Comments on: Horn OK Please

By: Satya

Satya — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:43:19 +0000

Jay - You have become an expert blogger. Kudos to you.

BTW, is it “Horn OK Please” or “Horn Please, OK”? The second has one a meaning and you will see it on back of every truck. It meant if you are behind a truck and you want to overtake (Assuming one lane), you would horn (honk) and if the truck ahead of you gave a OK signal by showing hands, you are safe to go. This acted like a signaling system.

There is another big assumption here. When we say we want to keep our tradition, we are also assuming that nothing else has changed. For example, if there were 100 people driving on a road at a time 10 years back, the number must have tripled or quadrupled now. So when the environment is not the same, it is hard to justify why traditions should not change.

By: Anu

Anu — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 04:25:11 +0000

Though I completely agree with your view that when in India do like the Indians do….I also appreciate the fact that government is taking serious steps to take care of noise pollution. In India my house is in a small bylane and few years back we use to appreciate this fact, but now the street has turned in to bikers and rickshawallah’s paradise as they can drive at full speed with that irritating noise which accompanies it!!!!Moreover these drivers go honking like crazy to alert anyone about their arrival…..This is serious considering young children playing on the street or senior citizens resting in afternoon (all houses on this street are ground floor houses).
But all said I have to admit that I do miss honking here in States…and never leave a chance when I get one!!!

By: Varsha Keshkamat

Varsha Keshkamat — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:17:40 +0000

I had no idea that you write so well. I have made it a point of reading your blogs on a regular basis now. And on the issue of ‘honking’…well said.

By: Abhijit

Abhijit — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:44:10 +0000

Jay

I think in India, drivers use the horn more than the steering and I cannot think of the existence of any vehicle without the horn. So your article conveys the right thing.

By: Aakruti

Aakruti — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:57:55 +0000

Well No words again….One more step towards the Booker proze….
In pure sense its a tradition of India and every Indians shouls follow it…any one not doing so is chaeting the Spirit of India….
Imagining no honking on road itself is a scary thought…it will feel as if i am the only one travelling on the road. Moreover how would i know that people are in hurry and have just left the office or have finally left the jail(office) and rushing back home. No honking ight also give a feeling that Indians are getting punctual and are forgeting another tradition of IST(indian standard time:raching late atleast half an hour late).
One thing i missed in the blog was about the various music that flows from bike and vehicles when people honk. It shows our love for music and shows our individuality…

Over all very nice blog…thanks for reminding my tradition. ;-)

By: Mallika

Mallika — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:40:51 +0000

Lol! Honking obviously vents the frustration out of my system. Have u ever tried honking in sync wid the music playing in ur car? its gud fun :D

By: Chintan Ganatra

Chintan Ganatra — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:18:50 +0000

Brilliant thoughts! Wow! You have a real good imagination Jay…By the way, horn is called ‘Bhonpu’ in Hindi :)

By: Ketan Kulkarni

Ketan Kulkarni — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:41:59 +0000

Good article. Although honking does not get you anywhere faster, it was, is and will be, the primary way of making one;s presence felt on the road (the other being rash driving)