Out-of-towners. Anyone from around here would just be so pleased to be home again they wouldn’t toot anyone to try to deprive them of an extra 30 seconds of time in SE23.
Some people are so impatient and use their vehicle horn agressuvely. Like wherever they’re going is so important the rules don’t apply to them and others must not dare to hold them up for a nanosecond. Someone once told me the definition of a nanosecond is the time it takes for the lights to turn green and someone behind to toot you.
Rule 112
The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn
while stationary on the road
when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am
Just be glad you don’t live in India. Horns are used constantly - as indicators when turning, to warn pedestrians on the pavement that there is a car in the road, to announce your arrival at your destination, as a way to say thank you, to show that you will be jumping the traffic lights, to confirm your existence in the world, or just because you haven’t hooted for a few seconds!
Just got back from a few days in New York, where there’s far more ‘beep, beep!’ than here but, oddly, the driving is far more considerate and cautious.
I found that as well. They also have that right hand turn thing where they can go right through a red light, but if a pesdestrian is there / crossing, they have priority.
I’ve generally found people in America drive more calmly - maybe it’s all the extra space!
Yes, the law enforcement makes a big difference – loads of traffic cops in the US. Mind you, American drivers I know seem to take speeding tickets in their stride. I think unless there’s dangerous driving etc involved, there are no repercussions with your licence.
In the town where I lived in Connecticut (largely filled with hedge fund managers and bankers) you could ‘donate’ $100k to the town Police Pension Fund and they’d give you a special sticker for your car that gave you a free pass - literally a get out of jail free card - in case you got pulled over for speeding or drink driving.
That’s disgraceful.
In Britain that sort of donation to the party of government would get you a knighthood or seat in the lords - much better value for money.