Beeping?

[sassafras]

funny how times change. When I was growing up, everyone honked. Friends and myself were usually always doing something and the honk meant someone was here, get your ass out front and in the car. There was no texting

I was just thinking this as I was reading through the thread. When I was young, before cell phones, everyone honked.

I wouldn't do it now, but mostly because I'm so accustomed to texting. But I don't consider it rude. I don't think a quick honk is really any more disruptive than any other normal neighborhood sound.

 

[Laurelin]

We text.

 

[Beanie]

When I was a kid (pre-cell phones and texting), if somebody was coming to pick you up, we... waited for them. No need to honk the horn because we were waiting.

 

[Oko]

If someone comes to pick me up, I don't mind honking. As long as it's a friendly sounding honk.

 

[Assamiea]

If I'm going to pick someone up I'll call or text them before I leave and then when I get there if they're not waiting for me already.

I don't mind if someone is picking someone else up during the day and they give a single honk when they get there, but don't do it every two seconds. Also, I find 3 a.m. honks very inconsiderate (thanks for waking me up neighbor across the street!).

 

[AliciaD]

The only time I've ever honked the horn while sitting in the driveway was to a.) Scare my siblings who were walking in front of me or b.) tell someone inside to hurry their butts up because I'm waiting, have been waiting for the past five minutes, and we need to GO. (Usually happens when we're going to a family get together and are car pooling, and someone is insidd being pokey.)

I don't think I'd ever honk at a place that wasn't my own home. I'd call/text or ring the doorbell.

Same, I;d honk to tell someone to hurry their ass, and I've been honked at for the same purpose.

 

[Xandra]

I put no, because I text/call. Failing that I would go to the door.

Honking seems so obnoxious but I don't know why. It's just a signal for "I'm here" so I don't see why it should be rude. Maybe because it's loud and associated with anger lol.

 

[maxfox426]

I was just thinking this as I was reading through the thread. When I was young, before cell phones, everyone honked.

I wouldn't do it now, but mostly because I'm so accustomed to texting. But I don't consider it rude. I don't think a quick honk is really any more disruptive than any other normal neighborhood sound.

I don't get too annoyed by a quick honk, it's when they sit in the driveway and honk, and nothing then honk a little longer, then lay on the horn, then honk again. All I can think is get off your lazy ass and go to the door and drag your dumb ass friend out, or find out what's holding them up, because obviously your stupid horn isn't doing the trick.

These two basically summed up my thoughts on the matter.

Personally, I don't honk, not because I refuse but because I rarely have a need. If I'm the one going to pick someone up, I'm the type that calls to let them know I'm on my way. Which means that most of the time, they are already there and waiting when I arrive, especially if plans are time sensitive. Otherwise, I just walk up to the door.

I don't find the quick signal honk to be rude or obnoxious at all, though. I wouldn't be offended if someone beeped the horn to get my attention. We have neighbors that do it, and while I do notice, it really doesn't bother me. (It's a family with a handful of preteen/teenage kids so there is a lot of drive up, drop off one kid and drive away with another for various things.)

And I do have the couple of friends that I probably would honk at in a hurry (I haven't had to, but I would), because I know their cell phones always have the sound turned off. Or they have a dumb alert/ringtone that they NEVER hear. LOL

ETA: I submitted "sometimes' on the poll. Again, not because I do, but because I wouldn't find it rude to do so. lol

 

[Fran101]

Never.
And if my friends would come over and honk, my mom would refuse to let me go out until they came to the door (which they eventually did)

I would never honk. Talk about disturbing the other people in the house/neighbors.. I mean, I totally get being lazy/in a rush and not wanting to shut the car off, but just call them!

 

[Greenmagick]

Im in the used to be no big deal and weird that it kind of is now camp lol

I dont know, when I did car pool for school, yeah, not going to get out at every house (especially in the rain or snow) to knock on their door and get them. I did a quick 'honk' to let them know I was there if they werent already coming out when I pulled up. Honestly, I was doing them the favor of driving them to school so wouldve been very offended if their parents expected me to come to the door.

We pretty much always did quick honks when picking up.

Now, yes, I text or call.

 

[SpringerLover]

I pretty much never honk in general. And I live in an apartment, so that'd just be stupid but... people do it!

