I am going to reiterate the importance of all this horn honking. Many of us come from places with highly regulated and managed traffic systems. Traffic lights, raised medians dividing traffic, roads wide enough to accommodate a full sized vehicle going each way, etc. Because of the well managed roads, we do not get accustomed to honking at people as a form of communication other than rage. I have an old dog new trick problem in that I am so unaccustomed to using the horn that I do not use as a natural reflex.
I remember very clearly during my driver's education course in high school we were taught to honk when coming up on pedestrians or cyclists on the roadway or to overtake vehicles in certain situations. My parents and grandparents also uses their car horns in this manner...though it didn't need to be used nearly as frequently in the US as it is needed here. I don't understand why some people think it is so out of the ordinary. I was under the impression it was a more common practice with the older generations in the US. Does a quick tap of the horn have a different meaning than a long press in Australia? One thing I have not figured out here is the flashing of the headlights during the day. I use it to tell someone I'm yielding the right of way to them and many people here seem to use it that way as well but others seem to use it as a way to say they are going to take the right of way no matter if you are going to yield it or not. Very dangerous to have these two different interpretations being used on the road. In the US flashing of the headlights during the day almost always serves as a warning to other drivers that the police have set up a speed trap, or that there is an accident, deer or hazard up ahead.
We flash to let someone know we are turning. We also use a double-flash as a "thanks," when someone lets us make a turn into our side street. Brief honks to let motorcyclists on their phone / not paying attention, know we are passing. Ceres is notorious for honking, "i'm coming thru," those are 60% of horn honks in dumaguete. I also admire Filipinos for their patience (generally) in driving, anyone who lived in NYC in the '60's understands. Not sure it's admirable, but also admire the Filipino ability to waste hours waiting in line when simple business efficiency would cut it in half.
I have a theory that they must actually enjoy it or surely they would have done something about it by now.
Quick tap or long hooooot same really, normally rage or get off the phone the lights are green now... After driving in Asia awhile I think we become a better driver back home, more patience and merge better. Flashing lights same as US.
Interesting. In my California driver's education course, I was not taught to use the horn in this way. Furthermore no one in the California cities uses their horn this way. For the most part horns are not used in California at all. (Except for road rage.) There are extensive road improvements to manage traffic. Bicycles have their own lane, etc. When I first started driving in foreign countries like Mexico I was surprised how many people were honking their horns. I thought they were all mad at me. It makes sense to communicate more with little toots. It is a very hard practice to habituate for someone who has never used it for many years.
I have thought LONG and HARD but have no idea what you mean. I will keep going and it will come to me soon.
Flashing lights means I am waiting and giving way to you, OR I'm coming through so you wait (usually), OR I thought you were my buddy who has a car like yours and I'm saying HI, OR you have your headlights on in the middle of the day and I don't care if the visibility is 100 meters in pouring rain, you should turn them off and save your electricty and light bulb.
