this post was submitted on 01 May 2026
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ShowerThoughts
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Sometimes we have those little epiphanies in the shower.. sometimes they come from other places. This is a home for those epiphanies.
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I mean everyone's figured this out more or less though.
Gentle horn tap - polite, informative. "The light is green and you're spaced out, mate".
Pronounced depression (or two) on the horn - stern, informative. "You just swerved into another lane without indicating in heavy traffic, your behavior is risky".
Long extended honks, wild honking, something resembling Morse Code - impolite, abusive. "You just blew a stop sign", "you're driving on the wrong side of the road". "You could kill someone you fucking arsehat".
I moved from Boston to Southern California and it’s comical the differences in horn use.
Light turns green, car in front doesn’t go
SoCal: One one thousand two one thousand three one thousand four one thousand beep beep
Boston, one millisecond after the green light hits your eyes BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
I've had people start honking when the light on the cross street turns red.
PA
Light is still red
BEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
Yes and it’s ridiculous. Settle the fuck down.
Yeah here in Australia horn use is almost always offensive. Not reallyalways but that's the default assumption. If you're going to toot toot someone you know you do it fucking carefully after making sure there's no one near by that might think you're beeping at them.
My partner and I visited Vietnam about 15 years ago. The polar opposite. If you're in or in a vehicle and another vehicle is presently in or will be in your vicinity them you're toot toot tooting just to make everyone aware of your presence.
I genuinely like thee Vietnam approach if im honest. Very utilitarian.
Yea, NorEasters have zero patience (this now extends down to northern VA)