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AIBU?

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Original poster

Hooting as you go round corners - outside our house

113 replies

boxcutter12 · 27/08/2025 12:14

We live on a remote country lane and there is a blindish corner outside our house. People quite often hoot as they go round the corner - and it irritates me. I genuinely don't understand why people hoot when they go round corners. There are often kids on ponies riding along this lane - hooting doesn't make any difference as to whether they're there or not. They're not going to have time to move. You also get the occasional loose sheep etc too. Basically, AIBU to be pissed off about people hooting at this corner (I think it's antisocial twattery to hoot outside a house too, but we are behind a hedge so it's possible eg delivery drivers don't realise the house is here).

OP posts:
BrickBiscuit · 28/08/2025 13:30

BarnacleBeasley · 28/08/2025 13:14

Sounds like the issue is not so much the honking, but the failure to slow down for the bend.

Quite. If your speed matches the circumstances, no need to hoot.

ElaineParrish · 28/08/2025 13:27

In Hanoi there were signs on every junction telling you not to hoot.

Its so disruptive and bad for sleep for the residents and hotels. Going on all night long

And because it's happening on every junction in a tight knitted road system, I'm sure it doesn't help that much to avoid collisions because you could hear a hoot from a junction very close by and think it's ok to go

BrickBiscuit · 28/08/2025 13:23

RuthandPen · 27/08/2025 12:51

This. On completely blind bends on roads where someone coming the other way doesn't expect to meet traffic, slowing, having your window down and using your horn is often the only way to signal your presence. Easier after dark.

I get that it must be irritating if you live on that bend, but they're not doing anything wrong, and having a stream of ambulances coming to collect the victims of head-on collisions would also be no fun.

Show quote history

Why would they not expect to meet traffic?

Cedrabbage · 28/08/2025 13:22

Well I drove down the road not long ago to find a loose herd of cows wonder what would've happened if I'd just beeped and continued at speed? Maybe I could've quoted the highway code at them?

BarnacleBeasley · 28/08/2025 13:14

Sounds like the issue is not so much the honking, but the failure to slow down for the bend.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 28/08/2025 13:14

Ooo when I read your op I thought 'omg what a good idea to keep everyone safe' 😭🙈

crackofdoom · 28/08/2025 13:13

PashaMinaMio · 27/08/2025 12:38

It’s probably me tooting as I approach that bad blind bend between our villages. Those young lads who come careering around towards me. It’s terrifying, and don’t get me started on the current hay trailer & huge tractors with wheels twice as tall as me. They don’t give a toss about other road users.

Im trying to save you the hassle of calling an ambulance.

But young lads with the windows up playing music or tractors with the racket of their engines won't hear your horn, but you will be driving under the false reassurance that they have.

I guess a horn might work for cyclists and walkers, but could spook horses or loose livestock. As well as causing noise pollution.

This is a rare occasion where I disagree with the Highway Code.

Elbowpatch · 28/08/2025 13:10

boxcutter12 · 28/08/2025 13:04

I know it's in the Highway Code, but I think it's idiotic. If horses are allowed on the road (which they are), then having halfwits hooting and then driving around the corner at speed (which is what they do) is lethal. I think the Highway Code is wrong! Still, it's fun to watch when two fools hoot and drive round the corner simultaneously (which they do surprisingly often!).

It’s been accepted practice for a hundred years or more so you would think any real problems with frightened horses would have become apparent by now.

Ponderingwindow · 28/08/2025 13:09

Not from the uk, I thought this was going to be people on walks acting like owls. As I clicked I imagined either a method to keep safe from predators or a way to protect some fragile animal in the local fauna.

Original poster
boxcutter12 · 28/08/2025 13:08

TheDandyLion · 27/08/2025 12:24

Its in the highway code.

Just because something is in the rules doesn't mean it's not daft. That's why rules get changed quite often.

OP posts:
Original poster
boxcutter12 · 28/08/2025 13:06

OwlBeThere · 27/08/2025 22:20

If your horse is easily spooked enough that a beep on a horn will cause an issue, they probably aren’t safe to be out on the road at all. All my horses are trained to not care about horns.

Show quote history

It's not that they'd necessarily be spooked, there just wouldn't be time to get them out of the way. By definition, anyone dim enough to hoot going fast round a blind corner probably won't have time to stop for a horse.

OP posts:
Original poster
boxcutter12 · 28/08/2025 13:04

I know it's in the Highway Code, but I think it's idiotic. If horses are allowed on the road (which they are), then having halfwits hooting and then driving around the corner at speed (which is what they do) is lethal. I think the Highway Code is wrong! Still, it's fun to watch when two fools hoot and drive round the corner simultaneously (which they do surprisingly often!).

