Haunted by the horns

It is an accepted fact that Bengalureans have to leave their homes at least an hour early to reach their destination, thanks to the blocked roads and traffic snarls.

However, if tackling the unending traffic jams was not enough, relentless honking by drivers is adding to the stress level of pedestrians and those on the road. Puneeth Jagadeesh, an IT professional, says that he has witnessed many situations where people constantly honk at fellow travellers, especially at the traffic signals.

“Vehicles which are in front tend to be the victims of honking. This happens mostly when the engine gets turned off and the driver takes time to start it. Usually, this happens with old vehicles. People need to be patient and should respect fellow travellers.” 

Honking in front of hospitals and schools is banned but the concept doesn’t seem to be followed by many.

“Just like imposing fine for wearing ‘no helmet’, there should be a heavy penalty included for honking unnecessarily. At least, instilling the fear of fine will reduce this habit,” adds Puneeth.

Josh Kurian, an entrepreneur, believes that this attitude goes all the way down to one’s education system. He says, “One doesn’t really concentrate on increasing their practical knowledge. For example, if it is about driving, it is only about how to drive and not about the etiquette part. The knowledge of something so basic should be started from school. It is not only a hassle for fellow commuters but also increases the noise pollution.”

He throws lights on a valid point that when people are at home, they do things at their own pace, but it is only when they hit the roads that the impatience start.

He adds, “People feel that by honking endlessly, the traffic will move. It is time the mindset of people changed. Honking is not the solution to clear traffic. I wouldn’t say that the traffic cops are not doing anything about it. Cops do give warnings but that doesn’t suffice. There should be stricter traffic rules which will curb this issue and also instill a sense of fear.

Sanjiv Raja, a French professor at Jyoti Nivas College, opines that vehicles that have musical horns and a higher frequency are a nuisance.

“The timer at a signal has a minimum wait time of 10 seconds. While this is okay for a less traffic zone, it might not be enough when the traffic is more. The eagerness to cross within the time creates an impatience among people leading to chaos. It is important that the signal mechanism is worked upon,” says Sanjiv.