To think when you are driving and see someone you know

[katemiddletonsnudeheels]

You really should not beep the horn? I know it's not intentional but it always gives me a jolt and I wonder what I'm doing wrong/what I've missed.

Or am I being grumpy? :)

I like beeping my horn at people. I live in a very slow town though so I beep and stop.

Are you sure you're not getting appreciative beeps?

Yanbu

It is very dangerous because it make me jump when I am driving

No, not appreciative beeps ha - I am driving, hear a horn blast, jump out of my skin and frantically check my mirrors only to see someone on the pavement grinning and waving at the car behind me!

I might do a little 'peep' to someone on the pavement, if I'm not on a really busy road or a junction, but not to someone else who's driving. Yes, very dangerous!

Isn't it also illegal?

YANBU. I never do this. I'll wave if they happen to see me but I wouldn't beep and I don't like being beeped at. Beeping is only supposed to be used to warn someone of danger.

See this is why I think cars should have two horns.
A happy 'pip pip' noise to let friends know you've seen them or you're waiting outside. And a more aggressive sounding 'hoooooonk' to let some bastard know they've cut you up...

Yanbu. I hate it when people beep their horns unnecessarily. Even if it's a short tap. It's a pet hate of mine.

Alpaca that is BRILLIANT! I would love it if cars could do that. You could use the cheery pip-pipiness to diffuse road rage situations too, thus decreasing the over reliance on the aggressive honk-honkiness. There is definitely a gap in the market for this

OP YANBU.

Why thank you! The 'dual-horn' as I've named it would have a smiley face on the pip-pip side and a frowny face on the hoooonk side.

I like to beep and wave at random people! They always wave back and then look bemused when they don't recognise me

I also do several long beeps when I leave friends/family houses. It annoys their neighbours

Then there is the beep in time to the music game when waiting in car parks. I play out a tune using the horn and the kids like to guess what song i am playing!

I don't do any of the above obviously. Actually I think my horn has been used twice in 2 years! But if I had a joyful pip-pip horn on the size I would def do all of the above

YANBU. it's really annoying and also illegal. Living in London has made me absolutely hate the sound of car horns.

I have come close to causing an accident on a zebra because of this
Luckily my foot was on the brake when I jumped

Don't do it

Yes! I think there also needs to be a 'thank you' pip and a 'sorry!' pip!

Which would be the most British thing ever

It's worse when people actually stop in the middle of the road to chat to them.

It is very annoying for other road users who wonder who is beeping who and why.

And also illegal as others have pointed out.

They do that all the time here spud. Just stop in the night of the road and chat to their buddies, not caring that they're holding up the cars in front of or behind them. If I pip at them they then give me a mucky look and reluctantly move to the side of the road - why couldn't they have done that in the first place?

I was on my home one day with my 3 girls in the back from school run. As I approached our cul-de-sac I indicated to get in as there was a car just stopped in the middle and the driver was chatting to a woman friend. I waited and then beeped to let driver know I was there incase they didn't. As soon as I did the lady pedestrian shouted at me 'i'm talking!'
I was gobsmacked and just replied 'well I need to get in'. She was so rude and inconsiderate and I had 3 tired and fussy kids in the car! You don't block people's entrance to have a 'chat'

YANBU. I hate it, it makes me jump and frightens the life out of me, especially when I am on my bike.

Can't believe so many people admitting to illegal and frivolous horn usage

I hate it when people 'Beep 'n' Wave'! I always leap about 20 feet into the air, look around frantically to see where it came from and then wave back whilst gurning.

And 9 times out of 10, it wasn't even aimed at me. So then I have the double joy of looking like a gurning loon and waving at randoms...

I had a non-driver friend who used to reach across and beep (not in my car )
Not to anyone he knew, but anyone who had their hands full and couldn't wave back...
He lives in a slow town...

YAB the most reasonable person ever on MN, OP. Beepers annoy me whether I'm driving or walking. If I'm driving I always imagine I've made some terrible mistake, even worse because I didn't even know I was fucking up, and walking, you either look like a twat because you're waving at a stranger who's actually gurning at somebody behind you, or you walk haughtily past someone you talk to every day.

If we must have some way of greeting/yelling when we're behind the wheel, let's have something voice-activated. Would-be beepers can then be clearer with their communications ('WTF ARE YOU DOING, YELLOW VAN?' or 'Whooo, Brecon! Nice tits') and the rest of us can be left alone.