I figured this would be a good forum for this question.

This morning I was behind a guy red light who just sat there once the light turned green. At first, you'd expect him to react in 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, etc. I couldn't decide at what point I should honk my horn (15 seconds, 20 seconds). Just as I was about to honk, the guy behind me starts honking like crazy and then the guy finally proceeded into the intersection.

What's appropriate TexAgs honking etiquette?

Three seconds tops.

In NY or NJ, I believe that the maximum is 0.0001 seconds.

Drag racers can't time the lights like those people.

3 seconds.

2-3 seconds...

Not long at all. 5 seconds or less. Which brings me to another gripe.

Why, if you are the second (or third, or fourth,....) car behind the idiot who isn't moving and you honk your horn, why does the idiot in front of you get angry at you because they think you are honking at them rather than the idiot at the front of the line?

03 seconds, tops.

In Boston, you honk before the light turn greens - just in case.

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03 seconds, tops

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SHOOT IT

and what type of honk?

after 5 seconds they get the courtesy tap, but I have observed people use the long sustained honk, which should be reserved for the "impact imminent" situation. Some people use the "multiple tap", which I think is a bit overkill, but I have noticed the Highland Park Escalade driver using a hybrid of these, more like a multiple-short-sustained" sequence that is quite annoying.

I have them all written down somewhere, it's quite a science actually.

3 seconds MAX

If I see they are talking on the cell phone, instantly.

If I see it is an elderly person (or what I think is an elderly person, say someone driving a 1986 Olds 88) I give them about 4-5 seconds.

I don't honk, I just get close enough that they can read the serial number off my winch and push them along.

3-5 seconds. A little more respect for the elders. I agree instantly on cell phone talkers or radio station changers.

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I think is an elderly person, say someone driving a 1986 Olds 88) I give them about 4-5 seconds.

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What if it has 26" Rims and Canny Paints?

3 seconds if they're not a bluehair.

If course, they could be like the jackass that got in front of me yesterday, and put on his left turn blinker in the straight only lane because he forgot to get in the left turn lane, and just sat there when the straight lane light went green for 20 seconds until the left turn light went on. Suck it up, a-hole, go straight, and make a u-turn, instead of being a d*ck.

I work in greenspoint so I see a bunch of "cheby ridin' high boy cheby ridin' high".

I would honk instantly at them, but they usually have their "mixed tape" playinig from a PA system and I am certain they wont hear me. Plus, they have to grab the steering wheel they cant reach since "dey chair" is tilted back too far.

Good stuff.


Obviously each town is different. Here in San Antonio I rarely hear the horn being used. I think I gave the guy last night about 6 seconds before I lightly tapped my horn. In New York, you start honking before the light turns green.

Mouth, in that situation I'd lay on the horn until he moved.

5 secs, guess i'm more laid back and not in a drag race to get any where.

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What if it has 26" Rims and Canny Paints?

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I honk as soon as it turns green, because I assume they are leaning too far back to see the lights.

2-3 second depending on teh situation. When I honk, its with a purpose, a good solid full honk until they begin to move is what I usually do.

Your driving a car, pay the **** attention.

If i see a cell phone, I will go to a 2 second rule before laying on the horn.

In houston, the biggest problem is *******s that drive like the people around them have no place to be and nothing to do.

The only reason I dont honk sooner is because I recognize the mental capacity of most of houston drivers isnt up to par.

Its a lot like people that drive slow in teh fast lane. Are they stupid? Most likely, but more importantly one has to recognize that they don't realize they are stupid and are simply working with a diminished mental computational handicap that doesn't allow them to function at high speeds in that lane. Tailgating often gets the picture across, or passing, getting in front, rolling down the window and manually signaling for them to move to the right.

[This message has been edited by jed1154 (edited 3/24/2010 11:58a).]

I'd be alot quicker on the draw if my horn worked properly (the button is giving out) so sometimes I hit it and nothing happens.

I can usually see if they are not paying attention, and in that case, they get a honk right away. You shouldn't be taking notes or doing your makeup while you are driving... just drive.

Its just a courtesy honk though, a quick tap.

How about people in H-town that never use their blinkers!!!!!!!!!! They will cut you off, then when you honk at them (because they suck at driving) they dont even realize why you honked.

Yes, blinkers are not used enough.

However, sometimes at rush hour, im on the fence. Do you use the blinker and wait tirelessly while all the *******s close the gap and just wait for a courteous driver, or do you NOT use it and just move over at the first gap big enough to squeeze into?

I dunno, sometimes I use a hybrid system...blinker and merge all in one step. If its really busy, you can use your right blinker to make a left merge, it pulls everyone that would normally close the gap off guard....sometimes you have to fake em out.

3 seconds, if I am right behind the driver.

+1 second per every other car that might also be in front of me.

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sometimes I use a hybrid system...blinker and merge all in one step

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This is good. People respect a blinker as well, the bigger the vehicle, the more respect other drivers give you. I often put my blinker on, knowing I won't turn yet as a car is clearly passing me or is cruising in the lane I want to go to. I'll put it on, and they usually speed up past me, giving me amble room for a quick pull in behind them. Or they slow down if they fear a collision.

[This message has been edited by Cyprian (edited 3/24/2010 10:16p).]

I gave it to a guy in front of me for not moving when the light turned green at the light under 610 and woodway. He just didn't move for 10 seconds. I was yelling and laying on the horn... just as a Fire Truck was coming up the feeder goes thru the red light on his side.

hehe, not much i could do then but a sheepish wave and the old silent "sorry".

The second that the cross street light turns yellow, I start honking.

I find a big roaring revving V8 is MUCH more intimidating than a horn for small car drivers. Truck horns sound just like car horns due to volume and frequency regs on production vehicle carhorns, but a little car driver has to pay attention when some potential maniac behind them is putting 5000 rpms on 8 pistons.

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If its really busy, you can use your right blinker to make a left merge, it pulls everyone that would normally close the gap off guard....sometimes you have to fake em out.

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You should fake left then to right... no... THINK about faking. That's the ticket.

Actually, in Manhattan, they begin to honk just before the light turns green in order to be proactive and eliminate any potential delay in your reaction time. I found that very amusing.