It is now thirty five years since I have been driving a two wheeler or a car. One habit which is changing only slowly is honking. It creates noise pollution in city roads and intimidates other drivers on the road. I feel that it is one aspect that has not been emphasised enough while learner’s license is issued or driving lessons are offered. In most countries I have been to, honking is an exception during an emergency. But we consider it as our right while driving a vehicle.
The attitudinal change involves accepting the right of way for others as much as we want to claim. In so doing we are under obligation to offer more courtesies to other drivers. I feel overtaking can be done without any of the aggressiveness and discourtesies we inflict on others knowingly or unknowingly.
It is when visitors from overseas travel with us in our vehicles we become even more conscious of the undesirable practice we tend to obsessively practice.
I remember a friend who was to travel with us for a long distance journey telling us, ‘I enjoy every part of the road travel, except the honking’. We can change if every new driver is enabled to practice defensive driving and road courtesies are emphasised and the traffic officials insist on driving by being mindful of others on the road!
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