OP posts:
OwlBeThere · 27/08/2025 22:20

Cedrabbage · 27/08/2025 12:17

I don't get it either. Just slow down and use your eyes ffs. Is this ok for horses?

If your horse is easily spooked enough that a beep on a horn will cause an issue, they probably aren’t safe to be out on the road at all. All my horses are trained to not care about horns.

TheOtherAgentJohnson · 27/08/2025 14:10

Cedrabbage · 27/08/2025 13:18

@TheOtherAgentJohnson are you trying to tell me that a car horn doesn't have the potential to scare a horse? If in the countryside one should be aware of people riding horses

You can't not use your horn on a blind bend on the off chance that a skittish horse is on the other side. Horses that would be scared by a car horn shouldn't be on the road. The Highway Code says you're supposed to use your horn on a blind bend, whatever Google AI thinks.

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 27/08/2025 13:28

TBH, I think it should be compulsory to sound the horn when going over speed bumps. It’s all in the aid of road safety, after all.

Maybe also when overtaking cyclists. And when parking within half a mile of a school.

We can’t be too careful.

Cedrabbage · 27/08/2025 13:18

@TheOtherAgentJohnson are you trying to tell me that a car horn doesn't have the potential to scare a horse? If in the countryside one should be aware of people riding horses

ThatNaiceMember · 27/08/2025 13:15

As someone who had that car ran off after an accident caused by a blind corner (No fault accident. We were both going at/under the speed limit. Was just incredibly bad timing and their car was bigger) . I can see why people beep that said, definitely not ideal if there's people riding horses and for the people living near by.

DrPrunesqualer · 27/08/2025 13:08

GasPanic · 27/08/2025 12:46

Gives me an idea for an invention.

You could have a sensor buried in the road which the cars trundle over. A bit like you get at traffic lights.

Then a light both ways that lights up green (sensor not triggered) or red (sensor triggered) for 20 seconds or so afterwards to warn people there may be something coming.

Kind of a halfway house between a traffic light and hooting.

Better than a traffic light for keeping traffic moving although a traffic light would be OK if there was a lot of traffic.

However, if the councils can't even fill in potholes they would be unlikely to do this.

Plus if it was a notorious accident blackspot the council would have probably already installed traffic lights anyway. Clearly it isn't seen as a problem.

Sounds like a great idea !

Although we wouldn’t be allowed that as were a dark skies area
and luckily not a black spot

RuthandPen · 27/08/2025 12:51

applegingermint · 27/08/2025 12:18

Blind corners are considered an appropriate use of the horn in the Highway Code. Presumably the blind corner was there when you purchased your home.

This. On completely blind bends on roads where someone coming the other way doesn't expect to meet traffic, slowing, having your window down and using your horn is often the only way to signal your presence. Easier after dark.

I get that it must be irritating if you live on that bend, but they're not doing anything wrong, and having a stream of ambulances coming to collect the victims of head-on collisions would also be no fun.

GasPanic · 27/08/2025 12:46

Gives me an idea for an invention.

You could have a sensor buried in the road which the cars trundle over. A bit like you get at traffic lights.

Then a light both ways that lights up green (sensor not triggered) or red (sensor triggered) for 20 seconds or so afterwards to warn people there may be something coming.

Kind of a halfway house between a traffic light and hooting.

Better than a traffic light for keeping traffic moving although a traffic light would be OK if there was a lot of traffic.

However, if the councils can't even fill in potholes they would be unlikely to do this.

Plus if it was a notorious accident blackspot the council would have probably already installed traffic lights anyway. Clearly it isn't seen as a problem.

toomuchfaff · 27/08/2025 12:40

I suggest you stand outside 24/7 on the blind bend with a big sign saying "DO NOT SOUND YOUR HORN,"

That should do it...

PashaMinaMio · 27/08/2025 12:38

It’s probably me tooting as I approach that bad blind bend between our villages. Those young lads who come careering around towards me. It’s terrifying, and don’t get me started on the current hay trailer & huge tractors with wheels twice as tall as me. They don’t give a toss about other road users.

Im trying to save you the hassle of calling an ambulance.

TheOtherAgentJohnson · 27/08/2025 12:38

Cedrabbage · 27/08/2025 12:32

I googled it...

This is why you shouldn't rely on AI for accurate information.

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 27/08/2025 12:32

One of the few correct uses of the horn.

Cedrabbage · 27/08/2025 12:32

I googled it...

Hooting as you go round corners - outside our house
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