16.4.08

Horn Not OK Please

In Pune people use horns to:
1) Inform someone that they have arrived to pick them up
2) Scare a senior citizen off a zebra from crossing the road
3) Get some law abiding driver ahead of them to move on in a red light
etc etc

Lets not forget that the horn is meant to warn people or other drivers getting in way of a moving vehicle or breaking some traffic rules.

Indiscriminate use is not only rude but also a public nuisance. Often people who arrive to pick up somebody prefer to honk. The frequency and intensity increases if there is no response from the intended person as he or she often remains blissfully unaware. The entire neighbourhood gets thoroughly disturbed. Remember there could be old or sick people and students preparing for exams. Some basic courtesies have to be followed. Go up yourself or use a cell phone.

No one wants to make a permanent halt at any signal. Do give a moment before the vehicle ahead of you moves on instead of blasting away on the horn. There could be an unexpected pedestrian or some genuine reason why his progress is delayed by a fraction.

Do show respect to senior citizens who want to cross roads. Many have physical limitations (failing eyesight, joint problems, hearing issues etc) which reduces their walking speed. All of us will reach this stage at some time.

If you have to use auditory systems in your vehicle to warn people ahead or express your anger, do show some discretion.

I am not really sure of the origin or the sign 'Horn Ok Please' often seen on the rear of trucks.
It is definitely Not OK to blow the horn without reason and irresponsibly.

Regards
Archana

2 comments:

East - West said...

Hi Archana, glad to read your blog entry on Pune traffic as I am an NRI from Pune. To an extent it is quite entertaining to watch the traffic, especially for non-Indians (those who are not of Indian heritage).

Whenever we visit the city, we go to Barista across from Aurora Towers and watch the unending traffic around Dr. Ambedkar circle.

On our return, I dutifully enter a piece or 2 on Pune. Best, Laju
http://lajuk.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

पुण्यातल्या बहुतांशी दुचाकीस्वारांनी सक्तीचा आदेश झुकारून नापसंद केले बोजड हेलमेट I
पाठीवरच्या दप्तरांच्या वा लपटोपच्या बोज्यांनी दमलेल्या मागच्या स्वारांनीपण केले ते चेकमेट II

सरकारच वारंवार शिथिल करते रात्री १० ते स.६ पर्यंत ध्वनिक्षेपक वा फटाके वाजविण्यावरची बंदी I
म्हणून रस्त्यांवर रात्रभर जोरात गाणी वा लाखांचा फ़टाका कोट लावत तरूण वा श्रीमंत साजरी करतात त्यांची धूंद सणासुदी II

घाईच्या वा रक्ताच्या प्रेशरमुळे वाहनचालकांच्या लक्षात येत नाही रुग्णालये व शाळांजवळची प्रेशर हॉर्नवरची बंदी I
कर्णकर्कश्य गोंगाटामुळे थोडेसे बहिरे झालेले बिचारे वाहतुक नियंत्रक मामा तर कशी घालणार हातकडी ?

सरकार व पोलिसचे बहुतेक सर्व नियम धाब्यावर बसविण्यात आहे पुणेकर व इतर शहरवासीयांचा हातखंडा I
सदा झोपलेले सरकार व अति अपूरे पोलिसखाते म्हणून पडत नाही कोणाला अटक करा्यच्या फ़ंदाII

एकुण काय,स्वेच्छेने व समजुतीने केलेले सगळेच नियमभंग पडतात सरकार,पोलिस व आम जनतेच्या पथ्यावर I
जरी नाहक बळी पडतात कांही दुचाकीस्वार,शाळकरी व रुग्ण आपल्या धकाधकीच्या जीवन/पर्यावरणाच्या पथांवर II