√Opinion: If you use your car horn like this, you need to stop

Many drivers are leaning too heavily on their car’s horn – both literally and figuratively. Are you one of them?

When should you use your car horn? Ask this question of any two people on the street and I guarantee you’ll get two very different answers.

In my mind, there are four broad categories of horn user…

Type 1: The bossy beeper

Some drivers take a vigilant approach, using their horn without hesitation to navigate delays in traffic, rogue pedestrians, questionable manoeuvres and beyond. They see themselves as the neighbourhood watch of our roads – keeping everyone in check and upholding traffic flow and decorum. When they honk, it’s short and sharp, but effective.

Type 2: The hesitant honker

Other drivers, myself included, save their horn for when it’s absolutely necessary – another driver taking a baffling amount of time to get moving at the lights, someone randomly pulling out in front of me with little warning, or a pedestrian on their phone about to walk in front of my car. They are sparing with their horn use, and when they do make use of it, it’s either half-hearted or overzealous – there is no in between.

Type 3: The emotional exploder

This person uses a horn to convey their every emotion… and usually this governing emotion is rage. Their impatience, anger and frustration often translate into prolonged leaning on the horn, designed to intimidate other drivers into giving way. At best, these tooters are anti-social, at worst, they’re dangerous.

Type 4: The social squawker

These honkers are the polar opposite of Type 3 and use their horn as a social accessory. Whether it be honking to show their appreciation for an attractive member of society, tooting to say hello or goodbye to a loved one, or tooting because a bumper sticker and/or billboard implored them to – these social tooters show a flagrant disregard for the horn’s intended purpose, but are nowhere near as intolerable as Type 3.

Of course, some people are a mix of more than one of these types.

But according to the road rules, only Type 1 and 2 have any legal grounds for their honking.

Conversely, depending on the circumstances, Type 3 and Type 4 could face fines.

The road rules are clear: you are not allowed to use your horn as anything other than a warning device, with some very rare exceptions.

According to regulation 224:

“A driver must not use, or allow to be used, a horn, or similar warning device, fitted to or in the driver’s vehicle unless—

(a) it is necessary to use the horn, or warning device, to warn other road users or animals of the approach or position of the vehicle; or

(b) the horn, or warning device, is being used as part of an anti-theft device, or an alcohol interlock device, fitted to the vehicle.”

When it comes to horn etiquette, there’s a big difference between a polite tap and a prolonged blast.

Using your horn to greet, intimidate, surprise or scare other road users is a big no-no and could land you a fine and/or demerit points.

Of course, plenty of drivers will use creative licence when it comes to interpreting the meaning of “warn”.

I can already imagine their defence: “But, officer, I had to warn them that they drive like an idiot”.

So let’s think about actual, practical, real-world examples of appropriately “warning” someone with your horn,

Pulling out of a driveway with limited visibility and gently tapping your horn to warn pedestrians? Yep, all good.

Honking to warn another vehicle they’re about to hit you because they’re not looking? Absolutely.

Tooting before a pedestrian cluelessly wanders in front of your car while on the phone? Go for it.

In my opinion, the following scenarios are a little more of a grey area: beeping someone who’s taken too long to get going at a green light (unless it’s approaching the 10-second mark), beeping to ask someone to give way to you, or beeping to reprimand someone after they’ve committed a questionable driving manoeuvre.

The truth is, correct and incorrect horn use really comes down to the police officer who catches you in the act, or the random members of society who witness your honking.

To take the temperature of the public, I asked some of my colleagues – all well-behaved, good-natured citizens – to give their thoughts on the scenarios where horn use should be discouraged.

I’ll leave you with their responses…

Glenn Butler: You shouldn’t use your horn if a car changes lanes into the gap in front of you, but you don’t like them taking your goddamn piece of road.

Bailey Mackin: You shouldn’t use your horn if someone is taking too long to park, just enjoy the show and be patient.

Rob Margeit: Unless yours or someone else’s life is in imminent danger and beeping your horn could potentially save them, then just don’t. It sets everyone on edge, including you.

Tom Fraser: You shouldn’t use your horn for right-lane hogs. Inappropriate.

Sam Purcell: There’s honks, and there’s honks right? There is a huge difference between a quick blip on the horn, in comparison to the flat-lining blast from someone furious. The tone of the horn changes things noticeably.

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