People honk at ungodly early hours and it drives me crazy. It's usually happens while I'm out with the dogs, but if I am inside, I can definitely hear it from my window.

One of the very few things I hate.

 

[oakash]

I beep my horn at my house if I'm waiting on someone who's taking forever, or if I need to make a quick turnaround.

If I'm picking up my brother from somewhere I just call or text him because I don't feel like going to the door of his friends house.

If I'm picking up a friend I knock on the door, or just walk in.

 

[Taqroy]

I think it CAN be rude. If you sit outside someone's house in a neighborhood and honk more than three times or for over a minute it's incredibly rude. I had that happen when we were living in a duplex, someone sat in the alley and honked for ten freaking minutes. And when I went out to ask what they were doing they yelled at me and drove around the block honking.

However, if you beep once or twice and then leave it's no big deal. Pre-kid I used to just go to the door but now I text from the car.

 

[Tortilla]

Never.
And if my friends would come over and honk, my mom would refuse to let me go out until they came to the door (which they eventually did)

My mum did the exact same thing, she thought it was the absolute rudest thing ever.

I usually go to the door .. sometimes I'll text but it really depends on the person. I never honk.

 

[noludoru]

Never.
And if my friends would come over and honk, my mom would refuse to let me go out until they came to the door (which they eventually did)

I would never honk. Talk about disturbing the other people in the house/neighbors.. I mean, I totally get being lazy/in a rush and not wanting to shut the car off, but just call them!

This was how I was raised, as well. My parents flipped out the one time I did it, and it made enough of an impression for me to never do it again. The bolded part was their reasoning.

I think it CAN be rude. If you sit outside someone's house in a neighborhood and honk more than three times or for over a minute it's incredibly rude.

This is how I feel about it. Like dogs barking - a little bit is not a big deal. Excessive barking or repeated honks/laying on your horn is disruptive.

Sometimes, depends who it is, where I am and what the plans are.

I can categorically state though I don't find it rude AT ALL, and I've never even CONSIDERED it to be rude!!! Never heard anyone ever discuss it as an issue of rudeness.

I'm actually shocked people think about it, and not only that, think there's some kind of etiquette attached to it!!! Must be a cultural thing...!

If we are dashing off somewhere and they're expecting me then I might beep. I might phone if I can pull over properly. I wouldn't get out my car and ring the bell if we are heading straight off.... I'd only get out if I was going in the house!! I don't mind people beeping for me either!!!

It must be. That's why I was curious about it, actually - repeated, constant honking is something one of my neighbors does all the time (even at night or pre-dawn hours), and obviously it's never been considered a rude thing at their house. It's just so foreign to me that laying on your horn for a minute isn't considered rude to the neighbors. Houses in the UK seem to be a little better insulated, though, so maybe you can't hear it as well.

 

[Dogdragoness]

I also either text or call ... Beeping is very rude.

 

[ACooper]

I think it's super rude too, unless you're like in a major hurry and have made a deal "Okay I'll pull up and honk!!" and they're going to run out the door when you do....

^ Beanie already explained my "explain later" LOL

I am not a fan, I think it IS rude to honk instead of ringing the door (or a text/call)...BUT...example:

Highschool kid across the street gets a ride with his buddy every morning....EVERY MORNING. Friend pulls up, waits a few minutes, dude doesn't come out, friend honks....EVERY MORNING.

IMO, the kid who is getting the ride is way more rude than the friend honking. He's picking you up......BE READY! GEESH! LOL

 

[sillysally]

The best is when the honkee ignores the honker, who then onl becomes more insistent and resorts to pairing the honking with intermitant yelling...

 

[sparks19]

The best is when the honkee ignores the honker, who then onl becomes more insistent and resorts to pairing the honking with intermitant yelling...

Ah yes... This is our neighbor. I am almost convinced they have a hearing problem because they can't talk to each other in a normal tone... It's always yelling, they don't watch tv or listen to music at a normal level at any time and they don't respond to honking until ten minutes later.

 

[Red.Apricot]

I'm actually shocked people think about it, and not only that, think there's some kind of etiquette attached to it!!! Must be a cultural thing...!

It's probably because I've always lived in tight neighborhoods where we didn't really know the neighbors, so you would have been heard by at least five or six other households (probably more!) and you wouldn't want to annoy them.

If I lived somewhere more rural I'd probably feel differently.