostly be a social signal of "fuck you", but in Spain where I mainly drive, I've avoided a couple of accidents by honking after seeing cars slowly coming close to my own car on the highway, especially when passing lone cars when things are no so busy. People seem to stop paying attention then.

Then in Peru the honking is seemingly constant, and people honk in prevention when they pass you, like a "just in case" honk. Honking seems to be a way of life there, rather than for emergencies.

I've been in similar places. It's so awful. Really degrades city life.

I never use my horn either, but I must admit that this "courtesy honk" is cool and I would probably use the super chill button if I had it :)

https://youtu.be/lv8wqnk_TsA?si=V4rPj1L3W5uZz_2J