Total Motorcycle Community Forums

So, I'm in the middle lane of the expressway, with 18 wheels slightly ahead of me on the right, a couple of cars on my left, and my space cushion leading the way. I don't like getting stuck next to a tractor-trailer, so my space cushion was its entire length and I was just ready to get ahead of it, when a silver Chevy Aveo started to slide over toward me, hung there & then slid back into the (faster) left lane.

I eyed it for a moment, then decided to get out of there, which of course is when the Aveo decided that my lane was superior to her current position. In the split second before this happened, I realized, with a small amount of horror, that I could not find my horn button. I had tested it earlier, but now I drew a blank. One Stebel blast would have cleared my path, but I opted not to look for it, as she was only a little bit closer to me than the wheels of the truck. I rolled off the throttle just in time, and off she went, never knowing I was there--until I gave a short blast of my horn, 2 seconds late.

I'm pretty sure she could see me after that for all of the next 40 miles. Yeah, I followed her. At first it was just because she was still right there, and I was PO'd, but then I realized: I wanted her to see my face. She finally stopped at the Honda factory. I told her I simply wanted to know if she knew she had very nearly killed me, and if she had seen me at all. She hadn't, of course, either seen me or suspected she had nearly helped me under a truck. Turns out she was late for her job at Honda. She had been having a terrible day: her daughter's car had broken down on the side of the road somewhere, and I can't remember what she said was wrong with her husband. I told her her day could have been a lot worse, and mine would have been terrible. She apologized, said she realized that I had family, too. Assured me that normally she is a very careful driver--although the extreme tailgating I witnessed all along the way belied that statement. Apart from specifically suggesting she adjust her mirrors and turn her head, there wasn't more I could say.

I had all that mileage to reflect on my clumsiness with the horn, of course. Of all the life-saving maneuvers I have practiced, I know I give that one short shrift. I also reviewed the wisdom of following the car, but once I committed, I decided not to back down. In short, I was lucky.

You're not the only one. I also tend to be unable to find the horn button when stressed. Or I'll hit it kind of half-cockeyed, and it won't make solid contact, so it ends up bleating instead of blasting!

Ya ever try to hit the horn on a BMW? 99 out of a 100 times, you will end up activating your left turn signal.

Whenever I'm in dicey traffic, my thumb is hovering above that horn button... No searching required...

Just a good habit to get into...

dr_bar wrote:Whenever I'm in dicey traffic, my thumb is hovering above that horn button... No searching required...

Just a good habit to get into...

Yes definitely a good idea and something I do as well.

Glad you made it through MZ33! I've had difficulties with the horn as well. I've accidentally hit the horn on my bike and missed the damned thing when I needed it. Funny thing, I was behind my wife this past Sunday at a traffic light when I accidentally hit my horn. I asked her about it - and she didn't hear a damned thing.

I need to get something in there that people can hear. You'd think it was such a big bike they would give it they would give it a nice big voice. No dice...

Training the cages is great, and shaming them is a fun endeavor. However, do not rely on your horn in those situations. Always take evasive action. Using your horn is overly optimistic. The following sequence has to happen.

1.) You hit horn
2.) They hear horn
3.) They realize someone is honking at THEM instead of other traffic
4.) They recognize who honked at them (if they didn't see you in the first place...)
5.) They recognize the problem they've caused.
6.) They correct it.

Assuming that even happens, by the time it does I've already gotten the hell out of dodge.

RhadamYgg wrote: You'd think it was such a big bike they would give it they would give it a nice big voice. No dice...

Yep. Factory horns are always lame. Country X doesn't want it louder than X decibels and Country Y doesn't want it quieter than Y decibels. In order to sell the same horn in all countries they design the decibel range the decibel range so that Y< horn volume < X in such a way that the same horn is acceptable in all countries.

Yeah, I don't think I've ever used my horn as a 1st option "life saving" measure. It's asking a lot to leave your life to the comprehension and reflexes of other people.

I think a lot of it is down to "horn practice" and using the horn or anticipation of using the horn on your bike to instinctively know where the button is. On my V-Strom the horn button was a little too easy to push as I hit it sometimes when canceling a turn signal (nothing like a little embarassment).

I find I don't honk as much in the UK vs Calgary. The UK drivers are worse for doing "stupid things" like holding up 2 lanes of traffic to make a U-turn, but no one else honks so...

Mike

Can't fault the horn on the Connie, I swear it is louder and deeper then most modern car horns, still not on par with the horns you use to get on those boats the big three put out in the 60's and 70's, but not to far off.....