Hmm. What's With the Honking???

[Deanna]

For me, my reaction depends on the honk. Laying on the horn is just rude. A light tap is either trying to be nice or warn me of something (like the time a very wide load was coming up behind me) or it could be somebody who knows me.

[Thorn]

If it is a short honk, I always interpret it a "I'm here" and appreciate it. Sometimes the wind can be blowing so hard I cannot hear myself think let alone the car crusing up behind me (especially if it is a hybrid).

In some countries it is a given. On Mallorca, the cars always give little honks when they're passing you. Initially I found it disconcerting, but I guess I adapted because now I actually appreciate the short honk-ers.

[Geonz]

I've gotten so I swear I can discern a "Get out of My All-Powerful Way!" honk from a "tweetoot... I'm here..." honk from a "Hey! Is that Sue?!?!" from a "You've got something dangling...." honk. I think it is the harmony of the honk with the engine sounds (how fast, slow... the 'wanna accelerate but can't sound) that tells me. I was in church and heard sirens and thought, "Hmmm... they sound like they matter!" ... and thirty seconds later the emergency guys were helping somebody out of a back pew. Maybe just coincidence...
At any rate, I don't let 'em faze me

[limewave]

I've been getting honked at alot lately too. Much more than last year. And it always seems to be when I'm riding with DD. I always ride in the bike lane or on roads with wide shoulders. I don't understand why they need to blast their horns to scare the bajeebers out of me and DD.

Yesterday I was rollerblading with DD in the jogger down a neighborhood road right by the elementary school. Speed limit is 25 mph and there is a generous shoulder. A car came behind me and blared the horn before speeding around us (again, we were well to the right of the white line--he had to swerve off the road to get behind us). What was that about? I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with my behind either.

[Deborajen]

Same here on getting honked at a lot more lately. Usually it's the quick blast right when the car gets right up beside me. The car can be either passing from behind or going the other way, but it's almost always a male driver.

For some reason, a lot of men seem to think it's wildly hilarious to make a woman jump - which of course I do. -

Deb

[cosc]

Finally I can vent a little frustration about rude drivers. Vehicles that honk at me are coming from behind. It is usually a 1 or 2 seconds before they pass. Yesterday I was going up a long hill and watching my rear view mirror to see if a slow semi would give me space. No one was coming from the front so I figured -no problem. You guessed it, he didn't scoot over a inch and honked while passing. Good thing our prevailing crosswind wasn't blowing.

[Geonz]

I had a man/boy bark at me yesterday. Okay, he barked "Yes!" but the whole point was to make me jump. I'm afraid taht, without thinking, I barked "A..." right back... but happily my poor judgement didn't escalate things. I prefer not to stoop to their level...
Still, 'round here, the nicer ones are far more common.