Meeep!

Despite the benefit of its highly effective warning ability, which after all is the prime reason for a car horn, I find the annoyingly high note "meeep" of today's plethora of standardised horns irritating – their pitch is annoyingly high and too urgent-sounding.

My probably greater concern is with increasing use of them as a mode of conversation, rather for their intended purpose as a traffic warning device. That functioning can range from an extremely hostile expression of road rage, to a happy greeting or a friendly farewell; to advise the vehicle in front waiting at traffic lights that they have now turned green, or as another means of personal exhibitionism by the driver.

In New South Wales, the road rules say that you must not use the horn or any other warning device unless you need to warn other road users that your vehicle is approaching, that you need to warn animals to get off the road, or else if the horn is being used as part of an anti-theft or alcohol interlock device fitted to your vehicle.

Our urban settings now have an underlying background sound track of horn concertos, mostly performing in the upper octaves of the musical scale, and this theme becomes a normal feature of our perception. Yet in my case I came to think of how infrequently I use my horn while driving.

I suppose that I can put this down to taking a little care and operating in such a way that any hazards are anticipated and countered early.

No unnecessary "meeeping" modernity for me!.